Well, NJ on Black Friday was even worse than I feared.  To get to the
Meadowlands Convention Center, I had to go past the Paramus Mall and through
the heart of superstore/outlet country.  The traffic was incredible.  Plus, I
couldn't find the @$#& place.  I thought it was at the Meadowlands where the
Giants play, but it turns out the Meadowlands Convention Center is actually
in Secaucus.  Even some native New Jerseyites got lost.  I stopped at a
Dunkin Donuts on Rte. 3 to ask where the heck the place was, and found out
that two other lost XF fans were there to ask the same thing!  Nick Lea
reported that he also got lost (or his cab driver did), so this place truly
is hard to find.  At one point I seriously considered forgetting about the
con and checking out the fish stores on "Aquarium Strip," but then I realized
that would involve shopping on the day after Thanksgiving, and sanity
returned.

I did finally get there, though about 2 hours later than I'd planned.  By
then the preferred seating was sold out, so I had to get a general admission
ticket.  It  wasn't the best venue for a con I've ever been to.  Basically a
big, empty room, divided up with black curtains.  Okay, hotel convention
space in the NYC area is dear indeed,  but this place was awful -- extremely
crowded and uncomfortable.  The dealers' area was very small, and there
weren't very many dealers.  Maybe half a dozen, and half of those were
Creation tables.  Not sure if they simply charge too much for most dealers to
afford, or if they aren't making enough money off dealers' rooms and so are
phasing them out.  But the limited number of dealers means massive crowds.
There's literally nothing to do, because you can't get anywhere near the
tables.  There was a "prop museum" and snack bar, but the lines for both were
so long that I didn't bother (people waited literally hours).  There was a
mall near by, and many fans went there to eat, even shopped a little or took
in a movie, while waiting for the guests to show up.

In the meantime, they showed videos, which weren't all that impressive.
They didn't show the 1st season gag reel, and the second one wasn't as funny,
IMHO (though I love the "three monkeys" bit with Krycek, Mulder, and
Skinner).  The room was too bright and the acoustics were awful, making it
hard to follow the various tapes they screened.  The music videos were
technically spiffy, but as far as content and artistic value goes, the fan
ones are far, far better.  There was a compilation tape of Krycek scenes
which they used to introduce Nick.  Just about all his scenes were on it!  It
was nice.  Maybe I'll make one of my own...

And yes, I did get to see Nick Lea!  He really is an extraordinarily pretty
specimen in the flesh.  Very sweet, too.  He seemed genuinely impressed with
New York City (I'd almost forgotten how overwhelming that city can be to
those who aren't used to it!)

Interestingly, he said it was his idea to make Krycek look nerdy.  He thought
Krycek was a government geek and should look the part.  So he picked out the
ugly grey suit, tacky tie, nerdy haircut, etc.

He says he likes playing the bad guys, but doesn't think of them as being
bad.  No one's *bad*, they think they're doing right, they're just morally
confused -- like Krycek!  Squeaky-clean good guys are dull.  (Someone also
asked him if he'd rather play the part of Mulder, and he said, "No way."
It's too much work!  He likes being just a very interesting recurring
character.)

He said he really wanted the role of Krycek, because he was an XF fan from
the beginning.  He was the only actor in Vancouver to try out for the part;
the rest were from L.A.  He found out he got the part when his agent phoned
him and said, "Hello...Krycek."  He got so excited he ran down to the gym
where Melinda McGraw was working out on the Stairmaster and shouted "I got
it!" to the astonishment of the entire room.

Poor Nick seems a bit self-conscious about his weight (gets a bit nervous
when people start asking if he'll appear in a Speedo like DD).  I fear he
wasn't reassured at this con.  Someone asked him how he got into Mulderdad's
bathroom, and he replied, "Through the window."  The fan then said something
about not believing he'd *fit* through said window, which caused Nick to
squeak, "What??!"

Speaking of that scene, it was suggested that Krycek just happened to be in
the bathroom when someone shot Mulderdad through the window.  Hey, it was a
hard day at work, and Krycek decided he needed a shower...

And Krycek didn't shoot Missy!  Nick admitted it was actually the other guy
who did it!

About the "Anasazi" fight scene: He says David must have thrown him against
the wall, over the car, etc., at least 15 times while they choreographed,
rehearsed, and then filmed the fight scene.  He was hurtin' for certain by
the time it was all over.  But the next morning, a massage therapist appeared
on his doorstep -- sent by the XF people!

He says he and David are really good friends because they are about the same
age (I think they are closer in age than they look).  He says David's dog
Blue loves him.  (Dog has excellent taste!)  [And get your minds out of the
gutter, you perverts!  It's strictly platonic.  He's marrying Langly's dog,
Betsy!]

Nick said he's been in 9 XF eps so far.  Hmm, I only count 7, so he must have
done a couple more that haven't aired yet.   He was asked if Krycek and
Mulder will meet up, and replied, "I guess I can say this.  The answer is
yes, and Mulder does something that allows Krycek to stay on the show."  (!)
He showed us a "Redeem Ratboy" button someone gave him at the Austin con last
week, but he doesn't want Krycek redeemed -- not totally, anyway.  He says
the day Krycek becomes a wholly good guy is the day he catches a bullet!  So
he's hoping Krycek remains, uh, "morally confused."

He also said he was supposed to be a regular in SLIDERS when it resumes, but
turned it down when his role on XF became a recurring one.  He thinks XF is a
better vehicle for his career than SLIDERS.  They planned to set up a
romantic triangle on SLIDERS (groan!).  Now they want to write Ryan out, but
Lea said he doesn't think he can even do that one episode, because it
conflicts with an XF ep.  [Nick is getting so much XF work he has to turn
down SLIDERS!  Yes!!!]

Dean Haglund did his usual comedy sendup of an XF ep (involving unpleasant
body parts found in cheese).  There was a special surprise guest -- Nick came
back out to play Krycek.  "Krycek" and "Langly" as never seen on XF.  Nick
first asked for Dean's autograph, telling to make it out "To Ratboy, thanks
for the cheese."  Then "Krycek" revealed that Mulder never wears any
underwear.  He claimed that he's having torrid affairs with not only Mulder
(there's a reason why Krycek is always sneaking around Mulder's house!) but
Skinner as well ("Mitch is yummy.")  Gee, if I didn't know any better, I'd
think these guys had been reading fanfic...

(BTW, Nick made a comment about the cheese being runny...wonder if he's a
Monty Python fan?)

The programming ran late, and Nick got a bit impatient waiting for the
autographing to begin, and came over to peek through the curtains to see if
Chris was finishing up or what.  I noticed someone looming over me, looked
up, and yikes!  It was Ratboy. lurking behind the curtain!  Flashback to
Mulderdad's bathroom!  (Hey, he can hide behind my shower curtain anytime...
: )

Anyway, Nick is truly a terrific actor -- I was near the end of a line of
2,500, and he was warm and friendly and seemed genuinely glad to meet me,
even though he must have been thinking something like "Get out of my face,
you twerps, I wanna go back to my hotel room and have dinner."  Instead, he
said, "Thank you for coming, dear."  He wrote a lot, too; his hand must have
been ready to fall off.  (The inscription on my photo reads "I'm not *that*
bad!  Lots of love, Nick Lea XOXO.")

Chris Carter was also a good guest, very patient and tolerant.  A charming
and very handsome man.  Some revelations:

The XF movie is supposed to start filming in Spring of 1997, for release in
winter of 1998.

Episode 20 will be written by David Duchovny.

Asked about why Scully is so frequently kidnaped and put in situations where
she has to be rescued, he said it's because the writers are over-sensitive to
violence against women, and thus overcompensate by bashing Scully all the
more.  (At least I think that's what he was saying.  I sort of had a hard
time following this one...)

Mulder will get a girl in an episode in teens.  Presumably it's a one-shot;
he said there are no concrete plans to get Mulder a steady girlfriend.

XF will be syndicated in a year or two; pro tapes will be released in the
U.S. then.

We will see Scully's dog in the future!

Chris Carter said that Mr. X and Skinner are having an affair.  Gee, and
Nick Lea implied that Skinner and Krycek are carrying on.  Yup, they must be
reading the fanfic...  : )

All in all, it was a fun time.  I took *loads* of photos (five rolls' worth!)
-- mostly of Nick.  (Well, he is the most decorative...)  I did notice that
more cameras went off when he was on stage than any other time.  People may
not like Ratboy, but they apparently like the way he looks...  : )  Poor boy
was blinded by the flashes.