Office Convention - Blogger’s Breakfast

Sunday morning, my cousin and I headed out to the next event, the Blogger’s Breakfast. We were psyched because it was held right downstairs in our hotel. This way we could sleep in after a late night at the look-a-like contest & Scrantones concert. Yea!
I didn’t know exactly what the Blogger’s Breakfast would entail. As it turned out it included; Brian Baumgartner (Kevin), Bobby Ray Shafer (Bob Vance), Kate Flannery (Meredith) and Andy Buckley (David Wallace), convention organizers, Office fan-site bloggers and… me?!  That’s right, I actually got to answer a question, which was totally unexpected. You longtime LITO readers know that I just got this gig, so the whole thing was very surreal, but fun.

Click the link below for more pictures and video of The Blogger’s Breakfast
There were two things I noticed right off the bat about the breakfast. The first, was that breakfast would consist of the most massive pile of Krispy Kreme donuts I have ever seen. And I mean massive pile! Every kind of donut imaginable. You could get a sugar high just looking at it!
The second thing was that there was a bigger crowd than I was expecting. I believe someone said there were about 700 people in attendance. I had pictured something much smaller, but I was very wrong! lol

The breakfast started off with Tucker Hottes, from Electric City Publications, introducing the cast members. Tucker is one of the organizers of the from www.theofficeconvention.com. I introduced myself to Tucker after the event. He was very nice. We chatted a little about what a massive undertaking organizing this convention was! Here is a picture of us after the event.

The Office cast members Brian Baumgartner and Bobby Ray Shafer started off the event. Both blog on MySpace.com. Brian talked about how in the show’s early days they were desperate for fan reaction to the show because the ratings were less than stellar. He mentioned how Jenna Fischer (Pam) started her MySpace page first, then helped him and Angela Kinsey (Angela) set theirs up so they could communicate with fans.
He also spoke about how MySpace has helped him to address issues that directly affect the shows fans. He gave the example of how ITunes.com no longer carrying episodes of the show affects fans from outside of the United States who now can’t get the show at all. Fans had contacted him about this problem on his MySpace page and he then passed it on to the shows producers who are now looking into the problem.
Bobby Ray Shafer’s voice was sounding somewhat better. (The poor man had lost his voice and could barely talk at all during the cast Q&A.) He also maintains a MySpace blog and talked a little bit about that. He also spoke a little about his role on the show as Bob Vance from Vance Refrigeration. After the event, I got to meet Karrie, who is one of Bob Vance’s biggest fans.
Here is a short video of Brian Baumgartner and Bobby Ray Shafer from the event.

Kate Flannery (Meredith) and Andy Buckley (David Wallace) were then introduced to the crowd. Kate also maintains a blog over at TVGuide.com. Andy does not yet blog, but told an enthusiastic crowd that he definitely wants to look into starting one.
Next, the bloggers were brought up and introduced to the crowd. Now, before I got started writing for LITO, I was a serious “lurker” in the Office fan site communities. So, a few of these names I knew right away, and I was excited to put a face with a name.
Jennie Tan, better known as “Tanster” from OfficeTally.com was there. I was psyched to meet her because I love OfficeTally! She was very sweet, and agreed to take a picture with me.
I was also happy to meet KP from TheTwoCents.com. KP and I had chatted a few times before the convention. He has been very helpful to me as a new blogger in this Office fan site communtiy. I asked him to take a picture with me too. So, here is the picture; KP, me and Tanster.

I also got to meet Ally from Philadelphia’s Citypaper.net/clog. She blogs about The Office for that site. And, last but not least, Nadum from a new Comcast fan site called, thebiz.fancast.com. Nadum and I kept running into each other all weekend. He’s a Philly boy. His “Go Eagles” comment at the breakfast earned him some boo’s from the crowd, but as a Jersey girl, I’m right with you Nadum — Go Eagles!

  At the end of the event, the cast members graciously signed autographs and chatted with fans.

I got alot of pictures with the cast members, because…well, I was right there!

  I got my picture taken with Kate Flannery also, but it came out so blurry I decided not to post it.

My aforementioned “possessed camera” kept me from getting any video of us bloggers up front with the cast. However, the Office podcast site, That’swhatshesaid has up audio from most of the event. So, if you’re interested in hearing what went on. Check that out here.

Coming up next — The Writer’s Block
~ Donna

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