Hair metal bands and Baltimore Celebfest

In early in May I went for some hair metal bands. I sadly couldn't dedicate too much time to it which sucked cause I missed people I wanted. But when I did go I got people, though a lot of them are repeats sadly. I did get the band Heaven's Edge which is fresh. The singer and drummer are both original. For the latter I had to wait till the CD release party at night and get him as he left the set. I got a group shot with 3 members of the band Vixen. This upgraded my photo op with Lorraine Lewis (she is not an original member of Vixen but she is an original member of the band Femme Fatale so definitely more than just a barely valid name). 

Julia Lage of Vixen said I looked like "a cuter John Mayer" as she worded it. How cool is that?  I also got a solo shot with her since she isn't next to me in the group shot. Sadly I didn't see original Vixen member Roxy Petrucci. I have a photo from her before but she is in a group shot and I'm not next to her. So I failed to rectify that as I wasn't there during check in when she posed. Nor did I come back the next day when she posed. 

Another let down was Rudy Sarzo from Quiet Riot and was even in Whitesnake for a bit. Needed the combo. He did nothing leaving when I wasn't there. But he had a family emergency and left town after the show so he never returned.

Julia Lage, Britt Lightning, and Lorraine Lewis

Full list of photos part 1

Full list of photos part 2

Steve Adler autograph

Towards the end of May was Baltimore celeb fest. I had a few wants from there. Kalisto has eluded me for ages, so I was finally able to get the last member of Lucha House Party I still needed. Then Max Caster who has hated me for ages. Here is the back story. It was towards the end of the pandemic in 2021. I asked Max for a photo op at the airport. Asked him to remove the mask, he refused. I got the mask shot. Minutes later he removed the mask for someone else. So I tried to ask him for a redo he refused. He's hated me ever since. And every time I've seen him and asked him for the op he always remembered me and refused. Of course when he's getting paid he goes "let's do it finally". 

I got an upgrade with Cherry as she has shades in my shot. Then got Gisele Shaw and Alisha Edwards from Impact Wrestling fame, Marty Scurll, and a group who with Teal Piper and Deimos.

Max Caster

Full list of photo ops

Kicking off May with a legendary film meet

When it comes to film music, the top name would be John Williams (who I met), and second to him would be Danny Elfman. He made the music for such legendary movies like Batman, Batman Returns, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Spiderman, Spiderman 2, just to name some. So when an opportunity came to meet him, I had to make as much use of that as I could. 

First spot, was coming into town. I got one and the photo. I had signed my Batman Returns laserdisc already signed by Danny Devito. I have time to kill till the next spot, so I do other stuff till I have to the venue.

In the witching hour, mooch into the venue and eventually a VIP room (much to the chagrin of some of the employees). Danny is shocked to see us but he is accommodating and signs. I show him how I've had these items for a while and who signed them, which he seemed impressed by. He went "wow" when I told him I had Robin WIlliams on one of the items. I got signed:

Batman vinyl

Flubber laserdisc signed by Robin Williams

Mission:Impossible laserdisc signed by Tom Cruise

Nightmare Before Christmas laserdisc signed by Chris Sarandon and Catherine O'Hara (interestingly Danny is the signing voice of Jack Skellington in this one)

Next day it was time for the outbound of Danny. This time I changed clothes, put a mask on, and didn't sport my camera or autograph bag. I also decided to aim for only two items to increase my chances. Namely, a Spiderman vinyl and a Spiderman DVD. I saw him with a mask and approached him and asked. To which he goes "NOW HOW DID YOU KNOW I WAS HERE?". He signed both items. I thanked him. He goes in an ironic way "Is that all?" and I said yes. He goes "Thank You!". I hope to meet Tobey MaGuire one day.

Danny Elfman

Autographs part 1

Autographs part 2

Chiller Theater April 2023 report

Sadly, I had to do a quick in and out of Chiller as I had other engagements. So, I couldn't really enjoy and relax at the con. I also had to skip quite a bit of secondary names due to lack of splits. On the positive side, I was also hooked up on four names as the lady and her friend who brought them in know me and wanted to help me out. This landed me free photo ops with Melanie Chartoff, Bob Bergen, Chris Poland, and Jeff Young plus an autograph from Jeff! So that was very nice of them. 

My first get was Robert Smigel AKA Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. I got Robert before, but I needed the dog. He remembered markedout's Greg2600 from street meets but did not remember me, which was upsetting. SMH.

Next up, William Fichtner from Black Hawk Down, Armageddon, and others. Then Mark Dacascos from Double Dragon. After that Jeremy Sumpter (Peter Pan), Richard Young (F13th), Bob Bergen (Voice actor), and Melanie Chartoff (Fridays).

Then one of my main wants from the show, Julia Nickson from Rambo II, and then Dana Wheeler-Nicholson from Tombstone. Now for some music, got Brian Wilson's daughter, Carnie Wilson. I even told her that I met her father. Then Chris Poland and Jeff Young both of whom played on 80s Megadeth albums. I also got Jeff to sign my "So Far So Good So What" album already signed by the two Daves. And on to another one of my top wants, David Marks of the Beach Boys. He is an original member of the Beach Boys that played on the first four albums. With the addition of Marks, I now have met every original and semi original member of the Beach Boys that is still alive! 

Then I get Michael Oliver from Problem Child 1&2. Hope his co star makes the next Chiller. Then older actor Tony Lo Bianco from The French Connection. Wow he looks and moves great for 86. David Moscow from Big is a name that I'd always see doing book signings. But could never go get him. So to see him at Chiller along with other people, talk about convenience! Then to the Blues Brothers room. I only needed two of those that were there. Tom Scott and Murphy Dunne.

Then I get Melanie Safka who is best known for the song "Brand New Key". Then Jason London. Since I have Jeremy London figured I gotta get his twin. Got Angelica Bridges, another addition to my Baywatch collection. Ended my photo ops at chiller with Jim Doyle, creator of the Freddy Glove. Ended my time at Chiller with a Jason Hervey auto. I got his auto on the street in the past but sadly it was damaged with finger prints, so I had to have it removed and re done as it's such a cool cast piece. Now all that is sadly missing is the elusive dick Josh Saviano, who wouldn't sign for me when I saw him (I have the op).

Triumph the Insult Comic Dog

Julia Nickson

David Marks

Full list of Chiller Theater Photos part 1

Full list of Chiller Theater Photos part 2

Autographs

Final wave of April street meets

To round off April street meets, I would get people over a span of days.

First up, I would be juggling two spots, and I would try to upgrade my Angelina Jolie shot in one of the spots.

Go to the first spot and get a few names including country singer Maggie Rose. Nile Rodgers of Chic fame declined. Go to the next spot get Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines, Cloe Kim, and others. Of course, I heard that Nile Rodgers actually stopped at the previous spot. Angelina does nothing going in.

Back to the first spot and get a whole bunch of names, some highlights include Fran Drescher (update), Victoria Monet, and Nile Rodgers who through the skin of my teeth I manage to get the op! 

Back to the second spot, sadly it did not work out. Only got Edward Lee. Angelina did nothing leaving. Lea Solonga was supposed to be around, but no one saw her. I have her so no big deal.

Maggie Rose

Fran Drescher

Nile Rodgers

Victoria Monet

Full list of photo ops part 1

Full list of photo ops part 2

Next up, I go to the airport for actress Yvette Nicole Brown. She was cool. Then I would do a flight for both Justin Hartley and Sofia Pernas. Have Justin but need Sofia. They were both nice and I got the dual shot and autos. Unfortunately this was a very bad strategic mistake I made. At another spot a bunch of people I wanted stopped during check in. I should have been there because Justin and Sofia were going there too. In the next days I would make up most of the losses. 

I then go to the spot I should have been at; I get Gloria Calderon Kellett (upgrade), Raegan Revord whom I first met as a child so this was a cool update (she is 15). I even told her how I met her as a child at the festivities of the Televisions in NYC. And I got Emily Swallow whom I never paid for at a con. Asked Jason Isaacs for an auto but he declined. Emma Kenney (who stopped while I was getting Justin and Sofia) left quickly. Waited for her to come back but she never did. Other people who stopped earlier were BD Wong and Grace Caroline Currey but I would make those up.

Justin Hartley and Sofia Pernas

Emily Swallow

Full list of photo ops

Autographs

Next up went back to the spot from the previous day. It was a rainy day. Wait and see Clark Gregg and get an update shot. Then it was go time where you had to pick and choose what you needed as they all came in at once. Thankfully I needed very little so I was able to do that (ie pick and choose). I got one of my main wants in Grace Caroline Currey, updates with Jason Isaacs, Katherine McNamara, and Raegan Revord. And I get one of my main wants in BD Wong. I got him to sign my Jurassic Park laserdisc but sadly the pen I used did not agree with the surface. The auto didn't stay. Had to rub it off. It's ok I would make that up another day. Sadly no signs of Emma Kenney and I had photos for some of the people but in the chaos I could not get them signed. After this it was off to Chiller (which will by my next report).

Grace Caroline Currey

BD Wong

Full list of photo ops

Next up a spot where it was barricaded with police due to protestors. So they weren't letting people without tickets in. But thanks to my on the fly improvision, I got in! Unfortunately, it didn't do me too much good cause when it broke and chaos ensued, I didn't see the people I wanted. I got 2 great names, but they were names I had. Namely Julia Fox and Lena Headey. I missed actress J Smith Cameron, I didn't see Sophia Bush (needed an upgrade), and I didn't see BD Wong or Amy Landecker (I would make up the latter two soon after). Asked Jason Isaacs for an auto but he declined.

Walk to the next spot, I see Bradley Whitford and his wife Amy Landecker. I asked them for the op they were both super nice! Bradley is an update and Amy is fresh! Got actress Ego Nwodim (upgrade), got a full body shot with Julia Fox in her outfit. Zooey Deschanel was there but didn't stop for photos. Rosario Dawson did a couple of ops but wasn't being too friendly. I already have her many times so I didn't bother. It's a shame as she used to be super nice. Ended up with updates with Justin Theroux, Judy Gold, and BD Wong, and finally got him to properly sign my laserdisc. Got an upgrade with Sofia Pernas dressed all nice. Got some political names but saw a lot of political names doing ops but I had no interest in asking them. Ended the evening with Jim Cramer (host of Mad Money).

Julia Fox

Amy Landecker

BD Wong

Full list of photo ops part 1

Full list of photo ops part 2

Jurassic Park laserdisc