Fan: Pantha
Date of meeting: May 1st, 2004
Place: UK
Event: Collectormania, April 30th - May 3rd 200

 

 

   


Got up at 5 in morning. Did a bit of meditation. Ate breakfast, while checking out the collectormania site. Saw one guy had taken pic of Brad, so I posted it on the encounters section of ‘our’ forum. Was delighted Brad was wearing a blue shirt and his black jacket.. awwwww. You see him like that in so many of the fans pictures...so Brad turned up, yay. I finally, all going well will get to say hi to him. My favourite actor that I have spent countless hours watching on my tv, oh and not forgetting the ‘Big Screen’ Taxi turned up, Tegan my daughter was reassuring me that our clocks were fast, cos was about to ring the taxi firm. Got to coach station, was far too awake to rest, others nodding off. Me and daughter had second breakfast of jam sandwiches before 9. Then saw 5 miles to Milton Keynes. Brad’s there, Brad’s there! I kept thinking. Got on the park and ride bus, took only a few minutes to get there. Saw others going with poster rolls and a big ‘Sauron eye’ picture. Bus stopped outside the huge Milton Keynes shopping centre. The driver even said ‘stop for collectormania’, that got me excited all over again. Walked into ‘midsummer’s arcade’. Thought to myself, Brad is here, Brad is here! You wouldn’t even know there was a huge collector convention on by just stepping into this arcade, other than the poster of the film stars. Arrived at the ‘maddening crowds’. Look on the collectormania site to see what sort of structure this is set up like. Exactly like Lake, has stated immediately you cannot find any lotr guys, nevermind even Brad. People all over place, circled the array of collectors and went down the stalls, searching for my precious. Just like you do at home knowing you searched in one place; search in exactly same place again. Too crowded to do that again. Asked a ‘crew’ member he pointed me in the direction. Good they put them in a brightly lit corridor, with space. Jed Brophy( snaga) was sitting next to Harry Sinclair( Isildur). Then Laurence was sitting next to Sala, then a walk at the end was , was , was Brad, yay. Next to Craig Parker and Paul Noble. Now I am in the same space as Brad. Saw the queue. This is my first time at any convention thingy, so know idea how these things work. The girl on the queue gave us two tickets, I was going to go through, but she said not till 250.. what da f*ck does that mean.. It is a virtual queuing system. She then ripped up the tickets I was given, for some reason and gave me two more. I said how long is it going to take, she replied half an hour. I then peeked down the queue to see if I could see Brad. I could spot him as he was having photos taken with some folks. I even heard some laughing. I was told that I couldn’t stay there. I also still didn’t understand this virtual queuing.

Surely by now it is time to see Brad?

BRAD PART, BRAD PART, BRAD PART ..........................................................................................................................................
Yes my number, literally was up, walked over to the queue. Butterflies everywhere(inside) No backing out now, in the line. Slowly I moved up the line. I got out the money, held camera, slid my stuff along. Got to the place where pay money and pick a photo. Gave money to a ‘crew member’ and picked out Luther, haven’t got one of Luther. Start shaking.( just what I didn’t want). The moment had finally nearly arrived. I am sure I took a picture waiting there. Oh my god it is my turn. Brad was standing up, after doing a photo. Shaking, (hope doesn’t show). Did I hand the ticket into the crewman? cant remember. Brad is infront of me. I ask him if he is okay and he says, ‘fine.’ I smile and say, ‘I am Beverley Norris’, and shake his hand. (he didn’t say he was Brad Dourif. lol). He asked Tegan, ‘what time did your mum make you get up?’ She replied, ‘Five.’ He said, ‘What a cruel marm.’ (I had planned on meeting Brad at some stage in my life, so had written to him at his agency four times. I thought it would be easier, instead of, when meeting him explaining things.) So instantly I thought he doesn’t know me. Bev, to Brad, ‘ Have you received my letters from your agency?’ Brad, still standing, ‘ No, I don’t remember.’ Bev, ‘ I sent four, over the past year.’ Brad, ‘I have received letters before, but don’t remember.’ Bev, ‘ Not even the birthday card?’ Brad, ‘No!’ I think shit, double shit. would liked to have say ‘Goddammit’, but know wouldn’t do the voice right. If, by now I wasn’t pissed with that agency, I would of swooned at Brad’s voice. (not literally). I was so enthralled at hearing Brad’s very American voice. Seems so much more heavier than films. I thought move on, past is past. Not everyone is efficient on the planet. I had just about finished trembling, I think. I handed him my present to him in a crumbled, purple paper. Instead . Instead of wasting time waiting for him to open it. I just told him, I live in Leeds.(Yorkshire) He replied, ‘Leeeds’. I could of laughed, but didn’t; it was almost like he was imprinting it on his memory. I told him that the men over there wear flat caps. And that was one. He opened it and put it on. He larked about a wee bit with it and we had some photos.(hope they turn out). I then said, ‘that I really loved his work.’ And had 60 movies of his. He replied, ‘sixteen?!’ I said, ‘No sixty’ He again said, ‘16‘, I confirmed, ‘no 60.’ I think maybe he had forgot he’d done that many and more. Tegan my daughter piped up, ‘yer she keeps them on a shelf.’ I then didn’t add that I had his tv episodes, aswell. Too many shocks for the guy would be too much. He sat down. I did say I loved him in Wiseblood. He sat back and looked at the crew guy and said, ‘I loved me in wiseblood too.’ He then laughed. (he does love that moive eh.. awwwww) I told him my daughter had seen all the Chucky movies. I was just looking at Brad , so didn’t know what her expression looked like. Too many shocks for the guy would be too much. I crouched down in front of the table. He then went to sign the Luther pic. To Bev Brad Dourif, Luther. I then asked if he would sign the base of the Weta, statue of Grima. He looked at the crew person. The crew guy said I had only bought one signature. I looked back, going to get another. I started saying, I will get another. Brad said, ‘no it will be on me’. How kind was he!!! I of course thanked him. I said, ‘you have one don’t you!’ Brad replied, ‘Yes I gave mine to my mum.’ Aww how sweet is that. I then asked him what is he doing now and he said, ‘ I am doing Deadwood.’ I informed him I knew, as this very kind girl off Dourif.net had sent me them. He was very amazed. I then queried how come there was the word cocksucker so much in the series. He wasn’t surprised I had asked him that, or at least he didn’t show it. I then added was the word even around then. He explained that they had found out it was. Cant argue with the guy about that eh... THEN, the nasty man ,(ok I know he doing his job), told me that I had better go and made eye contact at the queue behind me.(shit there were other people in the room). I then panicked and put Grima in box. I had put him in the wrong way. Brad seeing me rushing all embarrased, picked Grima up and put him the correct way, as I was putting the whole artwork in box the polystyrene cracked up, creating snow all over his table. Sorry I muttered. Gathered my stuff. shook hands and thanked Brad and said, ‘I’ll be back!’(intending to come back later when not too busy, which I did.) Was very sad to leave Brad. My second fear of seeing Brad had come true. One being the inefficient agency the second having to actually walk away from seeing Brad. Sometimes it better just not to see a person. I went away with alot of feelings. And was just glad my daughter had been with me, as we walked right out of the complex.
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more Brad report later, only brief. After going to shops got ticket to see Craig. Then wandered round the stalls again. It was so much busier now and alot of Star Trek fans had arrived in their costumes. Tried looking for people that I may know, to no avail. Got lost in a circle again. Time got lost too. However it was still not time to see Craig. And when it was I wanted to see if I could find some friend, so hung out at the fancy dress competition. A Legolas look alike won, by the loud applause. The time was correct to see Craig now, joined the queue, I thought by time seen Craig be able to see Brad again. I got talking to a Dutch guy in front. He started not me honest. He was very pleasant. He was collecting autos for his friends back in Holland. They had paid him and was getting three of Craig. I asked how many he going to get of Grima Wormtongue. He told me 5. (only five). He was collecting quite a few of the other autos too though. We sat down on the partition and slid ourselves along polishing it and making a joke of that. Well there were a few Craig fangirls in front getting very excited. LOL. They were standing on the partition now. We overheard a girl say to her friends that she keeps her photos in order, even the ones, that don't turn out and are black. I couldn’t resist and ask her why she did that, and if she moved that be the first thing that would have to go. So when my friend asked me if there were any ‘weirdoes’ at the convention, I said only one, meaning her. One girl had a ‘badger’ mask and was messing about with it. She then had it on Craig’s head. hey I was near Brad again, so I stood on the partition and took a photo. Goddammit he saw me. Quick hide... Paid for a photo of Haldir, waited respectfully in queue, took a pic of the guy in front with Craig. My turn, moved up and waited till Craig was ready. Said, ‘hi’. We told him Tegan was from New Zealand , Dunedin. He asked her how long she been over and had she gone back. He said, she may not have remembered much. He asked her, her name as he, took it into his head like Laurence to make the photo out to her. LOL. He started writing ‘D’. I jumped down his throat, and said ‘T’. Realised what I was doing. Now that is the fear of the actors writing out wrong names and then thinking they all going to do it. sorry. I did say sorry. He wrote Dear Tegan. Surprised he didn’t put, ps.. sorry u got a weird mum. Anway I chatted a bit to him, cos you get the feeling he just wants to talk eh. I said I had seen him in ‘Shortland Street’ when I was over. He told me it had been over here in Britain. I said, I had seen him in ‘Tommyknockers’, as the bar tender. I asked him what is he doing now. He said living in London, being a bum. He did say he has got work coming up , but didn’t elaborate. Had a pic taken with him. Thanked him. I was happy that Brad’s queue had diminished, but time I got out with Craig, he had decided to have a break. Goddammit. I caught Mr Nastyonlydoingmyjob dude, asked him how long Brad is going to be. He told me ten minutes. Tegan looked and yes it said that on the queue notice. Sat around the partition and watched Laurence and Sala. That girl had ‘badgered’ Laurence, as he was wearing the mask. By the time I had camera out he had took it off. Tegan told me Brad was ‘up there’. I looked and sure enough Brad was up high on the roof, reminding me of Colin from ‘Cypress Edge’. Brad looks so cute with his pony-tail. Looked through my camera at how wee would Brad be. Very. Laurence by this stage had got the girls, fluffy pink hairgrips and put them in his hair all four or more of them. He was still after all these hours having so much fun. He picked up this bubble gun. Because he’s been in James Bond apparently? He started posing with it. And firing bubbles everywhere. Everyone was laughing and Brad was looking down at him too. I took a few pics of Laurence. I am sure there will be thousands of the tough Lurtz all over the net.... Brad Part2, Brad part2 the sequel
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After awhile, Brad walked back to his stall on the other side of the partition. I was first basically , but another girl went before me, Tegan complained sort of and I said better to be last. She had paid for five and had told Brad that she’d be back. Okay this queue is now for the returnees. The girl I gave my money stated. ‘You back!’ It was lovely standing in the queue watching Brad with this woman. Brad looked up at me.( okay will not enter the N’Sync board game moment.). The crew member asked, if I wanted a photo and took my camera. I said yes, pleased I could have the audacity to have another :) My turn, gave my ticket to MrNastyonlydoingmyjob. Opened my ‘bride of chucky’ dvd. Asked Brad to sign it, as I crouched down again. Even though the was only one person behind me, I didn’t ask him all that I wanted to, leave it for another time. I asked for another picture, justifying, the crew guy had taken my camera. Brad, replied, ‘sure’ , came round. He hugged me(................), ok it was only his arm around me..............the camera wouldn’t work cos it wasn’t wound on. I was going to do it, but Brad’s arm was around me. Anyway it got took. He went back and I shook his hand again, thanking him profusely.(do I have to let his hand go....) ......................................................................................................................................
As we walked past Jed and Harry, Jed saw me and mouthed, hi. I said hi back. How nice was that. Felt even more guilty about not going to see him. Such a sweet man. Sorry Jed. I wanted to go to the bathroom, but didn’t cos wasn’t going to wash my hand for ages. We went for a drink and a doughnut and then I had to wash my hands. Decided to try and get an earlier coach back. It was after 4.30. Now we know why there wasn’t a great deal of people left seeing Brad, as Lake informed us that people had been told that the wasn’t anymore time for folks to see Brad. I hope anyone who couldn’t see Brad came the next day. All that remains to be said, is a huge THANK YOU, for everyone possible, for the arrangements for me to see Brad Dourif. ,.....................................................