Article: "RICHARD DEAN ANDERSON AT PARIS-MANGA, a too brief stopover in Paris"

As I had proposed to the triplets, I wrote an article on Richard's marathon day in Paris-Manga especially for the Forum Rickfanzonefrance. It was about to serve you by "episodes" ... (Grrr, they are trivial our admins ... Laughing), but I don’t make you languish any longer, I have a reputation to keep, ladies.. lol!

Here is a memorable day for our "RDA StarTeam" ...

According to Josyane, please prepare your handkerchiefs...

Full of unforgettable memories ...
With our lovely Richard, as usual !!!

Happy reading to all ...

Dominique ( Frenchwriter)

PS: impossible to send as an attached file, even in two parts because the article is too long, ... So ... plan B : the episodes ...

[Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien]

Richard Dean Anderson in Paris Manga: February the 4th, 2018.
A brief stopover in Paris ...

Who said Richard Dean Anderson was a man from the past?

He has never been so popular and loved by fans who have been loyal to him for over thirty years, although he no longer appears on our TV screens. We can thank the "reruns" that offer us his excellent performances in the so charismatic characters MacGyver or O'Neill (with two "L"). They even make and swell the ranks of fans who turn out to be younger and younger. Because, make no mistake, the international success of these two series cults (MacGyver and Stargate SG1) would probably not have been as dazzling without the presence of Richard - although he refutes it totally and with humility – we, we are all perfectly convinced.

A few tens of thousands of participants rushed to meet, on this unique day of February 4, 2018 at the Convention Paris Manga, a man with such a big heart! The fans’ waiting was long but the pleasure was palpable among all the people gathered by this same dream. The first meeting is a source of intense emotion that many lucky people have shared widely on social media since Richard agreed to join conventions, just a dozen years ago. And a first meeting is rarely the last. When we have tasted Richard's kindness, humor, adorable smile and his undeniable empathy, it is very difficult not to want to find these extraordinary sensations again.

-> (Part 2: autographs)

-SESSION AUTOGRAPHS-

10:30 am this Sunday morning, Richard begins his marathon-day. All united in the same moment of fervor, we began to start the queue not less than two hours before his arrival, to be the first ! Well we took, because the compact and impatient crowd quickly concentrated in only one direction: Richard Dean Anderson autographs desk! It was enough for him to spread the black curtain which was separating him from his fans that the same "heart" of applause celebrate his arrival. As always, his smile immediately delighted the hundreds of looks turned towards him.

"No gift" was written on a small sign placed on the desk that welcomed him for two hours of intensive dedications. Richard didn’t hesitate to make us understand, by miming a sad smile on his mouth, that he was sorry. He knows his fans so well and their desire to give him those little presents in which they put their love and gratitude, that this embarrassing warning to the attention of his "French friends" was as painful to him as to us. But it’s obvious that an extra trunk full of gifts of all sizes, would have been a source of hassle for his plane return to Los Angeles.

Nevertheless, some French couldn’t resist the wish to please him, especially since his birthday had taken place on January 23, just a few days before. Thus, an idea sprang up in the mind of our small group of friends: a surprising gift, bright and that wouldn’t hold more space than a "big postcard". Our long waiting was finally over and we were able to move forward one after the other, with the photos we had carefully chosen for these very short but precious seconds. Carole, then Sandrine got their little moment of complicity with Richard with a pleasure barely concealed.

As Evelyn and Josyane approached, they presented him the gift that was intended for him from our friendly group and some other fans who had joined us: "A supernova named Richard Dean Anderson". His star was missing on Hollywood's famous Walk of Fame; so it would shine in the MilkyWay and he could see it just by looking up to heaven when the night would be clear. He was very pleasantly surprised and thanked them warmly and promised to read all the envelop contents when back to his hotel. Mission succeeded, under his assistant desaproving glance.

But he wasn’t at the end of his surprises with us. Then came my turn and I reminded him I was the author of his French biography. He had a delicious smile and told me that my book was prominently on his Los Angeles home desk but, alas, he was still unable to read it (he doesn’t speak French). I told him that the translation was on its way and probably completed before the end of the year, he confirmed that he was eager to finally read it. I couldn’t resist the urge to take his hand and kiss it.

Celine went after me, she was so affected when he said "Hi Celine, how are you?" How did he remember his name? Toulouse and London were far away! He was very humble when he said that his memory was often lacking.

Cyril was next. In turn, he presented an envelop to Richard and explained that it contained a synopsis he had written in the spirit of the original series MacGyver, a real logical continuation for this hero, some twenty years later. Richard showed great interest and assured him that he would slowly read it with pleasure.

Sabrina was the last in our group and this was the first time she met Richard, unlike all of us. Her emotion was palpable and her cheeks began to turn pink. But he was so kind and reassuring when she presented him her photo to dedicate, she couldn’t hold back a few tears of happiness ...

"He's really a love! She exclaimed, joining us outside the signing area still trembling with emotion. We, of course, totally agreed with her!

We looked like eight totally infantilized accomplices. But no matter, it's so good to find back your teenage soul!

-> (Part 3: Conference)

- THE CONFERENCE -

On the way to the rest of the program: Richard's conference. It had to take place around 13:30. We had time before us, but not too much anyway, because it was imperative to be well placed to enjoy him, the closest possible of the podium. After a quick visit to the Sea Shepherd booth, we decided to join the Sci-Fi area, where seats were already occupied. We were almost certain that these people wouldn’t move from their seats in the front ranks until Richard's intervention. They were there for him, there was no doubt. We had to content ourselves with the 4th rank not without some disappointment.

Our appointed photographer, Sandrine, was sitting at the end of the row to be able to use her camera, without being bothered by the heads of the ranks in front of us. Everything seemed to be going well. The minutes were spinning and on the screen were projecting pictures and movie that we watched intermittently and with no real interest, patiently waiting for the one who was still finishing signing hundreds of autographs. Looking in his direction, the queue seemed to never get smaller. The fans were so numerous that the organizers were forced to ask Richard to extend this first signing session, which he of course accepted without hesitation. Thus, he reduced his lunch break time by at least a good hour, but the triumph of his rare appearances in France is at this price! He had a program - very busy - to hold, and he wouldn’t run, otherwise he wouldn’t be called Richard Dean Anderson!

Finally, the minutes gradually brought us closer to the long-awaited moment. The seats were now all occupied. Fans crowded every corner of the Sci-Fi space, wherever it was possible to have a chance to see the one for whom they had sometimes made hundreds or thousands of miles. The place was crowded. We had, of course, eight decent places, but some professional photographers began to occupy the central alley realizing a wall almost impassable for our future homemade report... Without our feminine MacGyver intervention, I named Carole, we would have started to really worry. She had brought a collapsible stool for any other use, but she offered it to the photographer who took the most space (and that she knew by the way), thus making our life easier.

After having followed the conference of a guest (a wrestler) planned just before, it was finally time to welcome Richard. People were advancing dangerously down the aisle, quickly booed by the ranks behind; they were asked to sit on the floor so as not to disturb anyone. We were saved, once more!

The event’s announcer and organizer finally came on stage to announce the one that was not necessary to name as the fervor of the public was already at its maximum. But the paroxysm was reached as soon as Richard appeared, because the ovation that was made to him exceeded the understanding! His astonishment at this pyroclastic flow was certain and real. In Paris Manga 25 years’s memory, nothing like this had ever been recorded; this was confirmed by the organizer himself. The shouts of joy, the standing applause and the flashes were everywhere, making our Richard unable to say a word, moved by so much love.

Then calm returned. The time of the Conference was short, timed even because; a few steps away, the photo session queue had already made its mark. Just five or six questions time and Richard should leave the scene. As usual, his charisma was on and we were all under his charm during his intervention.

Humor as battlehorse, he enchanted us with his tasty answers. In particular the one he made to a question of a fan about the politics of his country, he presented us with "his excuses for having a silly, incapable and crazy president". As everyone expected, he had to go through MacGyver's reboot. A "special Richard" mimic, like no other, led to a general complicit laughter from the part of all the spectators. But he remained "polite and professional" (said Richard) to confirm that the series didn’t correspond to "the Macgyver trademark" but rather to a basic police series and the opposite of the series in which he played. The audience, with one voice, welcomed his words with sustained applause.

As for the question about his favorite scenes with Amanda Tapping (Sam Carter in Stargate SG1), we expected of course the answer he was going to give: "Kissing" with a hilarious and communicative serious, adding with humor "Don’t tell her husband. ".

Alas, time was running out and was over, but Richard didn’t want to leave his "French friends" as he said and got a small few minutes extension for two or three additional questions. The audience was jubilant, but the fans, in the queue next door, began to chanted «Richard! Richard ", to get his attention and show him their impatience. With kindness, he gave them a friendly sign. In less than five minutes, he would be up for the highly anticipated photo shoot.

The Conference ended with a new titanic ovation in a standing room, which still demanded his presence, to which he was compelled to escape. And everyone left his seat to inflate the staggering queue that stood in front of the photo studio. A tiny pinch of seconds of happiness captured, forever, on glossy paper by a professional photographer ... More than six hundred people realized a kind of farandole that zigzagged between the waiting corridors and stretched well beyond the limits provided.

-> (Part 4: Session Photos)

- PHOTO SESSION-

Our little group had managed to sneak up pretty quickly outside of the Sci-Fi Conference space. Our VIP-pass around our neck gave us some very nice facilities on queues. The distance finally shortened fast enough. New heartbeats crescendo for each of us as our steps lead us to him. It was already time to get rid of our bags and jackets. We walked one behind the other, closely led by the volunteers who made sure that their instructions were respected.

This feeling of living a unique moment where a cliché will offer this impression of being alone in the world with Him! How to place yourself? Dare to surround him with our arms? What reaction will he have? And then, everything is perfect and unfolds like a dream ... A dream of just ten seconds.
Sandrine went first. In Toulouse, she had a warm embrace. This time again, the moment was magical. He took her hand, then she thanked him and he was slow to let her go while volunteer was hsowing her the way out.

Carole always true to herself, was torn between the pleasure of being with Richard, even only for a short time and her displeasure to be in front of a camera.

Then came my turn. This was my third time attending a photo shoot with Richard. We think we are used to it and go without fear, but it's wrong. Every time is a first time ... I put my arm around his waist; he pulled me against him, his arms around me. My hand found his own; he caught it and hugged me even harder against him, his cheek deliciously touching mine. An adorable smile and the cliche was taken. We had to give way to the next person. But, he drew me back to him to resume the pose by announcing the photographer "one more ... for me ... with my darling" ... My very succinct English nevertheless allowed me to understand these words ... Or I was suddenly in another dimension, or else I was there in the arms of this man of heart ... I chose the second solution and took advantage of these seconds of additional happiness by savoring them even more. I thanked him stammering with emotion and went out despite my desire to extend this fabulous hug.

Cyril and Sabrina each had a pose with Richard, who greeted them with a "Hi my friend" then made another shot together with him.

Celine obtained a "wow" for her pretty glittering outfit (like a certain star ...). Putting her
head on his shoulder, her cheeks began to look rosy, and when Richard put his own on her hair, she was close to nirvana. So much so that she was unable to find the exit for a few seconds.

Josyane and Evelyne had planned several photos, a good way to spend more time with him: a single photo for Evelyne, one for both and finally two for Josyane. A tight pose for her, Richard grabbing her fist to lock it in his hand. While he thought it was over, Josyane humorously told him "one more," which made him smile and had the effect of drawing her back to him for the second shot. Before she reached the exit, he gave a kiss on the upper forehead, and a "see you later? "Of course" would we all have been able to answer him!

Upon our exit, we were able to realize that the photo shoot would last a long time, given the queue still very long.

-> (Part 5: Sea Shepherd, Gift giving)

- STAND SEA SHEPHERD: DONATION -

For some members of the group, there was still a "unique" moment to share with Richard: the meet & greet, about twenty minutes in a small committee to discuss, almost face to face with him. We had to wait, because Richard's intense schedule included a new signing session after the photo-shoot just before the meet & greet.

I had a little time to meet one of the managers of Sea Sepherd France, present this Sunday, Mehdi. When we arrived in the morning at 8:30, we had taken our quarters at the edge of the organization's stand. The advantage was that it was right in front of the autograph table, the photo-shooting studio and also near the Sci-fi conference area, so our interests were concentrated in a handkerchief.

Carole, volunteer of the association for a few years, had been working on the stand since the day before. She had managed to get Mehdi's permission to show some copies of my book, "Richard Dean Anderson, Mind and Heart" a dozen. While the photo session was in full swing, Carole told me that all my books had been sold. I was thrilled and proud because the donation I was going to make to Sea Shepherd was going to be bigger than expected. I had been hoping since this morning that Richard would come for a ride just when I was handing my check to Mehdi. But his intensive program made it totally impossible to speculate on it. And I recognize now that this selfish desire was a sin of pride, badly placed by my part.

Some exchanges with Mehdi, a great guy very friendly and looking like a big Teddy Bear, and it was agreed that I would give my gift now (a check for € 330 for my internet sales + € 156 for sales exclusively made on the stall).
I did it on behalf of all my book’s buyers under the watchful eye of the group's cameras. Mehdi thanked me for this donation on behalf of the association. I told him I was planning to sell more books for Sea Shepherd. He told me that he would write an article on the official website with the photo of the delivery of my donation. What a pleasant surprise for me, I thanked him in my turn.

I must add that I was extremely moved when people asked me for an autograph. It was surprising, I felt very clumsy trying to sign my name. The dedications are the prerogative of artists like Richard, I was not prepared for this kind of exercise. But, I admit it is very pleasant, not only to sign my book, but especially to hear the congratulations of those who read it. It is a joy to know that my work allows readers to know Richard better, to learn and understand his life and to appreciate even more the exceptional man he is.

-> (Part 6: meet & greet)

- MEET AND GREET -

Soon we were invited to go to the location where the meet & greet participants would be welcomed. But a new program change was waiting for Richard as he finished his long photo shoot very quickly.
The compact queue in front of the autograph table was as big as the morning. Impossible to split it in two as agreed by inserting the meet & greet between the two. It was better to do only one, until the closure of the Convention scheduled for 18H.

Josyane, Evelyne, Sabrina, Carole and I were waiting to be led behind the black curtain separating the autograph table from the little salon reserved for our little intimate gathering. Carole got her place thanks to one of her "macgyver rescue missions", and had a second free seat that was to be occupied by another Sea Shepherd member. But just before we were driven, she received a message that this place was vacant again. It was necessary to decide quickly. Cyril, Sandrine and Céline were outside and watched us from afar, three people and one place. Cyril and Céline had already had their meet & greet with Richard at the Toulouse Game Show Convention in November 2016, it was then obvious that Sandrine had to have this place. Her joy was obivious on her face when Carole came to announce the news to her, she beamed with happiness!

Almost immediately, we disappeared behind the big black curtain.
Decor and atmosphere little inclined to discuss in small committee ... The hubbub outside promised minutes - yet privileged - hardly profitable. If the management of the session-photos was perfect, that of the meet & greet left something to be desired and even more when we came to announce that it would last only ten minutes instead of the twenty initially planned! Our long awaited moment of conviviality was going to be swept away, too, by the diabolical machination of time! But Richard appeared on the doorstep and our disappointment flew away instantly.

Magnanimously, he motioned us to get as close as possible to the table. It was necessary to hope to hear our discussions. A translator stood next to him to help us, a priori. But, it turned out pretty quickly that she was a bit "outdated", probably the tiredness of a long exhausting weekend (to stay "polite and professional" as Richard would say). He may have understood this state of affairs well before us, because he asked us who knew English and who did not speak it. The majority of us could manage but not all. It seemed that this notion had gone unnoticed by the translator.

Who's starting, asked Richard? No quick answer. So I took the initiative because I had a question about his involvement with the Waterkeeper Alliance a few years ago. Impossible to build a complete sentence in English. So I tried to formulate it in French hoping to be translated, but the interpreter's questioning face made me realize that the path of understanding between us would be fraught with pitfalls. When Richard participated in the Earth River Expeditions program with Eric Hertz for National Geographic, he had a particular experience with the Yang-Tze descent and his encounter with Tibet had transformed him. I wanted him to tell us about his feelings. I also wanted to know if he could have returned or if he was hoping to do so in the future. With difficulty - and the minutes that went by - Richard finally understood my question and, in the same chaotic way, his answer came back to me. It was almost impossible to return to Tibet because of political problems with China. But he had recently received a proposal to return to Chile for an expedition on the Rio Futaleufu. He was very eager to participate because he had loved these expeditions by the past.

There was another amateur to ask a question in decent English, speaking directly to Richard, but half of the participants couldn’t hear her. The noise outside was so disturbing that Richard felt the need to show his annoyance, but always in the joking tone, with a loud shout that provoked the laughter of the whole little assembly. A small blue cap, that of his bottle of water, was placed a few inches from my hand. He sneaked a finger to bring him discreetly back to him a few millimeters; I pushed him in my direction, until he grabbed it and closed his bottle. A stealthy moment of play that made us both smile.

Evelyne and Josyane, their turn, wanted to ask a question, but more personal. Josyane took it for her convenience about her English speaking facilities. She had the honesty to ask permission from Richard, who nodded without problem and with some curiosity, no doubt. She informed him that Evelyn and herself were studying the possibility of creating a website dedicated to him,, the importance of which would be reminiscent of his official website runned by Kate Ritter with who they were in contact. But, impossible for Richard to assure them that it could be considered as an "official French site", without infinitely multiplying the procedures with the team of assistants and lawyers who administer his business affairs. Nevertheless, he promised to talk to Kate about this during his next phone call when he returned to Los Angeles ...

Then, with his usual naturalness, he noticed the pair of glasses that Josyane was wearing. She presented it to him, showed him that it was dismounting to put different colors mounts. He even amused himself by wearing it to try it, which again provoked a general laugh.

But, already, an incursion in our small room reminded him that it was necessary to stop because the fans were impatient to obtain their dedication. As usual, Richard wanted to prolong our discussion and showed us his dismay; we didn’t want to go that fast either. But he understood that outside, a crowd was waiting for moment of unforgettable happiness!

This precipitous departure triggered a series of reactions from each of us. We wanted to remember the moment. Evelyne and Josyane, who this morning had offered Richard, "the star named RDA" in the name of all, had to give him another small gift inseparable, a compass in its case. While the interpreter strove to remind us "no gift here", Richard had already opened the box and was ecstatic in front of the object, assuring that the morning gift was safe in his room and that the compass would also find its place. He liked these "stuff” and showed that he had a compass in the watch he holds on his wrist.

As if that wasn’t enough, I too had a small present from our small group: two T-shirts which I was sure the inscription would find his approval, because it was environmental. I took care to tell him that one of them was for his daughter Wylie. This simple name made the light shine in his eyes and he accepted with pleasure this gift (also hidden in an envelop, so compact) to head for the exit.

But we were not going to let him go like this. Carole hastened to signify that a sweatshirt was waiting for him on the Sea Shepherd stand, a gift from Sea Shepherd France. He assured her that he would come and thank her. He began to greet some, then grabbed Sandrine's hand to hold it in his a little longer. Evelyne was entitled to a hug. In my turn, I told him "big hug" and he pressed me hard against him, I could slip a furtive kiss on the neck. Josyane also had a soft embrace and a new kiss on the forehead.

It was over, we were returning from our steps, not really decided, to reality on the other side of the big black curtain. In a split second, the wave of fans caught him in a burst of joy and we had to give him to them. Richard was no longer ours; he had been for about fifteen minutes. We would nevertheless keep the memory of a nice complicity, the space of a subreptice parallel dimension the most pleasant that is ...

-> (Epilogue)

- EPILOGUE -

Our presence in these places was to end there and the security agents were already surveying the whole building to get everyone out. It was 6 pm and Paris Manga was closing. We had to act quickly and we had to reluctantly follow instructions and find the way out. Only Carole was allowed to stay because, as a volunteer for Sea Shepherd, she was one of the exhibitors who had to dismantle their stalls.

Alone ? Not really since Richard was there too, when the space was emptying step by step and the hubbub had finally faded. The queue was gradually becoming fluid ...

It was twenty hours past, it was dark and a little cold in Paris. Josyane, Evelyne, Céline, Sandrine, Cyril, Sabrina and I were seated in a restaurant a few dozen meters from our hotel, when Carole joined us, a broad smile, the happiest of all, for a "after Paris- Manga "of exception that she told us in details. She was tidying up with Mehdi and the other members. The booth was now completely empty and the unsold cases were in the cars outside the building.

The whole small team of volunteers was invited to join the autograph table where Richard had finally finished. Richard received his sweatshirt which he hastily donned to make the beautiful group photo circulating on the net, wrapping his arms with our friend on one side and Mehdi on the other. A long, pleasantly loosening moment of relaxation and the desire to spend some time chatting in peace with Sea Shepherd members, so dear to his heart. Carole was in heaven and ... in the front row. But she deserved it, after a weekend of intense work, it was a worthy reward and we were very happy for her.

Thus ends the journey of our small group of friends (our RDA Team Star) in Paris Manga, a group of friends gathered thanks to Richard Dean Anderson: let's call him "the friendship-maker". But not only. Richard gives us the wish to surpass ourselves by his kindness and his good mood, his humor and his simplicity. Thus, each of us carries in him something resolutely turned towards him:

- Carole, our "female MacGyver," a member of Sea Shepherd, always responds "present" whenever a volunteer is needed somewhere.

- Cyril, our "trailer-man", whose passion for this man has led him to make hundreds of videos more and more beautiful, and we always want more.

- Josyane, Evelyne and Céline, our "triplets", whose dream of inviting Richard to France by their care has made them imagine, among other projects, the most wonderful convention weekends it is, made in France. We hope to convince him in the near future.

- Sandrine, our "favorite photographer", whose passion for this man leads her to do a remarkable job with the photos of the Conventions she has visited so far.

- Dominique, your servant, "independent author to the service of charity", whose passion for this man led me to write his biography, by desire to present with my words, his heart wealth and his spirit nobility.

I won’t forget Sabrina, she has her place here, because her passion for Richard has allowed her to cross the path of the man she loves today.

«Richard Dean Anderson at Paris Manga, A too brief stop in Paris»

️Dominique Guenin (07/02/2018)

» RICHARD A PARIS 04.02.2018(+ article de FrenchWriter)
» Richard in Paris 02.04 2018.
» Wyle Quinn ANDERSON-Raising Money For Texas Disaster Relief Fund
» Les œuvres de Dominique
» Petite bio de notre chouchou Richard Dean Anderson