From now until June 21, Sydney Showground at Olympic Park has transformed into a pop culture Disneyland as fans and stars flood the venue for Supanova Comic Con and Gaming.
Some of this year’s guests include Christopher Lloyd, Simon Pegg, Anthony Daniels, Karl Urban, Adam Savage, and more.
MythBusters’ Adam Savage – who now runs popular YouTube channel ‘Adam Savage’s Tested’ – told the Weekender he is excited to return to Sydney for the event.
“MythBusters was produced out of Sydney, so we have a lot of friends there. I’m looking forward to catching up with some of my favourite people,” he said.
“Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and I look forward to seeing it again – it’s been too long.”
MythBusters inspired a generation of people – many of whom can still tell you their favourite myth or experiment from the series that ran from 2003 to 2018.
“I have several moments that stand out in my head; flying with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, breaking the speed of sound, and pulling 7.5 g’s (g-force) in an inverted roll and not passing out was pretty cool,” Savage recounted one of his favourite moments.
“Getting to travel to the edge of space in the U-2 spy plane was also remarkable. I hand fed an octopus that fell in love with me and left hickeys all the way up to my shoulder. I’ve gotten to stand in the middle of the desert, watching rocket cars fly through the sky.
“But when I think back on the show, the moments that I have the most warmth for are the morning hours, standing on an outdoor set with a cup of coffee in my hand, talking to Jamie and the producers about what we were going to do that day. We really did make it up as we went along, and that was beautiful.”
Now, the special effects expert and professional maker is excited to connect with his fans.
“In the day-to-day on my YouTube channel, I work alone most of the time. So, coming out to these cons is one of the few times I get to interact directly with the fans,” Savage said.
“I love hearing the stories fans tell me about what the work I’ve done has meant to them. I also particularly love seeing the costumes and the props that they bring to show me.”
If Savage’s fans are anything like him, their love for costumes, props, and characters began early.
“My love for props and costumes began the very first time I put on a piece of costume and felt what it was like to inhabit the clothes of a character that I liked and felt the weird energy of those clothes hanging off my body,” he said.
“I don’t think I was older than 10 years old, but the transformative nature of that event is something I still chase today.”
Also looking forward to sharing his passion with fans in Sydney is actor and comedian Simon Pegg.
“It’s really important to give something back and make time to meet the people that appreciate what you do,” Pegg said.
“If that means travelling to the other side of the earth, that’s fine by me. Also, it’s a chance to visit one of my favourite places on the planet.”
It’s also a chance for Pegg see one of his favourite Aussie icons.
“Hopefully, if I have time I’ll grab a coffee with Harries from Bondi Rescue,” he said.
“My kid is a huge fan of that show and at the premiere for ‘Dead Reckoning’, I bypassed all the Oz celebrities on the red carpet and made a beeline straight for Harries. He’s such a lovely man.
“That whole crew seem like such good people. Hanging out and saving lives. Not all heroes wear capes, but they do wear sunblock.”
And for those who consider Pegg a hero, he has some advice.
“If you want to work in film, make films. It’s never been easier,” he said.
“You have a HD camera in your pocket and a platform to exhibit them on. You only have to look at the Phlippou brothers or Curry Barker and Kane Parsons to see how putting your work on YouTube can be beneficial.
“Find like-minded people and make stuff. It’s not going to land in your lap. You have to go out and get it.”
Meet Adam Savage, Simon Pegg, and more amazing ‘Supa Stars’ at Supanova until June 21. Tickets are available online at https://www.supanova.com.au/.
