How does one throw a GAH party?

[billswoman]

I'm rejoining my sci-fi geek tribe (read: going back to cons again), and I've already got my registration and room for Rustycon 23, in January 2006.

Of course, there's not NEARLY enough GAH at this thing, I'm sure, so I've taken it upon myself to get a room in the party wing so I can throw a big GAH party.

Any suggestions?

I'm going to bring a TV set and my DVD player and show continuous GAH eps, in proper sequence (of course), till I'm about to put my foot thru the TV set.

Other than that, and providing tons and tons of munchies and alkyhol, I'm at a loss. (And yes, I'll be checking ID.)

I WANTED to go as Bill Maxwell Himself (okay, I'm too fat, ugly and female to be my man Bill, but I can dream) but sadly there're too many rule problems, eg: I can't put "Bill Maxwell, FBI" on my con badge cuz that'd be impersonating someone in the FBI (having a fake FBI badge would prolly not be wise either). I can't get a gun holster with a FAKE gun, cuz this hotel's within spitting distance of Sea-Tac airport (literally across the street from it) and the con-com and the police tend to frown on that. I opted to have "billswoman" as my fan name on the badge at least (I specified that they need to do it all in lowercase, of course).

My printer can make banners, flyers and posters, so I can advertise it, once I know my room number, and put up decorations.

I think lots of red, white and black balloons would add a festive air too.

Ideas most welcomed.


Bill and Ralph were at a loss when asked, How DOES one throw a Greatest American Hero party any way??

Additional stuff:

Okay, just found out my friend's already got an executive suite reserved for herself and ANOTHER friend, so I'm wondering... any of y'all wanna visit the Seattle area from January 13 thru 15, 2006? I've got a double reserved with room a'begging. Just a thought, lemme know. It'd be fun to throw this thing with a fellow GAH fan, although my buddy said she'll help me with it if necessary (eg, keeping an eye on the DVD player and discs, checking ID for alkyhol, things like that). (Oh, one additional thing... guys and girls share rooms alla time at cons, it doesn't mean anything's going to happen... I've done it lots of times. I've got two double beds, and can easily upgrade to queen if necessary. So there's room for three more adults, if the four of us can get along and not kill each other.)

One idea I had: A GAH fanfic reading library. Not just my own, of course, but ANYONE who wants to send a copy of their story to show to the un-FF.net masses. If you want to send me your GAH fanfic, lemme know via PM and I'll give you my mailing address. I'm planning on printing off all of my GAH fic and putting them into neat little notebooks for easier reading. No money changing hands, of course; they'll remain in my room for people to read when they come to the big party.

Man, this is turning into my own little GAH mini-con, what fun to plan!! I'm going to send the info to the con-com so maybe they can include it in their program book as the time draws near; they advertise room parties if given enough notice.

[MyTatuo]

If my wife kicks me out or splits with the kids before then, I am SO there. Then I will have something to look forward to in my miserable deadbeat-dad life...

[HoudiniDerek]

Sounds like it would be fun, but I have no idea if I could go yet.

[billswoman]

Update on the Room Party.

I went to a pre-convention meeting yesterday, and found out a few things.

They don't advertise planned room parties in the program book, but there's a posting board of room parties, plus I'm free to post flyers all around the hotel advertising it.

A suggestion from my friend who's going to be helping me: Cookies shaped and textured to look like dog biscuits!

Buttons or stickers (that won't harm clothing) that say "Maxwell Maniac" or "Hinkley Homey." I'm wondering, should I include "Davidson Devotee?"

All right, the funnest thing of all: When we were taking a break from the con-com meeting, and were outside schmoozing and smoking and gabbing in little clusters of people, I told two women I was talking to that I had a specific theme I was going for. I mentioned "Greatest American Hero" and these two, plus a couple of guys nearby, all went "WHAT??" One guy said, I am SO THERE, GREATEST AMERICAN HERO?? That got others' attentions, and soon I had a big handful of people saying they wouldn't miss it for the world! I told them how I was going to be showing the episodes, in order, throughout the party (maybe I'll just show particular favorites, in order of course, so we can cover at least through Divorce Venusian Style).

So to cap it then (and ideas from my fellow GAH fans would be most welcomed):

Episodes showing continuously
Banners
Balloons
Dog biscuit cookies
Alkyhol
Pins or stickers shouting out favorite characters
Trivia contest (another suggestion by friend)
Fan fiction library (get those stories to me if you want yours included; I've got plenty of ink and paper, if you want to send the files via email)

Room parties are a major part of conventions; many people, including the professionals visiting, make the circuit (I found out one party I was loaning my room for had one of my alltime favorite authors show up about fifteen minutes after I left -- Robert Silverberg. I almost died when my friend running the party told me; he stayed for about an hour. Grrrrr.....)

Darn, too bad Robert Culp ain't going to be in the Seattle area that weekend. And weird things like that happen (I think I may've mentioned it somewhere on this board before). My college friends had gone north to Bellingham for a convention (it's close to the Canada border). Leonard Nimoy was in Vancouver BC at the time, and heard there was a sci-fi convention nearby, in the US. He just shows up out of the blue to visit it, and of course gave the convention committee a coronary. My friends said he did a couple of panels, for free, just 'cause he's that type of guy. Yes, I almost fainted when I'd heard I'd missed this.

Hmmm, now if I could lure Culp here... yeah, that's it!

[billswoman]

Okay, I just re-read that post, and had two thoughts:

1. Email me a list of your THREE favorite episodes not listed below. I'm already going to be showing them (of course). What other three should I include? That way, on the flyer, I can advertise which eps will be shown, esp. the approximate times the Pilot will show. Oh yeah, I won't be showing GAHeroine. As much as I love it, it IS for a "different series," not our usual Bill, Ralph and sometimes Pam team.

Pilot
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Best Desk Scenario
Operation: Spoilsport
The Beast in the Black
Lilacs, Mr. Maxwell
Divorce Venusian Style

2. Your FIVE favorite quotes from GAH and the ep they're from. I might put them on the flyers, or a banner or graffiti board or something.

Y'all can email it to me at [e-mail] if you don't want to flood this board with stuff that's prolly already been asked and said.

[MrsMaxwell]

If you can't wear a gun or badge, how about wearing Bill's fishing hat with all the lures on it? Otherwise you'll have to go as Pam, Rhonda, or Paula Caballa (LOL).

I love the dog biscuit cookies idea...I may try that one myself!

[billswoman]

Yeah, I was thinking the fishing hat & vest at least, or taking the camo jacket I have and find a "Maxwell" name tape to put on it.

I'd still like to have "Happiness is a warm pistol" made.

[HoudiniDerek]

Oh come on...you have to show them all and in order. How could I go otherwise? Don't you remember my obsessive-compulsive disorder from the die-hard GAH fan thread?

[MelMac]

billswoman said:

Yeah, I was thinking the fishing hat & vest at least, or taking the camo jacket I have and find a "Maxwell" name tape to put on it.

I'd still like to have "Happiness is a warm pistol" made.

You'd probably be able to have some T-shirt shop be able to make you a shirt like Bill's. I've seen a few at malls that make quite a few interesting shirts.

[billswoman]

houdiniderek said:

Oh come on...you have to show them all and in order. How could I go otherwise? Don't you remember my obsessive-compulsive disorder from the die-hard GAH fan thread?

You know, I want to do OTHER stuff at this con than play GAH eps I don't enjoy as much as those top seven episodes. The ones that ARE shown will be in order, of course. (I love mixing tenses, don't you?)

I was thinking of those seven, then three that PEOPLE SUGGEST, c'mon, get those ideas in! but then thought also having SIGNIFICANT episodes, such as "Now You See It" when Bill and Ralph learn first about precognition, then that Bill can share in the visions with him. That's just one example.

[HoudiniDerek]

Well, if you don't like all the episodes, you HAVE to have the HIT CAR...come on!

[billswoman]

Sure, I'll include that one too, both cuz I like it and it was the first regular episode.

[billswoman]

I've already said in this thread how some at the Rustycon convention meeting reacted when I mentioned throwing a GAH party... now I got this reaction at just mentioning GAH on a Trek LJ community:

"holy crap you did not just mention greatest american hero!!!! i thought me and my brother were the only people left that remembered that show! he recently rented the first couple episodes off netflix and his 4 year old daughter absolutely loved it."

Are we, on this board, the only people left on earth that know about this show??

I mentioned GAH because someone on the Trek comm (ORIGINAL Trek, of course) suggested making holiday-related icons, and maybe stories (adroitly pointing out that Kirk, of course, would celebrate Hannukah) and I mentioned how we had our little Christmas-fic challenge for GAH. And I got that reaction.

Sigh.

Just to lure three of you to Seattle in January, 2006, here's what I wrote in the Seattle LJ community, in response to someone new in town asking "What's there to do?"

"Broadway's always entertaining, even on a Sunday morning. That's my vote too. Or later this week, on Friday, try downtown and migrate from about Stewart down to Pioneer Square (the buses are ride-free till 7pm if you'd rather not walk in rain), going down First Avenue. I swear, some unspoken signal is given out on Friday nights, after the commuters leave town: Ollie ollie oxen free, time for all the freakazoids to come out of the woodwork!

God, I love Seattle."

[HoudiniDerek]

Never been to Seattle, but it IS on my to-go list...maybe your party will be the reason.

[HoudiniDerek]

Other suggestions for great episodes you might consider showing:

HOG WILD
LOST DIABLO
DON'T MESS AROUND WITH JIM
PLAGUE
HAND-PAINTED THAI
VANITY, SAYS THE PREACHER
WIZARDS AND WARLOCKS

Those would be my picks for others.

[MelMac]

Q: "How does one throw a GAH party?"
A: He wears his jammies, picks it up and throws it.

(Sorry, silly joke )

On a more serious note, I think your ideas will work well, billswoman. The three I'd suggest in addition to the ones you've listed are:

- Live at Eleven
- Train of Thought
- Fireman (or 200MPH-Fastball)

These are a lot of fun to watch and tend to stay more on the human aspect of the series. Quotes right now, I can't think of all five off the top of my head. Two of them are the ones under my avatar and signature though.

[billswoman]

So far, I've narrowed down the suggestions to these five:

The Hit Car -- First regular ep. Bill & Pam flirting. Bill utters those immortal words: Drivel makes my eyes water. All-in-all, a better-than-average ep.

Plague -- The ep I fell in love with Bill Maxwell.

Hand-painted Thai -- Stupid title, really good ep. Kinda ticks me off that Tim dies. Scenario.

Train of Thought -- Alludes well back to the pilot episode. Overall, a really good ep.

Fire Man -- another good early one, it pits Bill against Pam & Ralph initially.

Of those five, "Plague" is a definite. And I think HD is right: The Hit Car should be in there too. Train of Thought. I dunno, I might do 12 all together, not just ten. The original 7 i listed and these five.

[MelMac]

billswoman said:

So far, I've narrowed down the suggestions to these five:

The Hit Car -- First regular ep. Bill & Pam flirting. Bill utters those immortal words: Drivel makes my eyes water. All-in-all, a better-than-average ep.

Plague -- The ep I fell in love with Bill Maxwell.

Hand-painted Thai -- Stupid title, really good ep. Kinda ticks me off that Tim dies. Scenario.

Train of Thought -- Alludes well back to the pilot episode. Overall, a really good ep.

Fire Man -- another good early one, it pits Bill against Pam & Ralph initially.

Of those five, "Plague" is a definite. And I think HD is right: The Hit Car should be in there too. Train of Thought. I dunno, I might do 12 all together, not just ten. The original 7 i listed and these five.

I think 12 total would work. That way, you know you have a little of everything the show was known for: humor, bit of slapstick, drama, great banter between characters, emotion. (Well, except maybe for some of the more plodding plots. )

[HoudiniDerek]

I really don't care for Fire Man, mainly because I am anti-Tony.

[MelMac]

houdiniderek said:

I really don't care for Fire Man, mainly because I am anti-Tony.

Well, there's always the "Lettysburg Address" to cheer you up.

Anyway, reason I chose "Fireman" wasn't because of Tony or anything in particular, but more because it did put the trio at odds with each other at first. Ralph felt that Tony was innocent, Bill didn't. Pam had her doubts at times, but more in a "are you sure" type and not "he's guilty."

I also like a lot of the scenes in the story. For example, when Ralph puts on the fire proof helmet, he tells Pam, "No laughing," and she keeps herself composed. When he does and she laughs, he says "Would you knock it off, it was you're idea." Have to admit it was the most mismatched hat with the suit.

Another scene I like is the one just after the fire department arrives at the fire and the firefighters come to help the lady Ralph saves. They give him a look like "Oh, so he think's he's a superhero, saving a woman from the fire. Even has to dress the part." Ralph tries to tell them what he knows about the lady's condition, and they basically tell him to buzz off. So he says, "OK, I guess I'll go fly off." Sure enough, next scene, he does just that. They would have been in for a shock had they seen him take their words literally.

But, I digress. I like all the episodes, so I could go on about all of them. I think all 12 episodes will be neat to show at the convention, but if you had to pick just one more, I'd suggest either this one or "Train of Thought." I like "Hand-Painted Thai," but it has a little more comedy than the others, and for the nonregular watchers, they might think the show was predominately funny. These other two have their moments, but are closer to the original premise of the show.