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Kung Fu: The Legend Continues |
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The tour lasted longer than people anticipated. It could have been an all day event, but we needed to get lunch and get back to the hotel for this evening's reception. As it stood, the events for the evening did not happen until 7:00 p.m. That gave me time to get in nearly a two-hour nap.
Maria from Oz and Maria from Sweden came back and they each gave me items. I am going to have to send something to each of them that I know they would both like. Perhaps there is something I can do for Maria from Oz. I can tell she is in a great deal of pain. I will see what I can do for her later. Perhaps I might be able to relieve some of the pain that she is feeling.
We were delayed getting down to the reception because Maria from Oz could not find her key, so I took both of them down to the front desk to get a new card key. While we were waiting, Kate Trotter and her driver Richard Spiegelman came in. Kate mentioned that Michael Sloan had called and asked her to show up. We directed them to the reception and followed behind.
Kate Trotte and Kim
For now the group was pretty relaxed and informal. The hotel had set up a wonderful buffet with finger food. Everyone was enjoying the fare, including Kim.
Kim with two ladies
Kate sat with a few ladies.
Fifteen or so minutes later, Janet Laine-Green (Annie Blaisdell), Michael Lee (one of the editors), and Lauren Piech (Ariel) came in. I almost did not recognize Janet Laine-Greene without her large dark glasses, but the flash of several cameras going off and Kate Trotter also going over and giving her a hug told me otherwise.
Kate and Janet
After a time I sat down with some little things to eat and Sandra came over and introduced me to Janet Laine-Gtreene. I got to shake her hand and Sandra introduced me as the David Carradine fan (as if I was the only one in the room) and to ask me of any knowledge about David.
Actually, it made me feel good to know that someone thought of me as an expert as to what was going on with David. Janet did ask, and I shared the fact that I had met David back in 1999/2000 when he did the two workshops up at Omega. She was quite surprised that David had done something like that, and I also told her about the several videos that he did. She was also surprised to learn about that as well and wanted to know if they were any good.
After about an hour, a quick Q and A session was set up. Janet Laine Green shared a wonderful story about meeting Robert Lansing. Kim Chan was filming everything. Earlier, he was going around "interviewing" the fans so he could remember each person.
Celebrity Panel
Some one asked about what were some of their favorite scenes that should have been left in. No one could think of any one scene. Sandra asked about the bloopers tape, who had created it. Mike Lee stated that the videos had been created by the assistant editors.
Kate Trotter had been asked how she felt about coming into the middle of the show (she came in during the third season). She mentioned that she had been on in an earlier episode and felt honored to be asked to join as a regular cast member.
Richard Speigelman told about how Kate Trotter was hired by Michael Sloan.
Kim Chan shared a story about how he learned to play the Boss in Lethal Weapon 4 and how he learned via Kate Trotter. He also shared two stories about Chris and David; Chris learning to be respectful and David being an angry and lonely person. Then he shared how he became an actor by playing an extra, a Japanese soldier, where he was ordered to beat up a guy - and he actually did. Of course the director asked him why he did it, and he stated, "because you told me to."
Sandra ask Kate about the relationship between Kermit and Captain Simms. Kate believed that a deeper relationship would have happened, but the powers that be decided that the relationship would not go any further than it did. We never saw them kiss but we did see them hold hands in "Quake." In Time Prisoners, you got the impression that their relationship was progressing, but they never showed it on screen. Thank goodness for Fanzines.
Kate then stated that Michael Sloan had a lot of ideas for a fifth season. Richard told about having to work out in cold weather, where everyone was freezing and the actors had to be in shirt sleeves a lot of times. David especially had to be out in his bare feet at times.
Kim shared how the writers would give the Ancient a tough word to say. Kim then slipped into the philosophical mood, describing how David would be in pain and he would help him to find peace.
Richard shared how they had two units shooting. This made for quicker turnaround times for each episode. They could shoot two difference scenes that contained different sets of actors. Or one set would be shooting things like exterior shots that would be used later.
Kim shared about a commercial he did for Gatorade where he had to show someone how to play basketball. He then shared about The Fifth Element. He also shared that he had been invited to the Einstein Institute where they would ask him questions, such as, who was the current president of the United States. He would answer Calvin Coolege, and then say that he was just joking. (I think those of the institute where curious about how his mind could stay so sharp.)
Someone asked what was the worst shoot they ever did, and someone actually shared that while they were shooting a scene at the morgue, there was an actual shooting across the street. That was very sobering.
Janet Laiine Green and Lauren Piech both had to bow out from the reception. Janet was in a play and had an early call. She was amazed at how the fans had gathered around a show and thanked us. It was at the same time that my sinuses took a turn for the worst. With each passing minute it was becoming harder to breath, but it was just as hard to leave the room to get something for them because the Q and A session was so informative.
After everyone said their goodbyes to Janet and Lauren, Sandra asked if there were some funny stories that everyone could share. Richard pondered that question and said he would get back to us on it.
In the mean time, Kim tried to turn the Q and A session around and asked the fans what made us get together. We all mentioned that it was because we loved the show and Kim stated that love was all giving.
Kim then told us about a French film that he did not get the part for that he wanted to buy the rights to and reproduce it in English.
He then demonstrated how you would "kill a man in four seconds." It certainly showed that he knew a great deal about martial arts and how to be efficient and effective.
Killing a Man - series of five shots
He then shared a story that David had related in his autobiography. It was one where they were in a bar and this guy was bothering a woman. Kim showed how he grabbed the man by the elbow, just at the right pressure point spot where it can be very painful and waltzed the guy out the door. The guy came back and Kim asked him if he wanted any more of the same and the guy then left. David described it differently, but he mentioned that he was impressed with how Kim Chan just "escorted" the guy out the bar.
Some asked about the writing on the show and Kate Trotter answered that the writing had been very good. She explained that when the writing didn't feel real, it wasn't a joy. She stated that Michael Sloane wrote very well. Like Shakespeare. There wasn't a whole of ad libbing. What was written was right.
Richard Speigelman shared about the networks and censoring. He shared a story how Michael Sloane received a call regarding the number of people who were getting killed. They had counted about 30. There were notes going back and forth on that issue. Michael said he counted 13 (as if that was going to make a difference).
Then someone asked about whether they knew they were going to be cancelled. It was an up and down road on that. When they finally got the word, it was about three of four episodes before the actual last episode would be running. It made for a sobering atmosphere, I am certain.
Then Kim went into talking about being your own best friend and taking care of our-selves. He shared a story regarding his sister, how whatever you would say she would say, "Good, good." If you would say that your uncle died, she would still say, "Good, good." He then said she would say to people when they entered the restaurant, "Take off coat and hang yourself. All of you, hang together." He then stated about himself, "I've got good heart spiritually as well as real heart." (That was in regards to how long he has lived.) I believe it is because of his attitude regarding life. If you are unhappy all the time, it will not only effect your mind and spirit, it will effect your body.
Then Kim mentioned about a film for the elderly living in the city. It would be a survival guide. He told how he would have two guys approaching him, maybe thinking that they would mug him. They would be on either side of the street. He would react by saying to one guy, "Hey, I lost my wallet, can you help me." Then he would turn to the other guy and say, "Could you call the police. I need help." Then the two guys would simply walk away. It sounded as if he had that kind of experience and rather let it go he was turning what happened to him into a chance to help others. I hope he will do it. Who knows how much longer he has left.
Someone asked about the cars that had been used on the show and what had happened to them. Richard Speigelman stated that Kermit's car actually belonged to a set director and had been repainted. He thought the Stealth had been sold.
There were so many stories shared by all, that I would have needed a cassette tape or even a video tape to have captured them all here. These are just a taste of what went on. At that point I decided to just sit back and listen, partially do to the fact that my sinuses were becoming more and more blocked and it was becoming increasingly difficult to concentrate on writing as well as blowing my nose all the time.
Not long afterward, the Q and A session broke up and we had a group shot with Kim Chan and Kate Trotter. Everyone handed the manager of the Hotel their cameras and had one of the hostesses from the bar handing him cameras as he stood on a chair. I'm in the back row in the center standing in front of the tallest guy.
Group Shot with Kim and Kate
Kate Trotter then said her goodbies and how much she had enjoyed herself. I took a quick break myself to look for more kleenex. When I returned Barb had pulled out her small diggiderloo (?).
Maria and the Instrument
She tried to blow through it. But I think her injuries prevented her from having the muscle power to really give it a good blow. My other roommate, Maria from Sweden was able to give it a good blow. Then Kim Chan tried.
Kim and the Instrument
Pan sang her own rendition of "The Impossible Dream" for Kim and Sandra.
(Here are the words)-need to find those words.
I wandered around a bit to get a little something to eat. I was also getting tired at this point. I needed something for my cold and when I got back, I had nearly missed Sandra taking a photo of Kim Chan dropping his drawers. She got a shot of his whites. For privacy reasons, I will not show that image here. Anyway, I think he did it in response when Sandra learned that he had been filming every lady's behind and he was going to create a contest called ASS You Like it. There was just hysterical laughter over that.
After Helen went to bed, I stayed for maybe another hour and decided that I really needed some sleep if I was going to get over this cold. And that was the end of Day Two. Day Three will have it's own surprises.
Continues with Episode 3 - Fun with the
Ancient
Alisa Joaquin Copyright@2004.
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