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Walter
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On Saturday, September 1st, 2012, I attended my first ever Dragon*Con in Atlanta, Georgia. This was my first Con ever. I had heard so many amazing things about cons like Comic-Con that naturally, I was very excited!
My first Panel of the day was a Panel at 1:00 called "Remembering Jerry Nelson". It was hosted by Heather Henson and another Henson Puppeteer who was also a musician. So basicly, He and Heather talked about Jerry and shared memories that they had with him. The Puppeteer told a great story of how he and Jerry made music together, and how he was even invited to perform on Jerry's "Truro Daydreams" album. The audience joined in with stories about Jerry and memories they had of him. I told my story of how my first scene of the Muppet show was when He snuck up on Kermit in his office! and that Uncle Deadly was my favorite Muppet. The Panel was finished with a song that the puppeteer wrote for Jerry along with a slideshow and it was beautiful. I really wish I could find it somewhere. Many people, including Heather, were crying. After the Panel, I thanked them both and talked with them for a minute.They were very kind and it was an honor being there with them both.
So then I went on to exploring the con and it's many booths. It really was everything I dreamed it would be! Everyone was very polite and friendly. There were so many of my favorite movies and shows all crammed into one place, it was like a dream!
My last panel I attended for the day was "Puppetry for TV" Hosted by Peter Linz. I was so excited! I sat down in the second row with my dad, and waited for the presentation to start. From the minute it started, It was non-stop fun! Peter and three other puppeteers from henson demonstrated how to basicly perform the Muppet Show, and they were hilarious!!! Peter performed Theo too! They even called up volunteers from the audience. I was a little nervous, so I just enjoyed the other volunteers performing. In fact, during the presentation, Peter called up a woman with a fraggle..named Janken! It was indeed Slackbot from these very forums! she performed a group routine with them, and then Peter asked the audience if they had any questions. I had a question in my mind, and when it finally came my turn, I asked "Was Walter built special to whistle?" Peter said that Walter actually has two heads, and that the "Whistling" head has two steel spring loaded devices that can be triggered to make the whistling motion. He also said that Walter can't talk as well with this head, because his mouth is stiff from the mechanism.
After the panel, Peter said he would meet everyone outside at the puppetry tables(since they needed the room for the next panel). We waited for a few minutes, I talked to Slackbot and Janken, and I looked at the cool puppets on display at the table. I went to sign up for Heather's IBEX Puppetry newsletter on the table and when I turned around, right behind me was Peter Linz.
He was really cool and very professional! He signed a picture for Slackbot and she said she was on Muppetcentral(It was at this point I realized she was Slackbot) When I asked her her name and she said "Slackbot" I said "Seriously? My username is Walter!" After he was finished talking to Slackbot, I asked him if "I could ask Walter for an autograph", he replied in Walter's voice " What? me? sure!" It was so awesome!
He then took a picture with me and the photo.(at this point, a line formed of others wanting to meet him!) As I left I said "Thank You so much!" And he said, "I like your username, I'll be looking for your posts!" It was such an honor meeting him and learning from him.
Between the amazing atmosphere and people of Dragon*Con, meeting Heather Henson, and meeting Peter Linz, This was the Best Day Ever!
My first Panel of the day was a Panel at 1:00 called "Remembering Jerry Nelson". It was hosted by Heather Henson and another Henson Puppeteer who was also a musician. So basicly, He and Heather talked about Jerry and shared memories that they had with him. The Puppeteer told a great story of how he and Jerry made music together, and how he was even invited to perform on Jerry's "Truro Daydreams" album. The audience joined in with stories about Jerry and memories they had of him. I told my story of how my first scene of the Muppet show was when He snuck up on Kermit in his office! and that Uncle Deadly was my favorite Muppet. The Panel was finished with a song that the puppeteer wrote for Jerry along with a slideshow and it was beautiful. I really wish I could find it somewhere. Many people, including Heather, were crying. After the Panel, I thanked them both and talked with them for a minute.They were very kind and it was an honor being there with them both.
So then I went on to exploring the con and it's many booths. It really was everything I dreamed it would be! Everyone was very polite and friendly. There were so many of my favorite movies and shows all crammed into one place, it was like a dream!
My last panel I attended for the day was "Puppetry for TV" Hosted by Peter Linz. I was so excited! I sat down in the second row with my dad, and waited for the presentation to start. From the minute it started, It was non-stop fun! Peter and three other puppeteers from henson demonstrated how to basicly perform the Muppet Show, and they were hilarious!!! Peter performed Theo too! They even called up volunteers from the audience. I was a little nervous, so I just enjoyed the other volunteers performing. In fact, during the presentation, Peter called up a woman with a fraggle..named Janken! It was indeed Slackbot from these very forums! she performed a group routine with them, and then Peter asked the audience if they had any questions. I had a question in my mind, and when it finally came my turn, I asked "Was Walter built special to whistle?" Peter said that Walter actually has two heads, and that the "Whistling" head has two steel spring loaded devices that can be triggered to make the whistling motion. He also said that Walter can't talk as well with this head, because his mouth is stiff from the mechanism.
After the panel, Peter said he would meet everyone outside at the puppetry tables(since they needed the room for the next panel). We waited for a few minutes, I talked to Slackbot and Janken, and I looked at the cool puppets on display at the table. I went to sign up for Heather's IBEX Puppetry newsletter on the table and when I turned around, right behind me was Peter Linz.
He was really cool and very professional! He signed a picture for Slackbot and she said she was on Muppetcentral(It was at this point I realized she was Slackbot) When I asked her her name and she said "Slackbot" I said "Seriously? My username is Walter!" After he was finished talking to Slackbot, I asked him if "I could ask Walter for an autograph", he replied in Walter's voice " What? me? sure!" It was so awesome!
He then took a picture with me and the photo.(at this point, a line formed of others wanting to meet him!) As I left I said "Thank You so much!" And he said, "I like your username, I'll be looking for your posts!" It was such an honor meeting him and learning from him.Between the amazing atmosphere and people of Dragon*Con, meeting Heather Henson, and meeting Peter Linz, This was the Best Day Ever!
