Koon-ut-Cali-Con

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You may be looking for the zine Koon-Ut-Kal-If-Fee.

Convention
Name: Koon-ut-Cali-Con
Dates: 1989, 1990
Frequency:
Location: San Diego, California, United States
Type: slash
Focus: K/S
Organization: Council of California K/Sers
Founder:
Founding Date:
URL:
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Koon-ut-Cali-Con or CaliCon, was a Southern California K/S con in June of 1989 and 1990.

The concom was Alexis Fegan Black, Natasha Solten, and Dovya Blacque; hugely important writers, editors and publishers in K/S fandom at the time.

front cover of the 1989 program book, Marilyn Cole
back cover of the 1989 program book
flyer for 1989, sent to interested fans
flyer for 1989 Koon-ut-Cali-Con, printed in Datazine #54

The Con's Origins

From Alexis Fegan Black, a member of the concom:

The event is Koon-ut-CALI-CON, to be held at the Bahia Resort Hotel (where the hot-tub is big enough to fit half the convention into, and a lot of the rooms open out onto "a beach to walk on" - i.e. Mission Bay Beach). The executive committee of Koon-ut-CALI-CON (Alayne Gelfand, Wendy Rathbone and yours truly) decided that we couldn't let IDICon die. And since the WHIPs told us at this year's IDICon in Houston that they would not be doing the convention next year due to a lot of the gals moving out of the area, we decided (in our inebriated state) that it was our turn to step forward and stick our proverbial heads on the chopping block just as the gals from Phoenix did a couple years back. So... when one of the WHIPs announced our intentions at the Saturday night entertainment in Houston this year... we were committed... [Also], as it stands, CREATION is hosting a large Trek-oriented convention in Los Angeles sometime in June; but due to the fact that the CREATION people have essentially forbidden (or seriously restricted) the sale of K/S zines at their functions, it is possible that we (the K/S editors of California) will not be attending. While CREATION has stated that we can sell K/S at the convention, they have also stated that it cannot be displayed (even discreetly, in boxes, as we have always done). So, all things considered, it would be pretty pointless for a bunch of editors to stand around at a table looking lost with the zines hidden. In essence, it seems perfectly acceptable for other dealers to openly display porn comics of a heterosexual nature, or even for certain "straight" adult zines to be laid out on the table with tits and ass and even male genitalia prominently displayed It's not okay, however, for K/S zines to be seen at all. So, with that in mind, unless we can come to some sort of workable agreement with CREATION, it's a matter of principle that we, as editors anyway, do not support their conventions... Now before everyone starts writing letters to CREATION, please hear me out. Please don't write letters to CREATION, for a variety of reasons. Essentially, we don't want to stir up a war. K/S has always been and shall always remain an underground pleasure for those of us who had the good luck to find it, and rather than fight with the CREATION folks, who don't want K/S at their convention; we would much rather let sleeping dogs lie, so to speak. In other words, CREATION is meant to be a commercial event, with commercial prices and controlled events. And rather than stir up the proverbial hornet's nest and bring Paramount crashing down on everything, it is our decision to either not attend CREATIONS or to keep everything hidden under the table, as we have been requested to do. So, it stands like this: the initial and worst 'conflict' between CREATION and us has been somewhat resolved, but is on shaky ground. And instead of trying to crash their little party, we're going to have our own party from now on, and we hope that you, the fans, will join us. Which is another reason that we have decided to do Koon-ut-CALI-CON on a yearly basis if at all possible (of course, by the time the first convention's over, we may all retire to the padded room at The Old K/S Ladies' Home). [1]

From Alayne Gelfand, a member of the concom:

In the mid-to late 80s, there was a group of us who lived in San Diego -- or very near it -- who got together quite often to talk zines and stories and, because we were all K/S writers or Trek gen writers, to just talk about the show. We normally met at one of two friends' houses and, after a while, one of them started calling the gatherings "Nada Cons" because they really weren't cons. That translates into, from the Spanish, "not a con". These got to be so large that we really didn't fit in one house anymore; people started coming down from Los Angeles and even as far away as San Francisco for long weekends and we found ourselves doing things that had very little to do with fandom. We'd go to Sea World or something. So, one dark and very drunken nights, three of us decided to do a "real" convention. We did the con for two years in San Diego -- Mission Bay, which is right by Sea World -- and we had around a hundred people both years [2] On that dark and drunken night, while we were trying to figure out what to call the convention, Natasha Solten suddenly came up with "Koon-ut-Cali-Con: We must meet every year or die trying"! For those non-trek fans among us, that was in reference to Spock's pon farr. [3]

Surak Awards

The convention also sponsored the Surak Awards, and included a nomination form in the convention booklet. Categories were divided between "General" and "Age Statement Required" and all of the zines, artists, editors, writers, humorists and poets were nominated for Star Trek and K/S activities only. To vote, you had to hand in a dollar with your filled out ballot. The list of nominees is a Who's Who of K/S fandom of the time.

1989

It was held June 16-18, 1989.

There were about 190 attendee names in the program book.

1989: The Program Book

The 25-page program book has a front cover by Marilyn Cole. The back cover is not credited.

Cailcon Frisbie, handed out to attendees of the 1989 convention
tshirt for the 1989 Koot-ut-Cali-Con, Kirk and Spock in beachwear and sunglasses. Logo designed by Marilyn Cole

The contents: greetings from the con com, description of activities and panels, rules, menus from local restaurants, two pages of instructions of what do do during and after an earthquake, a list of attendees, ads for photos and other items for sale, and a memorial write-up for Pat Friedman who'd passed away a week previously.

  • from the 1989 program book

    from the 1989 program book

  • from the 1989 program book

    from the 1989 program book

  • from the 1989 program book

    from the 1989 program book

  • from the 1989 program book

    from the 1989 program book

  • from the 1989 program book

    from the 1989 program book

  • from the 1989 program book

    from the 1989 program book

1989: Panels

The descriptions of the panels below are from the program book.

  • Those Controversial Menage Stories: "Okay, you know you have an opinion on this. Everybody does, whether they want to or not! Here's your chance to make your voice heard. Do you like menage stories? Do your hate them? Is it possible that our social values will change sufficiently by the 23rd century that menages will be the norm instead of the exception? Would Kirk and Spock really do that with someone else?" Panelists: Alayne Gelfand, Patricia Pavey-Tracey, Ande Hughes.
  • Classic TREK vs. New Trek": "A discussion which basically translates to: Thrash it out! Who's best, Kirk & Spock or Picard & Riker? (You'll notice who's on the cover of this [program] book you're holding, you're holding, so it's fairly easy to see the opinion of your convention committee!) Now's your chance to make your viewpoints heard in fandom. Bring your boxing gloves & your best (tastefully done, of course) insults, and slug it out (verbally only, please!) once and for all." Panelists: Robyn Jones, Tere Ann Roderick.
  • Bodie & Doyle -- The Professionals: "What's all the fuss about? Who are these two British men that have captured the hearts of so many fans? Here's your opportunity to ask the experts." Panelists: Noel Silva, Pat Diggs.
  • The Totally Psychic/Mystic Workshop: "Ever wondered about the table tipping or how to use a Ouija Board. Ever had your palm read with such amazing accuracy that it gave you chills clean through to the bone? Ever wondered why astrology can be so eerily precise? Ever seen a UFO? Ever been said to yourself, I want to go home'... and you are home? Here's your chance to meet other fans who share your interests, and to have "hands on" experience with the mystic realm. We will have people there to help you experience these things for yourself, inclu;r: tarot reading, candle burning ('white' magic only!) reading (the ancient art of 'throwing the stones") Ouija Boards, table tipping & more. We ask only that you attend this session with an open mind and a serious attitude. Since the psychic/mystic vibration is a beautiful one, please respect it. In other words, hecklers will be asked to leave." Instructors: Cathy Griggs (table tipping), Ann Crouch (runes), Della Van Hise (tarot/palmistry), Alayne Gelfand (candle burning), & more.
  • Writer's Panel: "So you're working on your first fan story and you're scared shitless to let an editor actually see it. The mere thought of someone else reading it gives you hives and a bad case of the stomach But you will survive. Other writers have, including our panelists. Here's your chance to find out what makes a fan story work, what's a sure-fire way to ruin your fan story, and what to do when (not if, but when) you're ready to submit your new child to an editor who eats small children for breakfast! Don't be shy. Come and talk to our panelists about all aspects of fan writing." Panelists: Susan Kandt, Sharon Pillsbury, Kathy Resch, Della Van Hise, Robin Hood.
  • Awards -- Should They Or Shouldn't They?: "Are awards a way of honoring deserving writers/artists/poets/editors? Or do they possibly breed a sense of competition in fandom that is actually destructive? You answer that question with your opinions and experiences." Do certain fans/editors/writers or friends of the same deliberately "stuff the ballot box," thereby overlooking someone who was perhaps more deserving of the award, but who had less friends? Do awards provide incentive to editors, et al, to do better work? Kelly Tower, co-chairman of The Surak Award Committee, will be there to answer your questions about the ballots and voting procedure, and can give excellent background on how the awards are run." Panelists: Kelly Tower, Susan Kandt, Wendy Rathbone, KathE Walker, Della Van Hise.
  • What Did You Think of STAR TREK V?: "It's been out for a week, and you've seen it at least two dozen times by now! What did you think? How was the marshmallow scene? Can you actually believe that Kirk and Spock went (you guessed it!) camping?! What'd you think of God? What'd you think of Kirk? What'd you think of Spock? Did it work? How about the new director? Come on down to this one for what's sure to be a wonderful discussion and exchange of ideas -- ideas which are sure to turn up in those K/S stories over the next few months/years!" Panelists: Mark Overby, Chris Flicker, Alayne Gelfand, Robin Hood, Della Van Hise.
  • New Editor's Panel: "So, you're thinking of doing your own zine, eh? Find out from these new editors what to expect in the way of rewards and retributions! Is it as easy as it looks, or should you purchase one of those jackets that tie in the back before even considering doing your own zine? How do you deal with writers and artists? How do you tell someone that you can't use their story and have them not form a lynch party on your front lawn? How do you find artists and writers and poets? Do they grow on trees, or is there a farm where they are bred? And, of course, how to get your K/S or other "/" zine to the printer without having to tie it to a brick and throw it through the window in embarrassment!" Panelists: Nancy Bannister, Irene Dicke, Kari Masoner.
  • Rape/Violence vs. Soft/Romantic Stories: "A panel helpful to all editors and writers from all fandoms! Which do the readers actually prefer? We know what they say, but it's been noted by several prominent editors that the so-called "gotcha" zines and stories that are sometimes the most popular. Which is better? How far should we go? How should editors and writers 'police themselves" against the distasteful?" Panelists: Regina Moore, Sharon Pearson, Roberta Haga, Chris Kemmerling.
  • Zine Production Values: "Are you more impressed with a zine that has beautiful borders, loads of artwork, and covers printed on 14kt gold-plated covers but with few if any really good stories inside; or would you ranter read on of the those poorly-mimeographed, 16-lb. bond-printed, with no covers and art, if the story is good? Should editors "go the distance" with graphics and art, or is it done many times to "cover up" the fact that the stories are less than they could have been with additional editing? Does it make any difference, or is a zine just a zine no matter how it looks?" Panelists: Marilyn Cole, Kathryn Dewell, Gayle F, Della Van Hise.
  • How Did You First Get Into Fandom? "Come and talk about your fannish activities with our panelists. A discussion group that's sure to be fun and exciting. This is the place where you can talk about how you mugged that little old lady on the bus because she had this strange magazine in her lap with a full-page fold-out Pat Stall illo of Kirk and Spock "doing it" [4] -- and you just had to have it. Then you found out about zines... and the rest is history." Panelists: Kathy Resch, Main Weasel, Chris McKinney.
  • Filking: "Bring your guitar, harmonica, grand piano, Vulcan lyre, or other musical instrument_ and join with other voices for some of the best filking this side of Orion! ALL filkers welcome, all fans encouraged to come and listen even if you don't want to sing. NOTE: It is not necessary that you be able to carry a tune even in a bucket. Come and enjoy the fun and fellowship regardless of your musical ability." Filkists: Velle Prewitt, Alta Brewer, Jane Mailander.
  • Payment in Fandom: "We know it happens, and we know it threatens our "amateur" status with the powers that be at Paramount and elsewhere How should it be dealt with? Should it be allowed to continue? What can be done to retain and/or regain our small-press, no-payment status? Sure to be a heated panel, so bring your opinions and your sword and shield!" Panelists: Robin Hood, Dana Angerman, Della Van Hise.
  • Rejection: How to Give It, How to Take It: "This panel is based on the controversial article which appeared in ON THE DOUBLE. It's never easy to reject a writer, no matter how "bad" a story may be. But it's certainly not right to crush a writer's feelings either, is it? This is an excellent panel for all editors and writers specifically, with discussions on how to handle rejection when you receive it, and how to hand out rejection when you must." Panelists: D.J. Hinson, Gayle F, Alayne Gelfand. (The article mentioned was Rejection: How to Give It, How to Take It, February 1988.)
  • Where Do We Go From Here?: "Fandom's come a long way in 20+ years. Now what? Some people are saying that "there aren't any more good stories," or that they're simply "burned out." How can we ensure that fandom doesn't die when it's just starting to live and breathe on its own? Since this will be the last panel of the convention, we urge everyone to attend, and to let fandom know where you stand, and what you feel would be helpful in keeping zines/fandom alive and well." Panelists: D.J. Hinson, Dana Angerman, Regina Moore.

1989: Activities

  • Slide Show by Kandi Fong (30 minutes): "Kandi's slide shows have always brought the house down for their sense of humor, their sweet sentiments, and their down-and-dirty innuendos! Our evening starts off with bang. If you've heard about Kandi's slide show, now's your chance to see it for yourself! Thanks, Kandi, for making this possible at CALICON!"
  • Song Video Production by Mary Van Veusen (30 minutes): "Mary's song tapes have consistently won awards in all categories on both coasts! Her technical abilities are unmatched in fandom, and her tapes run from humorous to make-you-cry. So bring some Kleenex and your best sense of humor and sit down for a half-hour of some of the best song videos in fandom!"
  • Art Auction led by Robin Hood: "Here's your chance to buy all those lovely, erotic, fascinating, generously-endowed illustrations that you've been whimpering about since Friday afternoon! We'll have pieces by [Gayle F], Marilyn Cole, Ann Crouch, Deeb, Chris Soto, Jackie Zoost & lots more! Many never-before-seen pieces, many resales of those classics that have been out of circulation for years!" The art auction was videotaped, along with thirty minutes of the convention picnic.
  • Charity Auction: The proceeds were to go to the charity "The Fund for Animals." (If the description of the charity, and a mention of some items (such as a copy of I Am Not Spock "still doesn't have your attention, this is sure to get you to attend and participate! Mark Overby and Andy Rathbone will be the auction "runners." And for all you ladies, they easily could play K & S (as K & S were in their younger years...) Both will be as scantily-clad as we can convince the to be, and you may carefully(!) place all charity-auction donations (folding money only, please. Those coins can get wedged in the weirdest places!) into the waistband of whatever pants they may be wearing even if you don't find something in the auction to buy!")
  • Prizes: The Furball Awards, The Coloring Contest, The Dirty T-Shirt Award
  • Song Video Contest & Awards: See 1989: Vid Show. "Nearly two hours of those fantastic, funny, heart-wrenching, soul-wracking song tapes! The winners, runners-up, and those entered 'just for fun.' Immediately after the video presentation, the awards will be presented in each category, so plan to hang around for all the festivities and to congratulate the winners."
  • Beach Party: "This will be held directly across the double-wide highway from the Bahia, in Mission Bay Park. Go to the front of the hotel, find the cross walk, and join your committee for pizza, garlic bread, salad, soft drinks and wine - all "on th house" with your CALICON membership - so be sure to wear your badge so our security team can identify you!
  • Skit: "Your Koon-ut-CALICON committee consists of editors and writers. Unfortunately, we not terribly excited about the prospect of getting up on stage to do a skit. So... we've decided to leave that honor to others who have been kind enough to volunteer their services. We do hope that you'll enjoy the slide show and video presentation, and that you'll understand your committee's terminal shyness where wearing a bunny suit or green cock is concerned!"
  • Hospitality Suite: "Suite 107. Located in the pink bungalows, next to the sales & catering office. Our hospitality suite is a ' place where you can crash, read those scrumptious zines, consume mass quantities of soft drinks, chips, dips, pretzels, and other assorted munchies. Maybe even left-over pizza from the Friday night beach party! The hospitality suite will be open during normal convention hours, and will even be a late-night party place where you can meet other fans and get together for fun and conversation...Of course, this is the place to find that cake you've heard rumors about -- the pink & green one... in a very odd shape..."
  • Orphan Zines: "Oz... in the dealer's room, be sure to find the orphan zine tables! We have several boxes full of long out-of-print zines as well as zines from editors who were unable to attend CALICON. From what we've seen so far, the prices are more than reasonable, and many of these zines are as scarce as Rigellian Snoara Teeth!"
  • Schedule page 1 from the 1989 Program Guide. Click to read.

    Schedule page 1 from the 1989 Program Guide. Click to read.

  • Schedule page 1 from the 1989 Program Guide. Click to read.

    Schedule page 1 from the 1989 Program Guide. Click to read.

1989: Some Unexpected Visitors

KF: My strongest memory, of course— I was still doing slideshows and things back then and a bit of music videos, but— And we had my husband, and his friend [name redacted] were running the video room. But, and then I did the song tapes— song vids, but one of my strongest memories is being in the dealers' room and there was all this stuff, and Starsky and Hutch was really big then. And, all of a sudden, two men came to the door and said, "Can we come in?" And we're going, "Why?" "'Cause, well, we're policemen, and we just love Starsky and Hutch."

MS: Hah-hoh!

KF: And so they wanted to come in and get the Starsky and Hutch stuff. So they kinda closed the door and says, "Ladies." And so we just kinda sanitized it a little bit, and they came in, and they bought— it was a hundred dollars worth of little cars, and pictures, and all this Starsky and Hutch stuff that they just really loved. [5]

1989: The Picnic

See a video here.

1989: Vid Show

The 1989 vid show lasted around 100 minutes with 27 submitted vids by approximately 12 vidders. Unlike most vid shows of the era, the convention vid organizers created custom title cards for each vid, giving the vid show a somewhat more polished look. The song titles come from an attendee's self-prepared playlist and may contain errors.

Song Contest

  1. "Don't Tell me Lies" by Carolyn C. (Professionals)
  2. "In the Air Tonight" by Brendan O'Cullane (Blake's 7)
  3. "One Moment In Time" by Chris Soto (Star Trek)
  4. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm looking For" by Adrian Morgan (Blake's 7)
  5. "So Happy Together" by Carolyn C. (MUNCLE)
  6. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Jill (vidder) and Tashery S. (Blake's 7)
  7. "Oh Promise Me" by Gianna P. (Star Trek)
  8. "When He Shines" by Mary Van Duesen (Professionals)
  9. "Where The Boys Are" by Kandy Fong (Blake's 7)
  10. "Amazing Grace" by Gianna P. (Star Trek)
  11. "This Time" by Chris Soto (Star Trek)
  12. "In the Eye" (sometimes referred to as "Inside You" by some fans) by Judy Chien (Wiseguy)
  13. "Tapestry" by Mary Van Duesen (Star Trek:TNG)
  14. "What The Hell Is That?" by Gianna P. (Star Trek)
  15. "Every Breath You Take" by Jill (vidder) and Tashery S. (Blake's 7)
  16. "Leaving the Straight Life behin" by Kandy Fong (Starsky & Hutch)
  17. "The Game" by DJ Driscoll (Alien Nation)
  18. "Walking and Falling" by Tashery S. (Blake's 7)
  19. "Another Saturday Night" by Chris Soto (Star Trek)
  20. "Desperado" by Gayle F. (Blake's 7)
  21. "Plastic Fantastic Lover" by Tashery S. (Blake's 7)
  22. "Continental Drift" by Tashery S. (Blake's 7)
  23. "I Dreamed A Dream" by ??? (Star Trek)
  24. "The Man That Got Away" by Gayle F. (Blake's 7)
  25. "If I Were A Rich Man" by ?? (Blake's 7)
  26. "Marvelous Little Toy" by ?? (Star Trek:TNG)
  27. "Anything You Can Do" by ?? (Star Trek/Star Trek:TNG) ("Then there was the amazing one of “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better,” with Riker and Kirk, spliced together amazingly, and it was hilarious. And we were just howling at the stuff in that one. I think those are the two [the other was Chris Soto's I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miz] that I remember most from that week, from that weekend." [6]
hand written playlist of the 1989 Vid Show extras, click to read larger version

Additional vids may have been shown that were not part of the songvid contest. These vids may have been edited by Mary Van Dusen and her husband. An attendees handwritten list is below; click to read larger version.

Some memories of the vid show:

KF: San Diego was close enough to Phoenix that I could drive over. And we took— actually my husband's best friend, and my husband, and they ran the vid room, where you could actually come with stuff to share with people. Or, you could see what other people had brought and get copies made for youself.

MS: Yeah, [name redacted] was one of the guys— The guys really helped to set up the sound equipment and the vidding equipment.

KF: ... anyhow, we ended up bringing a lot of things. People would bring what they had done. People would bring, y'know, male-male movies. People would bring all sorts of things. Episodes of a show. That's where [name redacted] saw his first Pros, and said "Oh, Kandy, this is good. You're gonna like this."

MS: Yeah.

KF: There were copies—

MS: People would bring professional — not The Professionals but professional — books and stuff. And that's where things began to open up. Widely. And people—

KF: Besides Trek.

MS: —began to do other stuff. The caption contests—

KF: Yes.

MS: That was all stuff we did.

KF: And then we were— Of course they wanted to have a vid show.

MS: Mm-hmm.

KF: And I had a friend who was working at the largest studio in the Southwest that made commercials. And I talked her into letting me get in there and use the equipment to make—

MS: Was that Linda?

KF: —the vid show. No. That was a friend of mine called Morgan. [Morgan L]. She was working there and she was learning how to edit. And she thought, you know, hey, come in with the stuff, so I had everybody send the vids they had made that they wanted to show, to me, and I made the first con vid. So that we could sit there and we could show it, and not be frantically pulling tapes—

MS: Trying, yeah, pulling—

KF: —in and out, trying to whatever, hoping, "Oh god, it won't play on this, oh my gosh, the tracking's off, whatever."

MS: They made such a difference. That made such a difference, because before it was really— A vid show was kind of an ordeal. And I felt really bad for the people who were running it, because it was so hard. You had to have everything supposedly cued up, but you were having to scramble through everything.

Interviewer: Were you, like, was this a mix of Beta and VHS, or was this after?

KF: Yeah, yeah, that's still going on—

MS: Yeah.

KF: —Beta, VHS, whatever.

MS: Yep.

KF: So, it was really kind of cool, because we could do titles, and credits, and all kinds of things, so it ended up— So I invented the idea of a con tape. And it made it so much easier, because then we could take that tape and make copies for people. 'Cause it always really frustrated me to go to a convention and you'd see these vids, and you'd never see them again. [7]

1989: Con Reports

Since several people have asked for the "scoop" on what-happened-at-CALICON here in San Diego, I'd just like to say that it was, in our opinion, a wonderful success. We had approximately 205 pre-registered members, with an attendance around 190 (a few folks couldn't come at the last minute, and a few of the original 205 were supporting members).

Aside from the committee (myself, Wendy Rathbone and Alayne Gelfand) spending a lot of sleepless nights before, during and even after the con, everything ran smoothly. I'm told that the panels were well-attended, and that the discussion of WHAT DID YOU THINK OF STAR TREK V? aL most got out of hand.

On Friday evening, we had the traditional "get acquainted" party - on the beach, complete with over-enthusiastic sea gulls, a cold breeze coming off the Pacific and whipping around through the Bay inlet (where the picnic was held), and more than 400 slices of... pizza. Ugh. If I hadn't already disliked pizza, I certainly would now. It was good... but there was a lot of it... filled up all the closets in the hospitality suite for the next three days.... The hospitality suite itself was quite entertaining - thanks to GBH Productions, who brought down this... cake. Er...? It did have two cylindrical protrusions... one green, one pink. Having nipped both in the bud, so to speak, I found a marked preference for the green ridges. (Which confirms everyone's suspicions that, yes, I am a Spock fan... in more ways than one.)

Maybe one of the most interesting parts of CALICON, according to several folks, was the Totally Psychic/Mystic Workshop. We had about 35 people, and did a variety of things ranging from Tarot readings to Ouija Board (yes, we did have the proper respect and a professional, lest someone think we were being foolish and/or disrespectful). Personally. I found it really uplifting to be surrounded by 35 fans, several candles to provide the only source of light, and a view of the Pacific Ocean. There was something very homey about that, very mystical, especially considering the wonderful filking that was taking place in the next room. Thanks to Alta and "Peter Theisen for introducing some new folks to the art of filking, and for entertaining the old pros.

One of the best parts of the con, at least in my opinion, was the hotel. The Bahia's staff was, at least as far as we've heard, magnificent. I know they certainly took it all in stride when they wandered up on the art show and picked up zines. Also, the ocean air and tropical environment.

From all we've heard, everyone had a good time - and we're pleased to announce that we raised $500.00 for a donation to The Fund For Animals. A special word of thanks to [M O] (Marilyn Cole's gorgeous husband), who volunteered to take off his shirt and show us those lovely poses Marilyn devises for him (you know... the poses she uses in those drawings....) Thanks to Mark, we received $1.00 per person from everyone in the room, with the rest of the money being raised through auction. Our special thanks and gratitude to everyone who bid, to [M], and to The Fund For Animals. [M] was also our 1989 Guest of Honor. The convention paid for his travel expenses in order to bring him down for all the fun. We hope to make this a yearly tradition, finances allowing, so if you or someone else you know would like to attend, send us a brief synopsis of the person, their fannish activities, and why you feel they might be fun to have around at the con.

Also, a special word of thanks to John and Kandy Fong, and Jim Cryer for their magnificent help with our song video

production, and for the countless hours they spent running the video duping room. Thanks to these folks, many convention goers were able to get their hands on rare tapes, and the entire convention was treated to some very professional editing/service at our Saturday night song video presentation. Again, thanks, from everyone who attended Calicon, and from the committee. [8]

1990

front cover of the program book, artist is KOZ
badge for Calicon 2 (1990): Kirk and Spock at Sea World

Koon-ut-Cali-Con 2 was held June 8-10, 1990.

flyer for 1990 Koon-ut-Cali-Con from Datazine, click to enlarge, then click on image again, and then again

There were 150 attendee names listed in the program book.

1990: The Program Book

The program book contains 12 pages of programming info, menus for restaurants, and an essay called The High Price of Xeroxing.

The cover of the book is by KOZ.

Greetings, fellow fans (and dirty old broads!) and welcome to the second annual Koon-ut-CALICON!

We hope everyone will have a good time at CALICON, and that you’ll take advantage of all the little extras we’ve tried to provide. There is a complete schedule of events late on in this program book, with a brief description of each happening. Pay special attention to our "free meal-ticket beach party” on Friday night, as well as to our hospitality suite. These two things are your key to survival if you spend your last penny on that original copy of THRUST, so keep them in mind, okay?

The majority of the "function rooms” are located on the 5th floor of the "tower”. (In California, with earthquakes and such, anything more than a single-story building is a tower, folks!). The video duping room is located on the ground floor of the tower, in the La Jolla Room, with our hospitality suite being in Room 107 - across from the sales & catering office, and near the pooL Our Friday night beach party will be held across the double-wide highway, directly across from the Bahia. Find the crosswalk, follow the scent of Italian dressing and sub sandwiches and you’ll find us at 6:00 PM on Friday evening.

[snipped]

Just a brief word on who can help you when you’re confused, lost or pissed off. The committee (Della Van Hise, Wendy Rathbone and Alayne Gelfand) are wearing badges with a round green sticker. All convention helpers (aka gophers) are wearing badges with a yellow sticker. Dealer’s stickers are red, and ”the video people” have blue. So~ if you need a question answered in a hurry, look for the color-coded badges and we’ll do our best to help you.

We also wanted to remind you that we have a variety of li'l items for sale by the convention - including our official CALICON t'shirt (that Vulcan laundry matron mentioned in Progress Report #3), extra frisbees (to take home to your disbelieving spouse!), and other goodies available in our huge dealer’s room. We would like to say a special word of thanks to Koz for her beautiful program book cover and for the wonderful CALICON logo that appears on the t'shirts, etc.

Also, thanks to our gophers for all the hours of work and preparation they’ve put into this event They include [redacted].

Thanks, folks! Without you, we couldn't have done it without you!

In IDIC, Della Van Hise, Wendy Rathbone and Alayne Gelfand

Progress Report 1: 1990

  • from the first progress report

    from the first progress report

  • from the first progress report

    from the first progress report

  • from the first progress report

    from the first progress report

  • from the first progress report

    from the first progress report

  • from the first progress report

    from the first progress report

  • from the first progress report

    from the first progress report

1990: Panels

  • The Professionals ("Hosted by Pat Diggs, Elizabeth Klapdor, and Noel Silva. Who are those two British Boys that have stirred up fandom's interest? Here's your chance to find out everything you ever wanted to know about "the Pros".")
  • Fandom Experiences ("An open-forum discussion moderated by Kandi Clarke, Brendan O'Cullane, Adrian Morgan, A.T. Bush, Kelly Tower, and Gena Moretti. What bizarre things have happened to you in fandom? Did your mother ever get a hold of that first "/" zine you ever ordered? Did you get stuck in an elevator with Leonard Nimoy at the LA Bonaventure? Did William Shatner step on your foot at a con in Atlanta? Here's your chance to tell all!")
  • Grab Bag "/" ("A special panel to discuss your fandom-whether it "fits" in fandom or not. Have you been a Stingray nut for years and have no one to share your enthusiasm? How about Hardcastle and McComick? Wiseguy? Whatever your interest, our panelists would love to have you in on this discussion of other "/" or potential "/" fandoms. Panelists include: Ande Hughes, Sharon Pearson, Denetia Arellanes, Eileen Roy.")
  • Blake's 7 ("Is it still as hot as it was a year ago? Hotter? What makes this dark-natured British tv show a hit with fans? Our panelists are: Ann Wortham and/or Leah Rosenthal, Adrian Morgan and/or Brendan O'Cullane, and Nancy Bannister.")
  • K/S vs. Other Slash Fandoms ("Are you a fan who's suddenly feeling lost in a crowd of "/"fandoms? Do you feel that it just isn't there' in some of the other fandoms? Or do you feel that other fandoms are stronger than K/S? Whatever your opinions, here's your opportunity to make them known. Why do you feel K/S works and others don't, or vice versa? Panelists: Sharon Pearson, Elizabeth Klapdor, Nancy Hunter.")
  • Beauty and the Beast ("Who is that walking hair-ball who has so captured the hearts of fans around the world? Doe she really live under the streets of New York and, if so,how many fans have disappeared into the tunnels never to be heard from again? In all seriousness, folks, B&B seems to be "where it's at" in fandom right now, and we'd like to know why. Here's your chance to tell us why you love Catherine and hate Diana or vice versa. Panelists: Dana Angerman, Sharon Wells, Barbara Johnson.")
  • Editor's Panel ("Not only for editors,but for all fans. Are you considering doing your own zine? "Have you done a zine and lost your shirt? Ever do a zine, only to find out that someone in LA is making dozens of copies and selling them for huge profits - while you do lose your shirt? Here's your opportunity to talk to some of fandom's best editors who make it all happen. Also,find out why more and more editors are leaving fandom all together, and why fandom as a whole may be in serious trouble if certain attitudes don't change. If you only attend one panel, please make it this one, since it may change the way you've been seeing fandom all these years. Panelists include: DJ. Hinson, Nancy Bannister, Ann Wortham, Leah Rosenthal, Denetia Arellanes")
  • Gay Lifestyles ("Four folks who are "out" of the closet are here to talk to us about the reality of alternative lifestyles. Is it as romantic as it is in all those stories, or does reality intrude with bigotry and violence. Whether you're gay, lesbian, or straight, if you're into "/", you'll find this a fascinating discussion. Panelists include: Adrian Morgan/Brendan O'Cullane, and TeriAnn Roderick/Velle Prewitt")
  • Payment in Fandom ("The Unwritten Rules of Fandom" - It's become a serious issue recently. Did you know that some editors offer "cash awards" to writers and artists? [9] Did you also realize that this jeopardizes our amateur status in the eyes of the law? Also, why is it "okay" for an artist to make hundreds of dollars in an auction, yet editors and writers are expected to work solely for "the love of fandom"? Who says it's okay? Where do these unwritten rules of fandom come from,and how valid are they? Panelists: Robin Hood, Kelly Tower, Wendy Rathbone")
  • Writer's Panel ("If you're a "/" writer, reader or editors, please attend this panel, as it'll give you valuable insights into why those characters do the things they do. Why do some storylines work over and over, yet others never seem to work? Panelists include: Marion Graham, Kathy Resch, Pat Wisbauer, Regina Moore."
  • First Time vs. Established Relationship Stories ("Which works best for you? Would you rather be there in the romantic/turbulent beginnings, or once the relationship settles into its quirks and doldrums? Does it get dull to read first time stories, or is it less exciting to fall into the daily lives of our characters? Panelists: Irene Dieke, Kathryn Dewell, Roberta Haga, Pat Wisbauer")
  • Rape & Violence in K/S & Other "/" Fandoms ("Fandoms goes in cycles. Why are there sometimes a preponderance of rape stories, then years go by without seeing any? Do you want the gory realism of rape and violence or do the more "fantasy" elements of it all enthuse you more? Where should the line be drawn on what editors print or don't print? Penalists: Regina Moorew, Robin Hood, Roberta Haga")

1990: Vid Show

the 1990 vid show playlist. Click to read larger version or see the typed version below

.

The 1990s vid show lasted around xxx minutes and had approximately 23 vids submitted by approximately 10 vidders. Click on the image to see the handwritten playlist prepared by one attendee. The event seems to have been broken into two sections, with the latter section being part of a contest. The vidders may have submitted more vids than are shown here, according to another handwritten playlist created by one of the vid show organizers, Kandy Fong. That playlist contains 33 vids by the same 10 vidders.

Fandom Song Focus Singer Videoist
KS First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face) K/S X-rated Roberta H.
KS First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face) #2 K/S X-rated Roberta H.
QL Just The Way You Are Billy Joel Kandy Fong
Indy Spiders And Snakes Temple of Doom Kandy Fong
B7 If I Were A Rich Man Villa from Fiddler Kandy Fong
TNG Marvelous Little Toy Riker & Data Kandy Fong
TNG/ST Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better Kirk vs Riker Kandy Fong
The Contest
ST Lady Enterprise Trhys
KS Someone’s Waiting For You KS Roberta H.
KS Another Saturday Night Kirk Chris Soto
B7 Desperado Avon The Eagles Gayle F.
Pros Too Long A Soldier Pat Benitar D.J. Driscoll
B7 Plastic Fantastic Lover
ST In The Air Tonight Kirk vs Kahn Phil Collins Chris Soto
B7 Continental Drift Tashery S.
KS Shoulder To Cry On KS Roberta H.
RH Only The Rivers Run Free D.J. Driscoll
B7 Love Is A Stranger Eurythmics Gayle F
KS Right Here Waiting Roberta H.
AN The Game G. Francisco D.J. Driscoll
ST I Dreamed A Dream Chris Soto
B7 The Man That Got Away Avon Judy Garland Gayle F
RH Rockin’ Robin Robin Hood Bobby Dey D.J. Driscoll

References

  1. ^ from On the Double #9
  2. ^ The attendance was more around 150-190 people.
  3. ^ email message, "Mini cons", sent to Prospect-L on November 22, 2008. Accessed November 22, 2008. Quoted with permission.
  4. ^ That would have to be a very brave little old lady, as Pat Stall's fold-outs were massive; some were quadruple the size of the zine!
  5. ^ Media Fandom Oral History Project Interview with Kandy Fong and Marnie S
  6. ^ from Media Fandom Oral History Project Interview with Jane Mailander
  7. ^ Media Fandom Oral History Project Interview with Kandy Fong and Marnie S
  8. ^ from Alexis Fegan Black in On the Double #12
  9. ^ This is likely a reference to Alien Brothers.
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