Frankie Goes to Hollywood!!

"Frankie Goes to Hollywood"
Convention Comments


From: Chanda
Subject: FGTH - Shock Treatment video
Date: 29 Jun 2001 04:37:22 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.cult-movies.rocky-horror

I'd like to start off by saying "Thank You" to Mark, Becky, Marty, Bill, and everyone else at MI for throwing the best convention I've EVER been to, including the 20th and 25th! I'm still riding an emotional high. There really isn't anything I can add to what's already been said before, by everyone else, but you guys totally rock!

I can't even begin to imagine all of the hard work, dedication, effort, and stress that went into organizing this event - but it is very much appreciated. I only hope that you were not too exhausted to enjoy the fruits of your labors.

The only drawback to the entire weekend was that there were just so many wonderful events going on, it was impossible to do everything. I felt like I needed to be two people at once, just to keep up with all the fun. (Hey, what can I say - I'm a greedy bitch. I want it all!) ;-)

I would also like to thank everyone who was involved in Shock Treatment for making my first ST performance (and my first time onstage, in any capacity, since 1995) so enjoyable and memorable. I do wish I'd had a little more time to rehearse - my timing was off in a few places - but by the time we were finished, all I could think was, "I can't wait to do this again!" Unfortunately, from behind the screen, I wasn't able to watch everyone else's performances - but, HUGE thanks to Lavar, I was able to catch the repeat on videotape. Fabulous job, everyone! If anyone else would like a copy, please email me privately - all I ask is that you cover the cost of the blank tape and shipping. Or, if anyone managed to videotape Bob Simon doing "Wilkomen" (or anything else cool) I would love to swap!

It was wonderful seeing familiar faces again, plus meeting so many new friends. Finally, I can put faces with the names that I've been seeing for so long on the newsgroup. I wish that I'd had more time to get to know everyone better - but there's always next time. Bay area? Vegas? If it's within driving distance, you can bet that I'll be there!

Chanda


From: Xanadudette
Subject: FGTH - One Week Later...
Date: Sun, 01 Jul 2001 06:04:51 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.cult-movies.rocky-horror

Well, it's been a week already, and I think I've almost recovered. I had a blast at the convention. Here are some of the highlights for me:

THURSDAY

Bumping booties with Patricia Quinn to "Groove is in the Heart" (anyone wanna touch my ass??)


FRIDAY

Seeing Fozzie shirtless at the beach (growrr!)

During the awards show, Sylvester the Cat flipping some guy off for suggesting that Tweety Bird could kick his ass.

Walking past Angelyne and thinking, "What a great costume that transvestite is wearing!" -- then realizing it was actually her.

Watching the puppeteers try to follow along with whatever Pat and Bob were saying.

The absolutely stellar performances of everyone during Shock Treatment, most notably Jessica Feldman as Janet -- what an amazing talent! Jessica, you really carried the show and did an awesome, professional job. It was a pleasure to watch you.


SATURDAY

In the ending credits of "A Regular Frankie Fan," the Sins cast was listed as being in Santa Monica, California!

Winning Sal's football jersey in the raffle and having several people tell me they wished they'd won it.

Watching Elvira's Haunted Hills with Elvira. (And the movie was pretty good too...)

Ruth chewing out a security guard for not letting her back in during the costume contest.

Singing Bohemian Rhapsody outside the theater -- thanks, Joseph!

Witnessing Bob Simon's devirginization. (And wishing I could have performed it myself... :op )

Liz S. taking over for a missing Janet - what a pro you are, Liz! :o)


SUNDAY

Getting mooned by Marc at the softball game.

Getting mooned by Kelly at the softball game.

Getting mooned by Bob at the softball game.

At kareoke that night, watching Liz, Scott, and Sonja sing "Hangin' Tough" by New Kids on the Block -- one of the funniest goddamn things I've ever seen in my life.


All in all, it was a wonderful time, and I thank MI immensely for doing an amazing job in putting on this con. This was the third con I have been to and by far the best in terms of planning, organization, and overall good vibes. So well done to everybody at MI -- cast, crew, and administration!

One thing I do regret is not being able to see the costume contest. I know that people work very hard on their costumes, and would like to have them displayed in a manner that everyone at the con can admire and applaud them, not just the judges. There were a few costumes that the general con-goers did not get to see at all because the people had to change into something else right afterwards. It's also fun for the rest of us to know who's entering and in what category, etc. I didn't even know that Normandie and Bernie's sharks had entered until they actually won! :o)

If you're worried about the judges being distracted, maybe you could tell the audience to hold their applause until the end of the category -- for example, do the Columbia judging and then have all the Columbias walk across the stage at once, to thundering applause. Or just simply tell the judges not to be swayed by audience reaction. Anyway, MI, please don't take this the wrong way -- I still think ya'll did an incredible job! It's just that I and several others I talked to would have liked to have seen the costumes being displayed in all their glory. I mean, what's the point of having a costume contest if most people can't see it! :o)


I would like to end this post by saying just how grateful I am to be part of the Rocky community. Going to this convention really drove home to me what an amazing group of people you all are, both my friends and those I haven't even met. For those of you who don't know me, I am not, nor have I ever been on a cast. I am just somebody who has gone to Rocky off and on as an audience member for the past 12 or so years. The very first time I went, with my mom in St. Petersburg, FLA, we were treated with kindness and respect by the St. Pete cast. They came and introduced themselves to us before the show and included us in the festivities. They never made us feel like we were too square or didn't belong, and we both had a great time.

I started going to Rocky occasionally in the So. Cal area. I remember in the beginning, I was too shy to even yell anything out, or make friends, but I still loved going and had a lot of fun at the various theaters I went to, which included the Rialto, Balboa, Montclair, and San Dimas. It wasn't until just this last year that I started going to Sins at the Nuart on a semi-regular basis, and was greeted with open arms and made to feel welcome by the Sins cast. Then I went to MI in Long Beach a couple times and was also treated like a friend there. I remember the first time I met Bill Ung, he gave me a hug. :o)

The overall vibe I felt at this con was one of family and caring. It never ceases to amaze me that every single person I talked to at the con was friendly and easy to talk to. There was not one single person at the con who was rude or condescending to me. I find this is true for the Rocky community in general. I have been involved with various religions and other groups over the years, and I can honestly say that there is no other group where I have felt more accepted for who I am, than the Rocky community. It has also taught me that it's okay to mess up, be silly, and just have a good time with what you've got. Strange that one could get all this from a movie about a transvestite from outer space! :o)

I would like to especially thank the Sins cast for being so warm and welcoming to me this past year -- Jason, Liz, Normandie, Bernie, Felix, Marilynn, Erin, Emily, Ryan, Jared, Scott, Joseph, Gina, Ofer, Amanda, and everyone else I'm forgetting (there's too damn many of you!). You guys have taken me in and made me feel like part of the group -- and I don't even do anything! It's been great hanging with you all at the Nuart and at the cons.

And to everyone else in Rockydom -- you guys have been like a second family to me. You're my freaks, and I love ya!

Anyway, sorry this post is so long, but I guess I had a few things to say. :o)

Thanks again, MI, for a job well done!

Heather


From: Divine3838
Subject: FGTH ROXXX! this is long but kinda amusing
Date: 02 Jul 2001 02:58:42 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.cult-movies.rocky-horror

hey everyone, i thought i posted my thanks and memories to this group, but i cant find it so ill do it again! :)

thanks to Midnight Insanity for putting on a kicka ass con (my first! they popped my cherry soooo good!) and for choosing me to play Trixie Saturday night! i only hope that my performance was an enjoyable one...did anyone notice my pixie dust? i forgot to use it in the judging, i was going to fling some of it around a little...also i was going to blow bubbles. but i got all flustered last minute and forgot... i was so proud that i placed second in the contest...the lovely gal who placed first ROCKED! i cant remember her name right now (im sooo bad with names) but if shes reading this or you know her, i have a pic of her me and pat in the lobby. id be happy to get her a copy.

White Trash Debutantes were great! Rhionnan (betty page bangs) spanked me onstage Thursday, hurray for that! Pat Quinn was, as everyone said, a perfect lady and so charming! i had her sign a birthday card for one of the Magentas on my cast...which is tomorrow and we happen to share birthdays (teehee), ill be 29, by the way! Cassandra was great too! what a funny gal!

walking over to Manns Chinese in costume was hilarious!! i couldnt get over these little old hispanic women who wanted there pic taken with ME! i looked like a streetwalker! and also the little kids! i felt kinda...wrong having my pic taken with kids in that get-up! i mean im used to it in my "innocent" fairy garb...but not this one! :) oh and just so ya know, i was "Dark Pixie Trixie". and friday night i was edie sedgewick, not winona ryder or joan jett, which were the two guesses i got.

spending time with my friend Tom made things extra enjoyable! thats rifffffff, in case you wondered. hes an extra special (not in the short bus kinda way either-LOL!) friend and super duper extra sweet! thanks for everything Tom! SMOOCH! thanks for making that 20 block trek to the Larry Flynt building with me! too bad the big guy himself didnt roll out in his gold plated wheelchair so i could sit on his lap for a picture! teehee!

it was great to meet everyone i talked to at Con and im sorry i ddint get to talk to more of you! it was great to meet Larry and the guys from home of happiness (thanks for the invite, guys!), Becky and Mark (and Marks HOTT busty wife!) ;) from MI, the lovely gal who was all over me at the Thursday night party (white sweater wearing naughty girl who left white fuzz all over my black shirt :), Jessica Feldman-so proud of you for your win and performance in ST! (yes, ill mention her even though she didnt mention me in her post :P),

to wrap this up, thanks to everyone who came to con and hopefully ill see you all again! feel free to keep in touch with me anytime!


MUAH!

Polly Esther the mistress of "sin"-thetics


From: Ruth Fink-Winter
Subject: FGTH: yet another chiming in (long): FRIDAY
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 03:48:00 GMT
Newsgroups: alt.cult-movies.rocky-horror

This should have been posted last week, but I was busy packing for a trip to France. I'm back now...this will undoubtedly include some duplications, but my newsreader is eating messages and I'm too jet-lagged to deal with Google right now. (Don't like it? Hit "n" now.)

This was a very impressive con, and I have no idea how MI is going to top this one in four years. I've read before of cons "back in the day" when fans got to mingle with the stars...well, that was this con. You could kick back at the pool and see Bob Simon (8 years as Frank, mostly on the Eurotour, also at the Tiffany and the Beck) signing autographs, or buy Pat a drink. Apparently Pat partied with the guests on Thursday, and I know I'm not the only one who regrets having missed that. Thursday was the only meet-and-greet; I don't know why I got it into my head that I'd have a chance to Friday.

Friday was a pretty good simulacrum of an awards ceremony...some stuff was great, some just made me think about how old I was getting as I watched it (like the "drag queen" from the Queen Mary murdering "School's Out"). In any case, I strongly prefer events with table and chair seating: it's harder to fit everyone in, but some mingling is possible. There were some beautiful costumes that night, some very good preshows (my personal fave was Broadway Bound and Gagged's Madonna medley--floorshow in cone bras!) and of course those nifty-looking David awards. (You haven't lived til you've taken an 18" David statuette wearing nail polish through airport security.) There were some joke awards, some voted-on, some for fans, some for celebs (including Majick Films, Cassandra Peterson aka Elvira, and Lady Pat herself)...overall, a good mix. Some of the presenters were a tad unusual too, my favorite being the giant papier-mache Space Riff/Mags puppets (voiced by MI Frank Steve Guerrero and Lady Patricia herself). This time instead of Tim Curry telling us we were freakier than he was, we had Ms. Peterson, who also added that Ritz was the third choice for the role he took (she might have been kidding: choices one and two were Mick Jagger and Richard Chamberlain). She also noted that her husband saw the original London show on King's Road, and that after trying out for the Roxy play, she saw it 12 times.

But I'm getting ahead of myself...MI started things off by doing an excellent Rocky-related version of "Wilkommen" from Cabaret with Bob Simon (blowing a fuse and having to start over). There were actually a fair number of technical difficulties all night; the MI tech crew had its hands full and got most things back on track fairly quickly. Simon has a fine set of pipes and it was a pleasure to listen to him.

Patricia Quinn stayed for part of the proceedings up in a balcony; she seemed to enjoy the music (notably Little Nell's FEVER), though none of the preshows seemed to catch her interest.

This was one of the more creative groups of preshows I've seen, though there were too many medleys for my taste, including what was apparently a brilliant Quentin Tarantino tribute by Sins. (Very impressive special effects and lots of blood.) A lot of it required having seen his films, which I haven't, but the intro about why Rocky Horror is all about dick was amusing even to the totally Tarantino-impaired. Kudos also to the disco medley by Wild and Untamed Things/Rocky's Whores (with guests): very well-thought-out, and YMCA for Floor Show just worked. Other preshows included Divine Decadence mixing South Park and Rocky Horror and a piece by Barely Legal that I still haven't figured out.

Visual treats included a very nice copy of The Contraption, the Elvira's Haunted Hills trailer, and some blurry footage supposedly of the Brad/Riff buttfuck scene (scary; someone has too much time on their hands).

The final awards went to Pat and to Sal. Pat received her award as The Lips (I believe?); Sal received Best in Show and delivered some inspiring words on how the rift has healed between east and west coast and we are all one Rocky family.

There were two live band performances: Lady Stardust (some talented folks from MI) and the White Trash Debutantes, who finished out the evening with Bob Simon, Pat Q and the general assembly doing (what else?) the Time Warp.

--
Ruth Fink-Winter - Doin' Time in Texas
Editor, Crazed Imaginations: By Rocky Fans, for Rocky Fans
http://www.crazedimaginations.com
We've Moved! PO Box 95994 - Hoffman Estates, IL 60195-0994



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