Welcome

 
Ring*Con 2007 Fragments - Auction, Calling Craig & More

Opening
During the Opening Ceremony Mark talked about Craig Parker not being at Ring*Con that year, for the first time after attending it five years in a row and made everyone laugh and forget about the sadness this caused: "So ... she [Craig, his wife] dressed me before I came. [laughs] There's a part of Craig ... [laughs] I was gonna say 'There's a part of Craig in me' but, errm, in spirit Craig is here with us and we can have a huge amount of fun and if you come to my panel a little later, I am going to ringing Craig and trying to get him out of bed."

Quizshow
Like he promised during the Opening Ceremony, Mark later really tried to call Craig who was at home in New Zealand. Unfortunately Mark didn't do the math correctly and got confused by German and New Zealand summer time and called about one or two hours before the time he talked about with Craig which equaled seven or eight in the morning over at New Zealand. He explained this to the audience and then called Craig.

Mark: And what I do ... was I got a little confused with the time, because of Daylight Saving in New Zealand. And he thinks, I'm gonna call him at about nine o clock.
Silence, you can hear the call going out.
Mark: Sleeps ...
Thomas: The number you have called is not currently ...
Audience laughs, there's music from Jeopardy. Mark holds his mobile close to the microphone, looks like the mailbox is on.
Mark: This is ... do we wanne leave him a message?
Audience cheers.
Mark: Okay
He holds his mobile towards the cheering and screaming audience.
Mark: ... call him next soon.

After a while Mark tries again. He holds his mobile up to his ear while he tells the responsible persons which slides should come next.
Mark: Are you ready? Can we move on to, erm, nine, ten and the next ... the next ... one please [Takes deep breath] Ah! Mr. Parker!
He walks towards a female Quizshow contestant.
Mark: Could you say hello to Craig Parker?
Teilnehmerin: Hi Craig, it's Ring*Con!
The audience laughs.
Mark: (takes mobile back): H Hey, it's Ring ... This is Ring*Con calling, say hello to Craig
Holds mobile towards the audience. Screaming and cheering.
Mark: Okay ... Can you hear me? Can you talk, Craig?
Laughing.
Mark: Now talk up really ... Talk up really loudly.
He holds his microphone towards his mobile, there's something to hear, almost not audible.
Mark: [Laughs] Did you say anything?
Again he holds his mobile to the microphone, again there's something, almost not audible.
Mark: Hang on. Can you turn this up really loud? To the guys at the back of the hall - then some acoustic feedback.
Craig: Now I'm talking very loud!!!
Audience cheers, audience laughs
Mark: Craig, I told them the real reason ... [cracks up] ... that you couldn't come is that you are having a face surgery.
Part unknown
Mark: ... Craig, okay ... alright ... okay ... well, he's getting a bit tired now. I'm gonna say goodnight ... Go back ... go back to sleep. [Laughs]
Audience laughs
Mark: Okay. And he says Goodbye to everybody, have a fantastic time and he misses you terribly and there's one last time to say "Hello, we love you, Craig!"
Audience cheers and screams, there's some "love you" in between.
Mark: Thanks ... Bye ... bed

Auction
Amongst many other things a picture of Craig Parker's belly was auctioned off.

Mark: We have a special picture of Craig Parker's abs ... or abdom ...
Lori: They look pretty good!
Mark: They do look pretty ... who'll give me twenty?
The picture eventually got sold for 40 Euros
Lori: Oh, you can put it on your pillow.

Another item, was the (framed) cigarette Craig and Mark "smoked" during the Ring*Con 2006 Closing Ceremony while playing the dying/dead dragon from Beowulf.

Mark: And it's the one photo of the very moments that Craig and I, look at us, sharing a very slashy cigarette. [Laughs]
Lori: Smoking.
Laughing
Mark: Oh yeah ... Alright now, god knows what this is worth. Let's start with twenty Euros. You are sick people. Who gives me twenty Euros [laughs] Who gives me thirty, thirty Euros for a cigarette. Who gives me fourty, fourty for a cigarette, fourty thank you, who gives me fifty, fifty Euros for a cigaratte, we're at fourtyfive, we're at fourty Euros, fourty Euros, fourty Euros for a cigarette. Oh come on, it's worth much more than that. [Rolls Eyes] Fourty Euros going once, oh haha ... ffiftyfive. Let's go 22.000, shall we? 50 Euros over there, fifty Euros going once, no? Oh, come on [Offended] fifty Euros going twice
Lori: They were smoking it together. It's only one cigarette. How sweet is that.
Mark: [Laughs] Fifty Euros and it is thaaaankfully sold

Closing Ceremony
During the Closing Ceremony Mark again mentions his "wife Barbara" who couldn't be there because of her faclifting.
Mark: She will be looking really fresh, when she's getting here ... NEXT YEAR!!!