A recap of my 2012 Dragon*Con encounters with Katee

by SilentSpanking

Brief overview:
Katee was scheduled to be on panels Friday, Saturday & Sunday. She missed Saturday when she wasn’t told she had a panel that afternoon. In most of her ‘off’ time, she was in the autograph hall doing signings or photo-ops. She was not at the Con on Monday at all. Her mom and nephew? had come with her, so pretty sure that’s the nephew on the balcony with her & MaSpank when The Colonial Fleet serenaded her during the parade. Here's the link to the facebook video: http://www.facebook....151136930584522


Friday:
Katee was on the panel on Friday & she was of course awesome. Friday’s panel had Katee, Jamie Bamber, Richard Hatch as well as adding Micheal Trucco last minute to the schedule. But I found myself resenting the time the BSG guys took answering questions, because I admit that I really just wanted all Katee all the time :)

That afternoon, Arista, Flash & Pebbles prepped their The Last Sentinel costumes while DT helped me put together the gift bag I’d gotten for Katee. It had a bottle of Ketel One vodka, a jar of pimento-stuffed olives & her LilSpank flask.

Once Arista in her mighty fine Red Clone costume stepped away from the table, it was my turn. Now, I’d been holding it together pretty well up to that point. Butterflies, yes, but not ‘about to hurl’ nerves. Afterall, I’d been running through what I’d plan to say for days by that point. This was probably good, because when I stepped up to the table coherent thought became a real challenge.

I managed to say that she was about to be invaded by Spanks and that we’d brought her this, then sat the gift bag on the table. She IMMEDIATELY asked if we brought her alcohol!! I mumbled, ‘would we do that’ and before I had barely finished she pounced on the bag and pulled out the bottle of vodka. I was taken aback at how quickly she had the cap off and had taken a swig! Considering how long she’d already been sitting there doing autographs and how freaking hot it was in the room, I couldn’t blame her. She obviously needed that shot and we were glad to oblige :)

Thinking fast, DT asked her to take another drink so she could snap a pick for the Treehouse. She cheerfully did and the pre/post photos are below. I couldn’t decide if her mom was looking on in disapproval or envy, you guys decide. I think I then mumbled something about hoping the brand of vodka was ok, but if not to blame DT. She assured us it was good.

Then Katee pulled out the personalized flask and showed her mom, and also exclaimed over finding the jar of olives, and in such a happy voice that I wondered if she’d even gotten a chance to eat lunch that day. (I think she has mentioned surviving on vodka & olives before?)

So, after signing my flask as LilSpank, she reached over and gave me a big hug! I remember just thinking ‘OMG she’s hugging me!’...and was so afraid my watch was going to scratch her bare back. (Note to self, remove stupid watch in all future potential-hugging of stars moments!) I admit I had a really hard time making eye contact throughout and just kinda stumbled off then with my heart pounding and so very pleased that Katee really seemed to like the gifts.








Sunday morning:
I had my photo-op with Katee first thing Sunday morning, then went to get another photo signed. Kitten had made these nifty mandala necklaces for all the Spanks at the con and had given Katee one also the day before. While in line with Kitten, MaSpank had remarked on my necklace, remembering that, I asked Kitten if she had an extra one for me to give to Katee’s mom. So when I went back to get the second pic signed, I gave the extra to MaSpank.

Then while Katee signed, I racked my brain for something…anything...to say to extend the time. Before, I’d planned all sorts of ideas on subjects to bring up, but total mindwipe at that moment. So, being a true Oregonian, I fell back on the weather and commented on how coming from the Willamette Valley I was miserable in this heat. Like a pro, Katee caught my lead and said that she came from there, too, and had in fact just been back for a music festival. I confirmed it was the one in nearby Brownsville with Sugerland playing and she proceeded to tell how difficult it was to get into & out of the area of the concert and that Sugarland had arranged for her to caravan between their tour buses to escape the huge line of exiting vehicles afterwards. Loved just getting the chance to have this little exchange!

My Katee-encounters far topped my most realistic expectations (let’s face it, I’d accepted that the one fantasy where she decides to be my new BFF wasn’t quite likely to happen, so quite pleased with what did :)

Keihl's LifeRide for amfAR

Katee and Tricia can often be found combining two things they love: motorcycles and helping others.  In 2010 they created the Acting Outlaws and rode from Los Angles to Louisiana to raise awareness of the ongoing cleanup need in the Gulf of Mexico.  You can buy the LA La Ride documentary they made during the ride for only $4.99 on the AO website.

Last year Katee and Tricia rode with the Kiehl's LifeRide for amfAR to help raise money ($115,000) for the fight against HIV & AIDS.  Kiehl's has been sponsoring this event for 3 years now, starting in 2010.  This year was a nine day ride up the East Coast from Miami FL to Washington DC.  Tricia rode the whole path but due to work commitments, Katee was only able to join them for the last day in Washington DC.  Along the way they made 8 stops at various Kiehl's and EagleRider stores to meet fans and raise or present funds. 

This (terrified) spank went to document the excitement at the Tyson's Corner Mall, the last stop of the trip. The LifeRiders approached the Kiehl's store with smiling faces and clapping hands as the crowd gathered.  The store quickly filled with anxious fans and most of the guests talked at length with the fans and supporters as well as posed for lots of pictures.  

Besides our beloved Katee and Tricia, star struck fans enjoyed interactions with several other noteworthy guests.  I saw Christian Bale (Batman!) and Teddy Sears (SciFi fans may recognize him from Torchwood: Miracle Day) as well as: 

the two guys you spy in the back corner behind Tricia: thats John Corbett (Aidan from Sex and the City) talking to Tyson Beckford (Ralph Lauren model), holding an adorable little boy that I heard was his nephew.

Kiehl's was also selling the Limited Edition Active Lifestyle Essentials Kit, the proceeds of which are going toward that $115,000 donation!  Katee, Tricia and Tyson stopped to get their picture taken with the product and tweeted it to fans.

The stars hung around for about an hour and a half as fans enjoyed their company, free refreshments as well as facials, hand and neck massages and consultations from the wonderful Kiehl's staff.  For those of you that don't know, Kiehl's is a skin care brand that features lines for face, body and hair that is all natural and great for even the very sensitive skinned.

Gratuitous extra Katee picture with no narrative purpose. 

After that, they headed to the National Mall to present the Kiehl's panel of the AIDS Quilt at the National Mall.  Kiehl's began the LifeRide tradition the year of amfAR's 25th anniversary.  amfAR was founded in 1985 and is dedicated to Making AIDS History.  For the last 27 years they have funded research that has resulted in huge strides toward saying goodbye to AIDS in our global society.  They contributed to the antiretroviral drug that is used to keep mothers from passing the virus to their infants, a technique to detect viral RNA which helps us diagnose and monitor HIV, supported numerous educational and preventative social initiatives including syringe exchange programs to provide sterile syringes to injection drug users, and funded studies that have found treatments such as the protease and fusion inhibitors.  Working both here in the US and internationally, amfAR deals with both the science of HIV/AIDS and the public policies and social impacts of the virus.  Kiehl's and amfAR are just two of the many organizations Turning the Tide Together.  The amfAR Gala held tonight at the Kennedy Center is the start of the International AIDS conference here in Washington DC.

Someday, we will add the last panel and have eradicated AIDS.

Katee Sackhoff...Undressed (not really)

SPankhood has waited for this day for years and it's finally arrived.  Since the beginning we've longed and searched and gone to great extremes for some of Katee's earlier works - The Fearing Mind, MTV's Undressed and that Hefner movie (?!?). 

Some months ago a website (www.undressedtv.com) was started where people could watch MTV's Undressed.  Every week a new episode was added.  This week we finally hit pay dirt with the first of four episodes with Katee Sackhoff - "Gonorrhea" (2x7). 

Whew, Katee...the things we endure in the name of SPankhood.  First off, don't get overly excited.  Katee Sackhoff is only in about three minutes of the whole episode.  They are, however, the BEST three minutes of the episode.  There's a moment of pure excitement when Katee walks through the back of a scene and we can hear her laugh.  Then a little later, Katee's gorgeous smile lights up the screen during her short scene. 

SPOILER ALERT!  Secondly, I think there's a plot in there somewhere but I had a hard time finding it.  There's a guy sitting on the couch outside of a party.  He's sitting there drawing instead of being in the party because his friend is using his wheelchair to pick up girls.  Annie (Katee Sackhoff) walks up and starts talking to him.  There's obvious chemistry but Annie doesn't know the guy can't walk.  They flirt, Annie's friend comes out and tells her there's a better party elsewhere, Annie invites the guy, he says he can't go, Annie leaves.  They never discuss the fact that he can't walk.  That's pretty much it.  There are also a couple of other stories going on at the same time about gonorrhea and zits.  But, really, who cares?  Katee wasn't invovled.  Basically, Undressed was a half hour soap opera style show about relationships.  I'm pretty sure it didn't win any Emmy's but it wasn't as bad as TLS either.

So there you have it - MTV's Undressed with Katee Sackhoff.  We've waited over four years for this little gem to be available.  Stay tuned for Katee's next episode with should be up later in the week!!


(Video is owned by www.undressedtv.com.)

Just What is TeamSPank and How Was it Born?

You may have already heard of TeamSPank before finding your way here.  Perhaps you've asked yourself, "Why do they call themselves that?" or "How did they come to be?"  Well, here is everything (and probably more) that you ever wanted to know about TeamSPank.

There once was an actress named Katee Sackhoff.  She was on a little show called Battlestar Galactica (or BSG for short) on the SciFi network (or skiffy for short).  Skiffy had a huge forum dedicated to BSG with tons and tons of threads full of exciting people.  During the last half of 2007, a number of people started to gather and feel at home in a place called The Katee Sackhoff Appreciation Thread.  There were all kinds of people of all ages from all over the world with one thing in common -- an unhealthy obsession with Katee Sackhoff and/or Starbuck. 

So why do we call ourselves SPanks?  Well, on August 1, 2007 Katee Sackhoff appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!  Pure magic happened that night.  Katee provided this group of devoted fans something priceless.  She explain that her brother, Erick, had the nickname "Spank" growing up.  This had something to do with some kind of activity that rhymes with Sackhoff.  I'm not sure exactly what that's all about.  Anyway, Erick's friends even called Katee "Littlespank" and Mrs. Sackhoff "Maspank."  Thus The SPanks were born.  Unfortunately, I can't embed the video but here's the link to it... 

Katee Sackhoff on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Do yourself a huge favor and watch that video! 

In March of 2008, TeamSPank became too much for skiffy to contain.  So the SPanks set out on an adventure to find a home of their own.  The original TeamSpank HQ and Treehouse were started and thrived for several years.  So much happened during that time.  Many friendships were forged and memories were made.  Unfortunately, both sites succumbed to the evil of Russian hackers in late 2011.  Out of necessity, Treehouse 2.0 was started along with a new TeamSPank Blog. 

Now, you may be wondering to yourself why I keep making typos and putting a capital "P" in the word "SPank."  Well, it's not a typo.  This little phenomenon was first noticed when a couple of SPanks (Starby and Swim) met Katee Sackhoff and got her to autograph something for the SPanks.        

We didn't think that much about it until some time later when our fearless leader MaxiSpank got another autograph from Katee. 

You may be inclined to think that Katee was just having an off day and signed a bunch of stsuff with random capital letter.  However, these two autographs occured months apart and were signed on two different continents.  For whatever reason, when Katee writes "TeamSPank" she capitalizes the P.  We thought it was endearing and only fitting that we should do the same. 

As you can see, this is a VERY scaled down version of the history of TeamSPank.  You can find a much more detailed history HERE.  However, that is mostly the history of DJ and Fats and how they were in love with themselves and each other.  Just kidding. (Not really.)  Love you guys! 

So, does that just about cover ever thing? Anybody have any questions?  

TeamSPank, Longmire, and Katee Sackhoff

Greetings!

Sorry for the long absence. We've been trying to get our act together. If you know anything about us SPanks, you know this is nearly impossible for us. However, we are going to make an attempt to make our presence known. We do not in any way pretend to be anything official regarding Katee Sackhoff. We are a group of fans that have been around in one form or another since Katee's days on BSG. We may occasionally post newsworthy stuff but will never make an attempt to take the place of Katee's official website. Most of the stuff we post will be the total opposite of news. It will be mindless drabble for our own immature entertainment. That's how we roll.

The SPanks are super excited that Katee Sackhoff will be back on our television screens tonight! We are so stoked about Longmire that we can hardly contain ourselves. Here's a little preview...

If you're just now discovering the awesomeness of Katee Sackhoff feel free to check us out. The link to where we hang out is on the right side of your screen. Click it and see what we're do in our spare time.

Stay tuned for further "news" and happenings of Katee Sackhoff and TeamSPank!! Next up..."Just What is TeamSPank and How Was it Born?"