On a cold, grey, dull weekend in June the Sid and Nana world tour arrived in Dublin. But for those of us lucky enough to be inside Dublin City University the two days were anything but dull.
Both Sid and Nana were scheduled to speak each day and on Saturday Nana was the first to take centre stage. She began by saying that all the travelling had been taking its toll and this was the first time in six weeks she didn't have jetlag. She also warned everyone that she has a bad memory - even without being pregnant! Nana then asked if anyone had any suggestions for baby names. Someone called out Ozzie - which Nana promptly decided was cute!
One questioner wanted to know if the Intendant or Kira were more like the real Nana. She replied that a lot of people would see the Intendant and say "That's her!". She concluded that her smile and sense of humour are the Intendant's, but that the way she reacts to important things is more like Kira.
On being asked about technobabble Nana replied that she thought Sid was amazing at it. She shared that everyone would look at him as he spouts it out going "How does he do that?".
Nana was asked what Buster thought about being a big brother. She replied that Buster is thrilled and refers to him as "my baby"! Nana added she's told Buster the new baby won't be able to do much to start with to which he replied that she needn't worry as he was going to teach his brother to talk. Nana called Buster the talker of all time and surmised that the new baby would be talking at two months!
Do Sid and Nana have a special song was the next
question. Nana told us that it was a track by Alanis Morrisette although
she couldn't remember the title. She added that it was meaningful because
when she and Sid realised they were no longer just friends but something
more it had been playing a lot and Sid had it on a tape in his car. She finished
up by saying that he wouldn't know that it was their song, but she did! To
illustrate the point, when Sid came on stage a few minutes later Nana immediately
asked him "What's our song?" He gamely attempted humming something - and
then admitted he didn't know!
Sid then proceeded to ask the audience how Nana had been. He was answered by a loud chorus of approval. When it died down Nana turned around and announced "Do you know what he asked me just now? Do I want to sit down? It's so sweet!" Then for the next quarter of an hour questions were addresed to both of them and the double act was much in evidence!
Someone asked what they thought about DS9 being passed over for movies in favour of Voyager. Nana put in that they hadn't known about that. Sid added that they probably suspected DS9 wouldn't be suitable for movies as it was considered too dark. Nana at once said she thought their cast would be great for the big screen, but admitted she never really had big hopes for it.
They were asked about filming "Our Man Bashir" and Sid said that he had enjoyed playing Bond. He shared that he thought Honey Bare had been a lot of fun. Then he diplomatically added that he liked Miss Komonanov - because she had all those Russian instruments to use! Nana in the background teased that Sid *had* to say that. Nana finished up by saying that she hoped they would be able to do more of those episodes.
Someone mentioned that Nana had earlier pleaded pregnancy as an excuse for not remembering funny happenings on set. Sid looked puzzled and wanted to know how you could plead pregnancy! Nana quickly interjected about her memory going. Sid finally saw the light and went on to say that they're just an unfunny bunch of people. He added the only funny story he can remember is still the racquetball suit and "gherkin" one. This lead to an amusing exchange with the lady doing deaf signing as Sid enquired if there were a sign for gherkin! The sign was duly demonstrated to the hilarity of all present.
Sid then went on to talk about Colm Meaney getting the rough end of the deal in their scenes together. He added that it seems to have been decided that they should have a kind of running joke with the Englishman and the Irishman going into the pub. He also said that Colm had been incredibly unhappy that when they were playing racquetball O'Brien was always the one who was really out of shape!
Another person wanted to know what Sid thought of technobabble as Nana had mentioned his skill at it earlier. He replied it was like bullets coming out of his mouth. Sid went on to say he called his lines biobabble. He admitted he just says it as quickly as possible. Also if he were doing a scene say with Nana and the camera was filming from behind her he would stick a piece of paper with his words on onto her! Nana cut in and insisted that he was good at it. "He just whips those things off. He's phenomenal." Everyone promptly dissolved into hysterics at her choice of phrase. Sid and Nana teased one another over it with Sid telling the audience he had to apologise for Nana. She added it was probably due to the fact she was pregnant. Sid sighed at the appearance of the pregnancy excuse once more!
It was time for Nana to leave and after she had gone Sid decided to much laughter that we could "get down to the serious business of trashing Nana Visitor!"
Sid was asked what he and O'Brien actually drink in the bar. Sid replied it was a "low alcohol, no alcohol, useless drink". He said that Colm was totally livid about it, but that he still drinks about four or five pints of it. Sid added that it sometimes has food colouring put in to make it green.
Someone wanted to know if the Defiant would be destroyed in "First Contact" Sid said he didn't know and that it would be tricky as Worf lived on it. He admitted he still thinks of the Defiant as an intergalactic ice cream van. Sid recalled when they were first told DS9 was going to have this big, powerful ship and he thought it would be great - until he saw it. At this point Sid once again began making ice cream van noises so I think we can assume he wasn't impressed!
Another questioner asked why O'Brien always gets beaten up and not Bashir. Sid promptly replied it was because O'Brien was in bad shape. He joked that Bashir had the superior physical prowess and asked the audience who they would fancy in a bar fight! Sid concluded that he thought it was really because Colm is the best actor at being like a bear with a sore head.
Sid was asked by a young boy in the audience if he would be able to keep his beard. He replied he wished he could, but he doubted it as he thought the studio only wanted him to look one or two years older than the person who asked the question! The boy then piped up that his mother liked the beard. There was tremendous applause from the audience. Sid, ever the gentleman, hurried to point out "Your mother's very pretty when she blushes!"
Someone asked what Sid had starred in before DS9. He replied modestly he'd really only co-starred in anything. He went on to describe "Big Battalions" as a "very long, incredibly boring, religious mess". He said the best thing about it had been going to Mecca and Jerusalem to film. Sid also referred to "A Dangerous Man", which he said he was proud of, calling it a "low key sequel to Lawrence of Arabia - no desert!" Then Sid mentioned the Saturday morning children's programme he once appeared on. He said they had been doing a piece on Star Trek and that it was done live. They gave him another uniform to wear - a bit like the racquetball costume - and a space helmet like in "Spaceballs". Sid admitted he had no idea what he was supposed to be doing and basically made a total idiot of himself!
Another person wanted to know if Sid really played darts. He replied he did - a bit. Sid then proceeded to launch into a lengthy pantomime of how he played. He added that having decided to have he and Colm, the only two people from this side of the Atlantic, playing darts the studio turned round and called in a "darts expert" for filming. Sid described him as looking like a Survivor with his combat gear on. When it came to filming the "expert" was told to throw a double twenty followed by a bullseye - at which point it became quite clear he had no idea how to play darts at all. Colm lost no time in booting him out!
Sid was challenged to name the Star Trek flags which formed the backdrop to the stage. He considered a moment saying one looked familiar before coming out with "Brazil '74 World Cup!" Just for the record Sid did manage the Bajoran, UFP, Cardassian and Klingon flags without help and the Vulcan one with much prompting from the audience. At this point Sid concluded he had definitely been put to shame.
Another audience member then asked Sid why he didn't have a *proper* beard! With commendable speed Sid retorted "Isn't this a proper beard? It's a bit longer than yours!" He added that he had trimmed it because otherwise he looks a bit much like a Palestinian terrorist and it's a nightmare getting through customs. Sid then recalled his visit to Jerusalem. He said that he had been interviewed for two hours by six Mossad agents in pairs. Each of the three interviews consisted of exactly the same questions. Finally he joked that since then he's avoided the whole beard thing - and the walk and the guns...
Sid was asked how the Paramount school of directing compared to LAMDA. He replied that the Paramount school consists of being annoying to as many people as possible, asking if it's all right to look over their shoulder. Sid told us this lasted for about four weeks. He also sat with Rick Berman at screenings once or twice. He proceeded to give a very wicked parody of what went on at one of these screenings and announced that was the highlight of his directorial studies!
Someone enquired if Sid would like the baby to be in one of the Star Trek series. Sid gave a broad grin and replied "He already is!"
On Sunday Sid was first to take the stage. He was asked what it's like to be a Brit in L.A. He replied by saying that there are two types of Brits out there. One is typified by the people he met when he was looking for the cricket club in L.A. He described them as very upper class - the kind who want to know which school you went to. The others are the aging rockers a la Spinal Tap. Sid concluded it's better to put on another accent in L.A., especially as the residents think English sounds like Australian!
Sid was asked if he was into Star Trek before getting his part in DS9. He replied that he had enjoyed the original series in his teens. He loved the way they were always visiting planets that all looked identical! He only got into TNG as a result of watching the videos. The previous day Sid had described Voyager as a "Star Trek Greatest Hits" show. He pointed out they had another Spock, another Quark, but that to the actors' credit they had managed to make them into something different than that.
Someone else wanted to know how Sid got on with his fellow actors on DS9. He replied he got on especially well with Terry and Colm. He called Avery a bit of an enigma and said that he doesn't see much of him. He added that to begin with Avery had the habit of addressing him as "young doctor" all the time. Sid concluded that none of them in the cast got on badly.
Sid was then asked if he ever got any movie offers. He replied that he did occasionally, but that they were usually not very exciting. The last offer was for "Executive Decisions". They wanted him to play an Arab terrorist. Sid revealed it would only have involved about three lines and after some discussion he decided he would rather not play the part.
One of the audience wanted to know what Sid thought about Michael Dorn. Sid replied he quite liked what he does - the "ultra machismo, incredibly butch stuff". Sid added he thought they needed some butchness on the show so he didn't mind. He also thought the show had swallowed Dorn rather than the other way round.
Sid then talked about the Christmas party he and Nana had hosted for the cast and crew. As part of it Sid made a short film introducing Michael Dorn and including interviews with various people. However, he didn't tell the people he spoke to what he was actually doing. Consequently his questions and answers went something like:
"What do you think of Flipper the Dolphin?"
"Not much of an actor."
"What do you think of the Ewoks on Star Wars?"
"Furry little things, I think they're just not serious enough for the show. If there's ever another one they shouldn't come back."
"What do you think of Jean Claude van Damme?"
"He can't act. He's rubbish."
Sid added that by the time he'd cut the film all anyone saw were the answers! He had also let the senior studio people in on the joke and they recorded appropriately insulting comments. Finally, Michael Dorn himself was in on it too. Thus he helped Sid compile a list of his "previous roles". For example, in "Bridge over the River Kwai" he played the bridge which he described on the film as "a big stretch for me."
Sid was asked if he would consider doing comedy or sitcoms after DS9 finished. He immediately said yes, describing sitcom in the US as the nicest, most cushy job you can get as an actor. He added it involved working about two to three hours a day for five days a week on a schedule of roughly five weeks on and three months off.
Someone wanted to know if Sid watched Babylon 5 and what he thought of it. He replied he had watched some episodes, but didn't enjoy it much. He doesn't like the uniforms and the look of the show though he loves the special effects. He then added that he doesn't like the soap opera approach as it means you can't afford to miss any episodes.
Whilst Sid was trying to answer this question he was getting the signal that his time was up. He turned and jokingly asked "Is she whining out there?" He then laughingly referred to Nana as "'er outdoors" before leaving to much appreciative applause. Nana then came on for her second talk, asking the audience "Shall we gossip about Sid?"
The question of who would deliver Kira's baby
came up and Nana replied it would have to be Doctor Bashir. She then recalled
that the Executive Producer had called her during hiatus, telling her he
was trying to work out when she would give birth on the show. Nana said for
one moment she thought to herself "Do they expect that of me?"
There was then a question about Odo's crush on Kira. Nana replied it was amazing Kira hadn't realised, but went on to add that it happens in real life too. She had been saying to people it was stupid that Kira didn't know and "during this time Sid - really liked me and... I had no idea!" They would go out to dinner and talk about one another's relationships! Nana added of Sid "It took him three years... It happens that you don't know when someone likes you."
Nana was asked what her favourite TV shows were. She replied she usually watched things people she knows are on. She mentioned that Sid favours "fluffy animal shows. He loves nature shows which is one thing I never watched."
Someone asked what Nana would like to see changed on DS9. Without hesitation she replied - her costume! She told us she scared the studio to death by telling them that if hers (which she refers to as the "orange stretch") was not a sexist costume then she should be allowed to be pregnant in it! Nana added that she likes the new two piece costume she has been given better as it looks more like a uniform. She hopes to be allowed to keep it.
Later Sid did auction off the first item in the convention's charity auction. It was a T-shirt sporting a marvellous drawing of Kira and autographed by Nana. The winning bid was made on the condition that Sid also signed the shirt!
By way of a postscript to the weekend, as our small, weary band of Doctor's Exchange members were making their way home via Dublin airport on Monday morning we had an unexpected "close encounter". Whilst attempting to unravel the mysteries of the check in desks we heard a strangely familiar voice behind us. Yep, it was Sid, also checking in for his homeward flight. Grinning like an imp he informed us that he liked to catch us when we were least expecting it and looking most gormless! Thanks for the "compliment", Sid...
Additional Dublin photos
Report and photos copyright K.Colohan 1996
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