SF: Fanboy

At the con, I usually go to the panels with the SF and Fantasy writers. I do this to hear the writers pontificate on writing, etc. Yet, often I end up listening to Fanboy, carrying on a conversation with the panelists whether they want to or not. Joe Haldeman or first-time author gets the same treatment where Fanboy effortlessly directs the panel from the audience. At a big con with lots of panels at the same time, I've been known to spontaneously decide to go to another one when I see him sittin' in.

He does not seem to be aware of us "little people" who have come to bask in the glow of the published ones. He will interrupt us in the middle of a question and the authors in the middle of an answer with equal aplomb. He's not off-topic; he's mainly trying to show off his SF-fu, which is pretty good as far as I can tell. Each individual blab fest he goes off on would probably be cool; it's just the accumulated verbiage that comes off as way over the top.

Yet, he is not completely non-entertaining. Today, he came into the panel on "Women in SF and Fantasy" about a third of the way through. Now, if I come in late to a panel, I try to sneak in quietly, take a seat in the back and try to get a sense of where the talk is going. The talk in this particular instance had been about "strong" women characters and the women who write them. However, Fanboy walks in, loudly says "sorry I'm late," sits down and immediately takes over the panel from the audience. Directing it to where he thinks a panel about "Women in SF and Fantasy" should go.

In a blissful, irony-free state, the three women authors engaged him in extended conversation. Luckily, they come off much better when going one on one with a word processor.

Fanboy, you're the best. Sorry, gotta run man, my brain's all full of words. I need to go find the sword-fighting demo and smell some Big T and stare in wordless understanding.