I just want to talk to you about Orny Adams, can I do that?
all of you who know me fairly well know that I’m a very big fan of Orny’s, and that Coach Finstock is my favorite character on Teen Wolf.
All of you who know me fairly well also know that I have the most horrible view of myself. This weekend I was insanely lucky and able to attend BiteCon. I didn’t think it was going to happen, but my sister made sure it did.
i got there with $100 to my name, and by Friday, after eating on Thursday and such, I was down to about $75. I spent all but $10 of that on Orny related things. I bought a shirt, and split a photo op with katherine, and I got a Coach bracelet from Roar.
And it was all worth every penny. When I bought the shirt, Orny was still setting up his station at the vendor’s room, and he started talking to me and Katherine — who immediately embarrassed me by telling him I “adore” him. (Understatement, but THE PRINCIPLE STANDS. UTERUSES BEFORE DUDERUSES.) I naturally tried to hide, and he just said, “No, no, aww that’s so nice.” After that he started talking to us about so much random shit, and then we talked about how cute and niche his face towels were. (I convinced him to price them the same as everything else.)
Then, in one of my absolute favorite moments, he tried to talk me out of the grey shirt by giving me a once over, and saying I was “spunky” and therefore needed the hot pink shirt. I explained the effort it takes to pull off pink — color coordination up the ass — and he laughed, gestured at his all black outfit, and said he couldn’t really say anything.
In his panel, I asked a question, and we pretty much jived like we did before — I said something, he told a joke, I responded, he made fun of me. Basically everything you could ask for. At this point, I’m on cloud 9. Cue the beautiful speech he gave about how nothing in life matters unless you're happy. He talked about how he was told to be this or that, how he was sent off to get a proper education, et cetera, and I identified with that so fiercely.
And up until Orny's little speech, nobody had ever suggested that I do whatever it takes to be the person I want to be. It was always obligations to other people, expectations everyone else had for me; Orny's sincerity and enthusiasm on this topic has literally uprooted my world. I don't know what I want to do with my life yet, but thanks to Orny, I know that whatever I do, I'm going to do it for myself.
Of course, that wasn't enough, because came the photo op, which was absolutely insane. He immediately flashed a real smile, and yelled, “HEY GUYS,” before tellin the camera woman, “Two girls, two pictures.” we got a regular everyone smiling one, and then a fun one. The fun one was embarrassing because I SUCK at goofy photos, but we played tug of war with him anyway. (I am unashamed to admit that my pulling his middle was pretty much a cheap shot at stealing a hug.)
At this point, pretty much my whole day was Orny. I still even had to do the autograph session because I had purchased a shirt. As he’s witting my name, he asks where I’m from, how I got there, et cetera. And then I mentioned that I was originally pissed he signed on so late, because he’s my favorite.
He didn’t seem to believe me so I explained that he’s the thing that convinced me to continue beyond the pilot. Hand to God, the look on his face was so genuinely surprised. He finished signing my shirt, and I didn’t realize until later that he’d signed “Coach says” on most of them in reference to it saying “SHUT IT.” Mine reads, “Hugs always.” Before I walked away, he took my hand in both of his and looked me straight in the eye as he thanked me.
But the thing is, I should thank him. It’s not every day you meet someone you’re a fan of, and it’s even less often that the encounter is a magical one. There’s almost always some small detail that saddens or disappoints you, but with Orny there absolutely wasn't. As important as Orny is to me, he genuinely made me feel like I was equally important to him.
He was kind, open, accommodating, and funny. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to kick off my first convention, and even now that it’s over, it may be the highlight for me.
Eaddy Mays told me on Saturday that I’m important, and I believe she meant it, I truly do. But Orny Adams spent all of Friday truly making me feel I was important. In his laughter, in shared smiles, in his genuine surprise at my appreciation, and in what he wrote on my shirt. Looking back, I’m utterly overwhelmed by how much this weekend has meant to me, and I’m going to carry so much of it with me for the rest of my life. So thanks, Orny, for making this complete asshole dork feel important for once in her life.
Next time we meet, I’m buying you a beer.
