Dawn Marie's Dragon Con Weekend 2000

I attended Dragon Con last weekend (June 29 - July 2, 2000) in Atlanta, Georgia and had a blast. I made pals with people I would have probably never met, had fate not stepped in. I had a cool booth at the Walk of Fame in the dealer's room and attended all sorts of parties that you needed a pass for to even get to the door. All this, and I made some cash off of my pics as well to fund the entire trip :)

I started my trip off as I usually do - frazzled and unprepared at the last minute. I did manage to scoop all of my outfits into two bags (a feat only accomplished when I have to go by plane - never by car). I did have a bit of a delay as I had promised my pal Wes (who, unfortunately wasn't able to make it due to his new job) that I would drop the key to his house before I left. I forgot all about it, and as I was a half hour out of town, realized my mistake. I was debating whether to forget the whole thing, when I decided that I needed the Karma Gods to smile on me this weekend and drove back. Turns out, it was the wrong key - but the gods smiled on me anyway for my fine effort - read on:

Well, as predicited, I arrive in Atlanta right at 5pm and right when it starts raining. I hate traffic more than sitting next to sorority gals armed with a full supply of gum - both are just as nerve wracking as the other. The parking deck where I am staying is full, and so I amble off to the nearest available lot (alley?) where I walk 2 blocks to the hotel. Luckily for me, my bud Robert gave me his hotel room number and so I look him up to see if he can help me with my bag and car situation. I can't express enough how much this man helped me. He drove my car and schmoozed with the valets to give me a space in the deck, he helped me get gas in my car, and he even had someone get my bags for me delivered to his room (until I could meet up with the person I was staying with). He then proceeded to introduce me around to his pals and gave me a huge drink of some really good (dangerous in my book) liquor that tasted like apple pie. He alleviated more stress from me that day and it had only been two hours since I arrived at the hotel. Karma Gods smiled at me for the first time in what will seem like a thousand that weekend.

Robert's pal, Steve, helped me get my badge for the weekend. Usually I have to wait in a huge line, but this time I didn't even have to pull out an ID to prove I was me (I'm pretty cool, but not cool enough that they would recognize me on site - there are over 20,000 people here and over 300 guests). I didn't even have to go into a spiel about who I am and what I do. A couple of years back I had to make up a story about how I was in a drag show as a girl pretending to be a guy pretending to be a girl to get a guest pass. It pretty much proved that if the lie was outrageous enough, and I was assertive, I could convince them of my guest status - as long as it didn't break any restraining order laws. This is not to say that the people handing out the passes are stupid - I actually had done a drag show wtih Phabulous Phil the first time I went to Dragon Con - and have used the excuse ever since. They also wanted to get me out of the way so they could keep people moving (and to stop hearing me whine and bitch). I am also told that once you are a guest at Dragon Con - you are always a guest - So I didn't feel like any fraud laws were being broken.

They just handed me a folder full of goodies (this was a new thing for me) gave me a VIP guest pass and sent me on my way. I even had a pass for Wes had he made it out that weekend (and it would have said "guest of Dawn Marie" - that would have made him so disgusted - he feels that if I am important enough to be a guest - then so shouold he).

I finally met up with my pal to put my bags in the room I was staying at, got dressed, and went to the VIP Lounge. I had gotten Steve to go with me as I didn't know a whole lot of people there (actually i could name two and that was it) and wanted to have someone to chat with and play "what movie/tv show/porn film was he/she in?" with.

Then this really cute shy guy came up to me and I started talking to him. He introduced himself as Michael. I noticed his guest pass and asked what his claim to fame was as I am that blunt and don't care if I can't recognize someone off of a current tv show - i don't watch all that much tv. He explains that he is in GWAR. When I asked him what member he was (or rather what grunged out rubber outfit he was required to wear), he shows me his ring which is in the shape of a bear-trap thing. I immediately recognize the symbol of Balsac (sp?). He also liked playing the "who is that?" game and when we left the lounge - he promised to visit my booth the next day. What a sweetie!

Here is Michael before the "change"

Here he is as his alter-ego "Balsac" from GWAR (and wearing a thong, even)

I had to get up bright and early at 8am the next day to man my Walk of Fame booth. I had been placed next to various B movie Queens and Playboy Playmates - so my silicone to real body parts ratio was way off next to these girls, but I still managed to hold my own. GWAR even lent me their extension cord so that I could have power to my laptop. I had no phone cord, though, so I had to make do with recording various pics for future broadcast.

I met Deana Caine shortly after setting up. She is this ECW valet/wrestler. She thought she was going to be sitting next to the ECW Dawn Marie so she looked surprised when she saw me. I introduced myself and we got along pretty well for the remainder of the day (and weekend - but that part is later in this review). Lilith Stabs was also in our line of tables - I have known her since the first Fantasm, so it was good to see a familiar face there. Countess Vladimira was on the other side of me and she was a bit bitchy about everything around her. I wonder if too much silicone affects your brain?

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Here are some of the gals who had tables in the Walk of Fame

Left to Right : Deanna Caine and Jenny

Anyway, a ton of people that I personally knew and people that I knew over the net and people that knew me over the net but I didn't know them came up to me to introduce themselves. Too cool! I even did an interview for Tobacco Times while I was sitting there. I sold a bunch of pictures that day (more than enough to fund my weekend).

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From Left to Right - Countess Vladimira and I pose at the booth - Lilith Stabs also set up her wares at the Walk of Fame

My cam panel was scheduled for that night. We had trouble with the cam girls that were supposed to be there that weekend (cancellations) so after everything was said and done, Mystrys, myself, HugMe, Cloei and her model were the only ones at the panel. We had close to a full house at our forum, so I think it was a success. That and I had some friends of mine keeping a certain Stalker-Boy occupied at dinner so he couldn't attend it - point for Dawn.

Me and Jenny had no idea her pal was flashing the camera - note the well placed smiley face :)

After dinner, I got dressed in my fur gown and visited the VIP Lounge to see and be seen and to round up some people for Farshad's party. I ran into Jenny (a b-movie queen who had a booth near me) and some of her friends and invited them down to the party. I eventually went downstairs after sending a ton of people down to Farshad's party and hung out with them until I retitred for bed (8am comes awfully early when you get to bed at two).

That day I made my rounds about the dealer's room and gave my card and pics out to Troma (from the makers of "Toxic Aventer 1, 2, and 3") and to a few other indy companies to see if I had what it took to be a B movie gal. I even acquired a few more party passes to tack under my guest badge like medals of honor. I also got to be better pals with Deanna Caine and we made plans for dinner that evening.

I ran into the Reverend Maynard, Mystrys, Charles (chairman of CoastCon), and Tom (Bendovaho Tribe) and whisked them away to the coolest event of the con - the Danger Woman Show. If you have read any of my other reviews, you know that I plan my whole con around her panel. I almost missed my panel at the last Dragon Con because hers ran over. Her show was fabulous as always. I could go into so much more detail - but then it would only overshadow the rest of the con - you can read a past review of it here. Karma gods smiled again,, and I happened to have my cam and laptop with me, so I recorded the whole thing. After the show was over, the guests I had brought in agreed that this would become a regular feature of their con.

here is the Reverend and myself enjoying the Danger Woman Experience

and here I am commemorating Michael's first experience with Danger Woman

Here are some of the pics I took as well as some that Bryan J. took (a guy that came all the way from Maryland to see me and to catch what DragonCon was all about). They are generally of the zany dance moves that Danger Woman imposes upon various members of the audience as well as a scene she made with Mr. Monopoly man by wrestling him to the ground:

I got dressed for dinner and Farshad took a bunch of us (including Deanna) out for italian in a restaurant located in the hotel. I went up to the VIP Lounge with Deanna afterwards where we ran into Danielle (from GWAR - Slymenstral Hymen) who declared that I had a fabulous outfit on. I beamed (it was the one I wanted to promote for my clothing line). She pointed me over to Michael who had been looking for me since the dealer's room closed. And then we went to the "Catholic School Girls in Trouble Party" thrown by Fantasm.

Partied out - but still shooting :)

She mades such a cute catholic gal :)

I, of course, had brought my costume specifically for this party (Steve threatened to not let me in if he had to wear a priest outfit and I wore something rubber). Shooters, shooters everywhere - all hand made by Steve and being passed out like they were going out of style. Deanna and I did about 5 of them righ there on the spot. Dave and Earl were there (they had ditched the cook-out for the Dead Pirate Party) and said that their mission at the next MOC would be to get banned just like I had been.. I felt so proud that they were willing to stick by me.

Steve prepares love in a test tube.

There is something odd about Deanna and I toasting in front of a kneeling priest

Deanna and I did a ton more shooters before we went back upstairs to another party I had a pass to - Elvis - the 2000 Flushes Tour. They were serving drinks out of a toilet seat lid that tasted just like jelly donuts. I even bought the T-shirt to commemorate the experience. Then we were off to the VIP Lounge. This is where things get a bit amusing. (like the catholic school party wasn't freaky enough).

Shawn serves up drinks the Elvis way - or rather, the way elvis was found when he died.

I ran into a very nice producer named Don. He apparently had known Stalker-Boy and was pretty upset at the way he had been lied to by him (wow... what a surprise). He then proceeded to tell me some things about Stalker Boy that made me grin with glee. I won't go into details here - but it seemed that everyone I ran into at the VIP Lounge was under the same impression I was - Stalker-Boy was floundering, lying and pretty much on his way out no matter how many washed up has-beens (stalker-boy's words - not mine) he is representing. Then pretty soon, while I was chatting with Don - he kinda disappeared from the Lounge. Usually he would have tried to make me feel uncomfortable (failing miserably at that point - I had made too many pals up there). I think I laughed more during the time I talked with Don then during the whole con combined. He made my entire DragonCon. He promised to visit my booth the next day and exchange cards. Kick Ass!!!

Deanna was feeling a bit nauseated by all the shooters we had done, so I took her back to my room until she felt better. She felt much better after throwing up in my sink and we were ready for round 2 of the party hopping - back to the Lounge.

The Lounge shut down around 2am, so we headed back to the Catholic School party. Deanna was really tired, so I hugged her good nite and she was off to her room. Even at 2am the catholic school girl party was still in full swing. I helped them finish off most of the shooters and then I put my happy ass in bed so I could be up again at 8am

I packed up my stuff around 1pm to head home. But not before getting everyone's info at the table. Deanna and I even exchanged pics. I gave her a pic that said "No more shooters for you - love Dawn Marie" and She gave me a t-shirt that said "Thanx for lettinng puke in your sink - love Deanna". Too cool.

Don stopped by my table and I gave him some pics and my card and we planned on keeping touch (my passport is on it's way, Don). I stopped by the Fantasm Booth and said my good byes and the GWAR Booth to chat with Michael and exchange numbers (I am trying to get him and GWAR to play for Fantasm next year). Who I am thanking...

** Big thanx for all the cam girls (mystrys, cloei and her groovy model chick that I can't remember her name )(and guy - didn't forget you HugMe) who showed up to the panel.

**Thans to CircleK for the nice things he said about me in his DragonCon review and for the use of his pics..

**Thanx to Bryan who made it all the way out from Maryland to be at the con and to give me some pics he took for this review.

**I know he knows this already - but thanx to Don who helped me more than he will ever know

**Thanx to the guy who wishes to remain anonymous who let me stay in his room - even though a bunch of drama could have ensued if a certain someone knew I was staying with him.

I learned that I CAN go without wearing one single wig at a convention and not go through withdrawals, I learned that not all B movie Queens and ECW wrestlers are all about silicone and chewing gum and are actually a lot of fun to hang out with (moment for us on it here), and last but not least I learned that Stalker-Boy is on his way out - and with no help on my part (though I would certainly be willing to lend a kick in the ass where needed).

Check me out next time, where I will be attending Tachy Con in August (date not set yet) where hopefully Lone Feather and Lily of the Alley will join me in some sort of cam mayhem.