Buffyfest Interviews Slay-a-thon's Kelly Creamer!

Slay-a-thon is an annual Whedonverse charity event running since 2003 in Chicago. The event raises money for the Make-A-Wish foundation by viewing a 12-hour marathon of Joss Whedon's work. Can't think of a better way to do it! This year's event will be this coming Saturday, June 25th. If you're in the Chicago area, definitely stop by. It's free and if you get a someone to sponsor your Buffy viewing, you'll be helping an amazing cause.

We had the great opportunity to chat with organizer Kelly Creamer about the event, the Whedonverse and other things. Check it out:

Buffyfest: You've helped raise over $110,000 for Make-A-Wish Foundation and granted 18 wishes to children with health problems. What made you choose this cause?

Kelly Creamer: I chose the MAW Foundation because the instant reward coming from it. We generally know exactly which kids will be getting there wishes prior to the event. Sometimes we even get to pick the children. It is one of the great rewards to see the kids get the wishes and usually we have a family come speak about their experience which makes most of us cry!

Buffyfest: Why Buffy?

KC: The world of Buffy & Angel along with Dr. Horrible has such a huge devotion that since I already had the devotion myself why not use it for the good of the world.

Buffyfest: How has your experience been with the many Whedonverse stars who have donated items for auction?

KC: Every one on all the shows including Firefly has been nothing but a dream to work with and some I have developed friendships with as a result. You could not ask for better people! Joss has been especially supportive and donates amazing things for our auctions.

Buffyfest: Now, since the Slay-a-thon event is based mostly on the pure joy of watching Buffy episodes, it sounds a lot like our own Buffyfest parties, but for a great cause. We're wondering if like our Buffyfest, no one actually watches the episodes but instead loudly and annoyingly discuss Willow's sweaters or argue about the minutia of how Angel/Spike's soul works over the entirety of the thing, thus missing the whole episode?

KC: Actually everyone who attends are fans and very respectful of the new fans attending. The only time people really sound out is during the musicals which they sing like crazy.

Buffyfest: Oh, it's just us then? Well, how do you decide which episodes to watch?

KC: We actually post on our website slayathon.org a voting section to let the attendees decide but we have some that just are in no matter what!

Buffyfest: Cool. Finally, who is your favorite Whedonverse character and why?

KC: Buffy is truly my fave as she stands for so much to me. I think she is equal to being a human struggling in a world that is not always what you would hope it to be. She gives me hope and strength to get through the bad times! I tattooed her on my shoulder along with the logo, our logo and the hardest thing in this world is to live in it! I miss her everyday and can't wait for more comics and goodies to come out!

The deets:
This year's 9th Annual Slay-A-Thon and Make-A-Wish Foundation Benefit
Saturday, June 25, 2011
11:30 AM - Midnight

Dave & Buster's Gold Coast - Showroom
1030 N. Clark Street (Clark at Oak)
Chicago, Illinois

IDW WEEK: Interview With Our Very Own Dan Roth and Pat Shand

In honor of yesterday's release of Angel Yearbook and in celebration of our two favorite fanboys, next up on IDW Week is a fun little interview with Dan (aka Bitsy as he's known around these parts) and Pat. 

Buffyfest: You have both been given such a unique and lucky opportunity. As a fan, what did it feel like the moment you realized you'd be writing one of your favorite characters?

Dan Roth: For a long time I didn’t believe it. I remember sending this jokey thing to Mariah ages ago because I thought it would make her laugh. Imagine my surprise when she told me that she might be able to use it for one of her comics down the line.

Now I’ve got about as much luck as a Joss Whedon character who has just found true love, so I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop, for there not to be room for me in Angel land after all. I felt that way when the Angel Yearbook was approved by Fox and I felt that way through each draft I wrote. It was all too surreal. Me? Writing an Angel story? It couldn’t be.

The moment it became real was when I got my first art back from Stephen Mooney. Man but that blew my mind. There’s nothing quite like seeing something you’ve written turned into art and I don’t know if there are the words for how lucky I was to work with Mooney. He has such a gift for capturing likenesses and he brings that classic, gothic Angel feel to every panel.

Sufficed to say, I was pretty jazzed.

Pat Shand: Well, I've been trying to write for Angel for a loooooong time. I'd been asking Brian about it for a while, and then one day I decided to be Mr. Forward and write a pitch and a first issue script for a Wes/Illyria miniseries called "Whosoever You Be" set in Season Five. I sent that to Mooney, who had posted a blog about wanting to do such a series, but as it happens you have to be kind of established to write for Angel. Which makes sense, I mean if I picked up an issue and saw "Written by Guy Off The Street" in the credits, I'd be all "Huh?"

Anyway, point is that I'd been trying at this for a long time. Might sound cheesy, but I wanted to write for Angel more than anything else. I'd been talking to Dan Roth for a while about our "Yearbook" pitches, and he found out that we were in before I did. I remember I was getting ready to go ice skating with my girlfriend and I got this text from Dan. It said something like, "We're in 'Yearbook'," annnnd I sort of flipped out. Told my girlfriend, there was a lot of screaming and hugging and happiness and celebration. And then I went ice skating and fell on my ass a lot.

Buffyfest: What was it like working behind the scenes alongside your favorite writers and artists?

DR: One of the best parts of this whole process was having Mariah as an editor. Even for this two page story, she dedicated the time to really help me craft the best story I could. Looking back on where the concept started through to how it ultimately turned out, I can tell you I could never have done it without her.

It was also incredibly exciting to share what I’d done with Scott, Brian, and David and having them get it. Here were these guys who inspire me as a writer, treating me like a colleague. I don’t think I could be more grateful.

PS: Would it be ass-kissing to say the best thing ever? If so, I don't care because it's true. I've been talking with Scott Tipton, Mooney, and Brian for a while, but to actually appear in a book with them... those guys are the best writers and artists to ever touch these comics, and it makes me proud to be in there with them and even more proud to know 'em.

Getting pages back from Mooney was heaven. Literally, I actually died for a second when I saw how freakin' scary the monster he drew for my story was. In the original script, I included this beast made entirely of tentacles (Mariah loves squids and octopi, so I figured I'd pander to that in order to get into the book, because I have little to no shame) but after I sent it to Mooney, I looked through all the Angel books he worked on and realized how good he is at creating creatures. So I sent him an e-mail that pretty much said, "To hell with my monster idea, go wild." And he did. Look at that beastie. Creepy, huh?

Brian has always been a giant help for me and such a sweet dude, so one of the first things that I did when I found out I was going to be in "Yearbook" was to send him a message. That guy of all people knows how long I've been trying to get in the book. Scott was great throughout the whole process, too. I originally pitched a different story altogether, and he really helped me condense the original six page idea into two pages. Maybe I'll post that script on my blog, because I do like it. Chris Ryall was also wonderful throughout. He was great about answering questions, and just an overall great guy. Working with the Angel team is something that I think I'll be measuring all of my future writing experiences up against.

Buffyfest: How did you each come up with your stories?

DR: Well, for me it was a matter of coming up with something that would be fun and include little touches of fan service. I knew I wanted to channel the dynamic between Spike and Angel that we saw during the great “Cavemen vs. Astronauts” debate. I also wanted to play with the Illyria and Gunn relationship.

I had this sense that a lot of the Angel Yearbook would be very serious stuff, so I wanted to bring something really light and simple. Having Angel and Spike fight over what they would watch on TV felt like the right fit. It was a chance to show them being completely over the top about something totally ordinary which, to me, is very Spike and Angel. They just can’t help themselves when they’re around each other. It’s what I love best about their relationship.

PS: With a looooot of brain juice.

When I met Dan for the first time at NYC, I believe it went something like this.

DAN: Aren't you Pat's Hand?


PAT: Um, what? Who are you, cheekbone man, stay away!


DAN: You are excellent and not at all chubby and you should pitch for ANGEL: YEARBOOK.


PAT: That is correct.

DR: Yes, that is exactly what happened.  Fear my cheekbones!

PS: I'd talked to Ryall about "Yearbook" at NYCC, but for some reason I thought it had already been drawn and was ready for print. I don't know, I'm weird. And thankfully wrong. Dan told me he was pitching for the book, so I ethically and not at all forwardly (forwardly?) used my scheduled interview with Mariah Huehner to ask if I could pitch for the book. She was totally receptive to it and so nice, so as soon as the interview was over I started cooking up a story idea. My first pitch was the story of Gunn and Illyria's return to the gang after their road trip. I tried to do the whole "squeeze an epic into two pages" thing, but like Dan said... doesn't really work. I still like what I did with that first story, but I'm glad that Mariah asked for more pitches. She said that the concept was a bit too similar to Brian's story, which I think is a damn good reason to get turned down.

Anyway, I ended up pitching a few more ideas, which consisted of these:

A short about Angel’s love for the only main character that has been around as long as he has… Los Angeles.

Angel does something special to mark the anniversary of Doyle’s passing. In doing so, he pays tribute to the other characters we have lost (Cordy, Fred, Wes). Connor follows Angel, noticing him, watching… but he says nothing. A quite moment of reflection between father and son.

During “After the Fall” Harmony opens up a hair salon in Hell. Groosalugg, Angel, and other cast members visit. Funny, light, odd.

Angel and Spike break up a vampire party, commenting on how lame modern day vamps have become.

Mariah went with the first one, and I'm glad. I love how it came out, and was grateful that I was able to use the concept to squeeze everything I could out of this verse. I got to use Angel to kill a giant monster, I threw a Spike line in there, had a bit of a sweet moment, and even ruined a purse. I'm so very greedy. I want it all.

Buffyfest: Finally, you're obviously both into comics, what was the biggest challenge writing one? Did seeing the other side soften any usual criticism you have of the writers?

DR: The biggest challenge was working within the confines of two pages. A man gets a crack at the Whedonverse, he wants it to be epic. You just can’t do epic in two pages. Well, I can’t, at any rate.

Was I ever overwhelmingly critical of the writers? Not publicly, I don’t think. So keep that in mind, readers! I wasn’t a critic. So when I ask if you like my story, just smile and nod.

PS: I think that if any people in the Buffy fandom know me, it might be from how vehemently I defend the Angel comics. I've loved this series from jump, so there's not much criticism to soften. When I didn't like something, even if I voiced it, I think that the writer in me always went about it in a respectful way. I've wanted to write since I read my first Goosebumps book at the round-headed age of seven, so I don't think you'll catch me trolling around about a writer anytime soon. Except Dan, that guy is such a jerk. SCREW DAN ROTH!

DR: Agree.  Sometimes I mix multiple plaids and think I'm being fashionable which is the third listed dictionary definition of "unlovable".  Look it up in your Funk and Wagnalls sometime.

PS: But really, I love Dan Roth. He comes to my plays and makes me laugh.

DR: Don't be fooled.  I charge him for this service.

PS: The biggest challenge... I'll totally agree with Dan. Ideally, I'd have forty-four issues and many, many miniseries to tell my ANGEL tale. But I had two pages, so there was a loooot to squeeze in there. But as I said before... greedy. Another big challenge was just the idea of writing these iconic characters that have literally changed the lives of some of the people who watch these shows and read these comics. It was hard, it was rewarding, and such a big honor.

- Thanks guys and congrats!

Feeling Down? Just Sing 'What Would Buffy Do?"

This brand new, original anthem is for any fan who needs a little self-esteem boost. A little pep in your step. Sing it loud: "You got what it taaakes....to beat the uber-suck!"

The vid's got some great special effects, vamp makeup and even a fake Willow and Xander. Go on, click play. You know you want to!

'High Stakes' Buffyfest 2010 Recap

With this year's Buffyfest not too far away, it occurred to me that we never recapped last year's festivities!

Our 5th annual Buffyfest was held over 4th of July weekend last year. Aptly named "High Stakes Buffyfest 2010", we were very happy to be reunited with our West Coast people for this special Kitten Poker themed event. We had been planning for months, figuring out the themed foods and all the usual tasks. A few weeks prior to the event, we put the following categories to a vote:

"Best Season Premier Episode" - Winner: Buffy S.3 episode "Anne"
"Best Spell Gone Wrong" episode - Winner: "Doppelgangland"
"Best Giles Episode" - Winner: "A New Man"

So after everyone arrived, we ate, drank Fangtastic Frozen Dacquiris (garnished with fang ice cubes!) and mingled. We then passed out the gifts. This year's Swag Bag was actually a collectible Casino Coin Cup filled with: a deck of now-vintage Buffy Series 1, 2, or Angel licensed playing cards, a personalized visor in "Buffy" font and of course, enough kittens for the poker playing.

After gift disbursement, we watched the episodes, but decided to eliminate "Doppelgangland" for a multitude of reasons. We then moved on to a Kitten Poker tournament which lasted at least 5 hours, due to the sheer amount of players. Strangely, but fittingly, the 3 of us who run this site ended up facing off as the final 3 players. Bitsy ended up cheating winning the entire tourney and a Barnes & Noble gift card for his victory!

Click the collage below for all of the photos from this event:

'Twas a great Buffyfest and no one got too drunk or ate any real kittens! Clem would've been proud. Next up, The Buffyfest Brunch...

And You Thought You Were A Fan...

Check out reader Whitney's brand-spankin' new and hard core Whedonverse tattoo depicting Angelus' narration from the episode "Passion" done in the Buffy font! It took five straight hours and runs from underarm to hip. Kind of reminds us of Dark Willow's skin when she's sucking the books for magic in "Villains", no? Anyway, how fabulous!

note: Whitney also has tats of the Buffy Season 8 Twilight symbol and Mutant Enemy monster. Like we've said before: Obsessed!

Thanks for sharing, Whitney!

Coveting: Hallowhedon 3

The Hallowhedon conventions in the UK always seem so tempting! First of all the event has an ultra kick-ass name (and original too...zing!) The guests are usually juicy ones and it's extra fancy being across the pond and all. This year, some fan favorites are attending: Charisma Carpenter & Amber Benson not to mention "Most Hated Character" winner Adam Busch; with further guests to be added. I vote for Julie Benz since she's besties with Charisma.

This year's convention will be held from Friday 28th - Sunday 30th, October 2011 at the The Radison Edwardian Hotel. The activities range from the usual guest talks and photograph sessions to quizzes and late night parties - including an extra special Halloween Ball on the Saturday night! Gotta love a Halloween Ball.

So if you're over on the flip side (or a 'Merican with deep pockets and a love of the Queen) go check it out. It's pretty reasonable too as far as cons go. For £78 you get admission to all 3 days and a whole bunch of stuff like an exclusive convention souvenir program, access to all the panels, 1 free autograph from each guest, access to the 2 themed parties. Good stuff.

Have you attended a past Hallowhedon event?

And the WhedonOscar Goes To....

Since today is the day all of Hollywood and it's adoring public anticipates for months on end, the Academy Awards ceremony, it seems like the perfect time for our fandom to have an awards night of of our very own: The WhedonOscars! Get over there, check out the lovely site and vote for your faves.

Fun!

Nathan Fillion to Browncoats: 'Please Don't Send Money!'

For those in the dark about the recent buzz, let's recap. In the last week or 2, we've learned a couple of things about Nathan Fillion and how he'd spend the loot if won the California State Lottery. He would:

1. Buy the rights to our beloved Firefly, produce new stories and bring it to the web.
2. Buy some commercials for Castle so you couldn't watch TV without seeing one.

You can't say the man's not dedicated to his work. In response to those comments, the creators started chiming in. Firefly writer Jose Molina wrote on Twitter: "For what it's worth, I've told him I'd drop what I was doing and follow." Then, Whedonverse writer Jane Espenson tweeted "I'm there, if needed." Kaylee herself, Jewel Staite, responded when a Twitter follower asked if she'd be on board: "Is the Pope Catholic? Hee! Why yes he is, Miss Staite.

As per usual, once the interwebs got hold of all this very exciting information, the regular uproar of "Bring back Firefly" campaigns surfaced. It looks like after all the hubbub, Fillion might have received some personal checks, money orders or I.O.Us or something, as the Cap'n himself, tweeted:

"It's beautiful to dream of more Firefly, but PLEASE DON'T SEND ANY MONEY. Just keep being great Browncoats, which you are!"

And there you have it! Keep the dream of Firefly alive along with your hard earned money...for now.

Winner of the Buffy Birthday Bash Costume Contest!

Congratulations are in order for our Cosplay-ing Willow who dressed circa Season 2's "Halloween" episode (sans slutty outfit underneath....or was it?) She is the proud winner of a Jo Chen signed print. Make sure to email us at Buffyfest@aim.com to get your prize!

Costume Contest from Buffy's Birthday Bash

So when we celebrated Buffy's Birthday a few weeks ago, Forbidden Planet offered a discount to anyone who dressed in a Whedonverse costume for the event. To sweeten the pot, we decided to throw a little contest with a big, fat prize. Who wins is up to you! Please vote on who you think dressed best for the occasion. The winner will receive a fabulous print of Buffy #1 signed by the artist herself, Jo Chen.

Contest ends on Friday night at midnight! Click the photos to enlarge:

And the Winner of the Dark Horse Haiku Contest is...

Congratulations to Amber for giving us the best of the best in Haiku goodness. Our inbox was filled with some great ones, but Amber seemed to capture the essence of Buffy Season 8 in just a few short lines. For the creative effort, Amber will receive a package filled with a copy of Hack/Slash signed by Super Scott Allie, and a bunch of Buffyfest goodness, too! Check out Amber's work of art:

I lost who I was
never to be seen again
now queen of slayers

Honorable mention goes to Scott Allie's ex-wife Melinda, who wrote an unintentional almost-Haiku inspired by Scott himself that we couldn't resist mentioning:

You never had a good memory.
You are too stuck in your head.
I'm not insulting you.

The Top Ten Whedonverse Moments of 2010

Majors spoilers for Season 8 if you're not completely caught up...

Time really flies when you're having a Whedon-filled year and this one was no exception! Over the course of the year, we conducted 35 interviews and published tons of exclusive content and images. But well beyond this place we call our home, the fandom was hit with a slew of information and news this year, both good and bad.

Here's a look back at our Top Ten Whedonverse Moments of the year. Happy New Year to all!

#1 - The Death of Rupert Giles
The wounds are still fresh, but we couldn't leave 2010 behind without acknowledging our favorite Watcher. Giles is a beloved character here at Buffyfest and he will be sorely missed.

#2 - San Diego Comic Con
Seriously, no words can express this experience. There was laughing and excitement one minute and then something akin to four deers caught in the headlights another. No matter what, the hard work paid off because we got to mix and mingle with the "who's who" of the Whedonverse.

#3 - Twilight-Gate
The spoiler heard round the world. That is all.

#4 - Jane Espenson Interview
We were humbled when Ms. Espenson talked with us about all things Buffy and to be honest, we're still feeling a little gitty in the after-glow of that interview.

#5 - Buffyfest 2010
This year we gambled it up with kittens, of course! The annual Buffyfest celebration was "high stakes" with all the usual fun, food and a dash of debauchery for good measure.

#6 - Other Cons without Michelle (NYCC, Big Apple Con, and Philly Comic Con)
It was a busy year for us as we navigated the Convention scene all along the northeastern sea board. With Michelle living in Sunny Los Angeles, these had to be handled East Coast style by Tara and Bits.

#7 - License-Gate IDW has treated Angel well, but with the news of the move to Dark Horse next year, Angel's unlife will be in the hands of 2011's Season 9 umbrella. It was another one of those "-gates" that rocked the fandom hard.

#8 - Joss and The Avengers
The demise of Dollhouse opened the door for Joss's huge directorial debut on The Avengers. We broke the news in San Diego and can't wait to see what Joss has in store for this elite super hero bunch. We still think Buffy could kick all their asses. 

#9 - Space Sex
It was certainly something to talk about. Well, it was porn on paper. Buffy and Angel porn on paper. In space.

#10 - Buffy Movie Reboot
It's possible that by this time next year, the reboot release will be a rumor of the past, but no matter how you feel about this news, shocked or awed, a big screen Buffy movie has to make it on this list. Funny thing is that a year and a half before this news broke, we did our very own recast of a Whedonless Buffy movie.

Interview with Ian Klein - Essayist for Inside Joss' Dollhouse: From Alpha to Rossum

Last week we attended the book release party of Inside Joss' Dollhouse: From Alpha to Rossum hosted by essayist, Ian Klein, here in New York. The book is an anthology of 18 reflective and critical essays about Joss Whedon's show Dollhouse edited by Jane Espenson. Not just edited, but selected from an exhaustive group of submissions from writers both experienced and green.  Ian wrote one of the included essays about the character of Claire Saunders called "'I Like My Scars': Claire Saunders and the Narrative of Flesh". Before the event, we sat down with Ian to discuss the book, the Whedonverse, and more. Check out some photos of the night and our interview below.

Buffyfest: What is it that intrigues you about Dollhouse?

Ian Klein: I think what intrigues me about Dollhouse is what it attempted to do versus what it did actually do. I know one of the early criticisms of the show was "Who are we supposed to root for?" and "There's no central character here" but as someone who is interested in the creative development of television and thought, wow, that's a pretty big challenge. Even if I as a regular television viewer has never seen the work of Joss Whedon before I would think "wow, let's see how character transformations are made if we're leading toward a reaffirmation of identity or just this complete defragmentation of identity". So for me it was sort of about the creative challenge that the show posted initially and then it was interesting that I didn't end up latching onto Echo at all as a central character which for m was fine because there were plenty of other characters (including Claire Saunders) that I were more interesting and felt more real to me whether or not they were actual people.

Buffyfest: I want to talk about Claire. Why her? Why was she the one you chose to write about?

IK: I think Claire's vulnerability and her presence that was always behind the scenes was so intriguing and was one of the things that I saw in earlier postings online and that one of the things I noticed in the early promos for the show was that she was shown as being this mysterious and intriguing figure and was relegated to the background for some reason for so long. But, on the flip side, she still had such a strong character arc and you really felt empathy toward her throughout all the episodes and even though she was in, I think, only three episodes of the second season, her story still felt whole to me in a way that I did not feel about any of the other characters who are in every single episode. And the fact that she's scarred, too. When you see someone who is scarred in any popular medium, that's an immediate in into their psyche and you know that they have a past and you know that there's some sort of damage beyond the surface going on and the scar is just an external representation of the things you can't hide that are so traumatic that they have burst onto the surface of their being.

Buffyfest: In the trailer, the question is raised "Can you wipe away a soul?" which begs the much larger question "Do you believe in the human soul?"

IK: I do believe we have a soul. In terms of how that relates to the show, every character, I think, ultimately, has a fragment of their previous self in them and that is the core of themselves and that is what makes connections between the characters in a really meaningful way. So that sense of relationship that has developed through those core fragments, call it the soul, or what their purpose is on the show and of what our purpose is in life.

Buffyfest: Do you think the future as portrayed in Epitaphs one and two could happen to us in the real world? Or something akin to it?

IK: Yeah, I absolutely believe something like that could happen, especially with our current affinity for digital identity. Ten years ago it was the fear that someone was going to steal your credit card and make a purchase. Now, the stakes are a lot higher because so much of us is on hard disks (aka wedges) and that's scary. You know, I was reading this political cartoon about Google and it was just these two people talking at Google and saying "Well, we have everybody's information, what do we do now?" and it was sort of this question of "Who is going to make that move beyond where we are right now with our digital selves?" and ultimately it's going to come down to money as everything in the Dollhouse does. There's an essay in here about the economy that the Dollhouse sets up and that to make this world believable you have to address everything we have in our world but one of those biggest things is money. It's interesting, I just reread "Fray", and with Epitaph the world reminds me of a lot of the stuff that "Fray" talks about in terms of the classes, were they live, what they have... Fray has the sil,the bracelets that are the currency and she makes a mention to her sister about things being all about "cred" and "up" and the upper part of future Manhattan. So I think that something that Joss Whedon is playing with and I wish we would have seen more of that future.

Buffyfest: You've been reading the comics though, haven't you? The Buffy and Angel ones.

IK: Yes, which I feel play a lot more with that. Maybe it's because those writers or anyone who is writing comics is going to talk about what's happening right now in our world through that lens. It's the same thing that's happening in Buffy Season 8. WHo has magic and who doesn't. That's a kind of currency and skill as well that some people have and some people don't. So what happens when that's taken away from everybody, what happens when one person has more than someone else?

Buffyfest: Let's talk about the complication that comes of the reveal about Boyd as it relates to Claire. The importance of her having her own autonomy isn't just important to her, as a character, it's important to the show as a whole. Do you think that when we find that that Boyd is at the heart of everything that it in any way diminishes Claire's autonomy and who she is?

IK: I don't think it diminishes the autonomy that she's developed within this oppressive system because we know that there is some degree of programming, of course, already in the Claire Saunders imprint but she has, to steal from my own quote "She has succeeded even Topher's expectations in how far she has developed". So when the Boyd thing comes along I see it as this tragic manipulation with him using what power he has over her, whether that be literal or otherwise and based on her own knowledge, her own character, she was led to this. I do think she made a choice to be with Boyd and there's an essay in here that suggests that maybe she feels that Boyd is the one person that loved her most and she needed that and that it was a safe kind of relationship to have where she was.

Buffyfest: I want to draw a parallel between the nature of vampires on Buffy and the nature of actives in the Dollhouse. When a person becomes a vampire, they lose their soul and become a monster but, despite what the Watchers seem to think and what the slayers try to ignore, we've seen incontrovertible proof that these demons retain something of what the person was before. If we look at the actives, it's very similar. In that context, even though Claire denies her original personality, isn't it still relevant to who she is?

IK: Oh, yes, absolutely. I think were the show to go on and if we were to get more backstory, I think you would find someone who was, too some extent, shy, very compassionate and empathetic, and a caretaker. I think it's not so much that it's irrelevant but that Claire Saunders is an evolution in a way to that nameless person who came before Whiskey. So she's ultimately more powerful than the original idenitity but, having incorporated that, I think it's still respectful of that original identity. So we don't fail bad as viewers that we'll never know and she will never know who that original person is because we haven't identified with that original we've only identified with this amalgamation and the end product of that identity.

Buffyfest: Let's do the easy stuff. What is your favorite Joss Whedon show?

IK: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is my favorite Joss Whedon Show.

Buffyfest: What is your favorite season of Buffy?

IK: Season 6.

Buffyfest: What is your favorite episode of Season 6?

IK: For some odd reason (or maybe perfectly legitimate reason), I often watch the trio of Smashed, Wrecked, and Gone. All in one sitting. I guess I like dark things and that downfall is really interesting to me and how those are all euphemisms for being high. It's just a great character study in those three episodes.

Buffyfest: Who is your favorite character?

IK: I'd say Willow.

Buffyfest: Why?

IK: I think it's because of the dark places she goes and she's arguable the most innocent when the show begins. Buffy goes to some dark, personal places, for sure, and has gone evil for an episode or two but Willow was going to destroy the world. And she ripped the skin off of somebody. It's kind of dark. But that's so truthful. I like that she went there and I like the beginning of season 7 where she's apprehensive about being with her friends again and I think that's something that a lot of people can identify with, being ostracized, doing terrible things, and having earn peoples' trust again.

Buffyfest: Do you identify with Willow? Have you ever tried to destroy the world, Ian?

IK: I haven't. Not yet, anyway. Haven't had any desire to. But I've done terrible things. I've had to regain peoples' trust.

Buffyfest: Let's do the Dollhouse thing Favorite episode?

IK: I would say my favorite episodes is "Vows". Probably because of Claire's breakdown. Now I'm so in love with Claire and I feel for her so much, not that I want to see her hurt but, that scene, when she breaks down with Topher is really moving.

Buffyfest: So Claire is your favorite character then?

IK: Yeah, absolutely. I felt that I go to know Claire better by writing this. I had this thought that I knew there was psychological depth to her. She became so real in my mind. Especially this scarring which is such a universal thing.

Thanks so much to Ian Klein for sitting down with us. Inside Joss' Dollhouse: From Alpha to Rossum is available now.

Micro-Interview with TV Night Organizers Jeremy & Michael

Last week we attended Brooklyn's Knitting Factory for their TV Party that's held every Monday night. The special event: both "Once More, With Feeling" AND Dr. Horrible sing-alongs! They also showed some other Buffy eps, had fantastic games and even a customized menu. Check out the cocktails:

BEFORE THE DAWN - tequila, orange juice, and grenadine syrup
BLOODY BUFFY- tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce
Faith's Shot to the Heart - Malibu® coconut rum and peach schnapps
BLACK FROST (turns you into a caveman) - Guinness and Lemonade
The Cordelia - Vodka, Peach Schnapps, Cranberry Juice
Team Spike - captain morgan's spiced rum, raspberry liqueur - on ice
Team Angel - whiskey, lemonade, maraschino cherry
The Evil Willow - vodka, Jagermeister liqueur, grenadine syrup, raspberry liqueur

We personally preferred the "Team Spike" over the "Team Angel," which is worth noting. Bitsy decided to stake me with a rather large umbrella in a contest to try and win a free "Team Spike". Thanks a lot, Bits. For people in the audience that weren't Whedonites or never watched Buffy (there were a few!) organizer Michael put together this fantastic vid of all 7 seasons of Buffy. Reminisce on the good times:

After the show we caught up with organizers Jeremy Pollet and Michael Austin for a micro-interview. Check it out:

Buffyfest: What made you add a Buffy themed event to your TV night lineup?

Jeremy Pollet: My friend Michael [Austin] and I decided to host TV Parties, because, well...why watch TV at home alone when you can have a TV Party instead? And who better to party with than Buffy fans? Two of my all time favorite women on this planet, my sister Alison and my pal Elisabeth, are both Buffy fanatics, and I have always loved watching episodes with them- laughing and engaging with the show (pointing stuff out, explaining the connections, interpreting the meanings). So, it seemed obvious. Must throw a Buffy party.

Michael Austin: Women

Buffyfest: How did you get into Whedon?

JP: My sister has introduced me to a lot of great things in this world. Whedon is one. She forwards me links to articles about him, essays by him, and general Whedon news. So I give her full credit. Her influence is all over TV Party's 2010 line-up. She showed me Freaks and Geeks (which we're doing in Nov.) and Twin Peaks (Dec.) and she's taught me how to make a mean tuna melt (which I'm doing sometime soon, I hope. With cheddar).

MA: 75% of my friends in high school watched Buffy and Firefly and I was kind of on the fringe watching an episode here or there. Definitely way more of Buffy. I definitely watched the first 3 seasons in their entirety as a kid. Watched more when I got older. especially when my college roommate had the entire series on DVD. He also had the complete Golden Girls...not sure what that's about. Oddly enough I got into Whedon more watching Angel as a kid. Dr Horrible sealed the deal and now that he's directing/writing The Avengers movie we're super tight.

Buffyfest: Favorite episode?

JP: I know it's not very original to say, but...Once More With Feeling.

MA: I always liked the Halloween episode myself. Xander turning into a bad ass military guy, Willow as a ghost and all that fun stuff. Although I do have a new found appreciation for Once More With Feeling now that I know what "You make me complete" is actually referring to. Don't know how I missed the implied sex the first time around.

Buffyfest: Favorite Whedonverse character?

JP: Buffy!

MA: Dr. Horrible! (Although Penny=crazy hot in my book so also a fav)

And there you have it! If you want to check out TV night, tonight they are holding an X-Files event and an Arrested Development one is in the works! Check out the Facebook page here:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=144105848963314

Bits as he falls into the Hellmouth.

Episode 2 of Buffyfest's Halloween Guest Spot on Joss'd

Halloween is drawing near and once again the kick-ass crew over at everyone's favorite Whedon podcast, Joss'd, invited us to guest on a series of special spooky eps. In this second part we discuss the very Halloweeny Season 4 episode "Fear, Itself". Listen in on us cracking up at Giles' sombrero, Anya's bunny costume, Xander's insecurity and more at www.Jossd.com.

Oh and if you missed part 1 where we discussed the classic S.2 episode "Halloween", click here.

Thanks again to everyone at Joss'd for including us in this very festive fun!

Buffyfest Guests on 'A Very Special Joss'd Halloween!'

Super exciting and Halloweeny news! The fabulous crew over at everyone's favorite Whedon podcast, Joss'd invited us over to their cozy home as guests a few weeks ago for a series of special eps. We all met up virtually together, got in the spooky Halloween spirit and recorded the hell out of those podcasts! The first episode is up right now which covers the uber-classic Buffy Season 2 episode "Halloween". What are you waiting for? Go check it out at www.Jossd.com.

A huge thanks to everyone at Joss'd for including us in this festive occasion!

Jayne Hats!!

We've always wanted to do this and at San Diego Comic Con we had our chance. Every time we saw a Jayne Hat, we asked the owner of the head that held the beloved Jayne Hat for a photo. Asking to snap a pic of someone's hand knit JH always sparked a fandom conversation. Of course, there were many, MANY more than shown below, but with all the chaos we kept missing our chances. "Oh! Jayne Hat!", Michelle would say...but there they went. Off with their fuzzy orange heads to the Dr. Horrible sing-along or to a signing at the Dark Horse booth or wherever. We'll get those guys next time. Until then, Jayne Hats!

click to zoom

1. Jayne Hat Trio!, 2. Jayne Hat Crew!, 3. Jayne Hat! 15, 4. Jayne Hat! 14, 5. Jayne Hat! 13, 6. Jayne Hat! 12, 7. Jayne Hat! 11, 8. Katie in a Jayne Hat!, 9. Jayne Hat! 10, 10. Jayne Hats in Ballroom 20!, 11. Mother and Daughter Jayne Hats!, 12. Jayne Hat! 9, 13. Jayne Hat! 8, 14. Jayne Hat! 7, 15. Jayne Hat! 6, 16. Jayne Hat on a plane!, 17. Jayne Hat! 5, 18. Jayne Hat! 4, 19. Jayne Hat! 3, 20. Jayne Hat! 2, 21. Jayne Hat! 1

Buffyfest Interviews Whedon Fan at SDCC 2010

While at SDCC, we've been taking photos of as many of the gajillions of people we see in a Jayne hat as possible. After the Joss & JJ panel, we met up with Katie for a pic to add to this "Jayne Hat Compendium" and decided to do a quick interview about the panel we just saw, why Joss Whedon is awesome, and of course, the man they call Jayne's fantastic head wear. Check it out:

Whedonverse Flash Cards=Amazing Learning Awesomeness

Want to train your child/friend/mom/neighbor in the ways of the Whedonverse? Do as our 2nd grade teacher did and try these fantastico Whedonish Flash Cards, by Orphan Elliott. Take time out to learn!

These are so cool, can't wait to see the rest as they roll out. SELL THEM, Orphan Elliott!

San Diego: Get Ready For Buffyfest

That's right, we're all still in shock but we've been given 4-day Press Passes including Preview Night to San Diego Comic Con for the first time and we plan on rocking San Diego to it's core. If you are attending SDCC July 22-25, please email us at Buffyfest@aim.com and let's get this party started already! We'll have free swag, we'll have breaking Whedonverse news of all kinds and we'll have a nearly live camera feed, so don't. be. shy. This is going to kick some serious ass!

Thanks SDCC!

Also want to mention that today is our 5th Annual Buffyfest party (that started this whole blog) and we're very excited to have the whole team together on the East Coast, once again. Happy Buffyfest Day to everyone!