That’s right, Amy Poehler! If you go into this thing thinking you are going to do all the things and meet all the people you will be sorely disappointed, because the Con is hard! So try to revel in the moment, without getting too caught up in the outcome. For example, look at the sweltering limited autograph line not solely as a way to obtain a precious winning ticket, but also as an opportunity to learn how to construct a crude shade structure using your over-sized SDCC backpack, dental floss and 3 broken plastic forks. It’s also a great time to discover whether eating a package of Kleenex is, in fact, a suitable substitute for your missed breakfast (it’s not). That way you can be a winner regardless of what happens!
Fun fact: Crucifixion is actually a required task to get into the limited autograph signings
Armed with this attitude, I headed over to the NBC party that our fearless leaders Bekah and Nikki had gotten the TN crew into. NBC will be premiering a number of shows this season, including Taken, based on the Liam Neesom action flick, in which Clive Standen (Rollo on Vikings – duh) plays the main character, Bryan Mills. The invite said that “talent” from Taken would be there, but I chose to assume that, because Clive was not named, the talent probably referred to his chimpanzee co-star, not to Clive himself (full disclosure: I have not seen the movie, so there may not be a chimp). My first stop was the bar, where I expected to have to pay for my drinks, but the booze was free so – BAM! – first expectation exceeded!
I drink ALL the Cabernet!
And even if Clive were to show up, I wouldn’t expect him to just walk right into the rabble. He would probably parachute into a secret VIP area, or rise through the floor on a lift accompanied by fog and the opening strains of “The Final Countdown.” Right? So imagine my surprise when Clive Standen just walked in the front door, like any-old regular human person would! BAM! Expectation #2 shattered!
My Vikings partners-in-crime and I immediately sprang into action. And after fumbling like a ninny the previous day trying to sign into my phone while Clive was touching me (#majormultitasking), I decided I was going to just freaking walk right up to him, and say multiple words in an order that would loosely form sentences!
And I’m pretty sure that’s what I did, but I kind of don’t remember. Because Clive Standen. I know I thanked him for coming out to see the people who couldn’t get into the autograph room, and he was so sweet about it! Apparently, the cast didn’t know there were so many people still waiting, and when they found out, he, Alexander and Katheryn came out to see us.
We talked a little about the how great the panel was, and how excited I am about season 4B of Vikings. There was only one point where he seemed to be trying locate the nearest exit or assess whether he would have to jump the rail and rappel down the building to escape me, which was when I was complimenting him on bringing the pranks full circle this year by stealing Alex’s flip-flops like Travis had stolen Alex’s shoe at the airport last year. He may have thought that, perhaps, I knew a little too much about the cast’s shenanigans. I should have specified that I talked to Alex about it in an interview, and that I was not actually stalking them via drone. Yet.
This is essentially what it looked like:
That guy in the plaid shirt? Yeah, I elbowed in on his Clive-time. #dealwithit
He very good-naturedly endured my fangirling, but I was wary of veering into total creeper territory by accidentally telling him all about my pets and that time nobody came to my birthday party. So having no further expectations, I was ready to turn and leave, when he gave me the international body language for “bring it on in,” and this happened:
This is where I whispered in his ear that Bryan Mills reallllly needs a man-bun. Like, for real.
So, BAM!! Expectation pulverized!!!
Now, allow me to answer all of your questions about this moment:
- Yes, he smelled good.
- Yes, he’s super-solid.
- Yes, his jacket was made out of a weirdly stretchy fabric
- Yes, he’s agreed to be my “Extra European Husband” **
I closed out our conversation by asking him what it was like to work with a chimp wishing him the best of luck with Taken, and letting him know we would be covering it! Then I walked to a corner, curled up in a ball and rocked for the rest of the evening, while Clive went on to give Patricia a birthday buddies high five, and pose for pictures with Brianne and Dougal’s Beard! He is just the freaking best!
Just goes to show you, anything can happen at the Con! But it probably won’t, so don’t get your hopes up.
** No he didn’t, and there’s still no such thing.
Who did you meet at Comic Con? How did they smell? How do you lower your expectations? What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to get a pic with someone?
Look for Clive Standen in Taken on NBC in 2017!
and, as always
