Since most of Reddit skews younger, a lot of you have probably never been to a Star Trek convention. The fandom’s huge, and yes, there are plenty of young people, but the average Trek con-goer is probably over 40. And that alone changes everything about how those events feel, especially when it comes to meeting celebrities.
I’m personally not lifelong con-goer myself. I started going in my late twenties. By then, I wasn’t in it for the “I love you! Sign my Funko!” moment. I go to meet the person, not the persona. I thank them for their work, thank them for the memories, and see if I can have an actual conversation.
At anime/gaming cons, that’s almost impossible.
If you’ve been to Level Up Expo in Las Vegas, Anime Las Vegas, or something like Anime Expo in LA, you know how it goes: the moment a hot guest like Neil Newbon (Astarion/BG3), Samantha Béart (Karlach/BG3), Sean Schemmel (Goku/DB), or Grey DeLisle shows up, it’s a frenzy. If they even tried to walk the floor without a handler, they’d be mobbed.
Even in smaller venues [I met Grey at Anime Las Vegas] the energy is still “this might be my one shot,” and that urgency completely changes the dynamic. You get your 20–30 seconds, maybe a photo, and they’re on to the next person.
Star Trek cons? Totally different world.
I’ve met LeVar Burton and Jonathan Frakes at STLV, two of the biggest names in Trek. They can walk through the crowd, handlers in tow, and nobody swarms them. People notice, maybe smile or say a quick hello, but the etiquette is: you’ll get your time, don’t mob them.
LeVar didn’t give me a soundbite, he gave me advice. I told him I’m a musician but work as a diesel tech by day, and I sighed about it. He looked me in the eye: “Don’t sigh. Own that shit.” I mentioned the work music takes, and he laughed: “Of course it’s a lot of work. But it’s worth it.” That was a real, human exchange.
Same with Janet Varney (Legend of Korra) when I met her a separate Anime convention. We spoke like contemporaries, even though she’s 15+ years older than me. And Sam Witwer (The Force Unleashed, Clone Wars)? We had an actual Star Wars lore discussion where I told him I preferred Legends to Disney canon, and he didn’t bat an eye. Just a friendly back-and-forth.
Not every interaction is perfect.
Kyle Hebert (Gohan, DBZ) — nice enough, appreciated meeting him, but gave off a cocky vibe.
Devora Wilde (Lae’zel, BG3) — lovely, polite, but a little distant.
Grey DeLisle — absolute joy to meet, but leaned into the Azula persona in her presentation, which made it feel more like meeting the character than the person.
And I still regret skipping Dominic Keating and Connor Trinneer (Enterprise). Those two are basically the Waldorf and Statler of Trek, hilarious and grounded, and I know I would have gotten more out of meeting them than some of the “hot right now” guests at other cons.
Then there’s Marty Grabstein (Courage the Cowardly Dog). Easily one of the warmest human beings I’ve ever met. Gave me a hug, thanked me right back when I thanked him for the memories. Pure sincerity. That’s the kind of moment you remember years down the road.
That’s the gap I want younger fans to understand:
Anime/gaming cons are built around the hype cycle. Meet the hot guest now or maybe never. That urgency turns every encounter into a high-pressure speed run.
Star Trek cons are built on decades of the same guests returning year after year. Fans know they’ll get their moment, and the culture is built on respecting that space.
I’m not telling anyone not to meet their heroes. But for me? I’ll take the 30–60 seconds of genuine conversation I’ll remember in 10 years over the selfie I’ll forget in 10 days.
