Author Topic: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.  (Read 4140 times)

Offline Andrew Costa Mesa

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Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« on: July 25, 2022, 12:44:25 AM »
These are excerpts from today’s San Diego Union-Tribune about the first talk-back panel since the pandemic.  If my memory is correct, there was no talk-back forum at the last in-person con in 2019 because the person who conducted past forums passed away shortly before the 2019 con.  I’ll post a link here but I’ll also post excerpts in case the article is blocked by a paywall.

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Attendees were delighted with the return of an in-person convention but frustrated by line cutting, accessibility shortfalls and communications problems.

Catherine Murray, who has been attending Comic-Con for 22 years, traveled from New Mexico this year and waited six hours in a line designated for people with disabilities before being turned away. She said others that she knew waited 10 hours or more.

“I think they didn’t have enough people who knew what was going on,” said Murray about the convention staff. She suffers from severe arthritis, making the long wait painful. She would like to see a system to reduce the necessity of waiting in line without a guarantee of getting in.


People with disabilities have long criticized Comic-Con for discourteous treatment and insensitivity. One speaker pointed out that operators of large venues such as Disney and Universal have figured out how to accommodate people with disabilities without subjecting them to long lines and other difficult situations.

Yoshi, a Los Angeles resident who didn’t want to give her last name, has been attending Comic-Con since 2010. She got in line early, with just 50 or so people ahead of her. But then hordes began showing up to join those in front of her who were apparently holding their places.


“Hundreds of people cut in front of us throughout the day, in addition to it being hot and miserable,” she said. “I have been to other conventions where they put up tents along the line area” but security would not allow individual pop-up tents brought by those waiting.

Mixed messages also frustrated convention attendees, particularly contradictions between Comic-Con staff, volunteers and contract security personnel.

“You can talk to three people within a 15-foot space and all three will tell you something different,” an attendee told the panel.




« Last Edit: July 28, 2022, 07:02:11 PM by Andrew Costa Mesa »
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Offline sessionka

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #1 on: July 25, 2022, 05:30:25 AM »
Typical of the media to focus on the negative.

Tens of thousands of people converge on their city to have a good time, and they want to focus on the 15 - 20 that raised ADA/Hall-H issues.

But I guess that why they hired David Glanzer!!! 
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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #2 on: Today at 03:23:36 AM »

Offline angi

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #2 on: July 25, 2022, 09:48:43 AM »
Saturday ADA went really smooth but we were front of line. Maybe farther back t.hings got rough

Offline sessionka

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #3 on: July 25, 2022, 12:48:00 PM »
This is the info that excited me at the Talkback...

Pre Sale will be sometime in September or October.   :)

Offline scottydizzy

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #4 on: July 25, 2022, 03:23:31 PM »
Not sure where to ask this, so this seemed like the at least a starting place...does anyone know if not having carpet in the walkways was brought up during the talkback?

My knees and feet were pounding after a couple of days walking on nothing but the concrete floor. I understand cutting costs or even not having the people-power to lay carpet in such a large building, but not having it this year was really noticeable and I really hope it was mentioned and will be addressed next year.

I'll likely email them about this, just to see, but always appreciate the input on this forum

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Offline oneroomdisco

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #5 on: July 25, 2022, 04:03:19 PM »
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Not sure where to ask this, so this seemed like the at least a starting place...does anyone know if not having carpet in the walkways was brought up during the talkback?
I didn't attend talk back, but one of the people who live-tweeted some of it You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login carpets in the exhibit hall were cited as one of the things that were not possible because of our badges having been bought with 2019 dollars, which don't go as far in 2022.

Offline sessionka

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #6 on: July 25, 2022, 04:06:29 PM »
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Not sure where to ask this, so this seemed like the at least a starting place...does anyone know if not having carpet in the walkways was brought up during the talkback?

My knees and feet were pounding after a couple of days walking on nothing but the concrete floor. I understand cutting costs or even not having the people-power to lay carpet in such a large building, but not having it this year was really noticeable and I really hope it was mentioned and will be addressed next year.

I'll likely email them about this, just to see, but always appreciate the input on this forum

Cheers,
~S

I don't know if it was mentioned.  I left before all comments were made.  What they did say was that it was going to take a couple of years for them to recover financially, so I wouldn't be surprised if carpet in the convention center was nixed next year as well.
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Offline Old Man Grey

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #7 on: July 25, 2022, 04:25:00 PM »
Isn't it the convention centers responsibility to lay down the carpet? It's not like they pull up the carpet after every convention.

Offline semigeekgirl

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2022, 04:30:59 PM »
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Isn't it the convention centers responsibility to lay down the carpet? It's not like they pull up the carpet after every convention.

I think they've said before that the carpet is an optional add-on, not included in the basic convention center rental agreement. And CCI couldn't afford it this year. (I think it's modular and is indeed laid down or picked up between events?)

Offline dkd

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2022, 06:17:02 PM »
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Typical of the media to focus on the negative.

Tens of thousands of people converge on their city to have a good time, and they want to focus on the 15 - 20 that raised ADA/Hall-H issues.

But I guess that why they hired David Glanzer!!!

As someone who was at the Talkback, that was pretty much an accurate representation of issues that were raised.  95% of the people who came to the mike talked about the Hall H line issues and ADA issues at Hall H.  The people who wanted to praise how Hall H was run apparently didn't attend the Talkback.  (Is there anyone who thinks Hall H lines were managed well?)

The woman in the article Catherine Murray was in tears when she got to the mike.  It was tough to watch and listen.

Offline Mel

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2022, 06:39:16 PM »
I have a friend who worked the Hall H line and she said it was severely understaffed and many people plain did not show up.

People need to understand this is never going to be perfect. It's all temp staff working an event that happens 4 days a year. It will always be rather chaotic. You can't compare it to Disney which runs everyday with full-time employees and robust management structure.

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Offline omraged9

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #11 on: July 25, 2022, 09:36:25 PM »
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As someone who was at the Talkback, that was pretty much an accurate representation of issues that were raised.  95% of the people who came to the mike talked about the Hall H line issues and ADA issues at Hall H.  The people who wanted to praise how Hall H was run apparently didn't attend the Talkback.  (Is there anyone who thinks Hall H lines were managed well?)

The woman in the article Catherine Murray was in tears when she got to the mike.  It was tough to watch and listen.
I passed by the ADA standby line for Hall H a couple of times when I was walking back and forth from the Indigo Ballroom to convention center on Saturday. It seemed kind of cruel to make them wait out in the sun while non-ADA people got to wait under the nice tents. Also it seemed clear to me that most of them wouldn't make it in since majority of Hall H attendees are there for Marvel. They should have been told that upfront before they wasted their time waiting in the sun the entire day.

There were also screwups with the ADA overflow line for the Everything Else line on Saturday too. So it's not just only ADA issues at Hall H, it's other areas too.

Offline susanml10881

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #12 on: July 25, 2022, 10:24:47 PM »
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Isn't it the convention centers responsibility to lay down the carpet? It's not like they pull up the carpet after every convention.

No. There’s normally no carpet between conventions so yeah they pull it up. It’s an additional cost for the convention booker and exhibitors.

Offline alyssa

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2022, 07:41:36 AM »
talk back recording, incase anyone missed it posted elsewhere

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Offline marcia29

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Re: Article about 2022 talk-back forum.
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2022, 09:50:08 AM »
I got to the Talk Back panel a bit after it began.  I was hoping to be able to get to the mike, but with that line, it was not going to happen.  I appreciated the person who brought up the idea of having more time for the panel.  They could begin it earlier.  There could also be a timer, so more people could be heard. 

I saw the woman who was in tears about the chaos in the ADA Hall H areas.  My feelings: That area is no place for volunteers.  There were PLENTY of paid folk who have experience with line management.  The Hall H area is a place for experienced, paid people to manage.

I also liked the idea of there being a place to go where we can read about the changes to be implemented, addressing concerns throughout the year leading up to the next con.

P.S. I had a magically delicious con!
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