As readers of this blog know, I've been following the exploding career of young actor Michael Welch for several years here. In February, PROnetworks was the first online to announce that he had been cast in the role of Mike Newton in Twilight, the highly anticipated Summit Pictures release of the film based on Stephenie Meyer's popular novel. Twilight is due in theaters on November 21.

As excitement about the film, and Welch's role in it, began to grow, an odd episode that can only be called "the socks affair" began to unfold. Allow me to explain.


On March 12, 2008 Twilight Lexicon, the unofficial internet authority on all things Twilight, came up with a seemingly simple proposal.

Now on to something fun, frivolous, and…well…just plain goofy. In our recent interview with Mike Welch, the actor who will be playing Mike Newton in Twilight, he mentions packing and not being able to find any socks. Now, for those of you who read the interview, pretty much one of the first things you notice is the off-beat sense of humor Mike has. So, we had an idea. Why not have the fans send him socks so he’s never without?

So, if you would like to participate, drop Mike a note and pair of socks. You can order socks through our Amazon shop.. OK, things I never anticipated, I’ve been asked his sock size. YIKES! I have no idea. He’s 5'10" so I’m thinking he probably doesn’t have small feet.

Several weeks later, on April 2, Michael wrote on his MySpace blog:

I love you guys. "Ha ha ha!" Did you really send me socks? That’s incredible. For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, let me briefly explain. A little while ago, before I began my road trip up to Portland, I mentioned that I was low on socks. I picked up a 12 pack in Berkeley and figured that that would be the end of it. Then Twilight Lexicon tells it’s readers: "Hey! Let’s send Mike socks! It’ll be funny!" And they did!!! Not only did the twi-hards dig the idea, they followed through with it. One complete joke from idea to conception, THAT’’S fan commitment. I have so many socks now it’s ridiculous. You guys are beautiful. I appreciate the gesture very much.

Thanks again for the socks you crazy beautiful people!

That same day Twilight Lexicon responded:

When we read Mike Welch’s blog today and he spoke about receiving the socks spurred on by this post, of course we wanted to know how many socks he got. So we contacted his management who told us 25 or 30 pairs of socks. Which we thought was pretty cool, but somehow we thought more fans than that had responded.

Well the next thing you know we get a phone call from Mike’s mom…yes, his mom( *waves to Mike’s mom!*). It seems that they had the number only partially right. They have received 25 BOXES of socks such as:

* baby booties (Mike’s mom is saving those for when Mike has kids of his own.)
* tube socks
* dress socks
* Twilight themed socks
* hand-knit socks
* socks with individual toe holders.

Mike hasn’t seen them yet since he’s been filming, he’s only been told about them and the notes attached to them.

As time went on, dozens of articles referencing "the socks affair" appeared at Twilight Lexicon and elsewhere, including MTV and many other Twilight fansites. Michael's MySpace continued to be bombarded with comments and messages.

So, naturally, when I headed out to cover the Opening Night of Michael's play Speech & Debate at The Blank Theatre in West Hollywood a couple of months ago, I felt it my journalistic duty to examine and verify the receipt of said socks. After the performance, I shot some pictures backstage and at the afterparty. Then I proceeded to a secret location where I would rendezvous with Michael.

What I discovered when I arrived was quite a spectacle. There was Michael, visible only from the neck up, literally buried in a mountain of socks, stockings, and booties of all shapes, colors, and sizes. I whipped out my camera and went to work, documenting the moment for posterity.


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