2012 Overview and Awards

2012 was quite a year for me. Celeb wise I scored quite a few A level names and scored an amazing random in George Lucas. Sadly, despite the victories I had a lot of failures in 2012, and this is something I hope to improve upon in 2013. Failures were due to various things including but not limited to celebs being total assholes, spots being blown up, and bad timing when running around graphing. 

Wrestling wise my activity was the lowest it's ever been since I started obtaining combos. This is due to two things, namely that there's very few people I need and also because it conflicted with bigger celeb names (for example when LOTR and NYCC were taking place in the same weekend). During 2012 I did only one wrestling con and did WWE rounds twice. At least I took care of one major wrestling want in Paul Heyman. Now I only have three major wants in wrestling: Shane McMahon, Brock Lesnar, and Sable.   

Anyhow, on to my awards:

First meet: Brad Pitt (autograph)

Biggest meet: George Lucas 

Biggest first time photo op: George Lucas

Biggest first time meet: George Lucas

Most favorite meet: George Lucas

Biggest first time wrestling meet: Paul Heyman

Biggest convention meet: Christopher Lloyd (I now have combos with the 3 major characters from Back to the Future, Marty, Doc, and Biff). 

Biggest triumph of the human spirit: Anne Hathaway photo op! Failed on that twice (photo op wise) and waited till 5 AM for my success in November.

Biggest wrestling disappointment: Still didn't meet Shane McMahon, the only McMahon to elude me. 

Biggest celeb disappointment: Too many to mention in 2012, but missing Robert Zemekis, John Goodman, and Denzel Washington in one shot by one hour ranks right up there (although I already met Denzel) 

Most valuable autograph obtained: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Robert Deniro, and Clint Eastwood tie breaker

Best random meet: George Lucas

Best looking item signed: Triumph the Insult comic dog DVD cover 

Most pleasant interaction: Paul Heyman and Robert Smigel (Triumph) tie breaker 

Best HCIT moment: Arnold Schwarzenegger told me "see ya" 

Final round of 2012 meets: WWE RAW

When it comes to WWE I aim myself towards names I don't have rather than big names.

First off let me say wow I miss the ease and friendliness of wrestling. How I wish celebs were like that. Not only that, but wrestlers actually switch pens, something I am no longer used to. So when I present my item they are giving back someone else's pen and I have to whip out mine. Celebs just take one pen and sign everything with it (regardless of pen color and how well the pen works).

So for day 1 I had info for Brad Maddox who I never met and Paul Heyman.

First off is Brad Maddox. He is as nice as can be. I get a photo op, autos on an NXT program, and the inside cover of both my WWE_Es. When getting out the NXT program he goes "am I in that one?" which I told him he was. HCIT

Now here is a big criticism for the inside cover of the WWE_E V2. It is black with WWE logos in white and that makes it HORRIBLE for autographs. I gave Brad a silver and he signed over the white and it's hard to see. Really WWE, if it wasn't broke why fix it 

Next up I was waiting for Paul Heyman. While waiting two old women are being wheeled out on wheelchairs. Then I notice one of those woman is MAE YOUNG! WTF! I get her on the WWE_E v2. Didn't really bother with a wheel chair seated Mao Young photo op. I have so many photo ops with her.

While getting Mae Young I see Paul Heyman walk by and get him on my ECW magazine and two 8x10s (one of which is my photo op with him). Again, nice as can be.

I decide to stick around a little longer to see who else I spot, and I spot the man of a thousand holds, Dean Malenko. I go up to him and ask him for an auto and he gives me his "speak out I can't hear you" routine and I ask again and he signs for me. The past couple of years I've never been turned down by him. 

After this I decided to leave. Cause really who do I need in wrestling that wasn't on a house show at that point? Nobody. 

Now I had the hotel info for The Shield. I still need a photo op with Roman Reigns. So I decided to venture there the next day. There was another hotel where I think the bigger names stayed, but I needed Roman Reigns more than anyone else on the current roster. Dean Ambrose I already had a photo op from an airport in late 2011, and Seth Rollins I got in ROH. 

So I arrive at the hotel and it's dead. No marks, no wrestlers, no nothing. My reaction was this face 

Suddenly a girl shows up and asks who I saw. I was perplexed considering I only had my camera and a bag on me. No exposed wrestling merch, no wrestling shirts, nothing. I asked her how she knew what I was doing she said she was doing the same thing and that it was "obvious" what I was here for. I told her truthfully I saw nothing yet then she said she saw Brad Maddox. 

Then I see Harvey Wippleman and Brooklyn Brawler. I get them on my WWE_E v2 and both are nice as can be. And a handful of marks show up soon after. Ok, some life. That's a good thing. 

Saw Brad Maddox and asked him if he remembered me from last night he said he did. HCIT. 

First member of the Shield that walks around is Dean Ambrose. Got him on the inside cover of both WWE_Es and NXT program. Second member of the Shield that walks around was Seth Rollins. He had a hood on but did combos with everyone while waiting to buy coffee. I was going to wait till he was done ordering but since others asked I went ahead. I got him on both WWE_Es, the NXT program, and the ROH program, completing it. He goes "oh wow that's an old one". Didn't bother getting another photo op since hooded Seth Rollins is not worth an upgrade. Obviously if I had no photo op it would have been a no brainer to get a photo op. 

besides all this I get on the WWE_E v2 the following:

Road Dog Jesse James (he was getting money from the ATM. I asked for one then I told him how disheartened I was when they removed "ass" from the theme song and he laughed. Got him on the Outlaws entry)

Michael Cole

Josh Mathews 

Jerry Lawler (seemed hesitant to sign for me but did anyway). Did photo ops with everyone who asked. 

Finlay (didn't even know he came back!)

IRS (Money, Inc entry)

Ranjin Singh

Brooklyn Brawler (this time on the Abe Knuckleball Schwartz entry)

Also saw Paul Heyman again and I got him on another mag. Again nice as can be.

I saw Dean Malenko as well but didn't bother him since I figure he'd recognize me from the night before. Jamie Noble was also there I went outside to get him (as he passed me by as I was getting Finlay) but he seemed to ignore me. While all the agents crowded outside who shows up? None other than People Power himself, John Laurinaitis. He was staying at the other place and was just passing by here, so I really lucked out. My priority is now changed as I flip my WWE_E v2 to his entry! After he's done talking to his men I ask him and he is nice as can be. Even inscribed "people power". Then I go inside and get one of my buddies and we go outside he's about to enter the car. My buddy got a photo op with him then I asked him and he goes "quickly". This is probably the nicest I've ever seen him be since before the People Power era. He is actually the only repeat photo op I got that weekend. A man tries to get a Jamie Noble autograph and ends up with a John Laurinaitis combo. Not a bad trade off 

Of course a midst all this I am still missing my number one want for this: Roman Reigns. Why is it that the two that I don't need just walk around yet he does not 

Eventually all THREE members of the Shield come down! YES! I of course target Roman Reigns and he says he's late  really turned down by Roman Reigns WTF! Thankfully I plead and I truthfully tell him I waited all day for him. He caves in and I get a photo op. Then I go to the elevator they were going down from and I manage to get Roman Reigns on both my WWE_Es. Success! I thank them all as I head off. 

All photo ops I got

Wheelchair seated Mae Young

Paul E Autographs

John Laurinaitis WWE_E v2 autograph and ROH program

WWE_E v2 Brad Maddox autograph

WWE_E v1 autograph with Brad Maddox and The Sheild, WWE_E v2 with The Sheild

Final round of 2012 celebs ended with some TRAITOROUS LOVE

Celebrity wise I had three more round of celebs in 2012. First off I wanted to get Neil Patrick Harris, who I never met. Sadly by all reports he is not the nicest. But I was also expecting to see James Taylor, who is as nice as can be. I got him before but at least I have some James Taylor autographs to fall back upon in case I fail to get NPH. 

Somehow we all saw NPH when it was too late cause he was just at the door. We tried calling for him but he ignored us (someone also had tried earlier in the day and he blew the person off). I casually walk in the hotel in the hopes of getting him inside. He is at the elevator and a security guard tells me "hi" realizing my intention. I pretended like I wasn't there for him then walked out about 2 minutes later. Sadly the main objective for the evening is a total fail, but at least I didn't burn bridges with security. 

James Taylor shows up and I get a combo and two extras. The photo op of course not being a victory as I had one before. I ended the evening with photo ops with singer Colbie Caillat and 14 year old Rico Rodriguez. 

James Taylor Autographs

Photo ops for the night

Next round I went to try for John Kerry, another wrong from the past I wanted to right. When attempting to self blast his assistant thought I was trying to assassinate him. But he ended up taking the photo op. I also got an autograph. 

John Kerry Autograph

John Kerry Photo op

And my final round in 2012 celeb wise was actress Jennifer Love Hewitt. She was annoyed by our presence but begrudgingly did a photo op with me (and refused autos). She even looked away in the first photo op due to her boyfriend trying to stop her from doing it but thankfully after pleading my case she did a second one. 

While this round wasn't the smashing success I was expecting (as I heard she was nice), I got a first time photo op so it was a big success. 

Jennifer Love Hewitt Photo op

Stay tuned for my final report of 2012 and my own 2012 awards. 

The mad man of EXTREME

Still submerged in depression after the big weekend (due to my Hook LD) I had flight info for one of my last remaining big wants in wrestling: Paul Heyman. 

Sadly, this was a little out of the way and I knew at month's end he would be by me. 

BUT,

Will he die next week?

If not will he still be with WWE? 

If so will he be on the show by me?

If so will I be able to obtain the info?

If I get the info will I actually be free to venture? 

I did not know the answer to any of these questions at that time. What I DID know is I had info, I was free, and I needed some cheering up. 

To add to this, years ago early in my meeting days (late 2006) by a hotel I saw Paul but the stupid black woman who was driving him (who even asked him if he was Vince) did not know how to take a photo with my camera. She pressed and I thought the picture was taken and he was already in the limo (this was long before I was self blasting). 

So in addition to everything, this was a big wrong I needed to right. 

After assessing everything, I ventured! Thankfully Paul Heyman was nice as can be. I got two photo ops and three autographs. Told him how I have been waiting ages to meet him. I christened my new WWE Encyclopedia with a Paul Heyman autograph, got him on the old WWE_E, and got him on a figure. 

I waited more to see if anybody else would come by, and I saw Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins. I got them both on the WWE_E v2 (this is how I will refer to the new one hence forth in my blogging). 

Paul E Photo op

Paul E autographs

Paul E figure

A grueling weekend in December

It was early December and I geared myself for a long and grueling weekend. 

Day 1

I go to an airport for Scott Weiland and Buddy Guy. When there waiting I find out that Weiland changed his flight to a different airport Off to a bad start. But all is not lost cause I have his updated flight info and Buddy Guy is still expected here. So I wait. I was at a spot different from the rest of the graphers (about 5 more besides me). From what I was told about Buddy Guy, you have to basically beg for him to do just one. So when I saw him I of course shot for the photo op first and got that. Then I had to beg for an auto as he accused me of being a dealer. I informed one of the other graphers that he is headed their way. As I walk to their area I then see them and they are still waiting, I greet them all with a smile as I anticipate a whole lot of begging and pleading from the five of them. They then ask me to disappear so I don't hurt their chances. As I would later find out he did combos with them (one per) but they REALLY had to beg and plead. 

I then dash out for Scott Weiland. We were about three graphers but sadly he blew us all off  We were expecting Dave Grohl to fly in later so we had to wait there no matter what. But wait! Some graphers are waiting for a flight with some Led Zeppelin merch! SCORE! But me with without my Led Zeppelin albums Either way would be nice to get some  photo ops out of the way to make the rest of the weekend a little less stressful. First up is Jimmy Page, who is an asshole and does nothing. A pap friend of mine helps me out with some random walk along shots. A BIG thank you to him. So I just hope for the best. Sadly upon first glance none of them looked like they were passable photo ops. Next up we wait for John Paul Jones. He comes out an ignores people but then starts signing. I beg for a photo op and tell him I have nothing to get signed and he goes "oh all right" as I take it someone else asks for an op after me (my flash didn't even go off) and he tells him no that will be it AND MY PHOTO OP IS RUINED  I then have to plead more telling him it didn't come out and he took another shot with me. At this spot I was the only one to get a photo op. 

Dave Grohl finally arrives and I get him on two Nirvana CD covers and a Foo Fighters one. I also get a photo op with Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. 

I will fast forward days after the weekend when I was upset because of this whole ordeal of a weekend (we will see later why as the report progresses) and saw all the Jimmy Page photos that were taken. I jumped with joy as I found out that ONE of them qualifies as a photo op as it looks like we are both posing for the camera! Jimmy Page would also do basically nothing all weekend so that was a major victory (although as I stated I didn't know it till a few days after the weekend). 

Non Jimmy Page Day 1 photo ops

All Jimmy Page photos

John Paul Jones photo op

AND The Jimmy Page photo op

Granted it looks like we're both disgusted and hateful. But BOTH our eyes are looking at the camera and it looks like we're both posing 

Day 2

The day starts with a photo op with an older White guy named Ray Charles . Foo Fighters then come out. I get Pat Smear to sign my Foo Fighters CD cover and my Nirvana Unplugged CD cover (which he is in). And of course a photo op. Then I get David Grohl on another Nirvana CD cover.

Led Zeppelin showed up. Plant and Page did nothing as they would do for the entire weekend. John Paul Jones signed and I asked for one he goes "I got you yesterday" and I pointed out I got no autos yesterday. After some pleading he goes "alright you big baby" and he signed for me. I actually got a better auto than most people did. The next day one guy offered me $50 for the signed album but I declined. 

Dustin Hoffman, one of my top wants for the weekend, would provide me the biggest defeat and sour note of the entire weekend. All dealers were going insane, changing sides, pushing, shoving, shouting etc etc. Despite all the chaos I manage to get an autograph on the item I wanted signed the most: My Hook laserdisc cover signed by Robin Williams (and one of my favorite Robin Williams movies). Unfortunately he ruins it by signing over Robin Williams! WTF! Don't celebs know what hard work and sacrifice it is to get these autographs? Yet I got fucked over majorly! To add to the sorrow, misery, and defeat, I failed to get a photo op in all that chaos as he did not respond to my pleas. Had I gone for another auto I probably would have succeeded, but I wanted the photo op more. All other times he did nothing. So that was my only shot. This defeat would ruin my entire day and sour my entire weekend (and was the reason I took long to post this report).  

I would only feel better about this defeat after seeing my Jimmy Page photo op days later. Of course I would have preferred a Dustin Hoffman photo op, but the way I see it I will get another chance at Hoffman, but there probably won't be more chances at Jimmy Page. 

Next the band Hart arrived and they did a bit and nothing more, and nothing more the entire weekend. Same with David Letterman. Ray Romano shows up and was friendly. I manage to get my first major photo op for the day.

I then miss a very friendly Jimmy Kimmel cause I went someone else to get a Michelle Lee photo op.  

Next up was Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts. Already had Liev so concentrated on Naomi Watts. She was leaving then I plead some and she looks at my camera and I got the shot as she left. I also got Kim Wilson and Beth Hart photo ops. 

Buddy Guy arrived and did some autographs and photos but didn't come by me and did nothing the whole weekend. A bit of a bummer but thankfully I got him the day before. 

Jeff Beck and Bonnie Raitt were total dicks. Did nothing for no one. Then this was the end for this spot. 

After this I made the stupid move of going home to get some rest. Cause if I stuck around more I probably could have gotten more at the hotel if I tried. 

All day 2 photo ops

Ray Remano

Day 3

Day starts off slow with some  names. But I manage to correct my mistake from yesterday and score a Jimmy Kimmel photo op. Blu Lou shows up and is very nice but I got him before so didn't bother. Then I get a Kim Wilson combo and a Kenny Aronoff photo op. Jack Black then starts signing. I manage to get him on a Kung Fu Panda photo. And he actually makes a goofy face in my photo op! Not a major victory since I had photo ops with him, but kinda a nice feeling to have gotten the only photo op he did the entire weekend (though I did feel bad for Joresky since he needed a photo op with him). And this is my best Jack Black photo op. 

Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey did nothing for no one. Alec has become a major dick lately he used to be cool. Then Robert Deniro and Morgan Freeman show up. Morgan does nothing for no one. Robert takes care of one side going in and one side going out. I was in the going out side. I manage to get a pretty amazing autograph. It was a GREAT feeling to not worry about the photo op since I have a good one already. 

Kid Rock arrived and I got an autograph. Already had a good photo op. 

I then get a Nate Mendel combo (Foo Fighters CD) but an old lady who wanted her pen back asks for it back BEFORE it flashes and he's looking down a bit as he gives it back to her (though you can't really tell in the photo). I would get a chance to rectify that later. 

Actor Billy Connolly is nice to everyone. I got a combo. Liev and Naomi show up again. I got a Liev auto. My previous shot with Naomi she is wearing shades and a scarf so I figured why not get an upgrade. She recognized me camera and goes "I got you yesterday" and moved away but thankfully I managed to get a perfect clean shot before she could move away 

After some hours of waiting, it is time for the next round. There were so many people in this round that you pick up whatever scraps you can. Someone paid me money to get them a Yankees ball signed by Cal Ripken Jr. I didn't realize the invalidity of that till someone pointed it out to me. And even Cal was surprised at it. But he did sign it. I wanted a photo op but sadly didn't get one. Then I got a Linda Carter autograph. Lenny Kravits takes some merch from a few people, and I was one of them. Sadly I had nothing for him so got him on a blank. He is a total douche and he avoided fans the whole weekend. Although most people did nothing in this round, but he did. Strange. 

After this is was basically see who you can get. Got another Beth Hart photo op. Got a much nicer Nate Mendel photo op. Got a photo op with model Nicole Trunfio. And got a photo op with Jason Bonham (son of original Led Zeppelin drummer). It was horrible to see how many people were doing nothing for no one. I even tried begging as they were going by. Sadly, I did miss one major name that actually did combos. There were two doors people were coming out from and I was at the wrong one at that time. John Paul Jones was the one. Would have been nice to end the night with more autographs from him (though he might not have done them for me anyway since he remembered me). 

All day 3 photo ops

Naomi Watts

Jack Black

Sadly this weekend was filled with misery for several reasons. So many people doing nothing, some that did a little but I didn't get them (like Letterman), missing out on possibly getting a big name or two at the hotel due to the desire to rest, and of course the Dustin Hoffman disaster that ruined one of my favorite movie projects and yielded no photo op. Despite that, it is really tough to call the weekend as a whole a failure. I got several autographs and photo ops with Foo Fighters. I got photo ops with Jimmy Page  and Naomi Watts. I got combos with Billy Connolly, Jack Black, Ray Romano, and John Paul Jones. I got an autograph from Robert Deniro. So just those alone make it a successful trek. Plus I felt a whole lot better once I saw that I actually got a Jimmy Page photo op. One other guy who tried at the hotel got interrogated by police after the fact (and banned from the hotel). 

Now to showcase the autos. 

My signed Hook LD and Led Zeppelin album

I think I will try to remove the Robin Williams and make it a Dustin Hoffman only item. Then try to get Robin again since he's super duper nice. If that does not work I will toss the item and buy a new one. 

Signed CD covers

Signed 8x10s

Signed blanks (Liev Schreiber, Kid Rock, Kim Wilson, Billy Connolly, Lenny Kravitz)

I did the SAFETY DANCE!

Men Without Hats was doing a concert, so I set out to meet the lead singer Ivan Doroschuk. He is best known for the iconic 80s song, Safety Dance. The other hit is Pop Goes the World. Sadly none of the other band members are originals. But the lead singer is what counts the most. 

After the concert turns out he was coming out to meet fans! I mooch my way inside and I wait. When he comes out he is as nice as can be, doing combos with everyone who wants. How refreshing. When you do this as much as I do you forget that some people are actually nice and respond to you when you ask for a photo op. Overall a good evening and a warm up to a grueling weekend ahead. 

Photo op complete with photobomb 

Autographs

Another rare sports meet, plus more

This is a long overdue report. 

It was mid September and Molly Ringwald had a book signing and the 6th and I Synagogue in DC. You had to pay admission AND you had a to buy a book, and odds are you would get nothing more than a signed book. So this was not very appealing to me. I did however find her incoming info so I figured I'd take my chances there. Sadly I heard horrible things about her and it did not seem like a smart decision to make a trip just for her. Thankfully some golf legends, namely Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, were in town. So I had something to fall back upon.

The day starts with Molly's incoming. We were only two people. She arrived and we asked and she actually did one each!!! When I asked for the photo op she goes "no no no" and waves her hands. Still, the treatment she gave both of us was the nicest I ever heard her be. Although I honestly think if we were anything more than two she would have done nothing. 

Next up was the golfers event. First meet was Vince Gill, who was ultra mega friendly. Got a combo. Next up I managed to get an autograph from Nancy Pelosi, who is mega hard to get. So that is an achievement. Next up was Jack Nicklaus who started signing! YES! First major name for the day. After I got him on a photo and a golf ball I had to essentially plead for the photo op. He posed and I got it! Victory! Most people got 3 items each but I opted to go for the photo op instead of a third item. 

Sadly things didn't go so well with Arnold Palmer, who did nothing. Even ran after him till the bitter end but failed  No one got Palmer at that spot. 

The day ended with a Katherine Heigl photo op. Despite not getting my top want for the day (Palmer), definitely a good day overall. To add to this, I was told Molly Ringwald did no photo ops and no extras at the book signing.

Jack Nicklaus

Vince Gill

Katherine Heigl

Autographed photos

Signed golf ball