Event Reviews and Reports | Mighty Ducks FanFair '99

Michelle skated her Carmen short program at the Mighty Ducks FanFair '99 on Sunday, January 17, 1999. My friend Christine attended, but, because of traffic, she arrived at the rink minutes after Michelle finished skating her program. She did see Michelle on the ice, though. Michelle wasn't wearing any special outfit, but this practice outfit. Here is her report:

By the time I got into the arena, Michelle already finished her program, whatever it was. But on the plus side, I DID see her. By the time I got in, she was on the ice with Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. I heard the announcer say something like, "...Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne on the ice with Michelle Kwan. Maybe Michelle can give them some finer points to skating. Maybe she can teach them a triple lutz." I don't know. My mind was all clouded with anger and resentment at the time so I didn't remember much. For the next 5 minutes after I came in and got to see her, she was on the ice talking to Paul Kariya and Teemu Selanne. She also had a hockey stick in hand, posing for some photographers, fans, etc. there were also some cameras from local stations so I'll be looking out for some news clips later on tonight. But then she was escorted off the ice after a while along with Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya (SO SOON!!!) cuz they started the open skating sessions. After that I didn't see her anymore. I doubt she had any autograph sessions cuz it was never announced. They announced every single autograph session and the duration it was going to be, but Michelle's name was never announced. I even walked around the concourse level, hoping that Michelle was somewhere there signing autographs. After a while, I saw Paul Kariya being escorted out of an elevator into his autograph session, and I was hoping Michelle would be escorted out too. cuz I was thinking about that press conference thing you told me about with her, Paul, and Teemu. But she wasn't anywhere in sight. And throughout the whole time I was there, waiting and hoping to see Michelle, I saw ONE person with some kind of flyer with Michelle's pic on it and by time I realized whose picture it was, to ask the girl where she got it from, it was too late. As I walked I even looked at the papers, programs, etc. that other people were carrying and I couldn't find one with Michelle on it (cuz I wanted to know where the girl got it from).

Mike also attended the event, and said that Michelle "was great, although the show wasn't very long." Also, Mike said that the flyer my friend mentioned in her report was a 5x7 flyer advertising her performance that day, and that one was inserted into each free program that everyone received upon entrance. He sent me a scan of the flyer advertising Michelle. (Thanks Mike!)

Finally, a short piece about Michelle at the Fan Fair was shown on NBC's Los Angeles affiliate, KNBC channel 4. Christine wrote a summary, and also was able to capture some pictures from the interview. Check it out! (Thanks Christine!)