As you well know Avatar Portal, DBF and Alisa from Deviant Art's Avatarverse planned to live-stream the two Nick Avatar panels both Friday and Saturday at the NYCC last weekend. Long story short Friday went just fine, but Saturday was a no-go due to con regulations about live-streaming.
But like two gallant knights in shining armor, Mike and Bryan stepped in and saved the day, offering Avatar Portal's Avatar_FTW (Collin) and SOTS (Jon) an exclusive on-camera interview.
Avatar insiders understood immediately why this act was so very monumental.
Yes of course any interview with Mike and Bryan is cause for celebration, but this gesture was especially touching and here's why.
ASN (Avatar Spirit Net) is the crown jewel in Avatar fandom's burgeoning temple of worship. They have the largest registered Avatarian population. And let's face it while most of us claim TV.com as our main port of call in the Avatar fandom network, we all have multiple accounts at various fansites and undoubtedly we all belong to ASN as well.
Because Acastus has worked so very hard to keep his relationship with Nickelodeon extra squeaky clean, which I lovingly refer to as supreme butt-kissery, ASN usually receives luxurious access rights to all things Avatar--exclusive interviews, first bids on trailers directly from the sacred hands of Nickelodeon as well as all breaking Avatar news, etc.
And while ASN has a pristine relationship with Nickelodeon, sadly ASN doesn't always have a good or even an acceptable relationship with the rest of fandom.
Case in point ASN declined to join an inter-fansite olympics event building up to the NYCC, citing the need to refrain from competing 'against' other fansites and a desire to avoid any possible involvement in inter-fansite squabbling as a result.
Acastus please...
The point is if ASN is the Nickelodeon-designated hub of all breaking Avatar news and information, Nick should know that ASN doesn't always 'play well with others' in the fandom community.
This is why Avatar Portal's on-camera interview with Mike and Bryan was such a very big deal.
For once Nickelodeon's god-like favor shone on someone other than Acastus and UJoF.
Cue the 'Alleluia Chorus' accordingly.
It would have been so very easy for Maria Poulos, PR for Nick NY, to walk up to Collin and Jon and say 'Sorry guys, no live-streaming. Tough luck. Get with Acastus. He will give the dregs and scraps of whatever he feels fit to toss your way..."
But she didn't. In fact both she, as well as Mike and Bryan walked up and thanked Collin and Jon for their courtesy and professionalism when they were politely asked not to live-stream Saturday's NYCC panel.
To further add to the overall miraculousness of the moment Poulos generously handed Collin and Jon her business card and told them that if she could be of any assistance to them or AP to give her a call.
Collin expects to post this interview as well as AP's con coverage this Friday on his blog.
Collin's Blog: http://web.mac.com/avatar_ftw/iWeb/The%20World%20of%20the%20Avatard/Blog/Blog.html
Our emphatic joy will be two-fold, one portion devoted to the confirmation that Mike and Bryan are the awesome human beings we've always suspected them to be and two, that Nickelodeon graciously acknowledged the deep and abiding need for non-ASN fansite access to the inner citadel that is Avatar and our enshrined animation gods, Mike and Bryan.
Collin: It's very nice to meet you Mr. DiMartino...err I mean 'God.'
ADDENDUM: I do have to commend Acastus on sharing the Nick-quality Avatar S3 Finale Trailer bounty with Collin at Avatar Portal as well as DBF at Pooldude's request. He also made it available for fandom to download at megaupload.com. Thank you kindly Acastus!
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