Latest / CONversations with Coffee / Episode 6: 12 Years Volunteering Comic Con: The Stories They Don't Share with Guest: Tammy Hassan
Transcript
- KENT: hello there, Liz. Liz - Tea: Hello Kent. Hello, Tammy. Our very first guest. KENT: well. Hey Tammy. The very first guest, Tammy. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Tammy - RedBull: I feel special. KENT: You are special. I mean, this is the third time we've done this. I kept getting reconnect on the, you know, we're using internet. I mean, it's great technology, but it's sometimes you just anyways, welcome to conversations with coffee. I'm your host Kent and Liz - Tea: I am British Liz, tea drinker in in KENT: British Lears, the tea drinker. Liz - Tea: in re rebellion against the coffee drinkers, or in Tammy's KENT: That's right, that's right. Liz - Tea: case, the Tammy - RedBull: And and I'm going with energy drinks because this is KENT: Energy. Tammy - RedBull: con talk and I s survive on energy drinks during con weekends. KENT: Okay, okay, all right. Now I'm gonna start us off Liz - Tea: well I I KENT: with I'm gonna start us off with a little music because Liz and Tammy like to dance. And so here we go. Alright, now see, Tammy's dancing. I think Liz is more jiggling and b doing a bobblehead Tammy - RedBull: Ha ha ha. KENT: over the she's like I don't it it's like a a spastic chipmunk. well that's okay. Well, you know what? Tammy - RedBull: It's because you can't see the rest of her body. You can't all you can see is her head, so all you see is the head bobbing. Liz - Tea: You should have seen my feet. My feet were just I mean, river KENT: Yeah, you were doing like happy feet. Liz - Tea: dance has nothing on me, okay? KENT: River Dance, all right. All right. Well there you go. River Dance? No, that I mean Liz - Tea: Am I dating myself? Tammy - RedBull: No, river dance is timeless. KENT: they still do shows. For River Dance. Yeah, yeah, yeah. well Fl Liz - Tea: Do they is that guy still alive, even? Michael Flatley? KENT: Michael Flatley. I don't know if he's still around, but the show's still around. Well, there you go. Tammy - RedBull: I've never heard that he died. KENT: He's like Barry Manilo. Never he's never gonna pass away. Tammy - RedBull: Now you're dating yourself. Barry Manilo just dated you right there. Liz - Tea: you know what? I've seen Barry Mandalo twice. He was he was such it was such a great show, both of them. One at Red Rocks. Tammy - RedBull: Now you're definitely dating yourself, Lizzie. KENT: Well. have you speaking of Barry Matalo, have you seen Sing Song Sing? the one with who's the guy that sings Sweet Caroline? Liz - Tea: Neil Diamond. And Ne Hugh Jackman plays but it aren't they aren't they like aren't they like KENT: Yeah, the Neil it's the Q Jackman's in it and yeah. It's Sing Song Sing. It's really good. You gotta watch it. No. Liz - Tea: impersonators? Like s they are celebrity impersonators. Yeah, yeah, yeah. KENT: They not impersonators. They're tribute band. They're a tribute to yeah, Neil Diamond and stuff. And man, talk about a roller coaster movie. Whew. It's really good. It's really good. But anyways, Tammy - RedBull: Sing song sing. KENT: you know, I am drinking some mountain what? Sing Song Blue. There you go. Yeah, Liz - Tea: s no, song sung blue. Is is it s sung sung blue. Yeah, there we go. KENT: yeah, yeah. There you go. See, I told you, I don't look up this stuff. Tammy, one thing about our show is we don't script anything. We don't We just keep it raw and real. Like, we don't Google anything. So Liz - Tea: Clearly, clearly we do not script. KENT: excuse us. Like, what you see is what you get. So cheers. I am drinking a mountain blend vanilla today. no sponsors here. But yeah, it's really good. I'm enjoying that. Liz, what are you drinking? Your teepee? PG tips. yeah. Liz - Tea: drinking PG tips you always go on he's such a a sophomoric middle schooler really I have to say tips PG KENT: Say say it say how you usually say it without the pitcher. Liz - Tea: tips KENT: See, she Tammy - RedBull: Tips. KENT: you doesn't pronounce the P, so it sounds like PG. Yeah. Yeah, say that three times fast. See, Tammy is refusing to say it. Butter toffee coffee. Butter toffee Tammy - RedBull: Tips. PG tips. Hmm. Liz - Tea: See, it's a guy thing. That that that Tammy - RedBull: I d I don't want to. I don't want to. I drank butter toffee coffee this morning. Butter toffee. It's my favorite. Liz - Tea: That sounds good. KENT: coffee. Ooh, that's that's a that sounds good. Liz - Tea: I've never had that. Where'd you get it? Tammy - RedBull: It's delicious. It's a K cup. I just use I have it at my home. KENT: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Yeah. Liz - Tea: I have to try that. Butter Tammy - RedBull: Billy Jean's butter Liz - Tea: toffee. Tammy - RedBull: toffee. KENT: Well there you go. awesome. But you're drinking Red Bull right now. Tammy - RedBull: No, at the moment I'm drinking Coke, but when I'm at Cons I drink Red Bull. Sometimes a monster. KENT: Why Red Bull? Why Red like, Liz - Tea: Right. Well, at Cons I Tammy - RedBull: Well, because I don't have time. Liz - Tea: I survive on at Cons on Diet Coke and Peanut Ms. That's my KENT: I could I I can understand the PNM and M's, but man. Boom me? yeah, there's coffee. There's Tammy - RedBull: What do you drink? There's no place to get coffee normally when you go to a con. KENT: always coffee in the green room. Tammy - RedBull: Not all of us get access to the green room. KENT: Okay, but there's coffee shops before you come into the Comic Con. Tammy - RedBull: It is, it is, but you have to go outside the convention center normally. They normally don't have coffee. No, the ours does, Denver does. KENT: That's why you have a badge so you can go in and out and in and out. Tammy - RedBull: De Denver has has what is that called? Dasbog. Dasbog downstairs. So you can get Liz - Tea: that's right, yeah. But that brings KENT: so Liz - Tea: us to this coming KENT: what what Liz - Tea: weekend. KENT: Ho ho ho What's that? Liz - Tea: This coming weekend is Fan Expo Denver, where we three shall meet in person. KENT: Uh-huh. No. We we three? Liz - Tea: Yeah. There is a fourth, but she's not with us today. KENT: There is a fourth. Actually she's at the studio or she's probably sleeping. I don't know. She's doing some filming. Tammy - RedBull: She's sleeping right now 'cause she's doing those midnight movie shoots. Filmmaking at night. Liz - Tea: Yes, she she's working nights filmmaking. KENT: Yeah yeah. She's doing what she's passionate about. That's awesome. Liz - Tea: yeah. Tammy - RedBull: As she should be. Liz - Tea: so we are all three gonna be at Denver Comic Con. yeah, yeah. KENT: I know. Did you now here's a question. Tammy - RedBull: Not no longer called Denver Comic Con, don't let her kid you. Fan Expo Denver. Liz - Tea: Yes. KENT: Then I mean I remember when it got turned to Denver pop culture. I mean Tammy and I have been Tammy - RedBull: I do too. I do too. Liz - Tea: Yes. KENT: around long enough, we've seen Denver Comic Con change names what, twice, three times now? Tammy - RedBull: Well it was it was comic book classroom KENT: Yes. Tammy - RedBull: in twenty twenty twelve, twenty thirteen KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: and then they changed it to Denver Comic Con and then they KENT: Uh-huh. Tammy - RedBull: changed it to Denver Pop Culture Con. Liz - Tea: Culture. That's when I came on board. KENT: And then it changed to Denver Fan Expo. Tammy - RedBull: And then it gave Fan Expo Denver. You have to Fan Expo comes first. Cause you know, Fan Expo Philadelphia, Fan Expo. KENT: Fan X or Denver. Yes. Yep. Tammy - RedBull: Yeah, all the different ones. I did hear I Liz - Tea: So Tammy Tammy - RedBull: did hear they're canceling Fan or they canceled Fan Expo San Francisco this year. That's the latest rumor I heard. Well, either way, they've they've canceled Liz - Tea: Well it was odd to have it over Thanksgiving. It was always strange timing. Tammy - RedBull: it entirely. They're not doing it this year. KENT: Yeah, yeah. Liz - Tea: Wow. KENT: I I think they're consolidating seeing what cons were working, which Tammy - RedBull: Which one is KENT: ones weren't. You know, it is a business. Don't get me wrong. Comic cons are a business, so they're for profit. Tammy - RedBull: It is. It's for for profit. KENT: unlike San Diego. but Tammy - RedBull: Yeah. Liz - Tea: Pop culture con was non profit. KENT: pop culture, yep, that's a non profit Tammy - RedBull: It is it it was non profit. KENT: as well. But yeah, they're just trying to figure out which one worked, which one didn't, consolidate and then mainstream to the top. you know, 10 or whatever. that's what Tammy - RedBull: Exactly. KENT: I've heard. So it's a business and you gotta cut the fat where it's not working, you know? Sh and San Francisco was not working. But Denver, my Tammy - RedBull: Yep, for whatever reason. KENT: gosh, Denver goes off Liz - Tea: Four days. KENT: four days, four days, and there's usually what? Tammy - RedBull: Well well and it's probably the second largest in the US for Fan Expo. If you look at KENT: Is it? Is it? Liz - Tea: What's Tammy - RedBull: the numbers online, they put their numbers online. Denver is like or megacon is number one. Look at the numbers. KENT: Yeah. Megacon is the first. Denver has what? Between Liz - Tea: yes, 'cause Megacon. I would say KENT: sixty and eighty thousand? Tammy - RedBull: No, ours is Denver is a hundred and five, hundred and ten. And Megacon, I think, was at a hundred and fifty. KENT: okay. It's grown. I remember I remember when it was Liz - Tea: Yeah, it's KENT: sixty thousand and it was like, wow, that's huge for Denver. Yeah, remember that? Tammy - RedBull: I I Right? It is crazy how how big Denver is. KENT: It is. Liz - Tea: So Tammy, you said you worked with them back in the dark ages of the Tammy - RedBull: Back in the day. Liz - Tea: two thousand tens. KENT: She didn't say dark ages. Tammy - RedBull: No. Twenty fourteen was my first year. Yes, I attended in twenty thirteen. Liz - Tea: Okay, twenty fourteen. But in the teens. So so KENT: Well, how did you get started, Tammy? Liz - Tea: attended, yeah, I was gonna say attended, worked, what what were you up to? Tammy - RedBull: So in twenty thirteen I went for a visit. My uncle worked he was in the very twenty twelve was the first year of Pan Expo Denver or Denver Comic Con. And he worked it in twenty twelve and then t yeah, Ed, yeah. And then in twenty Liz - Tea: Uncle Ed Uncle Ed, yay! Tammy - RedBull: thirteen he says, Come on down, you should trick this out. And so I took my daughter and her best friend and we he gave us a pass because at that point they gave free passes to anyone that worked it. And so we went and I met god, Saul from Warehouse Thirteen. And did you ever watch Warehouse Thirteen? No? Okay. KENT: Yes. I I w I've worked with Eddie and those guys quite a bit, so yes. Tammy - RedBull: Yeah, Eddie. So I got to meet Eddie McClintock and Saul and KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: we went in, said hi, we got a picture with them, 'cause my uncle was his handler, and then we left. And I went, that was very amazing people watching. That's what got me started. I went, my God, I couldn't believe the the level of costumes and everything that everyone was wearing. And that was it was magical. It was it KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: was just magical. So in twenty fourteen I decided, Okay, he says you should c you should volunteer and I went Okay, I will do it. So I took my two kids. I took my two kids who were like fifteen and seventeen at the time and we volunteered front of house and we did ticketing for three days. It was a three-day con at that point. We did all three days of of ticketing and we were supposed to work like six hours and we ended up working eleven because they they needed it was the you ready? It was the year that they did Star Trek Next generation. And they had the the huge panel with all the next generation actors. And I ended up working that panel in the evening, so we ended up working eleven hours that day. It was crazy. And we lose them again. Liz - Tea: Yes, it can happen. it looks like KENT: That's crazy. Yeah. I remember that because I went to the top of one of the hotels to have drinks with the next generation. Liz - Tea: we lost him. But so I was I was gonna say, I mean we'll just carry on. He'll be back, Tammy - RedBull: It's okay. Liz - Tea: I'm sure. so in the last twelve or so years, tell me what jobs you've done as a volunteer or as a paid crew member. Everything? Tammy - RedBull: So I I started as in in Denver, I started as the as I said, I worked in ticketing. And then I worked in as a guest liaison in volunteer services. Then I immediately worked in into they recruited me into manager of the front of house. And what that meant was that I was in charge of all of the entrance, so access, so the the getting in and out of the building. I was also i granted we have entire teams, don't get me wrong, we have a security team that we work with and we have leadership that we were that I worked with. Becky was my leader at the time and but then I had a leadership team of 30 people because I was in charge of ADA accessibility. I was in charge of the ticketing because we did in-house ticketing we worked with well whatever company we worked with. Then we did access control inside, access control outside and info info booths. And I did that for five years at Denver. Liz - Tea: Wow. And that was your second year working that you Tammy - RedBull: That was my third year d working the con. I I was in charge of all of that by the time it was it was insane. Liz - Tea: that's pretty amazing, lady. Tammy - RedBull: I it was it was a l it was a lot of fun. It was I learned a lot really fast. It was like being dropped into a bucket of hot oil and and I w I was watering, I just whew because really that my only experience other than that was the first two years that I had volunteered, right? And Liz - Tea: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: but it was it was a I I just I loved it. I loved the volunteer experience. It wasn't it wasn't the con that I loved. I loved the volunteer experience. I every year I'd Liz - Tea: Interesting. Tammy - RedBull: go back and I'd see my the same crew that I had every year and they were you know they'd they'd call me over the before con that are you coming? What where's what is my role? What am I gonna be doing? How am I gonna work it? And so it was it was great. It was just a it was an amazing it was my con family and and I that's what they became. Right? Liz - Tea: I absolutely hear you. I mean my best friends live in Denver and Colorado Springs and Nashville and all over the place. Tammy - RedBull: Uh-huh. Right. And now, and these are friends that we've made since doing cons. These are these are and I moved, I actually moved to Denver because of Denver, a Comic Con. because I was I did, I Liz - Tea: You did? Tammy - RedBull: did. It was like I was spending so much time all year round, you know, getting ready for it and and everything else that I found that I'm like, you know, it'd probably be worthwhile for me to live next, you know, close. and so I did. I moved to Denver and the way it worked out that my daughter was coming to school here and then I got a job here. but I wouldn't have even looked for a job here if I if it hadn't been for Comic-Con. Liz - Tea: I I did not know that. That's amazing. Yeah. So so Tammy - RedBull: See the things you learn. Liz - Tea: say I'm an attendee. I go and I'm like, I would love to do this. This is such a cool place to be. How would I go about becoming a volunteer? Tammy - RedBull: always check their websites. nine out of ten times you can volunte you can volunteer on any con's website wherever you're at. And so that's my first go-to. So when I wanted to volunteer at a different con, let's say in Albuquerque, I went onto their website and they have a a volunteer button and you click on it and you see what what it takes. You know, some of them require a background check, some of them don't. It just depends on which which how big the con is and Liz - Tea: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: whether it's a a paid con or a volunteer con. It could be both. or either. Not both, but either. Liz - Tea: Ha ha Tammy - RedBull: and you just go online and you apply. And like I said, some of them do require background checks, some don't. Liz - Tea: Yes, I think didn't didn't Pop CultureCon do a background check? 'Cause I think that's the only Yes. Tammy - RedBull: Mm. We did. Well, pop culture was based on children. So remember it was very important and it was education 'cause it was run by a non profit organization. and so they Liz - Tea: Right. So any potential access to children, you'd need that to be cleared, yes. Tammy - RedBull: Yep. We had to we had to make sure that the volunteers weren't a problem. Liz - Tea: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: And that that's how I got Liz - Tea: Okay. Tammy - RedBull: started. Liz - Tea: Right. Right. And I kind of well more I was gonna say kind of the same. I thought, hey, you can volunteer here. So I think I asked to volunteer and they said, look on the website. And Tammy - RedBull: See? Yep. Liz - Tea: so I started at Colorado Springs seven, six to seven years ago. And now I'm Tammy - RedBull: I started I so I I went to the very first Color Springs Comic Con in twenty sixteen. And that was my first time that in that one I volunteered as a celebrity handler, Liz - Tea: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: or a liaison or how yeah, whatever you want to call it. And it was with Pellegi, Mitch Pellegi, was my first he was my first celebrity that I ever worked with at a convention Liz - Tea: He's gonna be here this weekend at Denver Aww Tammy - RedBull: and that was in twenty sixteen at the very first Color Springs Comic-Con. Liz - Tea: And you know he'll remember you. Tammy - RedBull: No, I'm sure he won't. Not only do I look very different than I did then, Liz - Tea: That's right, that's right. Tammy - RedBull: he may remember me, but I doubt it. that's a it's a it's a misconception. Liz - Tea: Hahaha Well you always hope. Tammy - RedBull: Misconception for most people is that they believe that these celebrities will remember them. Nine times out of ten, they can't. Liz - Tea: Yes, actually that is true. Like my husband says, they're very friendly, but they're not your friend. Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: It is so true. But they you know, and what once you do become friends with some of them, they're amazing individuals. but you you you can't assume they're gonna know you. I have but then again, I have the same problem with attendees. I have people come up to me or volunteers and they go, remember me? And I go, I'd love to, but do you know how many people I talk to in a day at a con? There Liz - Tea: I know. Tammy - RedBull: are so many. Liz - Tea: I feel bad that that there's lots of people that just slip my mind. I might recognize them, but no name, no place. Tammy - RedBull: Work one con with them or something, and then they come I had that happen and I was in front of a celebrity. It was hilarious because I'm standing next to now I can't remember his name. He was from The Walking Dead, Redhead, with a beard. Mmm, what is Liz - Tea: not Ross. KENT: No. Tammy - RedBull: nope, not Ross. he did the Bisquick KENT: I know who you're doing 'cause I just saw him in Oklahoma. Tammy - RedBull: Can you remember his name though off the top of your head? His name is just l KENT: I wanna say it's Neil, but that's not it. Tammy - RedBull: nope, it's gone. Anyways, I was standing in front of him, because I think well anyway, somebody was his assistant and I was talking to him, and this lady comes up, she says, my god, Danny, how are you? Da-da-da. And I went, hi. And she we talked for a minute, and I guess we had volunteered together. She walked away, and and the celebrity looks at me and he says, You have no idea who she was. I went, Nope. Liz - Tea: Basted. Tammy - RedBull: I felt so bad. I'm like I I don't even know what to say. Liz - Tea: So but my next question is what can you do as a volunteer? What jobs are there? I mean, we've talked about entry Tammy - RedBull: Ooh, so many jobs. There's so there's a job for everyone. Here's the thing, is is my family, I as I said, I my first time volunteering, I took my son and my daughter. My son is very extroverted and my daughter is very introverted. And so my we took them both and my daughter found a home in volunteer services where she was very localized. She only had the the volunteers that she all had to deal with, and it was her happy place. and then my son ended up working eventually he ended up running all of registration for me. He he became my registration manager over that over that group because it was i he he could deal with all the people he knew he customer service he was there but so it it really depends on what type of volunteer experience you want. If you want something where you're not really having to talk to people and and interact with them, then you're probably going to be sitting watching a door and making sure people aren't coming and going. Or you could be working in info booth where people have to come up to you and you just look up the information when they want something. or line control is is you're talking to people all day. So then you're you're you're whether it's you could be in line control downstairs at in Denver. I'm talking about Denver, but outside Liz - Tea: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: you could be line control where you're dealing with all the attendees coming into the convention center, getting in lines. You could be in line control in the celebrity area where you're making sure that people aren't taking photos of the celebrities that they're not supposed to take in that area. And so there's there literally is a job for everyone. Everyone, no matter who you are, what you're doing, con life has something for everyone. KENT: And when they apply, when they apply, they can let in the application, they can let them know that, you know, hey, I really don't like to talk with people or you're okay with it. They make it user friendly because there are a lot of people that wanna volunteer and wanna be there. and again, they're just introverts, so they would rather sit at the door and just make sure people have their badges and stuff and not have to talk to people or Tammy - RedBull: Yep. KENT: stuffed bags or do things behind the scenes, and get to attend the Comic Cons. but you know, also volunteer and and be there. And then there's other people like me and Tammy, Liz that will talk to people and direct them and tell what to do. Liz - Tea: Ha. Tammy - RedBull: It it is it is my all-time favorite thing to do in the world is is talking to people and getting to know. I again, I can't remember everyone, but I love that I love being helpful. KENT: You usually you usually drive around with a bag full of candy somewhere. Tammy - RedBull: I do. I often well and that that became in later years is the that's what I would do, but it's for accessibility if you have an accessibility issue. Yes, absolutely. Liz - Tea: so you're bribing people for your affection? Bribing people? Tammy - RedBull: No, actually it it became a thing at Colorado Springs and in Denver where I I bought like this enormous amount of candy KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: and I'd stick it I I'd ride a mobility scooter and I'd stick it in my basket and people would go by and I'd make sure that my volunteers they told me my job was to make sure my volunteers were taken care of. And so I figure when you're working and you're sitting at that table and you can't even go to the bathroom sometimes, you know, when your your celebrity is working throughout the day and not going anywhere, then I'd stop by and bring you a piece of candy and say, Here, would you like a Twizzler? or because and not so you're standing all day yeah and so Liz - Tea: And and often not sitting, often standing. Yeah, line control. KENT: Yeah. I I remember that. Tammy - RedBull: I I I am simply bringing joy to people's lives Liz - Tea: And you do, you do. Even if you don't have candy. KENT: You do. And I've I've actually been with Tammy. I actually wasn't working Denver Comic-Con one year and I walked around with Tammy as she was handing candy out. And she couldn't get like three feet without somebody recognizing her and coming up and taking selfies and I mean she was her she was her own celebrity. She is. Liz - Tea: You are the selfie queen. You are the selfie queen. Tammy - RedBull: Well it's I I love it y okay, my secret. Here's my secret. It's the way I get to know people. It's the way I can remember who was there last year. So I take selfies with all my volunteers and then eventually, you know, if I have to go back and look, I can go, okay, now that's where I know you from. And so I post it. Plus people people love to be ready. They love to be like tagged in Facebook. So I post them all just en masse and they're like, my god, I was on I they'll come up the next day and if they weren't in that day, so like, you didn't get a selfie with me and I'm like, Okay, let's let's Liz - Tea: Ha ha Tammy - RedBull: do it. KENT: I say that when I hang out with Liz. I'm like, I I didn't get a selfie with Liz 'cause she didn't take one of me. Tammy - RedBull: Lizzie doesn't always remember the selfies. Yes, and you boo Liz - Tea: Yeah, and KENT: she doesn't my god. I was impressed. Liz - Tea: Worst KENT: I was impressed one time because Liz - Tea: selfie taker. KENT: the three of us, the other person, Melissa, we usually take this picture after the con where we're like all exhausted and passed out and sleeping and stuff. The sleepy time picture. And Liz - Tea: Yeah, the sleepy time picture. KENT: one time I forgot. Liz was like, we gotta do our picture. I was like, wow, she remembered. Tammy - RedBull: She did. She did. KENT: Yeah. Liz - Tea: Actually I think I took the sleepy time picture with Melissa one time waiting for a crosswalk. We just kind of improvised Tammy - RedBull: Ha ha ha. Liz - Tea: at the in the middle of the street. KENT: See, and these are the Tammy - RedBull: That is not the place to sleep, by the way. KENT: yes, no, not in the crosswalk. Hey, we come up with crazy things. I mean, I would love to hear from the fans or the subscribers that are listening to this podcast. What things do you do? Like we take the sleepy time picture. What do you do each time you go to a Comic Con? Is there a tradition? Is Tammy - RedBull: Yep. KENT: there a photo that you take? Is there something that you like high five everybody and grab a red bull and down it down? Or you know, what is it? Yeah, so put it Tammy - RedBull: Selfies are mine. KENT: in the comments below. Let us know. I would love to see what your traditions are as well. Do you have any I mean, you've been doing this a long time, Tammy? Is there any traditions that you do on a regular basis at Comic Cons? Well, we know that. Tammy - RedBull: Party too hard. I I go without sleep for four days. Liz - Tea: She is she is murder on the dance floor, guys. KENT: When you work a Comic Con, I will tell you you do not sleep that that much. Up early, out late. Tammy - RedBull: You don't. You don't. 'Cause you y you just you find friends and you go out and you and you you connect. I mean, Kent comes all the way from Nashville someday, you know, some years and and to to be able to hang out, you can't do it during the con 'cause you're all working. KENT: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: So the time to do that is after con and you go out for a drink or you go out for whatever, dinner. Liz - Tea: And and then you head back to the hotel and there's a whole group of more people that you want to hang out with. Tammy - RedBull: Exactly. More people that you do that you'd only see once okay. For those that travel around the world and and go to all the cons, you'd probably see a lot of these people more often. But like me, I literally only volunteer for a couple of cons KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: a year. Liz - Tea: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: This year might be a the exception where I I've I've I went to Kansas City this year and and did that one and that was different. But normally I just do the two, Colorado Springs and Denver. So these I see them this is my con family that I see once a year, or maybe twice a year. Liz - Tea: Yeah. KENT: And you volunteer to go to these different cons, like you just said you went to Kansas City. Is it do you feel that when you volunteer at Kansas City, Colorado Springs, Denver, do you feel it's different? The same? how is volunteering for the shows? Because like Liz and I work for agents, so you know, we're told where to go, what to do, who were our job is already working with the talent. So, you know, being Tammy - RedBull: Uh-huh. KENT: a volunteer, we started in the volunteer realm and worked our way up. But for you, is it the same at each show or how how do you feel? Tammy - RedBull: It's a it's a different experience at each and every con that I go to. so I've I started doing Colorado Springs and like I said, I started as a liaison in Colorado Springs or a or a handler or whatever you want call it. And I moved there to volunteer services and I ended up working there. And then I then I'm back on like line control. I actually I became the the the fun person. I I deliver candy and make sure that volunteers are happy having fun and and that they're getting breaks and that they can have water. So that's what I do there. When I went to Kansas City, I you have to start at the bottom again. You don't get to like I don't automatically walk into a guest liaison role, which is the KENT: Good point. Tammy - RedBull: the gold standard that everyone wants to go to is that that handler, that liaison role. and and I can't tell you I still have people I had somebody call me or text me last week and he's like, hey, I'm out on the stage this year. And he says, I would love to be a a handler and I said, you have to get you you have to get in front of the people that are choosing the handlers because it's a very coveted role KENT: I know who's doing it. Tammy - RedBull: and you and you're and there's very few of them. And they have to know that you're stop it. Why why are you laughing? Very few. KENT: I just know who's handl doing the handlers for Denver Comic Con, so Yeah, yeah, yeah. Liz - Tea: Ha ha ha. Tammy - RedBull: Right? But that's and that's just it. Is that if you Liz - Tea: What is her phone number, folks? KENT: Huh. Tammy - RedBull: it's a yes, all the things. but Liz - Tea: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: volunteering, you you like so when I went to Kansas City, I star they put me in line control in Celebrity Summit, which again I had to interview twice to get into that KENT: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: role, even to get into line control. That doesn't that wasn't the the guest liaison. KENT: And you brought up a good point. Each Comic Con that you volunteer for, you start out at the ground. You don't just get to be a handler. You don't get to, you know, pick your dream job. You start at the bottom. Tammy - RedBull: Yep. So? KENT: And that's at each con. And as you v continue Tammy - RedBull: Mm-hmm. Yep. KENT: to volunteer at the cons, say Denver or wherever, it it each year that you do it, you build up that rapport of the And you can then start getting to the positions that you want. Or you can just start requesting them each Tammy - RedBull: Correct. KENT: time and eventually, you know, it should work out for you. Yeah, yeah. Tammy - RedBull: Hopefully somebody listens. Liz - Tea: Yeah, so the the celebrity positions, line control and handler, those I mean they are coveted, so that's usually the one you have to wait on. But if your if volunteer services and entry entry as in, you know, ticketing and Tammy - RedBull: Access, yeah. Liz - Tea: ac access ticketing stuff like that, I mean if that floats your boat, you could get in straight away and just stay doing that. KENT: Yeah. Mm-hmm. And there's a lot of people that love that. I Tammy - RedBull: absolutely. KENT: know one lady at one one of the Comic Cons I go to, she works in guest services, giving out the badges. And she loves that because people have to come up to her and ask for their badge. And then she gets to see And then each year sh they're like, my gosh, you're back. Like there's a crew. That I know at San Diego Comic-Con. They're always at the guest services taking care of the problems. And I've gotten to know them over the many years I've been there. And they just are always there. So I if I want to go see them, I know where they're at. Tammy - RedBull: Yep. It it's a I I love I love working I Again, I worked front of house, Denver Comic Con for I I did it for seven years, where I was not with the celebrities. I never saw a celebrity in seven years. It wasn't something that I I was even looking KENT: It didn't matter to you. Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: for. But I loved, I loved seeing all the the attendees and their costumes. I mean, these people put on they they literally plan all year long and have a different costume. Sometimes not only each day that they're here, but sometimes twice a day. They'll they'll change you'll you'll see them and they're in a totally different costume and you're like, my God. and these things take so and months to create these costumes. They're just amazing. And I I I take just as many selfies with attendees that are that are just really cool costumes as I do with with the the celebrities. You know it's it they're just amazing that they they choose their fandom and they they they love it. I'm not one to dress up. I don't dress up for con. I never have. It's not my thing. KENT: what what do you got on what is this outfit you got on right now? Like you don't dress up, but what what is what is that design on your Tammy - RedBull: I don't. KENT: outf on your dress? Beakers. Okay. It's so you hang out with Cheech and Sean a Tammy - RedBull: Science! This is science. I have beakers on my it and it's it just lots of beakers. KENT: lot. Liz - Tea: guitars. Tammy - RedBull: No, they're beakers. They're they're all the little science beakers. But I got it at at KENT: Uh-huh. We called that a chemistry set. Tammy - RedBull: con. But it looks like a it's a it's a dress, and it looks like a Miss Frizzle dress, KENT: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Tammy - RedBull: right? From the Magic School bus. And I got it from Liz - Tea: School bus, yeah. Tammy - RedBull: the legging lass at at con. And I love the legging KENT: very popular booth. Tammy - RedBull: lass. She is amazing. It's very Liz - Tea: guys, if you have not seen the legging lasses stuff, it is so awesome. KENT: Yeah. Liz - Tea: I mean it's pop culture dream. Tammy - RedBull: But I I chose the two things that were science-y because I work at the College of Engineering in so I needed something sciencey that I could wear to work, yet still wear KENT: Be a little nerdy. Tammy - RedBull: my my fandom, my geekdom, my whatever it is. KENT: It's nerdy. Tammy - RedBull: So nerd my nerd yeah, my nerd. I'm putting my nerd on right now. KENT: Nerdism. Yeah, yeah. You get your nerd on 'cause you're wearing beakers. Liz - Tea: Actually Tammy, what is your nerd what is your nerd weakness? Are you Star Wars? What are you? Tammy - RedBull: I don't have one. KENT: Concerts. Liz - Tea: What? concerts. Tammy - RedBull: Concerts. No, I do I love I love Harry Potter. I and my daughter, I my you know, I took my daughter to every book release, every Liz - Tea: yes, 'cause you have all those figures and yeah. Tammy - RedBull: movie, every so I've by connection, KENT: Harry Potter? Tammy - RedBull: right, from my daughter. I do I do love Harry Potter. Star Trek more than Star Wars. I do enjoy Star Wars, but you'll find that so I worked with can I say names on here? So KENT: Yes. Yes. Liz - Tea: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: I worked with I I worked with Daniel Logan and we became we became friends, KENT: yeah. Yep. Tammy - RedBull: so to speak. And and Kent Kent ready. Kent we were in Reno that year that I one of the years that I worked with Daniel Logan and I got Daniel Logan signed my arm, right? But KENT: You didn't get it tattooed? Tammy - RedBull: Kent Kent Kent proved that he could he could imitate his signature perfectly. So I had both of them sign my arm and they b do you remember that? KENT: I remember that 'cause I was working with Alan Tudick that year. my gosh. Tammy - RedBull: yes, and it was just hilarious that that that's that that happened. but you become friends with some of these people and the and I became a fan of Ready. His s okay, so Daniel Logan, there was the young Boba Fett. Was I was I a fan before? Not at yeah, I not really. But did I become one through that? Absolutely. You you kind you know, when you meet these when you meet these celebrities, you meet these fans even and you go, Ooh, I'm gonna have to check you you'll run into fans that are dressed up in certain costumes, KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: right? The anime. And you'll go, Liz - Tea: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: they'll they'll tell you all about it because they're very excited for their fandoms. And they'll tell you all about it. You go, I'm gonna have to watch that because that sounds really cool. Or you go, No, I'm never watching that. Liz - Tea: Well, right now I'm I'm watching The Clone Wars, one of the Star Wars spin-offs. Yes. And and I was just my last con. Yeah, my Tammy - RedBull: See? Which is which is Daniel Logan is in that. Voice actor. KENT: Yeah, Tim Murray's in that and Ashley Eckstein. Matt Lannern. Liz - Tea: last con, the the the Clone Wars voice cast were there and I was sitting with Matt Tammy - RedBull: See Liz - Tea: Lanter, who played Darth Vape, but not Darth Vape, Anakin Skywalker KENT: Addicted. Yeah. Liz - Tea: in that, and I it It was a blast and I remember Tammy - RedBull: Right. Liz - Tea: my kids watching it a little bit. Like, I need to watch that because I remember it being good. And so I've been watching it and it's great. KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: See. It is. So it not only do you get something from them, sometimes give something back, you also get something from them. So Liz - Tea: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: here you are watching something you hadn't watched before. So I think I still have some that are on my wish list that I need to still, because like I think last year has been hotel people were all there, Liz - Tea: Yes, said Tammy - RedBull: and I need to listen to that. And I haven't yet, but they're on my to-do, you know, my to do to read list. KENT: What's hard is your wish list Liz - Tea: Yes. KENT: gets deeper and deeper and then you're like, I still gotta watch that and then you just add another thing and then another thing and then you're like, my gosh, I need to stop adding things and just watch. Liz - Tea: Ha ha ha Tammy - RedBull: Right. Well and I I even ev so Comic Cons also have book artists, KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: book authors, right? the artists that draw, you know, the the whether it's comics or books or whatever. Liz - Tea: Comics. Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: And the last time I went in in Kansas City, they had a I had just started reading the ser or listening and audible for Dungeon Dungeon Carl. Dungeon, there's another word in there, but anyways, and the author was the the voice actors were there that that did the audible that I'm listening to. And I'm like, Are you kidding me? And so it was really cool that I I I never thought that I'd talk to them or anything else. And it was just cool that that I are literally reading this book and they had a huge display and I went, wait, I know this. Again, I'm not a huge I don't have a lot of fandoms, but Liz - Tea: That sounds like a few. Tammy - RedBull: Once in a while. KENT: Well, I mean you've narrowed it down. I mean Star Tammy - RedBull: A few here and there. KENT: Trek Star Trek versus Star Wars, Harry Potter versus other things. So, yeah, you have your fandom. It's mostly music. We know you're a concert junkie. Tammy - RedBull: Yeah. I do, I do. And and every time there's a and I am a concert junkie. It it is so true. I should live in Nashville so that I can have concerts every day, but KENT: Yes. I just saw God smack. Tammy - RedBull: I did do fifty two concerts in one year in KENT: Holy cow. Tammy - RedBull: twenty twenty three. Liz - Tea: How many? Tammy - RedBull: Fifty two. But I average about twenty six a year. Liz - Tea: Slacker. Tammy - RedBull: I know, I know. It gets expensive. I'm it's not like I'm volunteer like I I volunteer at Denver Comic-Con KENT: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: or Den Fan Expo Denver and they pay me, so at least it pays for my hotel or whatever I want to do. Whereas when I volunteered for Kansas, I paid for my hotel and I didn't get paid. It was a purely volunteer adventure. Liz - Tea: Yes, which probably I would say a third a a two thirds or three quarters are volunteer. So Tammy - RedBull: most of them are. There's very few that are paid these days. Liz - Tea: Yeah, so fan expo pays Tammy - RedBull: I can't think of another one. Liz - Tea: actually incredible conventions pay as well, but that's a small Tammy - RedBull: Okay. Liz - Tea: smaller East Coast one. Several there. But mostly you're paying your own hotel, your own transport, Tammy - RedBull: Yeah. Liz - Tea: and your own food. So the most expensive hobby KENT: That's the part of volunteering. I mean, you do get your badge to get in, and and stuff like that. So there are perks Liz - Tea: Well, yes, there are perks. KENT: to it. I mean, you do get a badge, and a lot of times when you're volunteering, it's it's four, six hours, even those shows like twelve hours. So you get time to walk around and do stuff. You're not working the whole day. you get the badge sometimes unless Tammy - RedBull: Correct. Unless you want to. KENT: you want to. and then yeah. Liz - Tea: And some of us seem to want to. KENT: and then of course sometimes they'll feed you or have a break room and Tammy - RedBull: Yep. KENT: things like that. So you know, there are perks of volunteering for the shows. Liz - Tea: And and you get a nifty t shirt. KENT: yes, the bright Tammy - RedBull: Yes, you do. And KENT: colors. Tammy - RedBull: oftentimes sometimes a nifty lanyard. So depends Liz - Tea: Yes. KENT: we have a lot of those. Tammy - RedBull: on the con. I literally Liz - Tea: Yes. Tammy - RedBull: have an entire bin full of lany I I cleaned out my closet this weekend and I somebody said, What are you gonna do with all of those? And I went, I have no idea, but here we have them. Liz - Tea: Yeah. Yes, well often the t-shirts are not in flattering colours, let's say. Yellow is not really my colour. KENT: They're they're usually yeah, they're bright colors so Tammy - RedBull: I have a bright orange one from KENT: that you know that they're a voluntary. It's usually red, green, yellow, bright blue. Then Liz - Tea: Orange. KENT: the team leads are usually a little bit darker, like a purple or a navy blue coloring and stuff like that. And then black is usually staff. So So yeah, if you if you don't Tammy - RedBull: Yeah. Yeah. KENT: like colors then you're Yes. I Liz - Tea: Yeah. KENT: mean, I've I have an orange shirt that I was as a volunteer one year, so Liz - Tea: Yeah, d Fenx for Dallas does orange. That's their they called the Orange Army. KENT: Orange Army. Tammy - RedBull: I I volunteered in co in Pueblo and they have the orange, just the like literally it is the KENT: Denver Orange? Tammy - RedBull: what is that con cone? The okay, Liz - Tea: traffic cones? Tammy - RedBull: traffic cone orange. Literally that. And I'm like, I found it this weekend when I KENT: That's Denver Bronca orange. Tammy - RedBull: was purging everything. I there's a lot wrong with orange. Liz - Tea: Ha ha Tammy - RedBull: So many things wrong with having to wear orange. Traffic Liz - Tea: Yes, yes. Tammy - RedBull: cone orange is a bright color to wear. I mean, for years Liz - Tea: It is Tammy - RedBull: it was yellow. Yellow was bright yellow was the Denver Comic-Con. you know, when I whenever I'd yell something, I I need a yellow shirt or a red shirt. Red shirt was the the lowest one. So I need a red shirt. You stop having names, and I just I'm like, I need I need five red shirts. Where do you where do you want them? KENT: Hm. Yeah. Liz - Tea: It's interesting about those shirts, having a a uniform, as it were, that you do become a yellow shirt. You don't you're you're no longer Liz. You're you Tammy - RedBull: You do. Uh-huh. Liz - Tea: sort of disappear. And I I found that I found that kind of hard because Tammy - RedBull: It is. Liz - Tea: because of people don't remember you because KENT: Well, the show I was just at in Oklahoma, they had shirts on and then the shirts had these name tags, not like paper, Tammy - RedBull: Printed. KENT: they were printed on the the volunteer shirt. So it was a name tag, you know, decal like this. and and they were able to write their names on Liz - Tea: Okay, so you just write on it? Tammy - RedBull: Right. KENT: there. So yeah, it was a blue Tammy - RedBull: Correct. KENT: shirt, but then I could be like, Hey Sherry, hey Tom, hey, you know, and it was kind of cool. They had their personalized shirt, yeah. Liz - Tea: That's a great idea. Tammy - RedBull: It looked like a name tag. I have one of those. KENT: It was really cool. So you're just not Liz - Tea: That's a great idea. KENT: a color. Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: Right, because the badges don't you get a badge, right? You get a I don't have any with me, of course, but you get a badge that you normally have, a name on it, but a lot of times it'll turn around and you can't see it. And it's very hard to to tell people's names. And so you do. I need four redshirts over here. Sorry, nice to meet you. And you might get their name once, but then you won't see them again the whole KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: weekend. So it's it's really Liz - Tea: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: I I see both sides. I feel bad when people don't, you know, know me, but everyone knows Tammy, so it is what it is. I've been there long enough that everyone knows me. KENT: Well and that also happens well and that also Liz - Tea: Ha ha KENT: happens with line control people. because you know, we are behind the table with the talent a lot of times and we rely on the line control people to help us. I attempt to when I get that person, I write their name on the table so I I can say it a couple of times and remember But then Liz - Tea: Yeah. KENT: the next day they might not be there and then you're like, my goodness, like what happened? You know? they moved him to somewhere else, you know. So now I gotta start all over again. Tammy - RedBull: It's true. KENT: So yeah, it is you're just a red shirt. Tammy - RedBull: You're just a red shirt. But the we we love I we couldn't do the job without Honest to God, the red shirts, the whatever that KENT: True. I think we've all been red shirts. Tammy - RedBull: that that entry, that entry level, you cannot do this job without them. They they're the bread and butter of cons. I I would take ten red shirts over one liaison in that that's counting me in the liaison factors, you know. Any I love Liz - Tea: Ha ha ha. Tammy - RedBull: you guys. But I I would because I need them to to mo you know, to to do all the people and and there's you if you have a hundred and fifteen thousand people, that's thirty five thousand in a day at a con, you need people to to direct them and to help them and and the you as a liaison you don't get the chance to do that. So we need them. The the volunteers are are so essential and they're so again, it's it's the only thing that keeps me back coming back every year are the volunteers. if I didn't have that team saying, Tammy, are you still coming back? I want to see you again. Da-da-da. When are we going to see you? And I'm like, Yes, okay, I'll be there. KENT: So that's your that's your that's your h pulls on your heart strings. Tammy - RedBull: It does, because these are people that again, I'm not I don't necessarily you guys are are the exception. I don't normally associate with everyone all year long. I just I have a full-time job. I have a family. I I don't have time to to socialize with everyone that I meet. But when you when you when you become that family with them, the ride or die, I think it was a that was a term that we used for the first year of volunteers at Colorado Springs Comic-Con, the ride or die team. And it was it just became a thing. And it's like, Pull on those heart strings, go ahead, just do it. KENT: There you go. Hey Liz, we're in the circle. Liz - Tea: What circle? Tammy - RedBull: You are KENT: The s the trust circle. You've never heard of that? You've never Tammy - RedBull: in the circle. I ca I do communicate with you outside of con life. KENT: heard of the trust Liz - Tea: No. KENT: circle? You need to watch the Falkers. Liz - Tea: No. KENT: You need to watch the Falkers and meet the Falkers, yeah. And learn about the Trust Circle. Tammy - RedBull: Meet the Falkers. And it's not what you think we're saying. Liz - Tea: is that the Benstilla? KENT: You need to Liz - Tea: The Benstilla thing? Yeah, okay. I don't know that I saw KENT: Yeah. You need to watch that. And Tammy - RedBull: Yes. KENT: then you'll understand about the circle. Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: You need to watch it. You'll be in the circle. KENT: Once you watch it, then we'll let you in the circle. Liz - Tea: Ha ha. Tammy - RedBull: Before that you're out of the circle. Sorry, we're cutting you out. KENT: Yeah, yeah. So before we go, Tammy, has there been something that left an impact or you know something that you were like, my gosh, I got to be there for this big thing? And I'm just saying this because this week I was in Oklahoma and It was Tommy Chong's 88th birthday on Sunday. And so we surprised him with a birthday Liz - Tea: wow. KENT: cake. Cheech was there. as you can see, I'm there. That I'm there. David, Tammy - RedBull: And look, it's Kent! KENT: who's the terrifier, is in there. Steven Ward, Pollyanna's in there, Tamura's in there, you know. So it wasn't just us, it was a whole bunch of Different celebrities that wanted to acknowledge and and sing happy birthday to Tommy Chong. And I've been to a couple of special things. Like we sang happy birthday to William Shatner at another Comic-Con. And it was his birthday. And I got to do Tommy Chong's 88th birthday. So Tammy - RedBull: Was there for that one? KENT: Is there something I mean that stands out? Like how many times can you say I was there for Tommy Chong's 88th birthday? Like, all right, that's cool. But is there something that has stood out and you're like, my gosh, I was so glad I was there because I volunteered or I was at that Comic Con. Tammy - RedBull: I think the volunteer I it's funny 'cause I I always said that I I did I worked to Denver Comic Con for years and and that's where I worked. I literally just worked and I like I said I never saw celebrities. I worked from six AM until eleven PM and then I'd turn around and come back and do it again the next day. but I I always said I did Colorado Springs Comic Con for KENT: Mm. Tammy - RedBull: fun, because that was my fun con. and I think probab probably my my experiences with Daniel Logan in Colorado Springs was the most insane, insane adventure I've ever been in. because Liz - Tea: He is so funny. KENT: All right, guys. Tammy - RedBull: like we had we we were there one year with Dog the Bounty KENT: Mm. Tammy - RedBull: Hunter, right? D and he got kicked out of Comic-Con Liz - Tea: Yes I remember. Tammy - RedBull: and Daniel Logan went over and stole the sign. You know, the banner that sits behind him. KENT: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: He literally ran over there, rolled it up, had me hide it under the table. And he wouldn't give it back. He he's like, no, don't don't give it back. And so we ended up giving it back to the convention that night at the hotel. But all day long we're like hiding it and taking it to the hotel for him. And it was the most ridiculous adventure. And I'm sure I I'm sure we all got in trouble for it at some point or another. But it was just, it was totally worth it. and that was the year that the Hobbits were at the hotel and so I got to see them. And then I I think we ran into Tonks from Harry Potter. I can't remember her Liz - Tea: yeah, yeah. Tammy - RedBull: real name, but Tonks. And so she we I I again I never saw the celebrities in the most most in Colorado Spr in Denver, but in Colorado Springs, you stay at the same hotel that they do. And so we went up to the bar and she's sitting there and so she wrote a napkin on a napkin for my daughter, because my daughter's the huge hotel at Harry Potter. She wrote on a napkin for her, just a a an inspirational women's quote, KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: you know, being being powerful women and and keep going. And then she did one for me and I still have those. You know, those are things that I'm like, this is the coolest thing. And I would never have done this had I not been a volunteer. I wouldn't Liz - Tea: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: have accidentally run into people in the elevator or whatever it is. And it it was it was just fun. I Lizzie and I had a great time in Kansas City where we ended up at a party at the owner's party in the middle of the night. And we're like, we want to go to bed. And they're like, come on up, you gotta come up to the party. And I'm like, Lizzie and I looked at each other. We're like, how long do we have to stay? It's Liz - Tea: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: like, can we, can we go, can we go to sleep now? We're tired. But I mean, I I can tell you a million stories of all those interactions. And I can't, it's hard to choose just KENT: Yeah, yeah. Tammy - RedBull: one. Daniel Logan gave me a lightsaber last time I saw him. And he he I I went home with a lightsaber from Daniel Logan. I KENT: I know somebody that got a sword. Tammy - RedBull: went, somebody got a sword. Liz - Tea: I did get a sword. Yeah. KENT: Sword, so lightsaber, sword. Yeah, no, no. Like full on like Lord of the Ri look at that. She carries it right next to her desk. No, no, no, no. yeah, that thing's massive. Tammy - RedBull: And I'm not talking a little sword. This is one that's half her height. Look at this thing. Look at this thing. No, you have to show that whole th look at that. That thing is huge. Liz - Tea: yeah. It is. It just goes on and on and on. I can't I drive KENT: It's it's probably it's probably four Tammy - RedBull: How did you get that home? KENT: foot, five foot long. That's yeah. just next to you. Yeah, yeah. Liz - Tea: Yeah, it's probably five. I haven't measured it. Well, Tammy, I just wanted to ask one last thing. One last thing. Tammy - RedBull: Okay. Liz - Tea: did you have a tip for us, a tip of the week? KENT: gr that I was gonna ask, is there a tip that you have for the subscribers that are listening that might, you know, this is their first time attending a Comic Con. They're listening to our podcast just to get tips and tricks and how to maneuver the Comic Con. You know, like our one big thing is cash is king because you a lot of times the internet sucks, the card swipers don't work. you know, and then you see that celebrity and you're like, I want his autograph their autograph, he or she, or they and and then you're like and you can't get it because you yeah, the ATM's crashed or whatever. So our our our tip Liz - Tea: And the ATM's crashed. Tammy - RedBull: Yep, their the ATMs are empty. KENT: is always bring cash. Like more than more is better because you're gonna need it. Liz - Tea: Ha ha. Tammy - RedBull: Well and I I would say there's a lot of it depends on where you're at and what you're doing, right? If you're if you're KENT: Axe body spray. Tammy - RedBull: in a in a position where you're like at the ADA booth and you're sitting all day, it's you know, the socks and the shoes and they're not as important. But deodorant, always wear your deodorant, KENT: Axe body spray? Tammy - RedBull: con cr con smell is KENT: On crud, yeah, yeah. Tammy - RedBull: a thing. whatever either the the smell that comes out of it. because people are wearing those costumes and they are KENT: Sweaty. Tammy - RedBull: they're they're big and heavy and hot. But also if you're volunteering, I suggest you always, always remember if somebody comes up and offers you a break, you take it. Because you don't know when that person is gonna have time to come back around KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: again and give you a break. And it's it's always better, even if it's a short break, take it. yeah, you know, you think you're gonna miss something. You won't, you won't miss anything major. Run, take a quick break, come back, get rejuvenated. Liz - Tea: That's it. Tammy - RedBull: Sit for a minute. Otherwise your feet will not forgive you. They are not nearly as forgiving as as the rest of the world. So KENT: So wear comfortable shoes. Tammy - RedBull: well, that's also where well and I would suggest changing out your socks at least once a day. Like Liz - Tea: See? Tammy - RedBull: in the middle of con, you change out your socks. It changes the way your feet fit in your shoes. Well, if you want to, you can change out your shoes. That also helps. KENT: Mm-hmm. I I always like and I don't I sometimes I'll point it out to the talent and stuff like but there are those ladies that come to the Comic Con with high heels on and I'm just like, What are you thinking? Like I can see if it's like a a dress up Tammy - RedBull: I don't know how they do it either. KENT: thing, but this is a Comic Con and you're wearing high heels and jeans or you know, high heels and a skirt and you're I'm just like, your feet are gonna kill you just walking the show. Tammy - RedBull: Yeah. Yeah. I I've I've I've done forty thousand steps at a con one year and my feet literally just vibrated. I went to the hotel room and they just vibrated that night. I'm like, I am never walking again. and people would say, Do you want to sit down? And I'm like, no, because if I sit down, I'll never get up again. but now I use a mobility scooter so my feet don't hurt nearly as bad as other people's. but it is hey Liz - Tea: Yeah, especially when you run over them. KENT: Hey, I I I actually have a video. Liz - Tea: You don't. You don't. That's true. I've never Tammy - RedBull: Sometimes they just hop on board and get a ride. Liz - Tea: have I ever done that? Tammy - RedBull: No, but Kant has. KENT: actually Liz - Tea: you have. KENT: in Colorado Springs, I think me and Mark jumped on each side of that mobility scooter as she was driving. And so sh there's a video out there. I have to find it. I think Tammy's got it or somebody's got it. And she's just driving Tammy - RedBull: I do. KENT: along. me and Mark are like doing this, rocking back and forth while she's trying to drive. Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: Should have seen me trying to get out the door. They both had I'm like, okay, we're gonna go do this, and they both hopped off because there was no way they were gonna fit through that KENT: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: door. Liz - Tea: It's one way to get rid of unwanted dirt KENT: Loose ends. Yeah. Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: Right. Liz - Tea: on your scooter. Tammy - RedBull: But you do the craziest things at cons and they're so much fun. a and KENT: You have fun. That's what it is. Tammy - RedBull: again, it it is. It's it's it's you make friends. You enjoy if you have a a fandom or a geek dum or whatever you want, you you you thrive in that where you can see your s your favorite celebrities, you can meet your favorite authors, you can get a an artist to to do a a specialized picture right there for you, right? What are those called? commissioned. You can commission a a special one right there. KENT: catch. Yeah. Yeah, commissioned art cover or something like that, yeah. Tammy - RedBull: Like I have one friend that does comic books. He has a blank comic book and he has artist do it every year that he goes back, he does you know, a panel. And so all these things you can do while you're on break, while you're you know, after you're done with your shift, you can go back and check out things. So, and if you just want to work all day and hang out with people like Lizzie and Kent, it's great. KENT: I don't hang out with people. Liz - Tea: Yeah. KENT: Just kidding. Tammy - RedBull: I just go by and throw candy at which is way more fun. KENT: True, true. Liz - Tea: Ha ha. Tammy - RedBull: Just wait, Kent. I'm gonna throw a Twizzler at you this year. You're gonna hit right there. It's gonna hit you right in the forehead. KENT: Wheat, just throw the whole bag at me. How Tammy - RedBull: See, here's the problem is I'd probably try and hit Kent and I'd hit the celebrity instead, and then I'd be in way big trouble. So I really won't throw the candy at him. Liz - Tea: Well probably not, you know, if they're somebody like like Tommy Chong, who's eighty eight, you know, you probably don't want to be throwing stuff at him. But you know, some of the younger guests, they probably just maybe laugh. Maybe. KENT: Who I'm with this week, he'd Tammy - RedBull: Right? KENT: probably laugh. Liz - Tea: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: See? I don't even know who you're with and I would go, yeah, KENT: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: okay. If I throw something at you, just know. KENT: Just duck. Duck. Duck. Liz - Tea: It's meant for him. Tammy - RedBull: A doc. He will. He'll be standing in front of him. I'll throw it and it'll you know I'm gonna hit the celebrity and go, that was so meant for this one. Liz - Tea: Ha ha ha. KENT: Well, awesome Tammy. I we love and appreciate you coming on to Conversations with Coffee. Liz, is there anything else you want to ask before we go? Because I mean, I know Tammy is working and she's a busy lady, but you know, she spends time with us to, you know, hang out with us and talk and have fun and stuff like that. So is there anything you need to say to her before we kick her off? Liz - Tea: Mostly just buy me a drink on Thursday, babe. KENT: Wow, wow. Tammy - RedBull: Yes, ma'am. Yes, KENT: I will be Tammy - RedBull: ma'am. KENT: there as well, so make it a double. Tammy - RedBull: So you have to share. I will buy one drink, it'll be a double, you guys have to share. Which means you're drinking gin. Cause Lizzie drinks gin. KENT: There you go. Gin Liz Lizzie Lizzie Liz - Tea: Not just straight from the bottle. KENT: does all this na I mean, she's British, so she drinks all these nasty things like gin and tonic and and PG tips. Like get with the norm. Liz - Tea: Ha ha ha. Tammy - RedBull: What do you drink? You drink you drink whiskey, don't you? KENT: you know, living in Nashville, I have a car, the the whiskey thing, but I'm I'm more of a vodka if I'm having a drink. So I like Moscow mules, things like that. So yeah. Tammy - RedBull: No, no. No, I don't like ginger beer, so we don't do the Moscow Mule. KENT: Okay. Tammy - RedBull: I but I do I I'm a tequila drinker. But I will I like gin and tonic. It's good too. give me a good We do, we go and get the special. What's the special today? Sometimes they'll have one for con. Liz - Tea: We often have like fancy cocktails. KENT: man, we need a we need a a sponsor from one of the tequila Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: Right? Well those some of those celebrities are now a lot of the celebrities are now making alcohol, so I think Kevin Hart and Ma Jason Jason Momoa. I think I have Momoa makes vodka, right? KENT: Kevin's Kevin Hart and The Rock and all those guys that I mean Jason Momoa. Who's the one from Highlander or whatever that has one? Liz - Tea: really? KENT: Or Outlander. Liz - Tea: Mm-hmm. Tammy - RedBull: I think it's Jason Jason Momoa that does the vodka. I have his signed bottle. KENT: Yeah. There's another one that has Outlander Liz - Tea: Someone from Highlander? KENT: or something like that. He's really good looking and he's been touring Tammy - RedBull: Outlander, yes. You don't know? KENT: at different stores. Tammy - RedBull: They do. They they they come around. Liz - Tea: S is it Sam something? Is his name Sam? Hew and KENT: Can't know. One of my friends, April, was like, my gosh, he's in San Diego. And then they showed the line. It went around the city block. And I was like, Yeah, have fun on that one. Liz - Tea: Yeah. KENT: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: Right? I think it was Jason Momoa, my my a friend of mine got me a bottle of that vodka KENT: nice. Tammy - RedBull: and I have it sitting on the shelf and everyone goes, Why aren't you drinking this? I said, 'cause it's a signed bottle. You don't drink it. Liz - Tea: it's signed. Tammy - RedBull: It is. Joe's Jason Momoa signed it. Whatever that alcohol is. Liz - Tea: He was he was at Denver, what, in seventeen or sixteen? KENT: Yes. Liz - Tea: He wa that was before Tammy - RedBull: God yes. Liz - Tea: I I knew it was before Aquaman. So I yeah. Tammy - RedBull: Yeah, it would have been sixteen, I think. Liz - Tea: I saw that he was there but I didn't know who he was, so I Tammy - RedBull: Again, I have a heart again, I don't see all the celebrities when I go. You know, when I was working those first years I I worked their lines. So like Nate the Okay, Doctor Who. Tom not not Tom, KENT: David Tennant? Liz - Tea: David Tennant? Tammy - RedBull: Ten David Tennant and yes. Anyways, the lines for these things, I worked I worked I but I never saw the celebrity. I I just worked the lines for him, and these lines were ridiculous. These are Liz - Tea: yeah. Well he's there this weekend as well, and he's he's gonna be crazy line as usual. Tammy - RedBull: Yep. Yep. And I have to admit, working in the celebrity hall, I all I see are the short the they're not short, but they're they're they're they're more manageable lines, you know, where they're each individual or in their own lines. It's just different. It's different lines. That's what you have to be ready for. Or lines upon lines upon lines. It's what we do. You will never go to a con that KENT: There you go. That's a tip. Yeah. Liz - Tea: Yeah. Tammy - RedBull: doesn't. KENT: And you know, and again, when there are lines, you know, yeah, you you're not there to sit and talk and have a long conversation because there's a hundred people behind you. You're there to get the autograph, say hi, shake the hand or a fist bump, and then that's it. I'm sorry. Cause if they took three to five minutes, Kevin Smith. Then the lines just stay Tammy - RedBull: Daniel Logan. KENT: long all day and people get grumpy and stuff like that. But it even with the short lines doesn't mean if there's no line that you need to again, I'm just giving people tips and information. You can do it with it what you want. But if they don't have a line, that doesn't mean come up 20 times with 20 different questions to ask them trying to be their friend. I mean, it's nice to ask one or two questions, but Please don't overstay your welcome. Tammy - RedBull: Yeah. It's true. It's true. KENT: Yeah. So anyways. Well, Tammy - RedBull: Well, thank you for having me. KENT: thank you for you know what? Liz - Tea: Well, it was so great talking. KENT: Liz, we'll we'll discuss this later, see if we want to have her back on another show or something like that, you know. We'll we'll see how the ratings are first. Tammy - RedBull: Mm. Liz - Tea: Ha ha ha. Tammy - RedBull: Yeah, see how those ratings go. Liz - Tea: Yeah. KENT: Well, Tammy, it was a pleasure as always. we look forward to seeing two days, two days, Thursday, right? Two days. We will see you in Denver. She's gonna Liz - Tea: Yep. Yep. Tammy - RedBull: Today's Tuesday. KENT: get a double drink. So, Liz, bring your straw. there you go. I'm your host, Kent. Liz - Tea: Hey, I got dibs first, pal. KENT: This is British Liz, and you are here with Conversations with Coffee. we look forward to seeing you next time. You never know who we're gonna bring on. That's the surprise of it all, is just seeing who it is. They're all comic book or comic-con related. So stay tuned, follow us, subscribe. We've got all the social medias out there. And if not, well, we'll see you at the con and come up and say hi to us. Till next time. Bye, everybody. Tammy - RedBull: Exactly. Thanks guys. KENT: Bye.