Thursday, April 6, 2023

Dinah Manoff and Golden-Con 2023 Recap

Picture it...
Chicago... 2023.
Three Men come together with a dream to assemble a celebration of one of the greatest television shows of all time. 
People came from all over the world to commune with one another with a common love for all that made this show great.
There was cosplay, trivia, special guests, merchandise and more!
Those three men were Zack Hudson and Brendan and Brad Balof.
And the event was called... Golden-Con 2023: "Thank You For Being A Fan."
After attending this celebration of “The Golden Girls,” I couldn't help but slip into a little Sophia Petrillo while introducing my recap. Despite my friends being bigger fans, I totally got swept up in the nostalgia.
Following its successful debut last year, Golden-Con returned to Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk. The organizers did a great job of offering exhibits and events for every level of fan. I was mostly interested in meeting actors from the show or its spinoff “Empty Nest,” while my friends enjoyed seeing inside jokes, wardrobes and recreated sets.
I was very excited about meeting all of the celebrities. I will feature each here in the future, but today Dinah Manoff takes center stage.
I first saw Manoff in television's "Soap," a vastly underrated show. Also on her impressive resume is "Grease," and of course "The Golden Girls" and "Empty Nest." She was promoting The Real True Hollywood Story of Jackie Gold, her book.
Dinah was as sweet as could be, as were the other actors. As I talked with her, I kept thinking how surreal it was to be standing next to "Elaine" (or Marti or Carol lol). What a pleasure it was chatting with her.
One of the other highlights was Dr. Melinda McClanahan's presentation about her sister Rue, who played Blanche. It was informative, heart-warming, and entertaining. That was just one of the many special events during the convention.
For all the fascinating things at Golden-Con, my biggest takeaway might have been from the crowd. There was a palpable sense of happiness and warmth. Everyone was in such a great mood. In a room filled with strangers, everyone felt like family.
I resisted the urge to break into the iconic theme song, although I did hum it a little at times. Seriously though, I don't think anyone would have complained, because everyone was simply having a wonderful time. Some of us even had a slice or two of cheesecake.
I resisted the urge to break into the iconic theme song, although I did hum it a little at times. Seriously though, I don't think anyone would have complained, because everyone was simply having a wonderful time. Some of us even had a slice or two of cheesecake.
Thank you to Zack, Brad and Brendan for their hospitality. I look forward to future Golden-Con events. For more info, go to ThankYouForBeingAFan.com and follow Golden-Con on social media.
 Dinah Manoff and me in Chicago, IL-April 2023.

1 comment:

Brett Alan said...

I love Soap. Maybe the funniest show ever. Elaine is certainly the character I think of first when I see her name.