True Blood Star Joe Manganiello Delights Audience At Comic Con Nerd HQ

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Joe Manganiello of “True Blood” Copyright Suzanne Philips/CFM

Zachary Levi and his Nerd HQ friends have been raising funds at the 2013 Comic Con for Operation Smile with their popular “Conversations For A Cause” Panels.   The panels are being held this year at Petco Park and are ranging from “Sherlock” with Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss and “Riddick” with star Vin Diesel.  The panels, which have sold out in a matter of minutes, have raised thousands of dollars to date for Operation Smile.

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On Friday, “True Blood” star and fan favorite Joe Manganiello stopped by the HQ to answer questions for the packed, and mostly female, audience.

Alan Tudyk Copyright Suzanne Philips/CFM
Alan Tudyk Copyright Suzanne Philips/CFM

“Firefly” and “Dollhouse” star and perennial Comic Con favorite Alan Tudyk was the moderator for the panel as usual moderator Zachary Levi was on doctor ordered voice rest pending his broadway opening.  The audience had a number of questions ranging from the pedestrian to the risqué.  Manganiello offered advice to one woman whose daughter is looking to get into acting as a career, and suggested that she get good training (Manganiello himself trained at the prestigious Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh with fellow “True Blood” cast member Michael McMillian).  He remarked that all of the cast members on “True Blood” that are playing werewolves, vampires, fairies and the like all have excellent classical training and that is what makes the show so good.

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One audience member wanted to know about the infamous “sock” that the guys use when they are doing nude scenes in the show.  Joe told a funny story about the first time that he went into his trailer to get ready for a nude scene and found on the table 3 different types of undergarments, one was like a brief which made you “look like a Ken doll”, the other was a thong type that closed on the sides with plastic straps that cast-mate Rutina Wesley (who plays Tara on the show) talked him out of as the straps would snap if you moved the wrong way, and just a sheath that “you put on over your business and it fastens with a drawstring”. Manganiello opted for the sheath.

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Manganiello also brought his popular Alcide’s Wolf Pack stickers again this year which he passed out to the crowd and have become a collectors item.

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Today’s panel raised over $5,000 for Operation Smile and Comic-Con Attendees can catch Joe Manganiello again tomorrow when he participates in a panel discussion and autograph signing for “True Blood”.

 

Alan Tudyk and Joe Manganiello at Nerd HQ
Alan Tudyk and Joe Manganiello at Nerd HQ
Author: Suzanne Philips
Film, TV, Theatre reviewer. Mad Dance Skillz, Crazy in a good way.