Day 2: Claudia Christian, author, musician, and actress best known for her work in the cult classic movie The Hidden and in the science fiction series Babylon 5, was the first speaker. Asked about her beauty secrets, she said, “drink lots of water, get regular massages, drink lots of [sic] tea, and have lots of sex.” Assume she meant good sex. Claudia then wowed the audience with the tale of a stalker fan who shot her in the rib with a gun full of blanks at a convention. “As I lay on the ground,” Claudia said, “I thought ‘I don’t want to die with an epitaph that says here lies Claudia Christian, science fiction actress killed by a Tribble.” An exuberant, witty presenter with a keen sense of comedic timing, Claudia proved to be a tough act to follow.
During the day, Convention-goers were treated to an advanced screening of a surprisingly good fan video, a webisode series called Star Trek: New Voyages. Starring George Takai, the episode, “World Enough and Time,” continues Enterprise’s five-year mission of exploration and was filmed entirely by volunteers in a fan’s backyard. Given its high production values and use of CGI, it is sure to please. It can be found at http://www.newvoyages.com.
Late in the evening, the public was treated to a poolside Tiki Party. Funky chic Torri Higginson dazzled with some fierce dance moves while elegantly dressed Alice Krige and Vanessa Angel stood for photos with fans. In a surprising turn of events, Katee Sackhoff entered into a limbo competition…and placed second to a fan sporting Starbuck’s bowl haircut from BSG Season One. Said fan was spotted earlier in full BSG regalia. Well done, nuggets.