Weapons related:

At the Js q&a, somebody asked them if there were any weapons that they wished that they could use on the show. (M4s were brought up again.) But the first thing was the grenade launcher that's been sitting in the Impala's trunk since season 1. Jensen got a little grumpy about it. (Very Deanesque.)

He also mentioned that he once spent weeks practicing with throwing knives in his trailer only to have the scene cut.

Back at Amy's panel, someone had asked her about her big fight scene with Julia McNiven. She talked about the training and how she took the prop knife everywhere to practice her knife handling. She said that at night at her hotel she'd be reading facebook and twirling that knife. When she was done shooting it was the one prop that she was really sad to have to leave behind.

sumi, thanks so much for the up-close, in-person account (It's so much better for me through a like-minded filter).

I assume most of you know Dana's story about Tricia Helfer, meeting her at a con right after Katrina? Worried about family, Dana just sort of fell apart in the autograph line, and Helfer came around the table to hug her and pat her back and sympathize and calm her down.

Someone posted a similar story about Richard Speight. Her dad died this summer. One of the things they had bonded over was Band of Brothers, and she had brought his boxed set as well as her own, hoping to get one of them signed by Speight. She started crying before she got to him, handed him the box but couldn't speak. He coached her through it, asked if he could sign it to her dad, what his name was, checked the spelling, asked if he could sign her copy too, then put down his pen and came around the table to hug her. In addition, on her way out of the room she passed Matt Cohen, who was encouraging her to smile even if she didn't feel like it, sharing that making the attemtpt to appear positive helped him feel more positive, and encouraging her.

At some point, in the lobby or a restaurant, Mark Pellegrino overheard her discussing insomnia and recommended some things that had worked for him after his mother's death.

These people, man. I honestly am starting to believe that interacting with fans does as much for actors who don't have a large presence in the industry as it does for fans of this show that's spent most of its existance in industry obscurity.

The Brits had been to the Vancouver con. They saw the shooting of this week's episode. And at one point they saw Metallicar - all by herself. . . completely unguarded. So they went over, took pictures and then tried the door.

Unlocked.

They got in.

The keys were in the ignition.

They were VERY VERY STRONG. And did not drive off with her.

They took the pictures to their autograph session with Jensen. He called Cliff (the security dude) over and said, "hey, take a look at this." Jensen told them that they should have driven off with the car. (We think that Grand Theft Auto in a foreign country is kind of a bad idea. . . although Canada is no Singapore.)

I do remember Dana's experience with Tricia Helfer. Lovely person. And that woman's story is equally lovely.

This

Weapons related:

made me laugh, because it's like the opposite of an egg warning for ita.

Beverly - that's an excellent story. You know, the guys who appear at the cons mostly know each other through the cons and it's amazing what good chemistry they have with each other.

If only the writers could come up with a way to have Richard and Matt in the same episode. . . possibly in their 1970s lounge lizard incarnations. It would ROCK.

BTW, Richard Speight was asked if they would bring Gabriel back how would he want him to bring him back. And he said - he wouldn't but that he thinks that the fact that Gabriel was hiding in plain sight as the Trickster means that somewhere there is a REAL Trickster and he would love to come back as the REAL Trickster. I think that would be great. I hope that something like that happens.

made me laugh, because it's like the opposite of an egg warning for ita.

Yes, that is what it's for!

Speaking of ita and her foibles: some of you may recall that Jensen had incurred a weapons related injury during the Frontierland shoot. He injured his hand trying to "fan" the revolver which has a sticky trigger. Well, in something they shot this season he had to do something similar and reinjured the hand. (No bandages in sight, though.) It might be more of a bruise type thing.

Richard Speight was asked if they would bring Gabriel back how would he want him to bring him back. And he said - he wouldn't

I am so happy to hear that. I got nothing against the character or Speight himself--he seems a treat. I just want Gabe dead. Bring him back in flashbacks only, please.

Sounds like you had an amazing time, sumi. Good onya.

eta: ha! General ha!

Sounds like you had a great time, sumi. Yay!

Isn't an M4 what Dean used in All Dogs Go to Heaven? In the picture I googled it looks the same.

But I don't know my sniper rifles from ... my not sniper rifles.

I don't either - but it sounds like they haven't used one yet from what Jensen said.

Oh, how could I forget this? Somebody asked Jensen if they'd like either Tom Welling or Michael Rosenbaum to be on the show and he said, "funnily enough they were just discussing having Rosenbaum on the show." And then he clarified that this was just talk and Rosenbaum knows nothing about it. And he mentioned how much fun Rosenbaum is on set. For example, generally at blocking the actors just come on set, in whatever - sweats or whatever, and work out their blocking and then go off to makeup. Rosenbaum came on set for blocking with a guitar. He then sang the entire scene while blocking it.

It would be lovely to have MR on SPN!

Another story - possibly from the breakfast or from the Jensen meet and greet. They were talking about what executive producer credits mean when you're an actor. And something came up about a recent (as yet unaired episode) where Jensen read the script and there was a scene where the boys are arguing and he thought that the dialogue as written was all wrong, "too girly" and he said, "I'm going to have to talk about it with Jared when we're getting our makeup done." And the Brit who was there said she just started to laugh. He didn't get it at first. (After all, make up is just part of his job.) And then he realized what he'd said and thought it was funny too.

Man, I'm tired. I may post more if I remember anything else. Now, I've got to go get some cash and try to catch the next bus.