MediaWest*Con/MediaWest*Con 1981

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thumb|left|a flyer printed in the zine Warped Space #44 (1980) for the 1981 con
==Some Facts About the 1981 Convention==
*The theme was "The MidWest Strikes Back" (a play on The Empire Strikes Back).
* The concom appears to have been Paula Smith, Lori Chapek-Carleton, and Gordon Carleton, as per a statement about who not to hassle regarding the loss of personal belongings at the con, and the three people who headed the Dead Dog Panel.
* The program noted: '"For those who asked, the Hilton's TVs are also equipped with radio, and will pick up WKAR, the NPR station running the Star Wars radio program. It will be on Saturday at 8 p.m."''
* It had a Video Room that ran until 2:00 a.m.
* Fan Qs were awarded for the first time at this con under this name.
* The costume contest was judged by Shirley Maiewski, Gordon Carleton, Paula Smith, and Lori Chapek-Carleton.
* There was showing of Supraman, the slide show by Gordon Carleton.
*Nearly 300 pieces of art went up for bid at the art auction.
* Concerning videotapes: "All videotapes shown during MediaWest*Con I are available through courtesy of their respective owners and constitute private screenings. A room will be provided by the convention for videotape viewing as a convenience to convention members. Since the space and time available for video viewing is limited, it is anticipated that only those tapes of greatest interest to the convention members at large will be shown in the convention area. Tapes of less general interest are likely to be shown in individuals' rooms at the discretion of their inhabitants." from the program book 
* "Please note that if you find some of our programming not to your interest and can think up something better on your own, we have provided ample opportunity for you to schedule you own programming each day in rooms set aside for that very purpose. If you like, you can (once you have something scheduled on the sign-up sheets) make up an annoumcent (sic) for one of the concom to read between panels and in each of the other rooms prior to your event." from the program book 
* The program book was 24 pages long. It contains programming, hotel maps, notices, and ads. Some of the ads: Shoreleave, Babel Conference (Grand Rapids, MI, was to have a Carl Sagan Sound-Alike Contest), Aussiecon, the zines One Way Mirror and Crossed Sabres, Pegasus, publisher Poison Pen Press and BaReMi Press, and the slideshow Supraman.
*Susan Matthews was the winner of the Fan Fund and attended
==Fan Q Awards==
From the program book: 
For specifics, see 1981 FanQ Awards.
==Skit==
The con plays were "The Gumby Strikes Back" and "Gumby Trek" by Paula Block and "The Empire Strikes Back: The Musical" by Paula Smith. Another play was "A Romulan's Tale" (creator unknown).
Another skit (though this was perhaps a formal part of the costume contest and not an "official" skit) was mentioned in Warped Space #46: "Sandy Randant and Linda Lakin received Most Humorous for appearing as Kirk and Spock in a skit entitled "On Behalf of Hurt/Comfort Fans Everywhere."
Image:mwc1981skits.jpg
==Masquerade Awards==
The costume contest was judged by Shirley Maiewski, Gordon Carleton, Paula Smith, and Lori Chapek-Carleton.
Carol Lynn won Best Star Trek for appearing as Ensign Mary Sue, Angela-Marie Varesano and Karla Jarrett won Best Star Wars as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker, Mark Hyde was awarded Most Authentic for his Chewbacca, Marilyn Johansen won in the Cheapest Budget category as Han encased in carbonite, Madge Longhurst won Best Fantasy for her original costume of Aurtim, Princess of Al'Karon, Sandy Randant and Linda Lakin received Most Humorous for appearing as Kirk and Spock in a skit entitled "On Behalf of Hurt/Comfort Fans Everywhere", Brian Klaus won Best Non Star Trek/Star Wars Media as The Man With No Name, Dean Calin won Most Original for appearing as A Grothee Pilot, and Desi and Heather Bell won Best of Show as Little Fuzzies.
==Art Show Awards==
Art show winners were selected by popular vote.
We are looking for any info about the Art Show contest.
==Vid Show==
We are looking for any info on the pre-1998 vid show entries and winners. Also information as to when the first fan vids were informally shown at MediaWest*Con (the first Video Contest was held in 1984).
==A 1981 MediaWest*Con Filk==
* see The Ballad of Media West, from The Cosmic Connection (from the liner notes: "Jeanne Cloud & Jackie Bielowicz (sung to the "Battle of New Orleans") (composer notes: "a filk written after Media*West Con in 1981. There was a little trouble between the con and concurrent softball convention, but nothing like the rumors we heard through the evening. We felt that the very irony of the situation deserved its own filk.")
==Programming==
File:Mwc1981prog-1.jpg
File:Mwc1981prog-2.jpg
File:Mwc1981prog-3.jpg
File:Mwc1981prog-4.jpg
===Saturday Panels===
* BATTLESTAR-STRUCK: Joy Harrison, Randy Kaempen, Susan Perry-Lewis
* DR. WHO?: Jean Airey, Paulie Gilmore, Laurie Haldeman
* FEMINISM ON ICE (fannish fems): Judith Gran, Pat Nolan, Jean Stevenson, Lois Welling, Anne Elizabeth Zeek
* LEGAL ASPECTS OF FANLIT: Judith Gran, Carol Mularski, Karen Osman, Melinda Snodgrass
* CYCLES IN TREKLIT: Johanna Cantor, Kathy Esselman, Debbie Goldstein
* STAR WARS AS LITERATURE: Beckey Aulenbach, Pat Gonzales, Pat Nissan, Jackie Paciello
* BRITISH SF SHOWS: Robbie Brown, Daphne Hamilton, Jill McCaul, Ken Bussanmas
* FAN WARS or THE ST-SW "FEUD": Mary Lee Cascio, Barbara P. Gordon, Judi Hendricks, Winston Howlett, Devra Langsam, Susan Matthews, referee was Paula Smith
* BANQUET
* Presentation of the Fan Q Awards
* Skits: "A Romulan's Tale" and "The Empire Strikes Back: A Musical" (the second play was by Paula Smith)
* Masquerade (formal presentation, judging, then mingling and dancing
===Saturday Workshops===
* Martial Arts: Susan Crites, Joyce Yasner
* Backrub: Susan Crites, Jan Lindner, Lori Chapek-Carleton (Lori was the "practice body")
* WRITERS/EDITORS: Paula Block, Karen B, Connie Faddis, Laurie Huff
* ARTISTS: Gordon Carleton
* SOFT SCULPTURE: Mary Otten, Desi Bell, Sharon Ferraro Short
* COSTUMING & MAKE-UP: Mark Hyde, Susan Perry-Lewis
===Sunday Panels===
* CAN YOU READ MY MIND? (psi research): Judi Hendricks, Linda Stoops, Charlie Terry
* CREATING BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS: Paula Block, A.M. Hall, Jani Hicks, Pam Jensen
* skit: Gumby Trek by Paula Block
* HUMOR IN SF (what works and what doesn't): Gordon Carleton, Jan Linder, Martynn, Pat Massie, Barbara Wenk
* REAL GAYS IN REAL FANDOM (discussion gay literature in fandom): Desi Bell, Leslie Fish, Debra Laymon, Charlie Terry
* THOSE NIGGLING QUESTIONS ABOUT ST:TMP and PLAUSIBLE ANSWERS: Jackie Bielowicz, KathE Donnelly, Joan Verba, Bev Zuk
* THOSE NIGGLING QUESTIONS ABOUT TESB and PLAUSIBLE ANSWERS: Christine Jeffords, April Pentland, Cathy Strand, and Dianne Wickes
* Art Auction
===Sunday Workshops===
* skit: "The Gumby Strikes Back" by Paula Block
* Supraman -- The Slide Show by Gordon Carleton
* THE WELCOMMITTEE HOUR (club-originating advice, STW's activities and purposes, etc.): Shirley Maiewski
* UNAMERICAN ACTIVITIES: (Canadian and Overseas fandom): Evelyn Baker, Andre Lieven, Jill McCaul
* WHAT MAKES A FANDOM INTERESTING?: Connie Faddis, Cynthia Levine, Heather Nachman, Joyce Yasner
* DEAD DOG (including FanQ/Fan Fund comments -- if you can't attend, write down your comments and leave them in the Suggestion Box): Lori Chapek Carleton, Gordon Carleton, Paula Smith
* STAR WARS PRESS CONFERENCE: "In which Luke and Darth answer questions about Life, the Universe, and Everything. Fans in the persona of the STAR WARS characters, organized by Mark Walton
==Convention Reports==
From Boldly Writing: 
A fan, Barbara P. Gordon, wrote: 
Paula Smith addresses Barbara P. Gordon's comments: 
A fan, Jane W, disagrees with Barbara P. Gordon's con report: 
A fan, Susan R. Matthews, also wrote of her experience on a panel: 
A fan complained: 
These Purdue University students had a fine time: 
==References==
Category:1981 Conventions
Category:Multimedia Conventions