Though unplanned, I attended Comic-Con 2019 like a regular fan. Illness kept me from covering the press conferences and round tables like have done over the last decade. I’d promised myself to take a rest and re-apply for a press pass in 2020. Well, as you can see, I couldn’t stay away.
Thanks to years of contacts, I secured a day pass and hit the Gaslamp with the other 130,000 attendees — and it was glorious! No schedule, no running between the convention center and the Hilton Bayfront for interviews. Instead, I ran into celebs and had unexpected encounters that I’d otherwise miss as a member of the press.
The day started with a walk behind the convention center to check out the lines for Hall H. They were way too long, so I hit the Bayfront outdoor displays instead. And then, bam! In a twist of fate Hall H came to me. I walked into Jerry O’Connell who graciously took a selfie with me. He was there to be part of a panel in Hall H promoting CBS’ animated series, “Star Trek: Lower Decks.” This is the type of stuff fans love — unexpected contact with their show heroes.
Jerry O’Connell at SDCC 2019
Walking around inside the Bayfront always proves productive. As I headed to grab a bite to eat, I had to stop to let the cast of FX’s “Mayans M.C.” exit the restaurant first. The full cast marched in front of me and I got a glimpse of Edward James Olmos. This man is a legend! You can check out the video and see Olmos.
After lunch, we headed into the convention center. It was a zoo, but I love to see the cosplay and the incredible imagination people have to create their costumes.
Comic-Con 2019 spilled into the streets of the Gaslamp Quarter in a much more controlled manner than in prior years. With Harbor Drive only open to badge holders, the congestion was significantly less around the convention center which made it a much better experience.
Compared to the years when everyone could walk right up to the convention center, having less people milling around really improved the sense of calm — something SDCC has managed to provide relative to the insane amount of people that descend on San Diego to catch a piece of the action.
Like in 2018, when I felt I’d hit the SDCC jackpot and managed to score a spot in the press pit in Hall H for the 10 year reunion of the “Breaking Bad” cast, being able to feel the Con’s energy in 2019 was enough for me. Hope to be back in 2020!
If you were at the 2019 Con, what was your most unexpected experience?
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