So at DragonCon I see my old friends Evo Terra and his phenomenal wife Sheila (pssst: don’t tell anyone, but I might have a HUGE crush on her). Evo is a master podcaster (he wrote Podcasting for Dummies), and I met them at DC 2006 at the podcasting track.
So it was very cool to see them. We chatted for a few, and then they invited me to their podcasting party. Yay! A con party! Drinks and dance and people in costumes and fun fun fun.
So I go about my day, and then evening rolls around, and then suddenly I have about 12 people with me who want to go to the party. Hmmm. I call Evo, and what does he say? "If you have 90 people we’ll fit ‘em in!"
I love that Evo Terra.
So we traipse over to the Hyatt, wait like 20 minutes for the elevator (they are always packed; we saw — truthfully — one that got overpacked and they had to call in a squad to pry open the doors because the car got stuck between floors), and then finally arrive at the party. It’s a suite, with a bar in a vestibule in the back, balconies, music, people milling… but what the heck are they wearing?
Oh, no. With horror, I realize what I’m seeing. It’s a theme costume party.
And the theme? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
Pimps and hos.
Evo? Do you read my blog? Do ya? If so, then maybe next time you could TELL ME THIS KIND OF STUFF BEFORE I SHOW UP.
OK, fine, we roll with it. My friends disperse, and I make my way back to the bar. I’m standing there talking with a friend when a guy comes up in full regalia. Glittery silver hat, cape, walking stick (with skull cap), beads, and a fur-lined jacket. He gets in my face, all up in my grille, and says — in high-pitched pimp-speak — "You Phil Plait? You Phil Plait! I’m Thoupbone. Thoupbone wantth to talk which you, so you thtay right where you at while Thoupbone getth a drink."
OK, fine. I have no clue who this guy is, but I’m in a party mood, and the way he talked cracked me up, so I have to give him cred. But after a minute or two, I realize I’m in the way of people trying to get to the bar. So I move over a bit, maybe six feet. After another minute, Soupbone comes out of the bar. He sees I’ve moved. He beelines it over to me, starts sticking his finger in my chest.
"Thoupbone tole Phil Plait not to move. When Thoupbone tellth you not to move, you do not move. Doeth Phil Plait unnerthtand that?" This went on for about three or four minutes, nonstop — I don’t think he was even breathing — and again, wow, I have to say it was impressive.
Finally, in the middle of a sentence, he suddenly stops. He leans over, puts his mouth near my ear, and says…
"Phil, I’m Scott Sigler; we did a panel together a few years ago on podcasting."
And I erupt into laughter. As I recall, I shouted "Awesome!!" about ten times.
Sigler is a pretty famous guy. A few years back, he wrote a scifi novel called Earthcore that nobody would publish (well, the story is more complicated, but I simplify for brevity). He thought it was pretty good, so he decided to audiocast it; he read a chapter at a time and podcast it. He got a bazillion downloads (10,000 subscribers, back in 2004!), and became wildly popular. He was the first person ever to podcast a novel, and the fans worship him.
And at that moment, so did I. I first met him around the time his fame was taking off, but I hadn’t heard of him back then. We chatted for a while on that panel, and it wasn’t until months later I realized the chance I missed by not hanging with him (I just reread my post about this from back then, and it’s pretty funny in hindsight).
We made up for it that night. I got to hang with him all night, as did my friends. I only wish he had had the chance to meet my dear friend A. She would have liked him, I think.
The party was tremendous. I have pictures on Flickr, if you dare.
And that is how I re-met Scott Sigler. I’m following him on Twitter, too.
And hey, Scott: if you see your cousin Soupbone, tell him that I thaid hi and to be good to hith bad thelf.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
You’re a great astronomer and I dig your awesome blog, but I think from that second image, it is safe to conclude it is impossible for you to be “gangsta”.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Yo, ‘sup, dude?
September 4th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Yo, McP… don’t you be dissin’ the Plaitster… I ain’t evah seen seen a mo’ gangsta dude than my man Phil.
September 4th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Where wath Wil Wheaton at during all thith?
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/100/282692676_42f9e3bd0f.jpg
September 4th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Phil Plait, you bad-mofo-astronomah. Listen to the Soupbone for a second. I don’t have a lisp. I have a very cultured accent from my days and nights in Paris and Madagascar. What? You don’t think Madagascar has pimps? Trust me they do, and they evolved just a bit differently due to pimpspecies isolation. Anyway, The Soupbone digresses.
I hopes that we see you again next year. I’m not sure how a pimp astronomer dresses, but I expect it’s got some stars and wavelengths and gravity and what-not. And I have your tagline for you — “My name be Phil Plait, I got so much pimp-gravity, even high-class hoes can’t escape!”
Get down with your bad-astronomer self, Phil Plait.
-Soupbone-
September 4th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Damn, I couldn’t find any room parties at this D*C, so we all just partied out in the 2nd floor hall in the Hyatt, and then we sorta partied on the roof of the Marriott (and hopefully that’s not incriminating).
September 4th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
What?! No CRUNK Juice? Oh the humanity!! They really need to have one of these here in Daytona Beach!
September 4th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Bad taste deserves italics!.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Soupbone: Who said you had a lisp? I just write ‘em like I sees ‘em.
I don’t know how I’ll dress next year. Maybe pimp. Maybe else. Make me an offer.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
One thing I really miss about living in Seattle is the conventions up there. Norwescon mostly, but also Rustycon and some of the older, non-existent ones like Geocon and Terracon. Phoenix has cons, too, but, eh. They just aren’t the same.
September 4th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Phil, just don’t dress as a ho….
September 4th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
I’m pretty sure all of those photos were doctored. I don’t recall half of the things you mentioned. Something about stealing cups comes to mind, but even that’s a blur.
Hey, you know what I heard? That they actually had schedules talks and panels during Dragon*Con. I kid you not! Some people will believe anything given enough ETOH.
Oh, and get your hands off my wife.
September 5th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Wow, Evo and Sigler in the same post. Good to see Evo has a new podcast. I will check it out. Evo, he who must not be named even gets a mention in your former podcasts every now and again since you’ve been gone.
BTW, are we heading to some crazy singularity. All the blogs I read and the podcasts I listen to seem to reference each other or know each other now…. Spooky. Or maybe the skeptical and sci-fi communities aren’t very big and are starting to feed off each other.
September 5th, 2008 at 1:04 am
You really didn’t know? I got his signature, using one of the little postcards lying around the room that advertised ‘Infected’. Karen and I thought it was a riot how he and his friends stayed in character.
September 5th, 2008 at 1:09 am
Phil, sweetheart. Harsh.
Just because I was hoping to meet Evo and Scott Sigler, and just because I might have mentioned that to you, say 20 times… no need to sass me.
Did I tell you I met Evo? Made of win. Hopefully I’ll get the chance to meet Sigler next year. I don’t know if you heard, but I’d like to meet him.
[And for those of you following along at home, that's the BA sassing A #693. I might have mentioned once or twice (or say, 30 times) during the party that I was tweaked to meet Scott Sigler. If you don't know why I'd be tweaked to meet him, check out his work at http://www.scottsigler.com. Made of awesome, scary and coooooool.]
September 5th, 2008 at 2:26 am
Phil, Phil, Phil… the Pimps and Hos Party is a regular event now. Even *I* know that. And.. you know.. I’m on the other side of the planet. It’s just THAT famous. (well… that and I went to it last year).
HANDS OFF SHELIA. Swoopy… the skepchics… Leave SOMEONE for others to have crushes on, for heaven’s sake.
And sorry about the Minties. I missed the con with them. Coming next year?
PfA.
September 5th, 2008 at 4:36 am
Huh? Either Phil mislabeled his photos or ARealGirl and Scott Sigler did meet and somehow just didn’t notice it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/badastronomy/2822928815/in/set-72157607041453990/
Yeah, or I probably missed this “sarcasm” thing again …
September 5th, 2008 at 5:16 am
Some Down Under drug dealer/pimp have gotten Phil The Bad Astro Man hooked on Minties, next step will be Tim Tams and then we Aussies got him exactly where we want him BWUAHA HA HA HA!
He’ll be seen at parties with a full pack and a cup of coffee going for the ultimate kick with a Tim Tam Slam, and no there will be no relief in buying cheap Temptin’
September 5th, 2008 at 5:34 am
Thomas… I already have them addicted to Tim Tams… ask the Dragon Page crowd. And Malteesers… Oh yea… I’m corrupting them one trip at a time.
These days I fly over with a suitcase full of chocolates and lollies (candies for you Americans). It empties as I travel… that way I can fit souvenirs into it.
I tried to send some to get Randi hooked. But they stars did not line up (or more likely it was caught up in long weekend mail) and the package arrived too late.
Next time… bwahahahahahaaa(cough)…. next time, me pretties.
PfA
September 5th, 2008 at 5:37 am
I’ve found that our Aussie crack is Violet Crumble. Get a yank to try a violet crumble and they are deadset gone… Tim Tams and minties are just gateway drugs.
September 5th, 2008 at 5:40 am
PFA, you are that Phillip From Australia. Former Dragon Page luminary. Jeeze, small world. Indeed Maltesers, Jaffas and even little old Fads. Corrupt away…
September 5th, 2008 at 6:03 am
@shane… yep.. That Philip from Australia… I’m still about. And yes, it is a small world.
Of yea… Derek and Swoopy have Violet Crumbles to give away at (I believe) this weekends sceptic meetup.
Oh yea… I corrupt as many as I can. But it is so EXPENSIVE. Postage is not cheep.
And now I’m addicted to Dr Horrible.
PfA.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:31 am
As my wife can attest, Phil has a STRONG pimp hand.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:49 am
> I might have a HUGE crush on her…
What woman does this *NOT* apply to with you? This meme is a bit hackneyed with you.
September 5th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
Oh dear, Phil. Rocks beats scissors – you lose.
September 5th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Heh, dig all the cosplayers posing with “Death From the Skies”, that’s awesome
September 5th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Ugh why are all my comments suddenly under “awaiting moderation”?
September 5th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Ugh! Totally upset that we got to Soupbone’s party later, and that we missed the opportunity to meet you in the flesh.
@Soupbone: My wife was inquiring as to the stock options you had promised her. Can we get this in writing?
September 6th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
[...] missed my chance to meet Phil Plait, as he was at the Pimps-And-Hos party probably an hour before I was. I was lucky enough to be pinned into a corner by Pamela Gay as she [...]
December 16th, 2008 at 9:00 am
[...] readers may remember Scott from The Night of Silliness at Dragon*Con, or you may know him as a famous writer and [...]