INTERVIEW: Don S. Davis (George Hammond)

[JessM]

Very interesting interview, thanks! I do wish he'd kept politics out of it as far as Iraq was concerned though. I guess the topic wasn't really avoidable as he was talking about his military service, but... I guess I personally just don't like celebs opining on world events/politics, no matter which side of the aisle they're on.

(*ducks to avoid rotten vegetables*)

But other than that I enjoyed the interview. Looking forward to more!

[David]

I'll be the first to admit that I don't always agree with him on political issues. However, being a convention-goer I was very aware that these things are important to him -- and key to Hammond's development as a character. If I didn't give him an opportunity to say what he wanted to say, well, we wouldn't have had a complete portrait of him.

[qksilver99]

I'll be the first to admit that I don't always agree with him on political issues. However, being a convention-goer I was very aware that these things are important to him -- and key to Hammond's development as a character. If I didn't give him an opportunity to say what he wanted to say, well, we wouldn't have had a complete portrait of him.

Well, you can tell Don's a former university professor. He'll speak his mind and then worry.

On a serious note, I really think you did a good interview with him.

The first time I ever saw Don at a con was at a Creation Con. It was the two minutes at the table, and his handler was telling him, "Time to go the next table." Don looked at him, deliberately ignored him and then continued talking with our table. When Don decided that it was time for Don to move to the next table, he instructed us to feel free to come talk to him anytime we saw him at the con as he'd be honored.

Some people don't like his political leanings and disagree with his statements on the military and then again, on the other hand, I had a friend in tears after one con because he spoke about the military and what he had learned by being in the service. She had a nephew shipping out to Iraq the week afterwards and she was scared to death but somewhere she grabbed some comfort from what he was saying during his con spiel, and she was crying tears of relief.

Don's opinionated, no doubt, that's part of who he is. He's also the same guy that gladly let a few fans interupt him during his lunch at the con while he was reading so we could take pics and NOT pay the creation con prices. And he smiled and acted delighted because he made a few fans' days. I can still remember a little girl skipping around the room because she got Don's pic. She was really cute, so she could getting away with skipping. I'm not, so I walked quickly away.

I think you did a good job nailing the different aspects of him on the interview. Too often I read or watch interviews where the interviewee's personality doesn't come through.

Helena

(& Selmak the squeeing fangrrrrl).

[Pharaoh Atem]

for those having trouble with seeing the videos try downloading the newest version of quicktime recently updated http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/win.html

[JessM]

I'll be the first to admit that I don't always agree with him on political issues. However, being a convention-goer I was very aware that these things are important to him -- and key to Hammond's development as a character. If I didn't give him an opportunity to say what he wanted to say, well, we wouldn't have had a complete portrait of him.

I concede that, and kudos to you for getting a complete portrait of him.

[JessM]

Well, you can tell Don's a former university professor. He'll speak his mind and then worry.

On a serious note, I really think you did a good interview with him.

The first time I ever saw Don at a con was at a Creation Con. It was the two minutes at the table, and his handler was telling him, "Time to go the next table." Don looked at him, deliberately ignored him and then continued talking with our table. When Don decided that it was time for Don to move to the next table, he instructed us to feel free to come talk to him anytime we saw him at the con as he'd be honored.

Some people don't like his political leanings and disagree with his statements on the military and then again, on the other hand, I had a friend in tears after one con because he spoke about the military and what he had learned by being in the service. She had a nephew shipping out to Iraq the week afterwards and she was scared to death but somewhere she grabbed some comfort from what he was saying during his con spiel, and she was crying tears of relief.

Don's opinionated, no doubt, that's part of who he is. He's also the same guy that gladly let a few fans interupt him during his lunch at the con while he was reading so we could take pics and NOT pay the creation con prices. And he smiled and acted delighted because he made a few fans' days. I can still remember a little girl skipping around the room because she got Don's pic. She was really cute, so she could getting away with skipping. I'm not, so I walked quickly away.

I think you did a good job nailing the different aspects of him on the interview. Too often I read or watch interviews where the interviewee's personality doesn't come through.

Helena

(& Selmak the squeeing fangrrrrl).

I hope I didn't offend you or anyone else in my comments. I certainly did not intend to offend Don. I guess it's just that I've grown a bit weary of the whole celebrity politics thing in general. I agree with what you say about him, though. I met him at a con in NJ about 2 years ago and I thought he was great. Even though I didn't agree with one of the things he said, I remember him giving advice to someone whose son wanted to enlist in the military but he didn't want to die (or some words to that effect). He encouraged him to join anyway. What he said (can't remember the exact words) was quite powerful.

I also met him one on one towards the end of the con in the hotel lobby. All the pics I'd taken at the whole con turned out awful, and he let me take a few pics of him there in the lobby. He also signed my con program for me. I thought he came across as really genuine and sweet.

So again I hope no one took my comments as bashing or anything...I didn't intend to be that way. Even if I don't agree with some of his politics I found him to be a very nice, personable guy.

[LaCroix]

JessM, what you wrote was your opinion and it didn't bother me. I hope some of mine haven't bothered you.

[qksilver99]

I hope I didn't offend you or anyone else in my comments.

Oh no, not at all.

If I was offended, I certainly wouldn't post a comment in the public forum.

I really think GW did a nifty interview.

I had the pleasure of listening to Don tell a few tall tales at last year's NJ Con to some fangrrrrls and it was fascinating. He chatted about subjects as varied as architecture, Dan Brown's books, Dante's Inferno besides sprinkling in assorted tall tales of what he's supposedly done in his past. Don's an incredibly complex person (I mean that in a good way, seriously), and I really think GW did a good job with the interview. I mean I've been to far too many cons where their ideas of good questions are "Boxers or Briefs?" or "Do you read Slash FanFic?".

So no worries.

Helena

BTW - you mentioned the Jersey Creation Con, if you're attending this year, there's a bunch of us from GW going so you'll need to hook up with us and introduce yourself.

[JessM]

JessM, what you wrote was your opinion and it didn't bother me. I hope some of mine haven't bothered you.

Thanks. And no, nothing that you wrote has bothered me at all either.

[JessM]

Oh no, not at all.

If I was offended, I certainly wouldn't post a comment in the public forum.

I really think GW did a nifty interview.

I had the pleasure of listening to Don tell a few tall tales at last year's NJ Con to some fangrrrrls and it was fascinating. He chatted about subjects as varied as architecture, Dan Brown's books, Dante's Inferno besides sprinkling in assorted tall tales of what he's supposedly done in his past. Don's an incredibly complex person (I mean that in a good way, seriously), and I really think GW did a good job with the interview. I mean I've been to far too many cons where their ideas of good questions are "Boxers or Briefs?" or "Do you read Slash FanFic?".

So no worries.

Helena

BTW - you mentioned the Jersey Creation Con, if you're attending this year, there's a bunch of us from GW going so you'll need to hook up with us and introduce yourself.

Oh, good, I'm glad. Sometimes I think I worry too much about offending people.

From what I've see of him, he does seem like a complex person. One of my friends in Texas saw him at the Dallas con and she chatted with him and Ruby.

As of now I'm planning to go to the NJ con for Saturday only (still waiting for Creation to put the single day tickets on sale...hopefully it won't be long). But I would love to hook up with you guys.

[phaeton]

Great Interview