Copyright 1998 The Richmond Times Dispatch The Richmond Times Dispatch May 19, 1998, Tuesday, CITY EDITION SECTION: FLAIR X'D; STRANGE SIGHTINGS, UNCONFIRMED FANTASIES AT THE 'FILES' EXPO by Douglas Durden, Times-Dispatch Staff Writer Agent Fox Mulder: "Scully, it's our strangest X-File yet. Thousands of people - men, women, children - showed up at the old White Oak Naval Warfare Center where they paid $25 apiece to talk about aliens and government conspiracies. It's still unconfirmed, but there was a report of an Alex Krycek sighting." Agent Dana Scully: "Fox, get a grip. No one would pay $25 to see Rat Boy." Wrong, Agent Scully. Approximately 5,000 people did pay $25 to see actor Nicholas Lea, aka Rat Boy, plus several of "The X-Files'" other secondary actors, at this weekend's X-Files Expo in Silver Spring, Md. They could also pay $5 for cast pictures, $17 for an "X-File" key ring, $9 for an "X-File" magnet, and $46 for an "X-File" watch that doesn't have numbers. No one seemed to mind. In fact, there were only minor grumblings about the lines that snaked almost everywhere: lines for autographs, lines for a glimpse at the upcoming "X-File" movie and lines for a chance to have your picture taken in Mulder's office. The creators of the 10-city X-Files Expo, which finishes May 30-31 in Detroit, wanted a carnival-like atmosphere. And they got it. Not only was there a lot to do, but also there was a lot to buy. Not all venues required extra cash, however. Display cases filled with show memorabilia were scattered like side shows at the entrance of the expo. Here were ties worn by Agent Mulder (David Duchovny) over the show's five seasons, plus a Georgetown University sweatshirt and a parka that showed up in specific episodes. Agent Scully (Gillian Anderson) had her own display of clothes, including the shapeless trenchcoat the actress wore during her pregnancy. (Note to Anderson: Ask for a new wardrobe. Those no-nonsense gray suits from Holt Renfrew need updating.) Local screenplay writer Vince Gilligan had a case devoted entirely to his handful of popular episodes. (Who would think to save cans labeled Carbo Boost?) And for those who like "The X-Files" best when it's at its most ghoulish, the must-see display of the event was labeled Body Parts containing a fake pig leg, chicken feet, skull, finger in ice and a liver in a jar. All had explanations printed on the sides of the displays. But many fans were able to match prop to episode without any help. That's the kind of crowd it was - not here to learn, but to share information. Past the archives and the line for the movie's sneak preview, a hawker invited fans to have their pictures taken in front of the car used by Agents Mulder and Scully in the movie, which opens June 19. One by one, or family group by family group, they stood in front of a gray Intrigue (product placement alert!) and, when prompted, pretended to be stunned by a mysterious light. That particular photo op was free. But there were plenty of opportunities to donate to the cause. For example, $4 got you the chance to have your picture taken in Mulder's cluttered, personality-driven office, or with FBI Assistant Director Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi). Let's put that another way. For $4, you could have your picture taken against a totally green background devoid of anything but a few planks of wood. A digitized picture would do the rest, putting you in the middle of one of the series' standard sets. For a crowd drawn to a show that specializes in paranoia and unfriendly aliens, this was a tame group - unless you consider two women sporting T-shirts reading "Lonegun Women," in honor of the show's three Lone Gunmen, a tad strange. Middle-aged fans were as well-represented as young fans, all of whom appeared to want the same things: a chance to talk to the stars and to scarf up the merchandise. Although neither of the two major stars were present - that would be Duchovny and Anderson - expo participants were more than willing to accept the show's second bill: Lea, who plays the evil Agent Alex Krycek; Dean Haglund, who plays Langly, one of the three Lone Gunmen; and Steven Williams, who played "X," dead, but capable of re-appearing through the magic of imaginative scripts. Also present was Rob Bowman, longtime producer-director for the series who directs the upcoming big-screen version of the show. And if you don't think there's a connection between a spring X-File Expo and a summer movie, then you don't know a conspiracy from a marketing ploy, not that there's much difference. Bowman was not about to give away any of the movie, which is supposed to pick up where Sunday's season finale left off, but he was having fun teasing his audience. "What's happening to Mulder's and Scully's relationship? - I'm not going to tell you." He did admit he finally had to stop reading the post-show critiques on the Internet because they got so "hypercritical." Lea, who is not in the movie, showed up in casual blue shirt and black slacks. He was happy to talk about the show that has given him enough exposure to get roles in other TV shows (a cameo on the recent Duchovny edition of NBC's "Saturday Night Live") and movies, including an upcoming feature in which he plays an unhappy robot. "I feel really fortunate to be part of the show. I want my career to be about working with people who are thoughtful and bright," Lea told the audience that had crowded into a makeshift auditorium to hear from a show insider. "I like that he [Krycek] comes out of the shadows and does something dramatic, then skitters into the shadows again." In his almost hourlong appearance, Lea answered questions about the show and about himself. What was it like to kiss Mulder, which took place during a recent scene between the two characters? "It was hilarious. It was in the script." What was it like to kiss the mysterious Maria [sic] Covarrubias during the show's hottest sex scene to date? "We were so excited, we knocked teeth on the first kiss," said Lea about himself and the actress who plays Maria. Does he think anything will happen between Krycek and Scully? "I think Scully's taste is too good." Where was he going for cocktails that night? No answer. Are the rumors true he's talked to Steven Bochco about joining ABC's "NYPD Blue"? Conversations, yes; an offer, no. Lea even related his own version of being a fan. He was dying to get a picture taken of himself with legendary guitarist Jimmy Page, also a guest on that recent "Saturday Night Live." He never worked up the nerve.