Monday, July 7, 2014

A few scattered meets throughout May

Thought I'd make a consolidated report for a few scattered meets throughout the month of may. Then I can finally venture into June reports. 


First off in early May I set out to meet a rock legend. Namely Bill Ward, the original drummer of Black Sabbath. 



Arrived at the airport and there were both NYC and Philly folks. Bill Ward arrives and we follow to baggage claim and he starts racking. One Philly guy even tries to physically pull away my stuff and I curse him out. After more spats with Philly folks I finally get a photo op and get my vinyl and CDs signed by him! Getting that nice rare score felt good. Plus this is my first ever member of Black Sabbath. 



Bill Ward photo op

Autographs part 1

Autographs part 2

Ten days later I go for actor TJ Miller after his comedy show. Real nice guy, happy to do a photo op. 

TJ Miller photo op

The next day was an event in mid may where I was commissioned to get some drum heads signed by Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. I also wanted to improve my photo op with him and get his autograph on my "One Hot Minute" CD already signed by Dave Navarro. 



I get to the spot and when it lets out Chad is nice as can be. He signs drum heads for another grapher. While doing so I get a photo op with baseball player Bernie Williams though I had him already. Then I get my combo with Chad Smith plus the drum heads. 



Photo ops

Signed CD

The day after that I was commissionied to get autographs from musician Ritchie Blackmore. He is an original member of Deep Purple. I heard so many conflicting stories about him, and how he sometimes signs and sometimes does not. After the show he got in his car then stopped it and signed and shockingly I even got a photo op


Ritchie Blackmore photo op


Fast forward another day I set out to improve my photo op with legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus and get a couple of items signed. When I got up to him one guy was saying he doesn't have time but I waited anyway. He took photo ops and signed my photos! 

The same place was another event which featured Chad Smith and Bernie Williams. This time I tried for a Bernie Williams autograph but he said he couldn't sign due to being under contract with Steiner Sports. He said he'd take a photo op with me but I told him I got one two days earlier. Then I see Chad Smith without shades, I try to get a photo op. He agrees but puts his shades back on 

At the event I also noticed actor Doc Shaw who was more than happy to take a photo op with me. 


Full list of photo ops from that day

Jack Nicklaus photo op

Jack Nicklaus autographs

Five days later actor Gerald McRaney was in town for an event. He co starred in the TV show Simon and Simon and was also the villain in the 2010 A Team movie. So I deemed him worthy of adding to my collection. 



I arrive at the event hotel and park right across the street. Now this was the sign that was displayed: 



Now I've done the necessary research on this type of sign long ago. What this means in English is this: in the date range listed above, you are not allowed to park there in the time frame specified.



I parked my car at 10:52pm. Right there and then people from the event said I had to move and that I would be towed. I pointed to the sign and said that in 8 minutes I'd be completely legal. A woman said that it didn't matter what the sign said the tow truck will come and tow. I said I'd stay in the car till 11 and I can't legally be towed while in the car. She said that the tow truck would come after 11. Another guy also gave me a warning and I said that if I'm towed I'd take it all the way to court. He said "if that's what you want to do" and "if you want to risk the car not being there go ahead". 



At one point the woman literally went on the walkie talkie and gave somebody my vehicle make, model, color, and license plate and to bring the towing truck to tow it. 



Now any average person would be afraid of such tactics. Case in point other people tried to park in the spots and they said "the sign is going to change, you have to move it" and indeed they moved. But I've clashed with actual police and secret service, so some event staff member bluff isn't going to scare me. The sign is law, and they of all people are not above the law. They just wanted the spot for their cars. And in any case, I figured I'd be right across the street anyway. So if all hell freezes over and I see a tow truck after 11pm, I simply run to the car and go inside it.  



Time passed, and I finally see Gerald McRaney and no tow truck ever came. Gerald was ultra friendly and was happy to pose for a shot! When signing he gave a nice autograph and I was pulling away the photo but turns out he wasn't done! Wow I'm so used to the garbage I get by celebrities that when he gave me half his autograph I thought it was full! I apologized and he finished the autograph and singed a second item no problem. You forget sometimes that some people are actually nice, especially when you combo hunt.


Gerald McRaney photo op

Autographs

A couple of days later I go for billionaire and WWE Hall of Famer, Donald Trump! We wait and he comes out of his limo with his daughter and is mobbed. 


I manage to get him on a book he wrote and on the Wrestlemania 23 entry of the WWE_E. As he was going inside I quickly plead for a photo op which he poses for! Interestingly enough he is a known germaphobe yet he put his hand on my shoulder. HCIT. 


Donald Trump photo op

Autographs


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