Hudson's day job is in social services for seniors - which means the demographic that watched The Golden Girls during its original 1985-1992 run is the same demographic he works with professionally. He understands what the show meant to the people who watched it first, and what it means to younger generations who found it during a pandemic shutdown and discovered that 1980s Miami had somehow cracked a formula for connection that most current television hasn't touched.
Golden Fandom LLC, the organization Hudson co-founded with brothers Brad and Brendan Balof, is a lean operation built on ticket revenue and some sponsorships - no outside investors, no corporate backing. The inaugural convention was funded almost entirely through ticket sales. Hudson tracked down every panelist and guest himself, juggling his regular job with months of convention logistics. Writers, producers, directors, guest stars. He wanted anyone who had ever been credited on the show, up to and including series creator Susan Harris.
The inaugural Golden-Con ran April 22-24, 2022 at Navy Pier. Drag performers. Cosplay parades. A Sophia Petrillo lookalike contest next to a giant replica of her trademark wicker purse. The theme song performer Cindy Fee sharing a stage with viral gospel singer Aaron Scott in what Hudson called "one of the most electrifying moments" he'd witnessed - "powerhouse performers with rare vocal powers." He said he still gets chills thinking about it.
The second Golden-Con, March 31-April 2, 2023, moved to the Sheraton Grand Chicago Riverwalk and filled 125,000 square feet - roughly the footprint of two full Chicago city blocks. Kristy McNichol. Dinah Manoff. David Leisure. Sam McMurray. DJ Paul Joseph flown in from London to host the "Mother of a Solid Gold Dancer Disco." About 4,000 attendees. Hudson showed up on ABC7 Chicago that Friday alongside guest stars to discuss what started, two and a half years earlier, as a bar trivia idea.
His stated goal for the convention going forward: turn it from a "labor of love" into a "labor of business" - meaning an operation sustainable enough to keep growing on its own momentum. The show has been off the air for over three decades. The fans are still here. Hudson spotted that gap and decided to fill it.