Latest / CONversations with Coffee / Episode 8: Is Working Comic-Con Worth It? A Crew Member's Honest Review

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Episode 8: Is Working Comic-Con Worth It? A Crew Member's Honest Review · CONversations with Coffee

• KENT: Well howdy there. British Liz: Hi friends. Lea: Hello. KENT: look at this. Look at this. All right. I I I know the lady to I know the lady British Liz: We have a friend! KENT: to my left is British Liz, the tea drinker. I'm Kent, your host, the coffee drinker. British Liz: Hey. Tea. KENT: and we have a special guest. tell us who you are and where you're from. Lea: Hi, my name is Leah. Usually I'm a coffee drinker, but today in my cup, which says Witch Please, I am drinking tea. Yes. KENT: are you sure it says witch, please? I I saw a little B in front of there. Lea: No, it just says Witch Please. British Liz: Yeah. Lea: It's Halloween in my house all the time. I KENT: okay. Lea: am from Denver, Colorado, and I had the pleasure of meeting Liz a couple weekends ago when we both worked Fan Expo. KENT: I'm sorry. Lea: I love her, so I'm sorry, Kent, you're not cool. KENT: Ha ha. British Liz: See? KENT: I was on the cool side of the Denver Comic Con. You were you guys were not so cool line. So I was there. British Liz: We were cool. KENT: I was just on the other side of the curtain from Liz. British Liz: you were kind of back in Cathy corner weren't you behind me? Something like KENT: I was literally right behind you. It just had a double walled partition. Lea: So I probably saw you in passing, but just didn't know who you were. Valid. British Liz: I think you must have blocked it out actually. KENT: That's right. Lea: Probably. KENT: I'm not that famous yet. You know, we probably only have one subscriber, so it's British Liz: You KENT: hard for them to get around, you know. There you go. So British Liz: Yeah. KENT: awesome, awesome. Lea: Totally fine. I'll plug you in my Discord as well as all my social media. KENT: Awesome. And I just British Liz: Thank you. KENT: got some coffee delivered. I got my coffee. Yes. Lea: Okay, but if it's not Cafe Bustello, get your money back. KENT: this is this is a Pacific blend that I got. I mean what was the coffee that ca cafe what? Lea: Cafe Bustello, it's a Puerto Rican espresso. KENT: Ooh. No sponsorship yet, but who knows, you know? Lea: Not yet. KENT: I'm always jonesing for the coffee sponsors because I will plug them all the day long because I drink at least one to two cups a day. So cheers to you guys. Like Lea: I feel that. I'm on two well, yeah, usually it's one, but sometimes like today, it was two cups KENT: Like three. Lea: and cafe bustello is like the only thing that does it for me. KENT: That sounds good. I mean you might have to send me some like see Lea: So you can get it at any local grocery store, not sponsored. KENT: Look at this plug right here. there you are. British Liz: Yeah. KENT: Sponsorship by awesome, awesome. Well, cheers to everybody that is here that got their tea, their coffee. This is Lea: Cheers. British Liz: See you. KENT: our show. If you're new here, Liz and I are totally opposites. I'm a guy, she's a girl, she's fake British, I'm American. but the common connection is we love Comic Cons. And that's why we do this show. it's called Conversation with Coffee. So yay. British Liz: And we wanted to have Leah come on the program today because she, KENT: Look at that. I'm covering her up right there. Conversation. Lea: Okay. British Liz: at Fan Expo Denver was the first time she was a crew member for Lea: Yes. KENT: Whoa, wait, British Liz: a con. KENT: wait, wait. First time being crew. All right. So for all you listeners, Lea: First First Time crew. KENT: we got a newbie on the show. Newbie from a Comic Con perspective. Like, we are gonna break this down because, you know, coming Liz and I, I mean, just myself, I've got thirty years of experience. Liz, well, you know, she is halfway there. But I love talking to newbies. British Liz: Actually, not even, but what's the fun KENT: Awesome, awesome. British Liz: thing? Because we've forgotten probably. KENT: yeah, we've forgotten half the stuff that happens as the newbie and stuff like that. So did you work were you working for Keith? Lea: So no, like I was contracted through Blue Crew. So Keith was like who we're supposed KENT: Mm-hmm. That's Keith. That's his company. Lea: to report to, but I daily reported to Shane and Danae, who now goes by Danny. and yeah, my first time working a Comic Con and it was actually nice to work one because I was always interested in the ins and outs of what happens behind the scenes. KENT: All right. Now I'm gonna drill you and Liz, you can chime in Lea: Hmm. KENT: here. And this is for all our listeners because a lot of our listeners, our podcast is about sharing tips and tricks and how Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: to navigate through a Comic Con because so many people show up to Comic Cons and don't know what to do. Okay. So my first question for you. My first I'm I'm talking here. You butt in later. No, I'm just kidding. Lea: One hundred percent. British Liz: Did you have, sorry, go ahead. Yeah, okay, fine, fine, fine, Lea: Ha ha ha. KENT: This is how we are, Leah. so Lea: It's okay. It's like a family, dysfunctional, but it works. KENT: It does, it does. I mean, we know Liz is dysfunctional. She's a fake British and yeah. Lea: Okay. KENT: Trust me, I will harass her till the day she passes away. All right. And then I will dance. I'll do the jig British Liz: look forward to it. KENT: on on her grave. Just kidding. British Liz: Guessing back. Guessing back. KENT: Yeah, anyways, all right. So have you ever have you attended Comic Cons before you decided you want to know the ins and outs? Lea: Yes. So Fan Expo Denver was technically my fourth Comic Con that I've attended this year alone. yes, this year alone. the other three KENT: Okay. This year. Okay. Wow. What were the other three? I wanna know those. British Liz: Ooh. Lea: were beginning in February was Nashville Celebrity Comic Con. Yes. You were there? my gosh. Were British Liz: No way, I was there. I was there. Lea: you working or attending? KENT: my gosh. I live in Nashville, but I wasn't British Liz: Will you? KENT: there. I was on a I was on a Kevin Smith cruise. Lea: makes sense. British Liz: Yeah, KENT: No plug. British Liz: I was sitting with Christian Ball, who's Lea: Okay. British Liz: from the Hasbin Hotel Hello, Bobos universe. Lea: All right, that's amazing. I literally attended because I was like, my gosh, my con wish has come true. I literally flew to Nashville, which is about twelve hundred miles from here, to meet KENT: Two hours. Yeah, yeah. British Liz: Mm-hmm. Lea: Jamie Campbell Bauer, who is Vecna from Stranger Things. British Liz: and that was a line. That was a line. Lea: That was a line, but I had VIP, so it was fine. KENT: Okay. No, see backing up again for all the newbies that have never attended a Comic Con, like you purchased a VIP ticket so you could get head of the line cuts, kinda like you Lea: Yes. KENT: do at Disneyland. how long was the line? Lea: So the line for VIP wasn't too bad. I think the longest I waited was maybe thirty minutes, but I know general admission is typically anywhere between five to six hours. KENT: Yep. See, this is why you get a fast pass. British Liz: And the... Lea: And for those that are like it's a lot of money, I understand that, but you're literally paying to skip the line. British Liz: Yeah, I mean, what it's usually what three, maybe four times as much as a general admission ticket. Lea: Usually, typically, yes. it just depends KENT: Usually but again she has a point. Lea: on the convention, because each one is gonna have a different price point. so I can't say laterally across the board it's gonna be the same price, but KENT: You got to you are you're able Lea: You're paying for convenience, so KENT: to see four or five celebrities because you got a fast pass versus only seeing one in the four Lea: Correct. KENT: or five hours. Lea: Correct. because that whole trip I met so many wonderful people, aside from just the well-known names, made a lot of friendships, made friends with crew members, with vendors. and I think that's really important is you know, every interaction you have, you have to make sure that that first impression lasts. Because it has a way of not only impacting that person's life, but that could be someone who's going to be in your life for however long that season lasts. KENT: You know, I do that all the time. Like I have a business card right here for quick draw t shirt apparel. I met them Lea: Amazing. KENT: in San Antonio. Here's another one for Jennifer's Cakes by Jennifer. Again, I just got a text message from Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: them saying, Hey, your crew's gonna be in San Antonio in a couple of months. Please let us know if you need anything. And it's like, wow, that's so awesome. Lea: Amazing. British Liz: Ooh. KENT: that they would text you text me and just ask, you know, hey, if you need Lea: Yeah. KENT: anything, let us know. We see you're gonna be there. And again, making those connections. So awesome. Yeah. And and you're Lea: Yeah. KENT: doing it the right way. Lea: Trying to. British Liz: So what were the other shows? KENT: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Lea: so after Nashville, I had two cons in one month and about almost two weeks apart from each other. So in March was awesome con in Washington DC. KENT: my gosh, I wanted to go to that. Lea: And then British Liz: Was that the one where Firefly made the big announcement? Lea: Yes, KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: when Firefly I was there and I waited two hours to meet Nathan Phillian, which was worth it. I had to KENT: That's normal for him. British Liz: Mm-hmm. Lea: add him to my Marvel autograph collection because I every time that I go to a con, I'm trying to add to my Marvel collection because I am a big Marvel fan. so he's I'm sorry. KENT: When was that? March? Was that in March? Lea: Yes, that was in March. KENT: Yeah. Lea: that was the beginning part of March and then about KENT: I know. Lea: a week and a half later, then I went to Kansas City for PlanetCon. British Liz: Guess who was there? I was also there. Lea: You were also there. Who were you with? my god. KENT: She was there. And of course, everywhere she was, I was on the opposite end. So like when you were in AwesomeCon, I was in Emerald City. When you were at Planet Comic Con, I was in Richmond, doing a galaxy con. So it's like funny. Like British Liz: So you're just trying to avoid me. KENT: Yes, both of you. Lea: Basically, now I'm just gonna have to text Liz and be like, So where are we meeting up now? KENT: Yeah, that's right. Do British Liz: Where Kent is not. Lea: Basically. KENT: It's only half as fun if I'm not there. Lea: Mm, I don't know. Liz British Liz: Bye! Lea: and I we had a great time at Fan Expo and you weren't included, so British Liz: fair. KENT: well, did she invite you to the after parties? Lea: I don't do after parties, because I'm usually in a bathtub reading at that point. KENT: Did she invite you to dinners? British Liz: What about that? KENT: see? I'm just kidding. Lea: So at that point, no, because conflict of interest. KENT: Awesome. Well, so all right. So you did Planet Comic Con, you did Awesome Con you did Nashville Con, and then of course now you did DenverCon, but Lea: Fanics bow. Yep. KENT: DenverCon, you weren't a guest or a Lea: An attendee. KENT: an attendee. You were more of a volunteer. So Lea: Yep, I was what I like to call Kruby. KENT: Kruby, okay. So what made you decide that I know you wanted to learn the bac ins and outs of the backside of everything. Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: how what was that process like? Lea: So that process was actually pretty simple. I had always seen on any Comic Con that I've attended volunteer or crew application. I was like, okay, you know what? I'm gonna go for it. And if they say yes, awesome. If they say no, awesome. You know, I put myself out there. KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: and the application is pretty self-explanatory for anyone that is wondering, like you literally have to fill it out just like any job application and there's always KENT: How did you find it? Lea: a verification process that comes through it. yeah, exactly. British Liz: Yeah, just experience, hobbies, you know, the usual. Lea: and there was a point when I was at PlanCon, I was talking to Garrett Headland's handler, just that I had applied for Fan Expo, but I hadn't heard anything. So I was hoping, you know, fingers crossed, I was gonna work it. And she's like, actually Gabriel Luna's handler works for the company that hires for them. Why don't you go have a conversation with her? You know, maybe touch base and see like maybe something was missed. And we had this conversation, and she's like, actually, if it's that you were eligible in the email, we'll hire you. So you're good to go. And I do you recall receiving an email saying you were eligible? And I was like, yes, I did. She's like, okay, you should probably get another email saying, These are your tentative hours and go from there. I'm like, okay. And then she was correct. About a week and a half before the show I had my schedule. KENT: So it's pretty simple. Where did you go to find the application? Cause a lot of people I know are like, I want to volunteer. Where would they go? What did you do? How'd you find it? Lea: So that would be under if I'm not mistaken, like usually when you go on to a specific Comic Cons website, it'll say like info. so plan your stay, suggestions for the show, contact us, crew application. KENT: There you go. Just found it, filled it out, and then just waited for a response back. Lea: Yep. It was pretty simple. Probably the easiest application I've ever done in my life. KENT: Awesome. British Liz: Yeah. KENT: Well there you go. Now being somebody that does a lot of Comic Cons like myself and Liz, how was your first experience being a a Kruby at the Denver show? Lea: Honestly, it was something I was very nervous about. Like I think it's very common and valid to have kind of that first day jitters because everything's new. It's rapid pace. Just like, hey, this is these are the rules. and if you have any questions, let us know. It's very much a As you go about it, you're gonna learn about it kind of situation. Obviously, you get this email that'll tell you these are the do's and don'ts, like what's covered, what's not covered, ask questions, come ready to adapt and be flexible, which I was like, okay, so here are the things that are gonna happen. Some things are going to be very self-explanatory, some things I'm just gonna have to figure out. And I'm okay with that. it's very much a you're not gonna know what's gonna happen until you actually get in there and do it. so my biggest takeaway from that is definitely come in and be malleable. definitely have open communication, whether you're working photographs, autographs, if you are doing more behind the scenes stuff. Definitely over communicate versus no communication. British Liz: And your job was... Lea: I was working celebrity autographs and I was frontline. So basically letting people know these are the prices, have your form of payments ready. Yes, they do accept a credit card, but just know that it's gonna be a three percent charge on your card. KENT: So you were the first person they got to meet before getting up to the celebrity and so you were just helping them. There you go. There Lea: Before getting up to the handler and then the celebrity. KENT: you go. British Liz: And you took pictures too, didn't you? Yes. Yes. Lea: Yes. Took pictures. KENT: Well, I bet you're a pro now. Lea: well, I wouldn't say pro. I'm still learning. And that's the thing is, you know, no matter how many times you can do a specific job at a Comic-Con or even in your regular life, things are gonna change. So you have to adapt with that. KENT: Awesome. British Liz: Yes. And we were neighbours, so you were Lea: We were neighbors. British Liz: you were with Vanessa. Lea: I was with Vanessa Marshall and David W. Collins, who are prominent voice actors, probably more known right now for the Star Wars universe. KENT: Okay. Are you a Star Wars person? Lea: So that's a very complex question. so British Liz: Is it? KENT: It's either a yes or a no. Lea: I do enjoy them, but I don't know for sure if I am a very big Star Wars fan. I feel like there's a lot of the universe that I do not understand and I would like to, but a lot of it just goes over my head, to be honest. KENT: Yeah, yeah. And that's for most people. I mean, Star Wars, Star Trek, the the parallel universe, all that stuff. It's like, my gosh, it just gets so confusing. So it's kind of like a Doctor Strange movie. It's like, what is happening? Lea: So I understand like with the multiverse. Absolutely. KENT: Yes. Lea: But I was also like that was introduced to me when I was very young. So KENT: Mm. Lea: I think had Star Wars been introduced into my life when I was very young and it was explained to me like I was five years old, I might have a better understanding. now that's not to say that I couldn't still learn. Like I can absolutely still learn. But I think that there's just a lot of backstory that I'm not understanding. Like when people are like, so which of the episodes do you like? I'm like, question, what episodes are the first three original movies? Cause I get confused. British Liz: Yes. KENT: Four, five, and six. and that's just because of for us it's four, five, and six because that's what we grew up with. You know, the younger generation will say one, two, British Liz: What is it? It's originals, originals, prequels and sequels. Lea: Yes. KENT: and three. So yeah. Lea: Yeah. So that's what confuses me because I'm like the original three and then everyone's like, so this, this, and this episode. I'm like, sure. I think. I don't know. KENT: There British Liz: Yeah. KENT: you go. Well, awesome. Well, thanks for ans answering that question. It it you know, I I would say I'm a Star Wars fan, but you know, I I'm a fan of everything Comic Con. So Lea: And that's that's the great thing about Comic Con, like it's inclusive. No one feels left out. Like whether you're really into something or you're just KENT: Mm. Lea: beginning to learn about it, you don't feel like you don't belong. KENT: Exactly. Exactly. I mean, look, we accept Brit British Liz. Lea: Listen. Let's go in a little background here. So a little background. KENT: background here. Here comes the mafia. Lea: so growing up, I have very fond memories of a lot of British music being played in my house because my dad is a very big Beatles fan. And I do recall KENT: there we go. Lea: always listening to songs specifically from the White Album. So for one of my dad's birthdays. I want to say this was about 10 years ago. I did get him a pretty extravagant gift. I will never tell him how much I paid for it, but I got the white album on vinyl. And I told him to never open it because he hasn't opened one that he's played. And I'm like, do not open this. This is a keepsake. KENT: That's right. Frame that sucker up. British Liz: Hahaha! Lea: I wanna eventually do that with his Rolling Stones albums as well. and I know he has a couple others, Smokey Robinson, Jimi Hendrix and some Credence as well. KENT: Hmm. Nice, nice, nice. Well, I know you came on here, you were invited by Liz, and she's like, we got a newbie and stuff like that. Lea: Ha ha ha. KENT: And it sounds like you're well experienced. I mean, obviously, you have attended Comic Cons. This the Denver one was your first experience as a Kruby. I'm using that term now. I'm gonna trademark that Kruby. but you know, I'm British Liz: Yeah. Lea: I just think it's cute because it's like you don't know. KENT: It is cute. It's better than just crew or a volunteer. I always hate the word volunteer. I Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: just I just to me it just found f sounds degrading. Like, I'm a volunteer. Like you can't afford it. Like the thing is, is the volunteers actually pay more to be at the show than the guests. or the attendees Lea: True. KENT: because you got your hotel, you got all the expenses getting there, and then you gotta show up early, you gotta do this, you gotta do that. You know, you you don't have that flexibility. So I feel the volunteers actually s pay more or spend more than just the attendees and stuff. So I don't like the word I I think crew is a better term or a crewby. We British Liz: Mm-hmm. KENT: like that. Sorry I'm losing my voice. Lea: It's a it's it's a smoosh of crew and newbie because I was like, Well, I KENT: There you go. I like that. Lea: am a newbie and I'm crew and I KENT: There you go. Lea: feel like no matter what part of crew that you you know go up to, you're still gonna be a newbie at some level of it. So crewby British Liz: Mm-hmm. Lea: I feel like is just a form of unity. KENT: Right, right. Well it is, British Liz: Mm-hmm. That's a great word. I love it. KENT: it is. And then it's awesome because like I'm sitting here and I'm like, my gosh, she's got a nice microphone and I'm like, she's done this before. She's been on a podcast British Liz: Yeah. KENT: or something. I mean, like, really. And then we started talking before the show. You're a little gamer there, a little nerd. Lea: I am. KENT: Yeah, you're a gamer nerd. Gamer girl. All right. Lea: Prefer Game of Girl. Hello. jokes aside, no, when the pandemic hit and we were all told that we were to stay in our houses and social distance, KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: that is really hard for a lot of people, especially those that rely on ways of communication. And since I live pretty far from home, KENT: Civilization. Lea: where a lot of My family and friends are. KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: My best friend, he suggested, why don't you try doing content creation on Twitch? I think you would be really good at it because you have a way of relating to people and making them feel like they belong. KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: And so when he first pitched that idea, I was like, You're out of your mind. I'm not doing it. No way. Fast forward to two weeks later, I was starting to feel that rut of. I need socialization. I need human interaction. I need this for my mental health. So it was a long shot. I tried content creation on Twitch. And I have made a lot of great friends on Twitch as well as I've built a community that is really about accepting you as you are. really KENT: Mm. Lea: promoting positivity, love, and acceptance. For all walks of life. the thing that I always like to start my streams with and end my streams with is you are amazing, you are beautiful, you were loved, and you are enough just the way you are. Because I don't know what someone is going through, but I can tell them these things and maybe I can make a difference in their life. British Liz: that was great. KENT: I love that. That that's exactly what Liz and I are doing with you know conversations with coffee. Is we just want to make a difference if it's one person Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: or a whole bunch of people, we just want to make a difference and just allow them to have a great experience at these shows or these events that they go to. So thank you. That was awesome. Yeah, yeah. So now Lea: Yeah, absolutely. British Liz: Yeah. KENT: do you have a Twitch handle or how can people find you on Twitch? Like Lea: I am I am in the process of potentially changing my Twitch handle. absolutely. So KENT: Okay, well well then we'll have you back and you can tell everybody I've switched my British Liz: Hahaha Lea: it is twitch.tv fortune cookie. so that yes, so KENT: you spell that? Lea: that is for if you go on Twitch, it is F O R T U N underscore Cookie. And that is actually a play on my heritage because I am half Chinese and I am half European. KENT: Yeah, like fortune cookie. Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: I I caught it right away and I was like, that's pretty cool. That's a good one. British Liz: Yeah KENT: You know, and of course when you crack open the cookie, you get good stuff like Leah. British Liz: you Lea: Sometimes I mean I am a spicy little bean. KENT: Sometimes don't. Yeah, she's got witch coffee cup, so there you go. Lea: Have to. KENT: So with doing the gaming and and all that, you've made a lot of friends. you know, I I've I know Jason Mews because of Kevin Smith. He is always twitching, like he's on there twitching and stuff. I know he makes a lot of money doing that, and I guess it's the following and stuff like that. D tell me a little about Twitch. I don't know much about it, but I know you can you play video games, people watch you, you get paid for it, for them watching your content, kind of like Instagram and Facebook. Lea: I mean you can get paid for it. Yes. You can yeah, absolutely. You can pretty much monetize anything. so the way Twitch works is originally it was just for video gaming, but now KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: a lot of people utilize it for cooking streams, for life advice, for an amalgamation of things. and they do pre roll ads. once you become a Twitch affiliate. KENT: Free roll. Lea: so you can monetize on it. Now, the thing with Twitch though is it really just depends. And I've always told my viewers, I'm like, you know, you can, if you want to, subscribe, but I don't need your subscription. Like, I get it, life is incredibly expensive and KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: it can be bothersome with how much. Bills are stacking up. So I've always told people that if you do subscribe, first off, thank you. Not necessary. But second, it is going to go towards paying bills. Like I am always forthcoming about what it is utilized for. KENT: Hey, if we got a sponsorship, I would tell them where all the money's Lea: Yeah. KENT: going to, cause British Liz: Yeah. KENT: you know, right now it's all out of our pocket and it would be great to have a sp coffee sponsorship or a gaming sponsorship. because, you know, podcasting is not cheap, but Liz and I have a passion about sharing information. And we both came together and we're like, it doesn't matter if it costs us three hundred dollars a year or six hundred dollars a year. We're just gonna get the content out because we wanna help people. And of course, her and I like to talk a lot and we like to share the funny things that happen. Lea: Absolutely. KENT: Or hey, here's a tip. Like Liz literally has a bag for Comic Con of the stuff in her bag that we shared on an episode of all the stuff you need to ring to a Comic Con. Yeah. Lea: Amazing. Yeah. There's a bunch of stuff you need. Absolutely. KENT: What okay, here's thank you. So, what would be two things that you would recommend to our listeners that they need to bring to a Comic Con to have a good experience? Lea: Well th obviously the the list is longer than two. Obviously. All right. KENT: Okay, well just n name a couple of the important ones. Lea: So in my experience of attending Comic Cons, the number one thing that I tell people all the time is refillable water bottles. Like you need KENT: Ooh. Lea: to hydrate. Absolutely. You know, the older I've gotten, I've realized how important it is to listen to your body. And when your body is telling you that you need sustenance, water, KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: Gatorade, food, you listen. you need a break, go take a break. so water, refillable water, obviously is the biggest one, especially if you are visiting somewhere that is higher altitude. a multitude of attendees British Liz: Like Denver! Lea: and guests will get altitude sickness because they're coming KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: to Denver and they were coming somewhere that was at sea level. So that makes them sick and that's understandable. KENT: My guest came from New York and he was like, and I'm like, drink water, drink water, drink water. And then the next day he actually went to the corner store and got oxygen. And I was like, Can you feel a difference? He goes, No. And but at the end of the day, he goes, I don't feel as bad as I did yesterday. And I'm like, Good. All right, water. Lea: Yes, even if you don't feel thirsty, you have to hydrate. KENT: Yep. All right. Drink your water. Lea: Yes, drink your water and if you don't want to pay the money for the electrolytes, even adding just a sprinkle of salt in your water will help. Absolutely. Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes. British Liz: yes, because you can get those little hydration packets that you just put in a bottle of water and it gives it some flavor and some KENT: Like Liquid Death. No sponsorship here. Lea: Mm-mm. British Liz: Is that what that's called? Lea: Yes, there's one called liquid death. it always sounds like when people are opening it, I feel like they're opening a can of beer, but it's not. KENT: Yeah, it looks at too. British Liz: you Lea: so aside from water, I definitely also recommend wearing clothes that can breathe because you never know what the temperature is gonna be like in the Comic Cons. I, for example, I run warm. So I'm always, if I'm attending, I'm wearing clothes. That can wick away moisture from my body British Liz: Yeah. Lea: because I know I'm gonna be sweating. so even if it's like four degrees outside, I'm wearing summer clothes inside of a convention center because you add in how many people are attending plus whatever the AC is gonna be at, it's gonna be sweltering. and if you're cold easily, just put on a jacket that you can remove easily because your body's gonna fluctuate. Now, if you don't want to purchase the VIP, which I always highly recommend, VIP or GA, always get a collapsible travel stool that you can bring. Because even though, British Liz: Yeah? Yeah. KENT: That's in Liz's kit. Lea: even though I've done it multiple times, KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: I'm just like, you know what? There's not a place for me to sit. I'm just gonna sit on the floor. You will feel that later. Concrete floors are terrible for your body. British Liz: Mm-hmm. KENT: Terrible. Lea: So definitely bring a collapsible. stool you can get them on Amazon for like I think the most I've seen is like forty bucks for most of them. But the one that I have and I've seen a lot is about 20 bucks. So it's easy to use it's easy to collapse. I think I've shown a couple attendees how to collapse them and, you know, extend them because it can be kind of confusing. and then the British Liz: But it makes an enormous difference. I mean, Lea: Yes, it makes a huge difference. British Liz: oh yeah. Lea: And the next one is, and this is gonna be a hot topic kind of for some people, cosplay or not, wear comfortable shoes. Comfortable shoes British Liz: Yes! the number Lea: make a difference. British Liz: the number of heels I saw at the last con I thought how are these ladies walking? They must be so uncomfortable! No, that was cosplay! Yeah! KENT: Well, were they in cosplay or were they just regularly dressed? I was gonna Lea: Ай. Full cosplay. KENT: say cosplay, they don't wear the shoes for comfort, they u wear the shoes for the look for the cosplay, so Lea: Absolutely, and I understand that. British Liz: Yes, after six hours Lea: Yes. British Liz: it must be agony, agony. Lea: Yes, absolutely. and then the other thing is if you know that you have some sort of need for nutritional value, definitely have at least like a candy bar on you. Like for example, I am hypoglycemic, which is low blood sugar, and I know that can dip at any point. So I always have a candy bar on me to make sure that. I don't go into kind of like a psychosis. British Liz: Really? Lea: Yes, because it almost makes me feel like I'm going to pass out when my blood sugar dips too low. and I start getting spins. So definitely listen to your body on that. British Liz: Yes, and definitely do that, you know, with water and snacks and things like that, just to have it on hand and listen to, you know, starting to get dizzy. I started to get dizzy at one con. My friend said, sit yourself down. Here's some Lea: Mm-hmm. British Liz: water with electrolytes. Don't move until you're feeling better again. So. Lea: Absolutely. And then my last piece of advice is definitely make sure that you are stretching before and after cons. attendee, crooby, you know, management. Because we are standing for long periods of times, our bodies, including our muscles, will tense up and they will walk. So you definitely need to make sure you stretch and the best thing you can do. after is definitely make sure you're elevating your legs. It makes a huge difference when you're sleeping at night. KENT: I hear a new workout program by Leah for Comic Cons. British Liz: Yes. Lea: I did ballet for twenty plus years, so I'm very keen about listening to my body. KENT: Twenty years of ballet. Lea: Twenty years. KENT: Who's gonna be like? Lea: My toes actually are not that bad. definitely point shoes did ruin them. But KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: you know, for the things you love, you do it. KENT: That's right. That's right. Liz, I mean, British Liz: So, KENT: I've been asking a lot of questions. I know you got some stuff to ask. Like, go for it. British Liz: Well, one question was, did you have a particular interaction with a fan or with Vanessa that was especially memorable? Lea: with the fan. Are you talking about one of her fans or just in general fans? British Liz: or just anyone that you ran into. KENT: What was a good so to take off of what br I wanna say f fake British Liz, but what Liz said to you, British Liz: shut up. KENT: yeah, what it what was a good experience or what was something memorable that caught your attention or eye that you're like, I'm I'm gonna remember that, you know, forever because it happened at the table or in the line Lea: Yeah. KENT: or you know, while you were there at the Comic Con. Lea: So I I have so many memories from cons that I've attended just as a fan because, you know, I'm always gonna be a fangirl, number one. and that's why we go to conventions is we're fans. I will have to say that a fan interaction that I'm always gonna remember from Fan Expo is the time. an attention that Vanessa took with this family. and I apologize, I might be remembering their names c incorrectly, but it was a family. Darissa is the mother. Belle is the daughter, Nick is the partner, and Anakin is the child that was in the wheelchair. And Vanessa really took her time to make sure that they had the experience of a lifetime. And I remember seeing them on Sunday when they were going to meet the Hobbits, and I stopped and I chatted with them for a little while. and they're were incredibly sweet and incredibly kind and just seeing Vanessa's interaction with that particular family and making sure that Anakin knew how loved he he is as a child, despite dis disabilities, whether, you know, they are visible or invisible, really shows me how much compassion she has as a person and I aim to be as compassionate and understanding and loving as she is. Like I cannot say enough good things about Vanessa Marshall. She is an incredible human being. British Liz: that's so wonderful to hear. I I sense that, but to hear that story is just amazing. I'm so glad she took the time with them. That's wonderful. Lea: Yeah, and I mean, what a what a gem of a human being. just I'm so incredibly lucky to have gotten my first assignments to be the voice actor side. a lot of them that I've met and I've chatted with didn't make me feel like, because you're a new person, you have to do this. They were just like, if you need to do it, like go do it. We're not here to tell you. what to do. Like, yes, you're here to do a job and we need you to communicate with us. But first and foremost, your needs as a human being have to come first too. And that was always clear for me since day one. KENT: Awesome. Awesome. Yeah. And and you know, Tammy was British Liz: Yeah, that's wonderful. KENT: zipping around in her scooter giving everybody snacks. Lea: Yes. Snacks. British Liz: Yeah. Lea: I think at one point on Thursday she she looked at me, Brookie? And I was like, Yes. British Liz: Did she? We love Tammy, KENT: Got a good memory. British Liz: known her for Lea: Yes. British Liz: years and she was in our show a couple of episodes again and we talked. Lea: She's very lovely. British Liz: Yeah, she's just wonderful. Well, I was also going to ask, I mean, I feel like it's completely obvious, but do you think you'll be a crew member again? Lea: You know, that is something I contemplated. I would absolutely do it again. I would absolutely volunteer my time again. yes, it is a lot of work and it is a lot of time being on. I think that is the biggest misconception is a lot of people think, well, you're working a Comic Con. It cannot be that demanding. Listen, if the British Liz: Yeah Lea: guests And the crew are exhausted after being on for four days. It is incredibly draining. Our bodies have shut down, our minds have just like completely gone out the window. And we're just an autopilot. And that's not to say we're not making these impressions last at all, but we are also human. And after four days of just chit-chatting, yeah, after British Liz: Yeah, you jumped in the deep end. Lea: chit-chatting. It's just like I want to go home and lay in my bed for the next two weeks and just recharge. British Liz: Yes. Yeah, it's... Lea: But I would absolutely do it again without hesitation. British Liz: Yes, I mean that's and that's how we started. We were fans and we said well how can we do this? How can we be involved? Lea: Absolutely. And I think it's really cool to see it from both spectrums because not a lot of people do get to see it from the fan perspective and then also the business perspective. British Liz: Mm-hmm. KENT: Mm-hmm. British Liz: Yeah. Well it's... KENT: Yeah, there's two sides, and a lot of people don't see the behind the curtain is what I say. Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: the volunteers, the crew, the staff that do all this stuff to make the show happen, and they're just an attendee, so they think, well, this is just something simple that happens, and it's like, no, there's a lot of work that goes into making this whole thing s hum smoothly. Lea: No, one hundred percent. And like I communicated with Liz every day that she and I were there because I would I I am such an OCD person about time because growing up with a dad from New York, he's like, if you are 10 minutes early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late. And I'm like, okay. So I would get there. If my start time was nine o'clock, I was there at like eight forty-five, just to be safe. And I would go in and I would make sure that I would get Vanessa's table and David's table ready to go. And Liz was very kind and was showing me ways of reorganizing the eight by tens, to where they would showcase each character without blocking things. And just really the attention of details, which I don't know if other people would take that time. But I appreciated it with Liz. And that's not to say they wouldn't. It's just that, you know, this is the calm before the storm, before the floodgates open, with the attendees. So British Liz: huh. Lea: it's like, okay, let's get everything ready to go. And I really appreciated that, Liz. British Liz: Yeah, well, oh, well, you're so welcome. mean, it lines was was my first job in Denver. Lea: Mm-hmm. British Liz: And and in fact, that was a volunteer job before Fan expo came along and KENT: yeah, they get paid now. British Liz: Yeah, they do get paid. I mean, Lea: Yes. Ha ha ha. British Liz: I mean, usually when cons pay you it is along the lines of peanuts, but, it's at least it's, yeah, KENT: Peace for your autographs. British Liz: well, not usually, but, at least, you know, it can pay food or, you know, it can cover a little bit, but. Lea: Yes, in my case it's paying six months of my car insurance. Thanks, Fan Expo. British Liz: excellent because of course you didn't need to stay in a hotel as well did you? You just commuted. KENT: So let me she lives there. Lea: No. Yes, I live about ten minutes west of the convention center. KENT: Nice. British Liz: that's very convenient. KENT: So when you attend, Lea: Yes. KENT: are you more of a panel person, a vendor person? gotta meet the celebrities and get the autographs? Like, what what is it for you? Lea: So I I when I first attended Comic Cons, I did it all. And then I realized that I was spreading myself very thin, to be honest. because you want to do everything, but it's just KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: not possible. It's like trying to see all of New York City in a week. There's no way you're just scratching the British Liz: Mm-hmm. Lea: surface, like maybe five to ten percent at best. KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: So now I've really have made it a point to just really meet the people that I've always been curious about. so I definitely go for the experience of exchanges with the celebrities. and if you would have told little me that I would have ever met John Stamos when I was a kid, I would have said you were lying. And I met him. And December of last year and he was the sweetest person. British Liz: That's wonderful. KENT: Awesome. So was there any particular person that you wanted to meet while you were in Denver? And did it happen? Lea: That's a great question. so I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan. Like KENT: Ha ha. Lea: love. Yes. Love, love, love, love, love. British Liz: yeah. Lea: I really wanted to complete my meetings of the Hobbits, but unfortunately it was all sold out. And that's okay. KENT: Mm. Lea: Like, you know, I'm a firm believer of if it didn't happen now, that means it's meant to happen later. So I'm Destined to meet Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan at a later time. But I did heal my inner teenage self, and I did have a photo up with an Orlando Bloom, and he couldn't have been sweeter. so I will never get over that moment. but I did also get the chance to meet some other incredible people. Josh Holloway was super nice, Skeet Ulrich. KENT: Lost. Lea: From Scream KENT: Yep. Lea: is such a giving person. love the conversation we had. And I really wanted to meet Matthew Lillard. but unfortunately, with his British Liz: he's, he has lines. Lea: lines and our limited breaks, I was like, I don't think it's feasible. And that's nothing against him. He really takes his time with people. So KENT: He does. Lea: I can't blame him on that. But I do have a picture with him in Skeet, so that's good enough for right now. It just British Liz: Mm-hmm. Lea: means The next time I'm definitely gonna KENT: Yeah. And it's funny because you're like mentioning all the people. And of course, you know, when you're work with an agent and you get Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: green room access, you're in the green room with them and having lunch and having conversations with them. You're like, I just, you know. It was just like the this morning I was thinking, my gosh, I you know, I've always enjoyed Ron Howard as actor, Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: as a director, and things like that. And then I was just like, yeah, I I literally had lunch with Bryce Howard in the green room, and I was like, That's that was a good takeaway moment. Lea: She's so sweet, the absolute sweetest. KENT: Like she is so sweet. And we were just enjoying lunch, and she just asked me how I was doing, how my day was going, Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: and I was just like And you know, I don't I've I'm not a fan, I don't fanboy about stuff. I just keep it real. And, you know, I could have been like, I loved you in Jurassic Park or I loved you in this, you know, night Shyamount movie. but I didn't. And I was just like, you know, we just had a a lovely conversation. I was like, that was my takeaway from Denver Comic-Con that, you know, we just had this great conversation. Lea: No, a hundred percent. But I also don't think that she would consider you fanboying if you were like, I really enjoyed, you know, you and Jurassic World. That's just you saying you appreciate her art. You know what I mean? KENT: Yeah, yeah. The and all the celebrities love to hear what you appreciate that they were in. Lea: absolutely. and I think that's something when we talk about being a fan and going to these conventions, I think that's the misconception, is a lot of people think I cannot talk to them about how this movie or this show or this music changed my life. You can absolutely do that. They absolutely are British Liz: Mm-hmm. Lea: like regular human beings, they do need that validation. They do need to hear that maybe the thing that didn't pop off right away and is now being admired by fans, they need to hear that. They absolutely do. and I have this conversation a lot with a lot of people that if you just talk to them like regular human beings, you actually get more out of that because they're more willing to just chit-chat about Other things. British Liz: Mm-hmm. Lea: an example of that kind of conversation that I've had is when I first met Sean Aston at Salt Lake City convention. Yes, FedEx. yes. British Liz: FANX? Been there. Lea: And this was my first time meeting him. definitely grew up watching Rudy and so much of his work. KENT: Mm. Lea: and I, you got the Rudy, yeah, let's go. KENT: I got the Rudy helmet late. British Liz: you KENT: That's how big of a fan I am. Lea: But I know, and that's that's totally fair. But I like to go in with conversations that a lot of people don't have with the people that they don't think are obtainable. I listen to a lot of podcasts and I let him know, like, hey, you know, as much as I do love your work as an artist. I also want to talk to you about how I thought I was so brave that you went on to Michael Rosenbaum's Inside of You podcast and really talked about the importance of mental health KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: in honor of your mother, Patty Duke, and everything you're doing for SAG Afra. I really appreciate it. And we had like a five minute conversation about it. and that he really wanted to speak more about it, but he's not sure if he could. and just That genuine connection, you know, I'll never forget that interaction just because it was real and it was just something we're both passionate about is bringing awareness to mental health KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: and making sure that people know that there are resources and there's help out there and that you're not alone, you know. KENT: Mm. Lea: So that was my first interaction with him and I will never forget it. British Liz: yeah. KENT: See, yeah, I love hearing that because I interact with him quite a bit. And it just to me, watching him in the green room, he will literally forgo his lunch to go sit down Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: with another actor because he's the president of SAG now, and he's so passionate about it that he will forgo his lunch and just go sit down with another actor and ask them. What's working, what's not working, what's this? Lea: Mm. KENT: And I've literally sat there just like and I caught myself like having to British Liz: Hahaha! KENT: raise my you know, close my mouth because I'm just in awe of what they're talking about and how passionate he is about Lea: Yes. KENT: that. That if you yeah, if you had a conversation like asking him about being president of SAG or any of that, my gosh, he will stop what he's doing just to have a cover because he is so excited. British Liz: Mm-hmm. KENT: And so Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: happy to be the president of SAG right now, but he's very passionate to make it better and Lea: Yes. KENT: and make and be able to create the changes that it's needed out there. So Sean, if you're listening, British Liz: And I think he... KENT: I am so let's have you on the show because we could talk about that because you're amazing at it. I'm so glad that you're doing it and yeah, thank you. British Liz: And he's in a position of power because he's such a nice guy that everybody Lea: He is KENT: He's loved by everybody. British Liz: loves him and so they want to talk to him. KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: Absolutely. British Liz: I think because he has the support of people liking him, he can actually get stuff done. So good for him. Lea: No, a hundred percent. And that's the thing. I tell people all the time is usually you can sense if you're going to generally get along with someone or not. Like I'm very into vibes. I can sense them. And when I meet people that are well known, I can usually sense by kind of how their line is moving. If the line isn't moving very fast, okay, they're taking their time. I know that they're really invested and they're appreciative of their fans. If their lines are going so fast, I'm like, something isn't adding up here. But I'm gonna wait until I KENT: Mm. Lea: get an interaction. And I understand, you know, they have good days and bad days, just like us. So I never take things personally. and I will never badmouth anyone. but generally the people that you know to be the good ones. Like Sean Aston, for example. also, I can't say enough about Jamie Campbell Bauer really taking his time with people and always just making sure that they're taken care of as well. especially yes. yeah, KENT: Mm-hmm. Michael Rosenbaum. Yep. British Liz: John Rhys Davis. Lea: John Reese Davies, adore him. and seeing how they interact with the crew. If they are treating the crew like an equal, that's a huge indication that they're a good person. KENT: Ashley Eckstein. British Liz: Yes. KENT: Bryce Pappenbrook. Like we can we got a list. yeah. Lea: We've got a huge list. KENT: They're a huge list because there's so many genuine, real people out there. They're voice actors, they're actors, they're, you know, they're genuine people, but they do care about their fans. That's why they're excited to be at the shows. And that's why they get to go to the shows. Is because, you know, the fans are excited to meet them. I mean you said Matt Lillard. Lea: Yes, Matthew Lillard. KENT: I I remember two, three years ago you could literally walk up to his table, get an autograph, and spend like ten minutes talking with him. Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: Remember that Liz? okay. British Liz: No, know he's always Lea: Ha ha British Liz: whenever whenever he's been at a con I've been at it's like they have to cap the line by noon because KENT: yeah, yeah. British Liz: he's just slammed but he's KENT: Yeah. It's it I would say it's three to four years pushing it, but yeah. He I I just remember I mean, and the that's part of the industry. It ebbs and flows. Like when you're doing something new and hot like scream, you're out in the limelight. And British Liz: Mm-hmm. KENT: you know, skeet, you know, he was doing River s Riverdale. So he was in the limelight and then all of a sudden, you know, more stuff came up. So now he's more in the the limelight. But yeah, Both of those guys are very genuine and nice guys. I've had great conversations with them and we'll talk highly about them all the time. Lea: Yes, absolutely. And you have to because I think the biggest misconception is a lot of people think, Well, my dreams aren't obtainable. I cannot meet these people. But that's the KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: thing about Comic Cons is no matter how unobtainable you think that is, it is possible. And I as a fangirl always have had the dreams of meeting Some of the people that I've always loved their work. And this one is very far fetched. but one of my favorite actors is Denzel Washington. but I would just love to have a conversation with him about the inner workings of how he picks projects, because I've never in my lifetime have seen a bad movie from him. British Liz: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Can't see him coming to a Comic Con. KENT: Yep, there's a few of them like that. Lea: I can't see that either, but just like in general, I would just love to have a conversation with him. KENT: You know, you guys both say that, but look who just showed up at a Comic Con this last weekend. Nicholas Cage. Yeah, people are like, British Liz: Nicolas Cage. That was a big deal. Lea: Nicolas Cage. Yes. KENT: people are like, no, that's not gonna that'll never happen. Spider Noir did it. Yep. Lea: So I have a really funny story about that. so this was gosh. This was a very long time ago, but I remember a clear as day. British Liz: Yeah Lea: It's been 84 years. but anyways, my family and I were on vacation in Vegas and we were walking the strip. I was very young, but I can remember this clear as day. There was parts of the strip that were taped off and we had to go around. And I was just like, okay, well that's bothersome. What's going on? We see that there is a back end of a plane that was crashed into a casino. And we're like, okay, that's weird. Mm. No news about like what's going on. We're like, and then we see cameras. We're like, okay. So they're filming something. Fast forward to I think about a year and a half later, that is Conair. KENT: Yep. Yeah. As soon as you said plane, I was like, Connair. Lea: Yes. So they actu I forget the the actual casino that they crashed it into because I don't know if it was this it's still in existence because so much has changed in Vegas, but KENT: Mm-hmm. Lea: that was a cool memory as a kid seeing I'm just like, what's going on here? Why is there a plane in a casino? This makes no sense. Planes go in the sky, guys. KENT: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Exactly. Well, that's awesome. Well, Leah, I am I'm I'm just glad that you're here, that you got to experience the other side of the Comic Con. I appreciate you sharing your little tips and tricks. Is there anything else that you would tell somebody new? Because, you know. We see a lot of newbies come up to the table. They don't know what to do. They're fangirling and stuff like that. And again, that's why we do this podcast is to Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: help navigate your path through a show to make it more easier on you as a new first time person at the show and stuff like that. Was there any other tip that you would share with them? Lea: Absolutely. the biggest thing that I can say as both an attendee and somebody who's worked crew is definitely make sure you have cash on you and you went before the con because ATMs, even though they are available, they can run out of money and those actually have a higher fee than your normal bank. Even if you're coming from out of town, I guarantee you you can find a credit union that would charge a lower fee. cash is king in Comic Cons 100%. British Liz: This is our refrain every week. KENT: The we are laughing because we didn't tell you to say this or anything, you just Lea: Yeah. KENT: said it on yourself. And we literally, I think in each episode, we're like, cash, cash is king, like Lea: Mm. KENT: bring cash. Like, you don't want to pay the fees, you don't want to run out of money. Bring more than you think you're gonna need because Lea: Yes. KENT: there's gonna be somebody that you're gonna be like, I want their autograph or a selfie with them. Like we always say that. I think that's like our number one go to is cash Lea: Yes. KENT: is king. Lea: Mm-hmm. Cash is always gonna be the best. Yes. Yeah. KENT: They just bring cash. Yep, comfortable shoes. British Liz: Yeah, Cassia's getting comfortable shoes, you know. Lea: Comfortable shoes. also you don't have to necessarily prepare what you want to say to the person you're meeting. I know it helps some people, but I feel like for me personally, it's like a grocery list. If I just try to memorize it, it's gonna go out the door. The second I walk into the grocery store, it's just like it's gone. so just always remember when you're talking to someone, talk to them with the same practices of boundaries and respect. if you want to give them a hug and they're accepting, always ask, may I give you a hug? Because we don't know if someone is okay with being touched or not. Always ask for consent. That's the biggest thing. and the other thing is we cannot control our emotions and I get that some people get very overstimulated and they tend to cry. so you know, it's just like when I'm talking to my niece, I'm like, you know, I understand you're upset or whatever emotion you're feeling, but I cannot understand you when you are crying. So trying to help them collect themselves so that way the guests can have an easier time of understanding them as well. Like I get it. You know, when you're that excited, you're overjoyed and emotions just happen. I get it. We're all human. But if I can barely make out what you're saying, they can't either. British Liz: Yeah. KENT: we've all been there. Lea: Yeah, all been there. I mean, the only time I've really kind of fangirled out a lot was just like when John Z was put his hand on like my upper back and then he was like just gently like going back and forth like this, like rubbing it and I was like, Uncle Jesse? Hello British Liz: Hahaha! Lea: Did not cry, but I was just like internally screaming. British Liz: Yeah. KENT: Yeah, and and and Liz and I see that a lot with fans. And as handlers, that's our job is to help them compose themselves before they get to the celebrity to get the picture, the autograph. And you Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: know, we talk with them a lot while we're in lines. We're we're Lea: Yes. KENT: helping navigate a little bit because we we get it. It's the first like I can't tell you how many times people have like come up to the table and they're like, my God. Like, and they're so Lea: Mm-hmm. KENT: they're shocked. Like, you're really here. Like, my gosh. Like I've seen you and they've never met I've never met a celebrity before. And they're just standing there and they're like, like, but it's okay. Breathe, calm down, ask them a question. They're not gonna bite, you know, and then, you know, shake their hand or or or pay for an autograph. You know what I mean? So yeah. It's it's the fun part of That's why I I love doing Comic Cons. I've been doing way longer than I think you've been born. Lea: Mm-hmm. British Liz: Yeah. KENT: I started mine back in Lea: I am older than I may look though. KENT: Okay, all right. Well, I started my first Comic Con back in ninety two. Lea: I was gosh, what grade was I in? I British Liz: Great, great. Lea: was maybe starting pre K. KENT: there you There you go. Hey, what I tell you. Yeah. So there British Liz: Yeah KENT: you go. Well, it it's been exciting. It has been fun. Leah, I hope I'm glad you had a great experience at Denver. I'm glad that you met up with Liz and got to be a Kruby. And we look forward to having you Lea: Yes, absolutely could be KENT: come back, Liz, feel free to close us out. British Liz: but I know I speak for him when I thank you so much for coming on and giving us all your insight and you had fantastic insight. Lea: Well, thank you so much for having me. And thank you for being such a help. you really, you, Oz, Sherry, Janet, you guys made everything so easy and any questions that I had, any concerns, you guys were just so great in navigating those for me and making sure that how I felt was valid and heard, which is so important. British Liz: good. Lea: and I Also, really appreciate you guys just taking the time to nurture me as a new Kruby. British Liz: Mm-hmm. Well, it's so important because you are a team. Lea: Yes. British Liz: Even though I was not a crew member with Fan Expo, I was part of the behind the scenes to get everything working smoothly and supporting each other in the various roles we have. It's just so important because we want to have fun, but we want everyone to have fun. And here's Kent again. Lea: he's back. British Liz: But anyway, I do so appreciate you coming and chatting with us and and you're welcome. Lea: Well, thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it. British Liz: You're welcome. And yeah, we'll have you on again sometime. And you can tell Lea: Yeah, absolutely. British Liz: us more about your Twitch Twitch thing. Yes. Lea: Yes, my video gaming. Right now I'm going through Dark Souls three again, for the first time in like six months. So just relearning controls, relearning boss mechanics, relearning just my patience level. British Liz: Well, we look forward to hearing about your adventures. Lea: Well, British Liz: Thank you again, and hopefully we'll see you at a concert. Lea: Yes, I will be at Houston CelebrityCon. So maybe I'll see you then. But until British Liz: Okay, all right. Lea: then, have a wonderful night, you guys. Remember you were amazing, you were beautiful, you were loved, and you were enough just the way you are. British Liz: Yay! Thanks. Lea: Thank you.