Chicago Con Report: Ghostfacers Panel

Ghostfacers: A.J. Buckley and Travis Wester SPN Chicago Con Panel

After the applause and cheers died down from the introduction of the Ghostfacers, AJ asked how we all were and that prompted a loud ‘Good’ from the crowd. He continued explaining how really excited they were to be here and get to say hello to all the fans.  

“Hi everybody,” Travis said.  Hi back we said.

AJ said it was nice to be in Chicago with the Chicagoans. He started the talk by saying it always surprises them how they did one little episode, ‘Hell House’, and it turned into Ghostfacers and then Ghostfacers turned into the web spin off, and it was all because of fan, so they are really thankful and forever committed to them for all the love and support fans have given to them and they appreciate it. “Thank you so much for sure”, AJ concluded.  That brought another round of applause from us. 

He went on about the web series saying if anyone was outside of Canada or America they would not have been able to see it, and for that they apologized.  It was very frustrating for them because they had this weird geo-blocker on it. 

Travis added that they did everything they could to get it removed, they ‘kicked up as much dust’ as they could, but it didn’t help. If you were not from America, you were not able to see it that’s why.

AJ continued that it was a really fun experience for them to actually have Eric Kripke called them in the office.  When we first we got a call that Kripke wanted to sit down with us I thought alright, cool.   Travis continued that he kind of thought they were in we trouble. Yea, AJ said, seemed like a trip to the principal’s office.  So I like came from the beach and Travis came from somewhere…  To which Travis added, “as I usually do, come from somewhere.’  Yep…that got the crowd laughing. 

So we go to the office and literally there a room of like 15 people, and we thought we walked in the wrong room.   We started to apologize and they’re like, ‘Oh no come on inside’.  I [AJ] looked at Travis like “what’s happening?” 

There were some very important people there, Bob Singer for one… just everybody….all the brass.

They’re like ‘Hi guys how are you?’ and we’re thinking ‘wait a second, what’s happening?

And then [Eric] Kripke explained that they we’re thinking of doing a little spin off thing with us, and we’re like, “Say WHAT?’  Then he said that they wanted us to write it.  “And it’s like,’ whoa…..Travis kick me in the face…am I hearing this right? Am I dreaming?” AJ said.    And then like it just turned into this series and we not only, wrote it but directed it to.  To which Travis added, “ACTION!  We got to say “ACTION!” AJ agreed that he [Travis] did say it like that.  Travis said it was part of his technique.  

At this point they stated taking questions from the audience. 

Question: Regarding Hell House, did you guys ever find the fish, and also when you got to LA did you just searched for an agent forever or what?  (Hummmmm……)

Laughing, Travis said he didn’t think there was any way they could have not noticed the fish. (Neither did the crowd.)

AJ played along and said they definitely found the fish and it didn’t take them long to put two and two together and come up with Sam and Dean. (And now the fun started.)  AJ said “Wait…basically we took the fish, hit it over the head, threw it into a bucket, and ate it for dinner.”  Fans loved that.  Yea, sushi Travis added.  AJ continued to speculate he got worms, had to be in therapy for a few months, but it was all good.   

“And what do you think happened in LA,” the fan persisted. (Hummmmm…..)

AJ decided they just had a blast, hanging out in the sunshine.  Travis thought they went out there and realized that in order to achieve their dreams of getting their own show, and all that other stuff, they needed to go back to Appleton WI and live with their parents.  (FUNNY! And that got cheers from an Appleton resident in the audience.)

“Oh Appleton is represented!  Good”, said AJ.  Travis explained they actually had to do a lot of research on Appleton because that’s where the Ghostfacers were raised. 

Next question was on a more serious note.  Fan:  You are obviously hilarious, and people admire you a lot, how does that feel and how has it affected your acting?

First, both AJ and Travis thanked her for her compliment.  (They are two very gracious people.)   AJ stated that for them, Ed and Harry were by far the best roles they have ever gotten to play and they never wanted it to end.  So any chance that they get to write together and come up with ideas and stuff they do, because they have SO much fun doing it. It’s absolutely hard to get through a take because so it’s just so much fun to show up at work and laugh. And they especially like the creative part of it.  So this for them this is a dream role that they would play forever. And they’ve said that to [Eric] Kripke and all the brass, that we never want to stop playing these characters.  AJ finish, “This is a blessing…so it’s AWESOME…truly amazing.”  Travis agreed, and, judging from the applause, so did the fans.  

On to the other side of the ballroom and the next question. FAN: You just said that you would love for Ed and Harry to go on forever, so if you could take them and put them in any other TV show past or present what would it be?

Instantaneously AJ replied, “Hawkeye.”   I don’t know what was funnier, AJ’s sincerity or the look on Travis’ face. 

Joining in the laughter from the fans, Travis said, “Is that a show?  Did you just make that up?”

AJ: “You don’t know Hawkeye?”

Travis: “Hawkeye?” 

AJ: “Yea.”

Travis, again, “Hawkeye?”

AJ, again, “Yea!” (Okay, now we’re all rolling on the floor.) 

Travis continued that he thought that was a character in X-men or GI Joe.  AJ was adamant that it was a show, and turned to the fans for support.  (Ah….bad plan, AJ.)  We all yelled, “MASH.”

Very quietly AJ goes, “Sorry” and laughs.  He lightheartedly continues, “I want to take this opportunity to personally apologize to every single one of you who just yelled MASH at me,” (Yea, okay AJ, we loved Hawkeye too.  Who didn’t?)  

Okay, so now it’s Travis’ turn at the question, and he comes out with a resounding Love Boat, Love boat, Love boat, Love Boat.  (I think he likes Love Boat. Maybe it has something to do with him getting engaged the day before?  J )

Does he really mean Love Boat?  Yep, Travis means Love Boat, and also Reaper.  He wants to be in Love Boat and Reaper.  He thinks love on a haunted ship would be fun…ghost stories, ghosts in love… (Okay, maybe for a web episode in the future?)

Next fan: I’ve been asking this of everyone, what’s in your DVRs?

AJ replies he loves Ultimate Fighter on Spike. He’s an inner city boxing fan which is why he loves it, and it helps them with their Ghostfacers martial arts. Travis explains that AJ invites him over for the fights; they watch them and try to do what the fighters are doing.  And, of course, they only do it in the name of GMA.  “In the name of GMA” AJ continues. Jokingly he goes on to say that he’s the only one in the world to hold a 13^th degree in black belt in GMA. Travis is still working on his yellow belt, but he’s still in training…    That got a lot of chuckles!

AJ relates a funny story about the GMA segment they shot.  (For anyone who hasn’t seen the segment, it’s on the Ghostfacers website at http://ghostfacers.com/watch-and-learn.html.)

So in the segment, AJ suggested that Travis put a sheet over his head.  Travis, being the great sport that he is, did.  Over the sheet, Travis put head gear, but as there were no holes in the sheet, Travis couldn’t talk or see. As seen in the video, AJ took advantage of that scenario and ‘thrwapped’ Travis in the segment.  Of course, AJ’s on stage antics and sound effects were a riot and had the crowd in stitches. ‘All in the name of ghost martial arts, of course’, AJ said. Travis said he hopes AJ gets to be the one in the sheet next time.  AJ attempted to justify his antics; by saying once the camera was rolling they couldn’t stop.  Travis just looked at AJ and said, “Well you could have stopped if you wanted to”. AJ agreed, but said he didn’t want too, he was having too much fun.  J

Travis then answered the question saying he likes Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Venture Brothers, and of course SNP, which he really does love.  Of course AJ then has to tease about the show, which leads to a funny story about Jared’s height that happened while filming Ghostfacers.

AJ says he has told this story once before. One of the scariest moments of his life was when they were shooting Ghostfacers with Jared and Jensen. AJ laughingly said Jared gets out of the impala and he [AJ] starts joking with him about him being such a big guy.  Jared gives him this ‘look’ and he’s [AJ] is like ‘yea, yea, yea, big funny guy’, and Jared comes over and with one hand picks AJ up  and d puts him over his [Jared’s] shoulder.  One minute AJ is laughing and the next he’s up in the air.  AJ said he could hear the whole crew going, “Jared, put him down, Jared, put him down.”

Laughing, Travis reminds everyone that that was Jared 25# of muscle lighter than he is now.  Travis continues, “The crew went from laughing at AJ’s joking with Jared to…”Oh My God, Oh My God!”  Everyone was laughing so hard, there was not a dry eye in the crowd.  “Yea”, AJ continued, “I just felt like he lifted me and he just chucked me and he is the biggest person I’ve even met in my life.”

Once the laugher died down, AJ was quick to add that the J2’s are also the nicest, coolest people him and Travis have ever met…just great, fantastic, guys.  He said for AJ and Travis to show up on the J2’s set, and for the boys to give them such free rein was awesome.  It was an absolute privilege for AJ and Travis to work with Jensen and Jared. “We’re solid about that”, he stated.

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