Presidents of the USA, Pittsburgh Steel City Con

One weekend I set out for Pittsburgh Steel City Con. There were a couple of reasons I wanted to go. First off two of the guests I wanted are old, plus they also had Mindy Sterling from the Austin Powers movies, a want of mine. This would mark my second time ever in Pittsburgh, and my Steel City Con debut. And normally if I get 1 or 2 autographs at a con that is a lot for me, here I got FIVE  I cannot remember the last time I got this many autographs at a con (besides of course NYCC where they are all free). Though there was actually some rationale behind each of them. 

But before the con I wanted to meet the band Presidents of the USA, 

best known for their 90s hits "Peaches" and "Lump". The latter was even parodied by Weird Al. Sadly the guitarist isn't original. The lead singer and the drummer are original. 

So I mooched my way into the venue since told me that he once got them at a meet and greet after the show. I caught the tail end of the show but sadly they did no meet and greet. A wasted effort mooching. 

So I waited in a position where I could watch both doors. There were a few other fans waiting. I waited by the vehicle that I suspected belonged to them. And I was right.

First to walk out was the lead singer Chris Ballew. He was moving to his vehicle but would stopp if you asked for an autograph for photo op. I had 3 CDs which I got signed and of course got the photo op. 

Next up was drummer Jason Finn. Again, nice as can be. Signed my CDs and took a photo op. 

Then I spot current guitarist Andrew McKeag. Happily did a photo op. He wasn't in any of the CDs I had so didn't get him to sign anything. 

Chris Ballew (lead singer)

Jason Finn (drummer)

Andrew McKeag (current guitarist) 

Signed CDs 

I then went to pick up a friend, and it was off to Steel City Con at 2AM. I had to stop and sleep halfway, but we made it. And I managed to mooch admission. 

At Steel City Con, Froggys were not forced! I do believe that for Billy Dee Williams and LeVar Burton they were forced, but for the rest they weren't. And as a result the lines for most Froggys photo ops were but a handful. 

First one I went for was Mindy Sterling. She was friendly and even marked out for my item. An Austin Powers 2 snapper DVD signed by Rob Lowe, Seth Green, Jay Roach, and Verne Troyer. For this item I had to get a full combo. 

Next up was what is now a rare treat for me. A wrestling meet that I don't have, namely former WCW announcer Mark Madden. He marked out for my WCW book and went to his page and signed it for FREE and also took a FREE photo op for me! Wow I got a combo at a con for free. So double rare treat here. He was super duper nice. He was selling WCW promos for $10 but I didn't get one. 

Then I go for Pat Priest, someone who has alluded me for a long time. I had a Munsters photo signed by Butch Patrick years ago. And she was just $20 free photo op. Wow how refreshing. So I get her to sign my photo and got a photo op. One guy who was there seemed like he was harassing me asking me if I took a photo op with her. I thought he was going to charge me extra, but when I said yes he said he just wanted to make sure I got what was included in the $20. 

I rarely if ever go for repeats but I went for this one. I had a CS Jimmy Hart signed but the autograph was very sloppy and the marker which was used wasn't good. So it was also faded. I may have mooched it at a convention years ago, but I don't remember. I decided to remove the graph and get him again, and it was so much better. A million fold upgrade. Nice writing and the HOF and Mouth of the South inscriptions. 

Next up Penny Marshall from Laverne & Shirley and directors of several movies such as Big. The combo price was not much more than the table photo op price. So I elected to go for the full combo. The handler told me how much the pro op was and how much the table op was. Guess which one I chose. 

With my wants at this show done, I was able to just walk around, relax, look at the vendors, and take some photo ops with costumed folks. A nice change from the stress that normally consumes me when I'm at cons. 

Mindy Sterling (Austin Powers trilogy)

Pat Priest (Marilyn Munster in the Munsters) 

Penny Marshall (Laverne in Laverne & Shirley, director of Big, among other things)

Mark Madden (former WCW announcer)

Wrestling autographs

Austin Powers 2 DVD inside the snapper signed by Mindy Sterling on the left  

Signed photos

After we left I got treated to some nice and tasty Golden Corral. Then we head back I wanted to try for Jerry Seinfeld. I get to the spot with some time to spare. Jerry bolts out. I try to take a shot but it comes out ultra blurry and he's not even posing. This was after he did pose for an old lady grapher. Then I plead more he agrees to do it, but my camera decided to fail on me and he bolted in the car  yet ANOTHER failed attempt at Jerry Seinfeld.