CNN article about love at Dragon*Con

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/09/08/geeks.romance.dragon.con/index.html

Is it just me or is this article kind of mean in places? Like, how it goes out of its way to describe the costumes people are wearing as they give what ultimately are innocuous quotes about their relationships?

i gotta say... the asterisk in the convention's name makes my brain instinctively read that headline... differently.

I gotta say... http://www.blog.ni9e.com/archives/middle_finger.jpg

won't play

hahaha

though to answer the OP, i didn't really think it was mean. i mean i guess the whole premise of the article is a bit iffy (think they'd do one about people who find their soulmates at dental conventions or basketball games?) but.. it seemed pretty ok otherwise

I am still trying to get over this part:

Katie Marcinkowski, a high school English teacher from New York, attended for the first time last year because she enjoyed science fiction novels. She filed a request for roommates on a Dragon*Con LiveJournal Web page, a popular choice among attendees who want to save money by splitting a hotel room.
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Assigned to her room was 23-year-old Kellan Potts of Tennessee, who has since become her boyfriend. They share a fondness for "Torchwood," a British sci-fi show about extraterrestrials.

Torchwood? Leading to a love connection???

isnt torchwood supposed to be like the grownup SEXY dr who

shattered that they used the insensitive slur "geeks" in the headline instead of Right Brained Americans or Persons Of Lesser Social Skills

Manimal is less embarassing than Torchwood.

I got a little bit of a "lol freaks!" vibe from the article: "Let's just say one of us will move soon," said Zickgraf, who was outfitted as comic book heroine Vampirella in a revealing pleather jumpsuit. Like the author was using the costume descriptions as a way to absurdify the quotes. Which isn't to say that Dragon*Con is pretty absurd, but I think misfit love stories are pretty sweet.

I went to Dragon*Con in the late 90s and actually got hit on by a dude dressed as a Klingon whose game consisted of line related to the settings of his phasers, and I don't even like to tell that story because it is so fucking cliche that it sounds like I'm making it up, but I totally am not.

Yeah, that's pretty much the stuff I'm talking about; the author basically couldn't resist telling any of these women's stories without adding "oh and btw she is dressed as a cartoon character" to it.

Manimal is less embarassing than Torchwood.

Huh, I thought you liked Torchwood.

I know, Dan! Why can't CNN go interview these teachers and accountants at home in their work clothes! That'd be some real journalism!

Torchwood is fun and sometimes they do some excellent work (the full-on grimness of "Children of Earth" being a good example) but oftentimes it kind of devolves into fanwank with high production values; someone trying to base a romantic connection off of it with me would be shot down instantly.

Al, stop being a dick.

if a journalist was reporting a story, any story, and they interviewed someone "outfitted as comic book heroine Vampirella in a revealing pleather jumpsuit" i would say they would be pretty remiss in not mentioning it

Yes, but it's more that EVERYONE they interviewed is decked out like this. I know not everyone at these conventions dresses up 24/7.

Yes but the people who find love do.

And more importantly are willing to talk to CNN about it.

What Dan said re: Torchwood. I didn't like the tone of the article though, fwiw. I'm not really a con-goer although I enjoy all manner of geeky things, but this article seemed a bit on the condescending and mean side.

haha yeah the attention-whoring angle is not one I really considered

if it's wearing pleather, it leads

So does that mean the people who wear costumes to these events are all Spencer Pratts?

Dragon*Con is fun, the Atlanta locals always go to party and check out the freaks. This year there was a big football game with Virginia Tech and Alabama bringing in additional out of towners, making it even more surreal. Interspersed with all the loonies dressed like Ghostbusters, Star Trek people, and bondage slaves were these jocks looking completely freaked out by the situation. Some pictures I took:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3459/3893002211_8b66e0cb3b_m.jpg
Danger Woman - I'm in her band. download our song "Disabled But Able to Rock" www.mediafire.com/downlo ad.php?jitcemk5nnz

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2665/3893002409_89e6330263_m.jpg
Ghostbuster - there were tons of Ghostbusters this year, probably cossa the online fan sequels

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3527/3893038681_3a0697669f_m.jpg
Sailor Moon - tons of babes, supereasy to spot in a crowd of overweight comic nerds

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3418/3893038693_75af77e598_m.jpg
Batman villains - still lots of love for the oldschool over Dark Knight stylee

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3464/3893038725_a30567b0df_m.jpg
me with R2D2

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2581/3893169023_0c116c6a88_m.jpg
Andy Harhol - a bandmate of mine, plays under the name Victor B. Bicycle

I didn't really think that article was mean at all. Dragon*Con definitely seems to have an effect on hormones.