I’ve mentioned elsewhere that I was a ‘Con newbie. I don’t really know why I never went before and was overwhelmed when I arrived. I’d just gotten out of a great couple of panels and was taking a breather when I realized I was starving. Maybe it was the sight of Keven’s poutine or maybe it was the many cups of free coffee (they had free coffee!) that I’d had, but I needed to eat right away. Luckily there was a food truck right outside with practically no line-up.
The Lethbridge Entertainment Expo was held November 14/15th, 2015 at the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge Alberta. Guests included Jason Mewes (Jay & Silent Bob), Billy West (Futurama), Phil LaMarr (MAD TV) and Lee Arenberg (Once Upon a Time). Check out their official site HERE!
In fact there was only one couple ahead of me. They were talking up a storm with the vendor, asking all kinds of questions about several items on the menu. The Food Truck Guy didn’t seem to be in any hurry. He answered their questions and then their conversation turned to Star Trek Voyager. I waited, but I couldn’t help noticing that the guy ahead of me actually did look a bit like Harry Kim. I knew that it was not, of course, because that would have been in the program and I already knew every single listed guest. But the resemblance was striking.
It got even more striking when the Food Vendor asked me to take a photo of him posing with his food truck. I was either crazy or this really was an unregistered celebrity. As I stared at him like the slack jawed yokel I am, it seemed more and more likely that this was actually was the actor who played Harry Kim on Star Trek Voyager. After all, the food truck guy AND the man ahead of me in line would also have to be in on it if it wasn’t him.
It took me a long time to summon the courage to ask him. But finally I asked if he was an actor on Voyager (I couldn’t for the life of me remember his name) and he said yes. I was shocked. I told him I hadn’t seen him on the program and asked him what he was doing here. (I’m sure it was more tactful than that. It must have been) He said he came to the Lethbridge Expo last year and was in Calgary and thought he’d drop by. I said that was awesome. We made small-talk while we waited for our food. I couldn’t believe how relaxed he was, so at ease. He asked me if I was from here and if I’ve been coming long.
I asked him what being on Star Trek was like. He told me that it was amazing for him, it was more than just a job because he’d been a sci-fi fan his whole life. I asked him who his favorite sci-fi influences were and he said there were two: Scotty from the originally series and Han Solo (he’s a fan of both Star Trek AND Star Wars) He pointed out that while Mr. Scott was the Original Red Shirt, the character still survived (unlike so many red-shirts after him.) I commented, again, that this was awesome. I mentioned that my favorite Star Trek species was on his show (8472) and he agreed that they were really good. Even the Borg were afraid of them. He offered to let me take his picture. Then our food came and he told me he’d be inside and that I should visit him at his booth.
Mr. Wang (a frantic IMDB search gave me his name as soon as I was back inside) was such a class act. He didn’t seem uncomfortable at all that a complete stranger was talking to him when he’d probably rather be eating. This probably happens all the time, though, and is par for the course at an event like this. If you’re reading this Garrett Wang, thank you again for being part of one of the weirdest and most unexpected experiences of the entire Lethbridge Expo.