the Fests are more about hanging with my "cousins" than anything else.
I agree - they're a great way to see and spend time with friends that you only get to spend time with once a year or so during the Fests.
The stars are an afterthought really. Not trying to dis them, but the most reaction you'll get out of me these days at a star sighting at a Fest is a dull, "Oh, there's Lara" (or David, or Johnny etc...)
Same here. And even though the major thrill of seeing and/or speaking to them has waned since the first Fests I attended - I definitely still enjoy seeing them (well, more so for some than othersÂ
).
Personally, I always separate an artist's work from his/her personal life. If I allowed myself to enjoy someone's work solely on the condition that I liked/respected him/her as a person, then I'd end up missing out on a lot of great work.
Exactly.
And I always try to catch any special performances or events.
Definitely. Even though I've seen much of the recovered NoDS footage several times, I never miss one of Darren's presentations. And I'd never attended an LA Fest until this past one, and the reason I attended this year (beyond getting together with friends, of course) was to see the WB pilot because, supposedly, it was the only time it will be shown at a Fest (though I really hope that decision will be reconsidered because it deserves to be seen by as many fans as possible).
(Although, I can never resist a well-stocked dealers' room...)
I've been known to spend quite a bit of money in the dealers room, too. Although, I didn't spend a cent on anything at the last two Fests. In fact, now that I think about it, the last time I bought any sort of DS memorabilia at a Fest was when I bought the then new orange bordered card set in 2001. It has a few pictures that I had never seen before, and I can never resist buying something whenever that happens because it happens so rarely. (I really do wonder how "new" pictures can continue to surface after all these years - but who am I to complain?Â
)