Salute To Supernatural Burbank Panel Reports: Sebastian Roche, Mark Sheppard, Rob Benedict, Rick Worthy, Richard Speight Jr. and Matt Cohen

 

Sebastian Roche and Mark Sheppard ended up doing a joint panel this time, and I don’t know how Creation comes up with these pairings, but this was a good one.  They both knew how to play on each other perfectly.  Sebastian is raunchy and Mark has a foul mouth.  A winning combo.  
 
Part of the fun of Sebastian at these panels is he loves to talk, ramble, and goof around before, during, and after questions.  Usually whoever is doing the panel with him plays along.  So, what I’m trying to describe here pales in comparison to what’s actually happening.  Anyone that’s been to a con will instantly know what I mean.  I’ll do my best to fill in the blanks, but some of this stuff comes with a “you had to be there” disclaimer.  
 

They both came on stage immediately eluding to the rowdy night at Karaoke the night before.  Mark asked, “How many of you have hangovers today?” Sebastian actually missed Karaoke this time, which was a shame considering he’s the life of the party.  He offered his excuse.  “I couldn’t attend.  I was attending to someone else.”   

All photos are from Alice Jester.  Please give credit to The Winchester Family Business.

 
During Sebastian’s panel in Nashville, he tried this weird thing by breaking up the crowd and getting them to screech by his command.  He’d start right, then center, then left, etc.  He tried it again here, but the crowd wasn’t buying it.  I guess the LA crowd are not trained monkeys.  The high pitched screams were pretty weak.  “That sucks,” Sebastian flat out said.   Mark this entire time watched with strange fascination.  Turns out, it was Mark who knew how to push the right buttons.  “Jensen Ackles!” He shouted.  Oh yes, that got the desired reaction.  They went through other names as well, including Sebastian using the old throwback “Padaleski.”  It worked.   
 
The first questioner was someone Sebastian already knew as “closet girl.”  Since many of us were confused, including Mark, she told her story as to why she’s closet girl.  I didn’t hear it, but it wasn’t very interesting.  Mark skipped her and turned his attention to the other side of the room.  He said he didn’t like her closet story.  
 
First question, Sebastian’s characters have died in “Fringe,” “The Vampire Diaries,” and “Supernatural.”  Which ones was his favorite death?  He liked “Fringe” the best.  “I didn’t get a spike up my ass.  It wasn’t up my ass, but Misha wanted it.  Because Misha’s a little…(waves his hand, makes goofy face).”  
 
Somehow the words “I had a lot of sex last night,” came out of Sebastian.  Mark had the perfect return.  “It wasn’t with me.”  Another thing that came out of Sebastian’s mouth was, “Not that I’ve done crack cocaine.”  Mark’s answer?  “Today.”  Sebastian – “Can you imagine me on drugs?  My head would explode.” 
 
The guys turned their attention back to closet girl, and continued to have some fun with her.  Eventually, she did get to ask the question.  “Which one of you would win in a fight?”  Mark – “Clothed or unclothed?”  He brought up all the wonderful possibilities this sets up for fan fiction.  He started encouraging all the stories.  Closet girl still didn’t get her answer.  “Who would win?” she asked.  Mark – “You’ll see.” 
 

 
The next person had a piece of paper on her and Sebastian read it aloud.  “I challenge you to a cartwheel down the hall with me.”  “Mark, that’s for you!”  Neither were really up for cartwheels to say the least.  I honestly would have paid to see them try.  Her question was about Sebastian’s role in General Hospital.  Mark got mad and took a seat in the front row with other fans while Sebastian gave an honest answer about working on a soap opera.  It’s a different kind of pace.  It’s fast and there isn’t much time for rehearsal.     
 
Another fit of random conversation broke out, and the sound bite to come out of Sebastian this time was, “Rush Limbaugh is a tool.”  No arguments in that room! 
 
Next question, what show do they want to be on?  Sebastian said anything where he’s a regular for eight seasons.  He and Mark could do a buddy cop show.  That was a good setup for the follow up, what about a musical episode?  Sebastian pretty much took care of this question.  “I’m Balthazar, I like to shoot arrows out of my ass!”  That set him off to do dead on lines from “Monty Python and The Holy Grail” next.  He did an absolutely perfect Herbert.  “I want to sing!”  Then he went onto reciting King Arthur’s lines about getting the sword.  This entire segment of chatter ended with Sebastian singing from “Knights of the Round Table.”  
 
This turned out to be a question asked multiple times at the con.  What’s their favorite game?  “Naked Twister,” answered Mark. Sebastian kept throwing out “son of a bitch” in his worst Dean Winchester imitation, but I don’t think he actually answered the question.     I could be wrong.  We were too lost in his other goofiness.   

 
The next person up was a girl in a trench coat.  Sebastian, “The resemblance to Misha is uncanny!”  To be honest, I never heard this girl’s question, but it must involve something about having a career in television.  Sebastian and Mark chattered more, and Sebastian blurted. “I’m going to come back!”  Once that got applause, he finished his sentence.  “But no one’s told me though.”  He’s sticking to the theory that Balthazar didn’t die because they didn’t show his crispy wings.  
 
Sebastian make a mild dirty joke to the fan (I shant repeat) and Mark cracked up on stage.  Sebastian’s antics were finally getting through to him.  Mark recovered though to share something that Barry Corbett from “Northern Exposure” told him.  “You work or you don’t work.  When you get old and look back, you go ‘Fuck, I have a career.’”  In television it’s the same thing.  Sure, they have a lot of roles, but being a character actor gives them a lot a variety.  
 
They expanded on this point further by talking about working with other actors.  Mark said going into a room with gorgeous actors isn’t half as much fun as someone who’s dangerous or evil. Sebastian added, “Or who has the largest (points to chest)…egos!”  
 
Mark was hopeful he’d be around for season 8.  Then he asked if everyone thought there would be a season 8.  Oh yes, the crowd most definitely thought so.
 
What are their favorite scenes? Mark loves “the Titanic” one (“My Heart Will Go On”) where they were making fun of Celine Dion.  Sebastian brought up a scene in “The Third Man.”  “I was drinking champagne out of someone’s navel.  I wish I shot that scene!”

 
A fan talked about a plot point that was making her scream (honest, the mics for the Q&A lines were pretty bad.  I was close to the front and couldn’t hear a lot of what was said). Sebastian – “I was screaming too, especially when you get a shaft up your ass.”  How would they write it?  Sebastian answered. “If we wrote, we’d be in every episode.  We’d be Jared and Jensen.  ‘Son of a bitch.’” Yes, the crowd loves it when he does that.    
 
Sebastian actually auditioned for Crowley.  “I was so bad,” Sebastian confessed.  Mark – “Or I was so good.”  When Sebastian auditioned for Balthazar, he wore the exact costume they used for the character.  Mark seemed to think the wardrobe budget was already blown by Crowley’s tailored suits. 
 
Right around here things went off a little tangent.  Amidst their goofing around, somehow Mark came up with a new nickname for Sebastian.  “Cockroche forever!”  They then started making fun of a fan holding the mic.  She was holding it like she was auditioning for American Idol.  Then, another nickname was born, this time Sebastian for Mark.  “Creepy Crowley.”  Cockroche and Creepy Crowley.  I think they’ve found a name for their buddy cop show!    
 
The fan at the mic said to both of them, “I think you’ve been hanging out with Misha too long.”  Mark – “I’m being stalked by Cockroche!”  

 
I do believe they actually got to the woman’s question.  Mark elaborated on the roles he  plays, which aren’t very clear whether he’s a good or a bad guy.  He likes the roles that aren’t the obvious.  “I think moral ambiguity is more fun to play.” “I’ve been the victim of great writing.” 
 
Next up, a ten year old girl asking a question.  Sebastian said, “I don’t have any children…that I know of.”  Mark reminded Sebastian about an affair he had ten years ago and he should look closely at the girl.  Sebastian jokingly ran away. 
 
What are their favorite episodes?  Sebastian liked the Titanic episode.  Mark, all the Crowley ones are fun.  “I like the ones where Crowley is helping, or you think I’m helping.”  Hers is The French Mistake.  Mark was very jealous he wasn’t in it. Mark finished the question by warning the ten year old she’s heard a lot of suggestive comments and ideas, none of which she’s going to remember. 
 
Favorite stunts.  Mark – He did a movie with Wesley Snipes.  He did a lot of things in that film people shouldn’t be allowed to do.  He’s got an amazing stunt coordinator the rest of the time though.  He’s been well taken care of.  Mark calls “Supernatural’s” Lou Bollo one of the greatest stunt coordinators ever.
 
In what could be considered an act of Chuck, the lights in the ballroom suddenly came on.  Sebastian – “And then there was light!”  This opened some doors for them to do something different.  Mark took the opportunity to come out to the crowd and look at people.  Sebastian had the men in the room stand up.  Yeah, there weren’t many.  
 
After all their fun, Sebastian got around to the next question while Mark stayed in the crowd.  “Sorry to take so long with a question talking about naughty things…I’m not sorry.”  Sebastian’s been on “Grimm” lately.  Does he like it?  Yes, he loves the role very much and hopes to be back.  He told people his episode is coming up, which is on the same time as “Supernatural.”  Mark – “That’s why we download and steal.” 
 
And that’s a panel!  I gotta say, I really enjoyed Sebastian with Mark.  Those two are really great together.  It was my favorite Sebastian panel yet, and I’ve seen some pretty outrageous panels (cough Vancouver cough). 

Up next, a very unlikely group of Rob Benedict, Rick Worthy, Matt Cohen, and Richard Speight Jr.  If you think Sebastian was being naughty, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

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