Transcript
[0:00] Music.
[0:09] No.
Yes.
You're funny.
[0:35] Hey welcome to another edition of 50 days of dragon con the podcast that is current,
As of right now,
Joining me as always. Oh well, not as always cuz she did abandon me in the last podcast and that's to everyone's detriment, especially mine. Lee, Lee, how you doing? Hello.
I wasn't here because I took a itty bitty tiny vacation where I stayed when I got where I was I stayed where I was and we only stopped at gas stations to get gas so,
It was as safe as humanly possible. So you got some sand between your toes, right? I got some sand between the toes and I put my foot,
Salty water and it was very very nice. That's the great thing about going after schools have started in this,
Is that there are many fewer people in that big open area that they see. Yes. Yay.
Yeah pretty much everybody who was there either had very little people.
That aren't school age or you could tell from an accent, they were not from the cell. So, which is cool? I, you know, I grew up. No. No. I know Pennsylvania. So, I was born there.
[1:57] Okay, so you you you went to the ocean, right? You went to the. I went to the ocean. Okay. To the to the ocean.
And then I drove home today this is the 17th Tuesday through the last of Fred,
Now how are you doing with all of the tropical stormies that are in this mat and everywhere's typical for the Tampa Bay area? Huh. Things just go around us. They just. Oh, wow.
So, yeah. So, it's not, I mean, we had some rainy days but again,
There's always rainy days here. So, there's a lot of rain. There's a lot of rain and but it was good and yeah, I heard you had problems pressing buttons.
Hey so what I what I've learned is through the through the course of this especially since we've expanded to be also a visual medium is that my ability to do all the extra stuff when you're not here to keep things going,
Is is more difficult. It's more difficult. Let's play that way.
Well, that's good. But I miss you. That's the realities that I just missed you. I missed you too. Now, I will start to, I only missed you a small bit.
[3:08] Cuz you're short. See, that was that was more for just to make it seem like I'm not really. That sentimental guy. But I am squishing your head.
I'm fishing. So, there's some news today from Dragon Con. Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Literally, like an hour ago. Literally, like an hour ago. You may have known it before that because of being a director but. No, no, no. No, no, no, oh, a surprise everyone. Okay.
So as of today and I am going to read the exact update. This is Tuesday, August for the best.
As the number of covid related cases continues to go on it has become clear that we need to update our health and safety protocols,
Without the data dot.
[3:55] The delta variant causing more covid-19 cases worldwide including breakthrough infections of vaccinated in the visuals we must make changes to our covid protocols including requiring all attendees,
Attend the live con. Conventions are they do have to show proof of vaccination or a negative covid test before entering the convention,
Sir, as of August 17 right now, you need to bring proof of vaccination,
You are a negative test. Or could somebody else said it?
Hey statement from a doctor saying you can't get vaccinated there are some people due to,
Their help status can't. Well, yeah. I don't wanna again. We'll save this for like, which is possibly,
Too late at that point but.
[4:55] Hey I'm not sure cuz there are some not not 100% clarity on at least from what I've read on whether having a doctor something that you can't get vaccinated means that you can't get a test.
Hey I know people who are unvaccinated who have still can't get a get a negative test so,
There's that I know there are some other questions I'm putting them in a list we do have a directors group that many of us are sending them forward on,
So, as of today, Tuesday, August 17. Mask no matter what. 24/7 at time.
[5:34] Vaccinated or proof of negative test and the vaccinated is either your card or something you can show on your iPhone,
So there you go.
By the way because they're again,
This is all new. So, please keep an eye on the official Facebook page for the Dragon Con but right now, you have to show it at,
Registration which I assume is still gonna be true regardless of what I say. Right.
So you need an idea anyway that there to get your pick up your tickets anyway pick up that membership,
Membership. They don't work for you, Lee. They don't. We made that clear.
[6:25] Their volunteers are happen to be on the track that you're the director of. I have not listened to the extract. How did i I will listen to that?
Or is it out yet? I don't even know if that yet. It's not up in podcast form it is of course immediately available on video for me,
So there you go. It'll go up tomorrow around podcast form. So, I can't wait.
That'll be awesome. Yeah. So, we we have some we have a guest here today, Lee. Oh, do we?
Hey somebody hit the door.
[7:05] Ah.
Hey Facebook my my eight is bringing me the evening meal.
Wave to the camera gentlemen. There we go.
Hey service in my very own home,
Congratulations. You're in my home. So, yep. Yeah. And only I could provide you with actual door knocking.
You know, it's a bit that we've been doing every single time and this time it's actually apparently works. It's right here. Well, it works. We also see we'll also see when you're murdered.
[7:54] Ah so,
So Todd you are a volunteer with Disability Services on WhatsApp,
Gonna go to the bathroom on my cell and I need your right before I got online with you today that I went on what like 2 minutes,
So but now type.
How long have you been with Disability Services? I believe this will be my 11th year.
Somebody doesn't know what disability services is. What is just somebody serves?
Facebook services is the dragon con department that make sure that dragon con as a total three entity under the America's disabilities act provides the reasonable accommodation for programs and services that the federal law requires,
More specifically it's a group of your fellow disabled fans that wanna make sure that you have hold on.
[9:07] Is my camera freezing on you? Can you guys hear me? It's it's freezing a little but we can still hear you fine. That's why it's all you can hear me. I'm good.
It's a group of your fellow fans with disabilities whose job it is to make sure that you have the opportunity,
For the same low caliber of service than any other dragon con member receives. Every time I say that joke. Thank you. It's true. Let me get in trouble for that joke.
Our job is to level the playing field so that you have the same opportunities at Dragon Con as everybody else,
In order to do that. Yup. We have certain processes.
To grant reasonable accommodations to folks most of them fall into four categories and they mostly relate to seating a bar rooms however this year it's gonna be more complicated than that because we're all so handling,
The covid reasonable accommodations. Oh. Okay. Interesting. So, normally, in terms of seating, we would be providing you with wheelchair seating.
Which is for those folks that need access to an interpreter or a clear line of site to stage.
[10:29] Two proximity seating which is access to a screen,
Hey and our ever popular seed in line end of row,
Prayed for those folks that need an easy way in and an easy way out. There we go. There we go.
Hey Facebook provide other reasonable accommodations on top of that like some folks get tags for their service dogs,
Okay and we tag access for service animals so that there can be a safe place for the service animals to sit,
Personal care aids or handled through our office.
Okay anything that you might need to help navigate dragon con and have a good time,
And let me just there always remind people and John will remind us of this many a time number one service animals,
Are I think was it last year the year before it wasn't last year. There was no issue with service animals last year. Oh maybe there was but it wasn't wasn't dragons problem.
But are any other you're not helping. So, I know dogs are accepted as service animals Todd.
Hey there a dog or a miniature horse.
[11:57] Okay. As you would. Anybody that hasn't hit your horse but but the law.
Being a service dog calling nature horse a dog is where I'm confused but go on.
Be lucky because they were considering monkeys and they got like tossed out of the eggs at the last minute. So, as a service. Yes. Hello.
Hey service as a service animal. Animal okay. Because prior to that it was any domesticated animal. Okay.
Well, I'm glad about the monkeys cuz I said it while y'all were talking and I'll say it again. Monkeys throw poop.
Hey Facebook,
Well open to the zoo but I also used to work with people who would work with lay of animals and I would always say oh it has to be really difficult to work with the rats or the mics and they're like oh no.
Anything else is great except for the monkey,
And I was like, well, the monkeys, they look nice. I mean, they don't do they bite and they're like, no, they throw a boot. Although they did not use the term poop.
[13:06] We are gonna use the term poop because yes we're on a family oriented podcast aren't we? We're trying our back. Yes. Absolutely. Yeah. Trying our best.
But okay so this does not mean your emotional support or peacock.
Cuz I heard somebody trying to get on a plane once with a big old peacock which are also mean.
No I I wanna be clear that service animals you are cracked service animals are allowed anywhere in Dragoncott. Which include the support animals that you're talking about. Right.
Are only allowed in your hotel room and only if the hotel permits you to have them. Right. Gotcha. Alright. So,
Very important to remember that. Overall makes it a point.
[14:01] All of their hotels allow support animals.
So, but if you're curious, contact your hotel directly. Absolutely. So, now, but you said something about,
This year is gonna be different because of the caps were making with. Right. Right.
Well remember that the seating that's available for people disabilities is based on a percentage of the available seating in any given room,
So what happens is if they available seating in any given room goes down soda is the disability for disability seat,
Okay. As we all know, if we read the dragon con Facebook feed.
[14:51] Where decreasing ballroom and panoramic sizes I one third,
So that means the available seating for people disabilities is gonna be reduced by one third,
Alright, now the way I'm gonna say this to you guys is there's no way for us to handle that.
[15:09] Without a hard cap in terms of being able to manage it and in terms of being able to be fair to everybody. Right. Just like everybody else that's out there watching this podcast,
I live in New York. My girlfriend who also is a volunteer with Disability Services and I, we've been looking forward to coming back to Dragon Con and CNR people.
Yes. Right? And I have every I have every confidence that every person that got a membership feels the same way.
Well let's remember that maybe the primary thing this year is to kinda get together with your people and have a good time. Right? And try to remember that when you're trying to get to your panels that everybody's gonna try and get to a panel,
I say every year there's gonna be something that's gonna happen that's gonna displease everyone,
Right? No matter who you are, something's gonna happen, you're not gonna be happy.
This particular case for people with disabilities it's gonna be a bit more of a challenge. So think ahead. Plan ahead.
[16:14] Okay? Right. And remember that the that the joy here is to be with your fellow fans and celebrate,
So, if you don't make a panel, get a bunch of people you know together, watch it on Dragon Con TV. No, yeah, right? Especially,
The the the virtual con, the the work that they did were for close caption last year was absolutely fantastic. They were wonderful.
Yes I I wholeheartedly support that,
We just wanna be able to make sure that everybody has a good time that after 2 years, you come, you get to be with your peeps, and you get to celebrate this thing we call Fandom. That's right.
So, my job in go ahead. Sorry, real question. We're talking about the room sizes going down. We are all, I think there's also gonna be something going on with like some seat line cat.
[17:06] Hey Facebook that's what we're talking about tonight all of this is about hard caps for all seating,
And this year, they include disability seating in the hard cap system. So, if they're gonna do it, they're gonna say, alright, you got X percentage of seats in the room, need to be for people disabilities, here's that number. Huh.
When my lines would are waiting areas get filled with that number that's it everybody else we're gonna send home,
Better partly speaking back to rooms to your next activity whatever you wanna do but I can't get you into that panel area once I reach that threshold number.
[17:44] And understand we're talking about disability services but this is gonna go all over the con. So, this is a great reason especially for main programming and the really big ballroom stuff,
To get that virtual Dragon Con membership it's 10 bucks,
Right?
Now, it's everybody pays 10 bucks. So, you can already get those online at the Dragon Con store.
So, please think about doing that especially for the main rooms. We are gonna be getting one because yeah, of course, my husband, I wanna see Shatner.
And he will very likely wanna watch Jatner more than once. So, we'll be taking that sucker home so you know, watch,
Yeah. Yeah, because it the the streaming, the many people don't realize, goes on for the entire year. Last year for an entire year. So, you can go back and watch things later at your leisure.
[18:47] There might be some now now fair warning there might be some stuff that is live on Dragoncon TV that you would get through streaming and you have to watch it at the time that it occurs or during its replay during the actual,
And might be dropped off of video on demand after the con,
My understanding do the contractual contractual issues. Yeah. But those those are those they're gonna be in the bigger convention, the bigger things but guests,
But those are those are.
Not as many as you would think they would. Yeah. Those are the exceptions not the rules. The ones that they cannot keep on the streaming service going forward. So that's good. Okay. Because I just saw the sudden saw this seat line caps which is line caps.
So
Hey, I was thinking like, you know, there's gonna be a number of people online waiting and that but we're not doing it there. We're doing it when you get in the room.
And for John because I know everybody else will be able to figure this out John. If you're keeping only two thirds of a room. Okay, let's say you have 100 seat.
[20:01] How many seats would there be if it's only two thirds?
[20:06] Two thirds,
So the unfortunate part is that someone's gonna have to be sliced in half,
Well well it did .666666 yeah which is which is the thing that we've been trying not trying to tell anybody a dragon gun,
I thought that was supposed to be secretly but I guess you've let it out now.
[20:37] Rob does say Rob Rob does say Todd by the way you guys do great work thanks for making the conaccessible and safe they actually put a question mark,
At the end of safe but I think but they did fight later with an explanation point he hasn't ridden some of the ramps on the streets outside of the hotel so I'll give him the question mark I'll play that game,
And Steve was promised there would be no math. So, Steve, I didn't ask him. I asked John Matt.
Steve you didn't have to provide the answer,
It's okay. You're fine. Yeah, I just asked John. Besides, it's it's it's he's Canadian. So, if it's not an even 10, they don't understand it. Yeah, I know. It's not a natural it just doesn't work. Okay, there we go. So, alright.
Todd yes that disability services so if you didn't one of these four exemptions,
Disability services for one of those four reasons.
[21:38] Or you need to talk to somebody about your assistance person. Right.
There's three ways to handle it.
[21:53] Hey headquarters of Disability Services,
For some reason, you can't get there cuz we know there are a lot of people that can't get there. Yeah. Right? On,
Thursday and Friday. Huh. Right?
We have someone available at eternals that can do most of the same things that we can do at this book services in the shirt.
[22:26] Hey portal the eternal area has been in the Marriott.
[22:36] Yeah. I actually do know that. Yes. It is. That's right. Sorry. It's a good idea. Yes. No. My girlfriend's gonna get lost when she goes there and then where are we gonna be,
Hey no not in the Mary out apparently. No apparently not. No. Regina was.
Hi there, something was. I know where something was. Right. Now, during the convention, right? You haven't emergency? You can't get.
To the Sheraton you can't get to the eternals area go to the main ballroom and the building where you're at it.
[23:18] Marriott Hilton Weston.
Right and share it as well. Right.
Who will do their best to help you and if they can't what they're gonna do is call me yeah and my job and we have seen me do it,
Is ride around dragon kinda til my wheels smoke. Right? Stop and help people out.
And he wouldn't let me ride on the back i wasn't gonna do anything but go away but he wouldn't let me.
[23:56] You know, I'm gonna get somebody with a power chair to come over. You can step up and get on the motor and go wee. I will do that for you. Because not for nothing. We want a photo of that. We wanna put that up here, don't we?
Hey Facebook break something,
That will be hilariously funny. No, I noticed John earlier you were talking about covid and I was, I was holding off. I was not surprised.
By the announcement today and you guys gotta know that for me as a disability services volunteer this isn't politics guys it's public health,
The people that were working with are all of the immunocompromised or the,
Other core more coal morbid. That's a really great word. Yeah. By Cole Morbid conditions, right? Also dead conditions.
Right? Huh. And we're working with these people every day. So, as much protection as we can get from potential exposure.
[25:02] Is good for us. Right? We all joke about coming to the con and get in concrete. Huh. Right? Well,
We don't wanna catch this crowd. We don't want and we certainly don't wanna lose anyone. Right? That would be absolutely heartbreaking,
So, whatever your political bent might be, right? Mm hmm. Get vaccinated if you're not. Please, get a test. If you can't.
Right? It is. Right? That's an issue because of a medical condition.
Magic pole. Including the exemption on needing to wear a mask,
We're gonna be looking for medical information from a licensed health care provider that has your name on it. Right. Right?
Three points one that it talks about the condition,
One deliberately talks about you know not wearing a mask or doing this thing with regard to testing. Huh. The third thing is that it relates to you.
[26:10] Right?
[26:11] Hey we'll provide the reasonable accommodation now those people that are really worried about it okay for the record,
We do we are not keeping your medical information,
We will write down the things that we need to know and keep it in our records. Huh. In the event that someone ask us later. But we're gonna look at the we're gonna look at the weather. We're gonna make sure that the stuff is genuine but you're gonna get that stuff back.
Right? Right. No. That's validation for covid.
What do i have to bring if I just need one of those for security? Sorry, disability services.
There are there are people that bring us medical documentation but we do the same thing with that but I just talked about we're doing with this but for those things for the the the common disability related activities by,
We're gonna take it on Faith because we're gonna assess what it is that you need based on what it is that you tell us. Exactly.
And for those people that have never done it before our staff is really nice we we we try and do it quietly and discreetly and believe it or not you can tell us anything,
Right? Because there are some people that wanna give us the unvernished truth about their disability experience,
And I'm okay with that. Yes. If that, if giving me that information, helps me get you the best accommodation that you need.
[27:41] I'm okay with that.
Now I also one of the things too is to remember folks that just because you can't see a disability,
Doesn't mean a person doesn't have one. Mm hmm. I think I'm gonna use myself as an example because I've brought it up a lot. I have neurological issue right now that causes problems with my skin,
Find this is not a bad back. This is actually nerve is related and I really can't.
Stand for a very long period of time.
So, I might need an accommodation and actually got one that said that if I were standing in line for a ballroom, I could sit down to wait instead of being alive. That's really all I needed.
Gonna give you a real common one we get all the time. Sure.
[28:39] People with anxiety. Alright. Yeah. Because that they're dealing with anxiety. They might be taking medication,
Medication has side effects. Side effects that do things like deal with balance. Or deal with gastrointestinal. You you take a med,
And sometimes when you gotta go, you gotta go, right? Huh. Perfect. The perfect reason for a senaline end of row sticker cuz when you gotta go, you gotta go. You don't want anybody standing in your way between you and the exit,
No happens all the time. There you go.
[29:19] You don't see things like that. So, let's just again, as we've said, be patient.
Hey and don't be a jerk. The one other covid issue that we get to talk about. Talk about this every year. It's a,
John, it's a word which starts with E.
It's a thing that goes up and down. Elevators actually have a question. Right. Also, how well elevators work? Well, Rob, elevators will always work as they always have. There's a pulley system,
What goes you press a button,
It comes to you and then you get in and it goes up or down. And maybe they're counter weighted but that's not what he's talking about right now. Oh, that's not right. No. Shirley, you're the elevators will work. Of course, they'll work but don't call me Shirley,
I think what he's talking about is how they're gonna work. Hey, hold on a second. Todd,
You have just jinxed every elevator.
They're gonna work. So, I'm telling everybody it's your fault for that. Yeah, okay. Alright. Just FYI.
[30:27] But the thing with covid is every venue,
Decides four themselves how the elevators will work in the venue. Okay. Right at you. So,
We won't know. I mean, we're having those conversations now. So, as that information comes in, if there's a reason to be updated, I'll get back on with you guys and say, you know, let's do 60 seconds and talk about elevators. Perfect. But,
But I'm always good with best practice, right? Same as every year, guys. Right?
If you don't need to use an elevator. Don't. Right? Especially this year. I mean, really. Exactly. Oh, yeah. Right?
Because we expect that there's going to be at least in one hotel but there will be a limit on the number of people allowed to be in an elevator at one time.
[31:26] And if that's true,
That means that there's gonna be a lot of people standing in a really close space around an elevator waiting waiting to get in one,
Right right for my my fellow disabled fans this is about planning ahead,
For my,
Non-disabled fellow fans this is me saying guys if there's any year out of any of them that I can say use extra time use extra thought it's this one,
Because guys, when I'm in my chair, I don't have a choice. Yup. Right? Believe it or not,
In my wheelchair and the owner's manual there's a section called escalators. Right? How do you use a wheelchair on an escalator? I'm thinking this is great. Let me find out how to do it. It's in the center of the book.
When you open it it's a big red box that says,
No don't do it we we refuse to take any liability if you attempt to use this wheelchair on an escalator,
I don't have that option.
[32:39] Right? Now, mind you, you know, I walk around with a backpack that, you know, that carries enough for a small disaster kit cuz I never know when I'm gonna be able to get in the elevator to get back to my room. Yeah.
Bot this is also this isn't just about being kind to people disabilities this is being kind to your fellow fans,
Because in close space potential exposure guys let's all think ahead.
[33:10] And do know that not only are there stairs that will get you from like a ballroom to a main level,
There are stars that will get you between floors for a hotel rooms.
So you don't just have to find the big carpeted stairs that are right beside the escalator. There are many many other stairs that you can go up and down,
It always kind of been a dragon con rule of thumb. This is not written anywhere.
Walk one up, walk two down. You might need to think about it for those of us who can.
Upstairs.
I wanna go to a panel about the hunger games I don't wanna participate in it. There we go. Okay.
We did we did have a couple of other questions too. Jump right in John. How will you regulate holding seats?
Okay so any person with a disability who who,
Gets under that cat right? They're allowed to have a companion with them. Okay. A is a very serious thing. We talk about one,
While I will do my best not to sell to separate minor children from their families with the way the counts go in this post covid arena.
[34:39] All close here.
Right? So, we will hold one for everybody that we can appropriately let in the room.
[34:52] Right? Right. But when we reach the cap, we reach the cap.
Go ahead Lee. Well, no, I was gonna say that, you know, there's always been this, you know, rumor around dragon con. That if you have a disability badging, get all your friends in with you to sit.
That is not the case. Nope. It is not. It's true. Lee, I'll correct you. It's true. As the rock showing up to dragon this year,
It is just as true as The Rock being an official guest of Dragonthon this year,
Which when I talked to Dwayne I'll tell him you said that. He's not on the official list. I would love to touch Dwayne about,
Or mister Johnson cuz he's probably much better than me. Like Krishna.
[35:51] I will chat with him about how we can get an application all set up but right now that's exactly right John. Zippo oh oh. Yeah. Of credibility on either one of those two things,
So, don't you know, don't get off. Yes, how we talked about the beginning. It's it's reasonable accommodation and it's it's huh.
Equal accommodation essentially. Right, your leveling the playing field and the and the the story is, it's gonna be difficult for everybody this year. Right? So, usually like to say.
[36:27] Everybody gets to be as miserable at. That's right.
It's my job to make you as miserable as any non-disabled dragon can attendee. That's my job. There you go. Lori, Lori asks do we know if the skybridges will be available?
I have no information that they will not be right,
Hey limiting that,
Okay. So, but I think the Sky Bridges are still gonna be there for movement.
[37:12] Jerry does remind us that this year more than the other year follow the Golden Rule don't be a well he's a dick yeah if you think the restrictions are too much for you stay home this is not near to push limits on things,
I mean I don't wanna be as as blunt as Jerry but but but yeah.
[37:30] This is definitely not the year to push to limit on things. No, Jerry's my guy. I completely agree with that.
And I have advised people with disabilities who come every year,
If it's a problem for you, if you have any concern, stay home, watch it on TV, alright?
Get out get on our discord channel and talk about the experiences right this buddy services has their own discord we can provide information for that for you we have a we have a Facebook group,
There are ways for you to interact with us even if you can't come, we would love to hear from you. We would and I think that's the other thing too as we talk about, you know, you gotta make the best decision for yourself.
I have friends who went for years and years and years and as dragging con got to a certain ex number,
We're like it's it's just too much for me. I can't do it for my anxiety. I can't do it for I think it for one person even though yes there were disability services they were like it's three hotels. I just cannot.
So that's many many years ago when it was just three hotels and pretty much they were aligned,
You know that happens and you make the best decision for yourself and your family and don't be a jerk.
[38:48] If if it means that you take off this year and I get to see it for the next five after that,
Oh my god. Go ahead and do that cuz the numbers add up. Yeah. They do.
Yep and so there's that now one of the other things though is,
Remember something where we talked about earlier and I'm gonna keep repeating this a lot.
Medical exemptions. If you're this, if you're saying you cannot wear a mask, because of,
Asthma or whatever you gotta have a letter about you from a doctor explaining the condition and the recent war,
Right exit you no you keep keep talking about that because guys that's what I'm gonna be doing all weekend long as people are gonna be putting letters in front of me,
And this is the part where I completely get it because for example I have people that are autistic that have what are what's called sensory problems which means they can wear a mask for a while but not always.
Right? We have people with breathing difficulties where there's some difficulty getting air through the mask.
[40:09] There can be many reasons for that to happen,
But what I found is if you go to the doctor right and you talk to the doctor and yet and the doctor has to justify that,
They're only really gonna justify it. If you really need it. Oh yeah.
This isn't guys this isn't handicapped parking and any of my fellow disabled fans will know you know what that statement means. Right?
This is a serious thing about your medical condition. So, please, okay?
They're very cool mask. You've still got time. We're about two and a half weeks away from Dragon Con. Get on Etsy. Pay for explanated shipping. Get some cool masks. Bring them on. I'll be with you. So, it's gonna be awesome.
The side bear says yes stay safe so you can we can be back again we'd love our dragon gun family,
We wanna see everyone. Some reason I ran out of breath halfway through that sentence. I don't know why. No, I was not NC looking for mariot carpet masks just the other day. I got one. Oh, yeah. Absolutely.
I love it and I am amazed where I can be and have that on and somebody will say yup. Except my 10 thousand. That's right. Boogie carpet mask and they're all like dragon con.
[41:37] Somebody in South Carolina did it just this weekend. It was hilarious. It was great. It's awesome.
Oh lord end the call to John.
Huh. Do you have a call? I have a call. Yes. Dude. It's a cult of me.
[42:01] Look, are you serving too much? I don't know. Hello. Hey, adult beverages, right?
John, if you get a stand up of you and send it to me, I bet people will put googly eyes on. Of course, people will put me as on it. But google the eyes on anything. Stop. Hey, hey, standing still at dragon gun gets googly eyes on it.
Somewhere and nobody's gonna tell you about it.
Like they used to join right in high school in middle school when you go to sleep I do have a I do have a question as far as this building services hours I know that they they're having to clean out rooms,
On at certain points during the day is there is there are times where disability services will be unavailable because that room has to be cleared or is it is only because once we're mass amounts of people are going through. Well.
[43:05] In whatever schedule they're gonna have to spell the rooms off so the rooms can be clean there isn't gonna there isn't gonna be staff there,
But you can always go to information booth and have them ask for a disability services staffer,
Because they'll put our they'll call us they'll call me they they always do where they'll radio me cuz last few years they put a radio on my head so I can be part of the cult.
[43:31] So, if you, if you need help, we can help you get it. Right? But.
[43:39] It's very important that we know that the rooms the rooms are gonna be alternating,
So that there can be time to clean them or once every couple of panels in the alternation they're gonna be cleaning them
Something something like that schedule I was told yeah all of the track rooms are gonna be cleaned once a day,
During con hours and that will be in the app I know for extra right now it is.
[44:10] And i said i knew that and then all of a sudden I'm getting kinda dummy on it but I'm pretty sure it's 4 PM and this is overnight,
Right Jay's got your back leg,
I would just like to say Todd this has nothing to do with disability services Steve. From Canada.
As Jenny just put in the Facebook group if she if we have a stand up of John Bootel. Before gone.
That's what I'm saying.
But yes I also think that if we gotta stand up of John Butel the and put it in the extract room,
I bet they're gonna be supporting us. Huh. This is gonna be fun to watch.
What are some other what are some other what are some other common questions you get Todd that we haven't covered thus far,
Well a lot of comment a lot of common questions have to have to deal with.
[45:35] With my yeah her Steve with my disability what do you think my reasonable accommodation is gonna be I try to say it say to people when you think about that,
Hope for the best plan for the worst. Give me the sense of your worst day, right? Because I'd rather give you something that says, wheelchair seating on it.
So that you can get in the wheelchair and take it to go to a panel versus somebody attempting to be brave and saying while I need a seat in my under row and then in the middle of convention needed to come back to me and ask again for another sticker,
While I while I were absolutely do that it's not this is all about planning ahead so.
[46:18] The other common things that we've already talked about. The disability services area is loaded.
In the first segment after the the previous panel room empties.
[46:31] So it's really important if you you gotta be there as soon as you can with the weather cap,
But the thing I'm gonna be looking for is to figure out how to stage my loading about 10 minutes before the panel ends,
Right? So it's really important that you have your your minion with you. The the convention word for companion. You have your Minion with you,
And you know where it is that you need to be seated because our folks will try to voice over the the den whether it's in the the higher the Marriott by way of example and say okay,
First we're gonna see these people because it does go in order,
Huh. First, we bring the wheelchairs in to see them cuz they're the longest to get like parked and locked and ready to go and out of the aisle.
[47:21] Then we bring the sightlines people in to make arrangements for for the interpreters and the things that that need to happen,
Then it's the seed in line end of row and the proximity people and they all come in at once and they find their seats,
Only when everybody's loaded does that loading start so the faster I can get that process to work,
The faster that panoramic gets loaded and the faster that track starts. And we know exactly how that works.
Right. And the panels will start on time. That is the rule. Yup. When it says it's gonna start at 5 o'clock it's gonna start at 5 o'clock and the reason for that being.
I'm sorry not 5 o'clock. 1 PM. It's gonna start at 1 PM because,
Especially with dragon hunting being especially with dragon con being a virtual members only con as well,
You're gonna we gotta get you in and out of there and we gotta start on time and end on time. So, we only have an hour. So, listen and follow directions when they're bringing you in. Cuz that's important. No.
Interpreters are provided a dragon con for those people who are deaf who require interpreters that's a special process that you work with share it on.
[48:45] And that's what the that's what those those seats are for that we kinda pull out and put next to the stage area that's the interpreter.
[48:56] It's their job to interpret everything they hear. This is a special message for all these people who don't know. Interpreters must interpret everything they hear,
So, if you say something dumb, where the interpreter can hear it, the death person in front of you will find out.
And that's often also why not just can the person up on the main stage and some of those big panel rooms not,
Can hear that question as well,
And I haven't brought this up in a couple of years but one more thing for the fans out there,
When we talk about no flash photography services people this actually mean something,
Because we've had people go into apoleptic seizures sitting in ballrooms. Because once we turn the lights down and people turn their flashes on.
The flash becomes a strobe and someone has a seizure and it becomes a problem not only does it affect them but anybody around them and all of my staff and medical,
At medical people it's crazy so if you're gonna take photos in low light right.
[50:22] Get a camera that can handle low light without a flash. Right. No flash photography. No flash photography and as John has pointed out and other people have in the past I think check ups this evening said this that,
From where you are in the con up to the stage when you're in that audience unless you are 5 feet,
Genfi in front of that stage flashing gonna do anything for you anyway,
So, don't worry about it. Also, remember, in the big rooms, there will be two screens. So, if somebody says they have to have what is it line up site?
Proximity proximity is 50 feet from stage your screen,
Hey that's only for the people needing sign language interpreting because they have to have unobstructed,
There you go. So, there will be big screens and all those rooms. If you're like, oh, I gotta take a lot of pictures cuz I won't be able to see this panel.
[51:26] No. Most of the bars.
Now I hate to go back to this to the topic again but the topic I'm asking hopefully this is the only year that we ever have to talk about this. Oh right.
Although, you know, most people are like, you know what? Come with a mask might not be a bad idea just in general.
Beyond that so will there be and I don't wanna go into any tooth to me specifics cuz I don't want anyone to try.
[52:02] Be a jerk around this whole thing but is there is there a different designated sticker for that versus the other,
5 minutes I'm gonna tell you that we are taking,
The convention is taking special care to designate that accommodation separate from any of the others. Okay. Okay. So that nobody can be a jerk about it.
Right. Okay. And and so, yeah, and so my point being is that my concern would just be that you know, somebody isn't wearing mask and then, they get their constantly being harassed because of it and there's no obvious. There's gonna be a very clear indicator on the badge about that
And guys that that's the that's kind of the reminder right it's the same thing that we was talking about with disabilities that are hidden,
If you see a sticker, if you see the sticker, if you, even if you see whatever the the mask exemption sticker turns out to be, right? Huh.
[52:55] Recognize that even if you don't see it, there might be a disability of play. Yep. Right? Think about that.
Before you decide to play the conversion of road rage, right? And snap at somebody as your as they're going by, you know, on the sky bridge. It happens happens to me all the time.
Right? And we want people to protect themselves. We want people to have a good time.
[53:26] We're gonna make sure that if there's a medical exemption that you're gonna that that you're gonna be able to see that. Huh. Right? So if you see it on the badge,
You know, hopefully you haven't wrapped yourself up too far. But if not, right? Put the brakes on,
Again just in general this year. Just be chill. Seriously. Just have it. Just be the dude. Just be the dude. The dude abides man.
Did you buy and I don't care if that means you wanna wear a.
Bathroom chairs.
My husband a few years ago came to Con right after he had knee surgery.
And two things to think about. Number one, he thought, well, even if I take the wheelchair, I won't need to sit in the wheelchair,
Because I'll just be able to stand up for a little bit and hop over to a seat. Well, again, you thought that.
But guess what? It didn't work because. When you do have to leave, you know, you have to go back and get it. You gotta do the reverse.
[54:40] Right? The other thing is if you are somebody who is just in a wheelchair for a very short amount of time and Con is the first time you've had to be in it.
Look into winning one of the little electric,
Yeah almost always right across from our main office at this footy services and you can order one now you can reserve one now and pay for it but right,
He was very as Todd said you won't let me just stay on the back and you know we as we go down that big big big big hill from the western to the sheriff. Oh yeah. Yeah.
Unfortunately and actually i wouldn't wanna do that that would be terrifying but,
The electric help I'll just be able to roll all over,
By day one of time she was not a happy person.
So, there you even, if you're really in great shape, then your upper body looks like the rock.
Who may or may not be appearing at Drankon this year,
Oh we can say is that he if he is not wearing a mask he has gone through disability services and had exactly what we're saying. I do wanna know. I mean he's not on the official guest list.
[56:08] And by the way the rock says wear a mask. That's right. He does.
Okay. So, is there anything else we've left off Todd while we have gone around? No, we've talked about all the majors. We've covered it all. Good.
Alright. No, no, no, no, no, no, we got a game. We got our game. We got a game. And what is.
Tyler just sent you, it's obviously go Jackbox.TV on some device or tab or on your thing and then, essentially the,
The room code.
Yep. The folks that are watching at home.
[56:56] I mean I presume you're at home. You might not be at home. Who knows? Can I can I tell you something? I just realized about two games ago. What?
There's more than one question when you get less prompt. That's number one. Number two is i don't always have to have my key. John, where'd you send it?
Oh it's in the private chat of of,
There you go. I didn't realize you didn't have to have your caps lock on when you put in the room post,
Yeah, I know. Makes it all caps anyway and I was like, oh.
[57:37] But I I did that John. I'm in there. John, what is the good one? Oh, there it is. There.
[57:48] Soon as we see Todd in there, I'll go ahead and open it up for everyone. There we go. And what am I? Hmm.
[58:01] Hey and of course here we go,
Wanna bring up that screen John? Yep, here it comes up. Here it comes. It's also scrolling, scrolling across the there you go.
That is sort of what happened to be honest with you Lee. I forgot that I need to go set up the game. Well, everyone. Oh, hey, we're there.
Okay. So we can start the game. And.
[58:45] Why she make pressure?
Come on in. It's time for a quick last three. The clips of our fathers. I'm Smitty and I'll take the shaking of your fists as a sign that you wanna start the game,
If you didn't make it in, get yourself into the audience, enter the room code, and vote, vote, vote,
This is round one.
You'll answer two prompts on your device in any way you want. Two Lee. And each of your responses will square off against someone else's. The remaining players vote on their favorite. Easy, right?
Oh yes, points. You score points based on the percentage of voters who like your answers. Clear enough, sure hope so. Let's go.
I'm,
Unfortunately today's are not dragging con related. They're more generalized. But you feel free to answer them in a dragon con manor,
Which is cool and with swelling feet.
[59:50] Sorry prompt number two has made me giggle.
[59:58] Music.
[1:00:03] So far, these are brilliant. As our audience normally is.
[1:00:12] Music.
[1:00:20] As a reminder, you can send us your questions. Oh, we did ask some questions. We did wanna answer, but I don't think I have time today. Oh, someone put comment out there. I'll just make sure.
[1:00:33] Jenny points out that I need you here to do all the things Saturdayly.
[1:00:39] All the things. All of the things. Come on, Jenny.
[1:00:49] Jay, there's two prompts.
[1:00:55] See I I can say this oh hey that's me detective if you'd like no,
No. Hey, there we go.
[1:01:08] Let us set sail with a terrible Mother's Day gift. So the options are a happy Father's Day card.
Or cling on forehead ridges. A terrible mower's day gift a happy mother's day card or cling on forehead ridges.
[1:01:29] Vote now. Vote often.
[1:01:37] Way to go game. And Gabe wins with a happy Father's Day card. Come on. Stop.
The next Pixar movie will be about a talking blame. Giant tree or covid molecule.
[1:01:57] I don't know if i hate or love.
Actually a kind of boat in all honesty. The next pics are movie will be about a talking giant tree or covid mark. Molecule.
Covid molecule went all the things. Pal family. No, who was the other one? The giant tree.
Yeah. Any other time that would've won? Uninvited from future potlucks. Future potlucks. Soilant. Or potato salad with grapes. Oof. Oh my god. You want to do that?
The dish that gets you uninvited from future potlucks sole and green or.
Potato salad with grapes,
I hope not. Go down.
Oh, split the room. Potato salad with grapes. Yeah. Because the audience here.
Name for a mom gang. The best name for a mom game. Don't make me call your father. Or live laugh lovers.
[1:03:16] Live, laugh, lovers, the best name for her mom gang. Now, one of those might never mind. Family.
I would just like to say that for my mom gang it would have been your father already called because.
[1:03:34] I already know.
[1:03:43] Steve well split literally split. Yeah really close though. Your last thought before passing into the afterlife.
[1:03:56] Did they actually say they are gonna miss me?
[1:04:03] Did they actually say they are gonna miss me or baba Booie? I hate to tell people this. There are potato salad recipes.
With Reach all I wanna do is I'm vomiting in my mouth all,
I like celebrity demand in a writer contract the green room must have blank.
[1:04:38] And Dorian Brandt.
[1:04:40] Okay so and what is this guy's problem with potato salad? A hot tub full of potato salad or,
And Dorian Brandy and Dancing I always never know how to pronounce it. Twillix in Dancing Forward. First of all, I know which one I want. But apparently,
Hot club hot pub. What? Hot tub, full potato salad wins. People like my enduring branding and dancing.
[1:05:15] Okay. Build a build up. He can lead a horse to water but you can't make it. Build a boat in sale. Or kick you.
[1:05:27] You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it build a boat in sale or kick you,
Can make a horse with you. Hey, perfect. Todd, it hurts. Well, it hurt. I got, I had better with the other one.
With potato salad made out of grease.
Revenge is a dish best served savagely or at room temperature.
[1:06:02] Both are brilliant. Thank you. Oh, it's a pretty darn brilliant. Gotta say. Revenge is a dish best served savage or at room temperature.
At room temperature eats it out. Revenge is the best. Is it ish best served with potato salad? And an iPhone,
Alright, see who's winning? Pal, family, pal, family is almost running away with it.
Alright those playing you should get two more prompts on your device there,
No wait wait wait wait.
[1:06:54] We're not going anywhere. There's seconds left. Use a safety clip if you have to.
You don't wanna miss spell something John. Well, head there.
[1:07:10] It happens. Let's do this.
Am I the radio is on top of it this time. And the first product is Spider Man's secret guilty pleasure.
Watching spiders build a web or googon.
[1:07:35] Guilty pleasure is building spider what building watching spiders build a spider,
Watching spiders build a web or google.
And Pal family wins that one with googon. I'm sorry if you were playing this after 10 PM that would never be any different answers. That would have been a different answer.
Common inscription on a pirate's headstone RIP also why is all the rum gone and my my peg leg,
You got slip. Wait. Ah.
[1:08:21] It's okay. We we caught this we caught the spelling mistake.
We know it's won't slip. We won't answer. Okay, I'm glad somebody else got it because I didn't. I was trying to figure out what the heck that was.
Thank you, Todd. I like Todd. The kids are wild about. Name of a new TikTok dancer. Kids are wild about.
Okay. Pick your favorite clip. The Bat two C. Or.
Okay. What is this word? Text the constant walk. The constant walk.
The concert walk or the batoozi,
I'm too old to know it. Well, I know what the pet tuzzi is. I'm not sure if they come, wants to walk. He's a real thing or not.
Sorry. And here we have. It's an actual TikTok dance apparently.
No, really. What is love? A four-letter word?
Hurt me.
[1:09:43] Really? No, really. What is love? Different questions. Let's different answers if we did this after 10 PM. That's right. That's right.
Four letter word wins. Yes. Show participant,
No, it gets real. Pick your favorite.
Two possibilities there for a main quality that producers are looking for in a reality TV show participant it are a broken family history,
Yes. Or not reality.
Those the two things. Oh, looks like you split the room comes out of the audience. The audience goes with.
Patrico. Not reality. Although that one was reality.
[1:10:44] Okay everybody pick your favorite whip I'm gonna take a guess and say one of these is from the Canadian maybe so what calm holddown is a big bowl of pot,
Or aromatherapy. For whoever that answer was, I would want,
Talk. Let's see if I was right. Oh, it's Lee. I thought it was a.
Lee wins with a big ball of pot. Play from 31st.
Poets be like, hey, poets be like, Stanza.
Or poets be like ramen.
[1:11:39] That's that's the most you're getting out of me. That's it. That's it. Done. Good idea. Or Ryman. Oh, we have another person in the audience. Thanks for coming.
Hey thanks for splitting the room. The least helpful tip in Sun Zoo's the art of war.
[1:12:08] Decisions, decisions, choose your favorite. Don't forget the potato salad bombs.
Sun Zoo's article or don't talk about war. Whoever has had like GI problems because of some bad potato salad.
This is coming out. Got into that that crowdfunding campaign for the potato salad. And you can get his. Maybe. You didn't get it.
Don't talk about war one. Alright. Okay. Only one round remains. Let's see how it's shaping up to this point.
Tell family was winning and Lee has jumped into the lead. Lee.
Hey Facebook responses you got this,
I think we should all just put potato salad this morning. Just saying. Just three potato salads.
[1:13:25] We'll see how we'll see how that comes out here.
Okay, as a reminder, you can reach us at 50 days at the unique.com. It's five 0 days at the unique geek.com. Also you can leave a comment line. Comment on her on our comment line.
A voicemail on our comment line. Something like that. At 8133210884 or also,
Jenny's Jenny's favorite 82132 one's excuse me 8133210 tug. And is,
Can you point out? That's a porn phone number. And since we're got out many of times. Yes. And since we're putting in the the drops now,
For anybody who has a discipline service question that they couldn't answer here they wanna ask in private you just send an email to Dispodi Services at Dragon Con.org.
[1:14:28] Disability services at Dragon Con.org.
[1:14:33] Talk time's almost up.
Lee. Hey. Lee. Lee. Nice. She's in. She's in. Just need a few more seconds. No. Moderation to wrap. Let's get thripping,
Alright, here we go. Allow me to introduce my three toughest henchmen. Mark, blank, and blank.
[1:15:06] Chuck and chuck or pee wee sparkles and junk hey how would I get hurt in this?
[1:15:15] Allow me to introduce my three toughest tension blank blank and blank chuck and chuck or pee wee sparkles in john.
I am giving the lovely opera.
You know what? Thank you audience. We're not giving the true show Patricio the win.
The complete win they did win but you know if you want some loving
Three things your dating profile take better have if you want some loving,
Abs Darth Vader helmet in Sweet Point Stash or.
Kittens, a beard, and potato salad.
Abs Darth Vader helmet sweet porn stash or kittens a beard and potato salad for three things you're dating profile pic better at,
If you want some loving. That was hilarious. Kittens are beard and potato salad win.
Anger or denial the three stages of grief that weren't mentioned by Kubler Ross. Revenge, pets, pets.
[1:16:45] That would be revenge, petulant, hiding, or chocolate.
[1:16:54] Again. The three stages of grief that weren't mentioned by Kubler Ross.
[1:17:04] Chocolate ice cream we're screaming or revenge pet petulous and hiding,
Thank you for splitting the boat. Chocolate ice cream. Yes. The only three things I can bring through happiness.
[1:17:25] Alright.
Okay. Marion Carpet Mask, potato salad without grapes or going in the west in the what?
The worst thing ill in the on the westing hill.
Weston Hills. Hot the rock. Virginia South. Three things that bring true happiness the pot. A pot. The pot. Rock or whatever it is. Oh sorry.
Oh Steve I really like their shoes Marriott Carpet one.
Bye. Take a deep breath and behold the final scores. Here we go.
I didn't do terrible. I don't suck.
None of you suck. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Folks playing for playing with us. Appreciate that. Remember, any questions you have for disability services, that we're not answered, which are probably many.
Disability services at Dragon Park. Org.
[1:18:44] Why would we ride you?
And Todd where are the two locations for the main disability services or the eternals registration area located in the Marriott?
They usually have a drink station out there and often food cart,
Outside oh if you're worried about how long it's gonna take wow don't.
[1:19:20] And I look forward to seeing all of my fellow fans at Dragon Con. Yes. And if you can't be there, be there virtually. Get your virtual Dragon Con,
Code now,
No we don't blow money from how many times we have yeah we don't get any money don't get any money was that Regina thanks appreciate huh no I didn't get any money at all.
[1:19:43] Alright. So, until next time for Todd, Lee, and all of our friends that have been participating with us tonight and watching,
We love you. Until next time. This is John saying peace.
[1:20:00] Mask off and bye.
[1:20:04] Music.
[1:20:12] This was a production of the unique geek. Call our comment line at 81332102.
133210884. Email us at the geeks at the unique gig.com or 50 days at the uniquely.com.
Follow the uniquely on Facebook and Twitter. This podcast is distributed under a creative comments attribution on commercial share like.
[1:20:39] Music.
[1:20:57] Postgrads bye. Jenny that you just noticed that the phone number is a bad adult site.
[1:21:08] Countdown two to
John, I understand that but that she has not recognized that until she was on. Oh, I'm sure she's Saturday.
John, we we love you. It was a great choice. Come on, you know it. You know, it was an accident. Alright, goodbye.