It starts with a Sharon Stone flight. She's someone I was never truly able to get a photo op with. So I try again. Sadly she was a bitch and did nothing for no one. Towards the end, after I gave up, she even yelled at a grapher who kept begging her for an autograph, and I quote "that's enough!!"
This was the best I got out of this ordeal
I guess better than nothing.
Off to a bad start, but lots more to come.
The next day starts off with an event that features Sharon Stone plus a bunch of lesser celebs including but not limited to Patricia Arquette and Tim Daly (who voices Superman in the animated cartoons). As we were waiting down the street both Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde were spotted. Didn't need Jason but Olivia Wilde is someone that blew me off several times. How awesome would it be to score that photo op. As they saw the crowd they walked away, one grapher got an auto from her and I went up and asked for a photo op! She said YES!
I couldn't believe it! I got my photo op. I then told Jason that I got him before and I didn't need to bother him this time, then I shook his hand. After my success 3 others tried for the photo op but were shot down as she said they were trying to get something to eat! This day had very low expectations and I got an awesome random in Olivia Wilde! I then ran down about 2 blocks, away from the event as I rejoiced!
After that as I got autographs from Patricia Arquette, combo and extra from Tim Daly, and some other photo ops. Sharon Stone signed one autograph for an old couple.
After this I went to another spot but nothing was happening. One other grapher joined me and he had just come from a spot that I was thinking of waiting at but did not. He said he got Michael J Fox, someone I had before but had items for! No one knew who was inside that spot but he took a chance I stupidly did not. To add insult to this injury, we would both later find out that 5 minutes after Michael J Fox left that other spot George Lucas came out! So I missed both and the grapher who had been standing there missed Lucas! Sadly this spot was a total bust and it was time to call it. It was still an awesome evening as I got Olivia Wilde and some others but it would have been ultra epic if coupled with autographs from Michael J Fox and George Lucas.
Olivia Wilde
Photo ops from that day
Autographs from that day
Next day starts off early. This spot was at a private residence and sadly most were driving in so access was impossible. I did get three good things out of this round. I improved my Jay Roach photo op (director of Austin Powers movies and Meet the Parents) and I got an autograph from Kevin Spacey. He did not do photo ops but I had one already so that was of no issue to me. Also got a Michael J Fox autograph who was really shaking as he was signing.
Next I try some hotels. As soon as we arrive me and one other guy spot Kevin Spacey just talking with friends. Now this was a rare situation were you actually had the chance to be respectful and calm. We go to the car, get our items, an approach. We ask politely and he says "one minute". One of his people tried to tell us he's not signing but we rebuff by saying Spacey himself said one minute. As we wait he did one per person. I would see one other person at that spot, namely Kate Mara. Contrary to other reports she was NOT eating lunch. She was sitting with others who were eating, but she had nothing. I tried asking for a photo op cause there was another spot I wanted to get to. She said to wait till she's done. I said ok. Sadly I blinked and when I looked again she was gone. While I would have seen other people there had I stayed (including Kate Mara), I had to get to another spot where there were bigger fish to fry.
Also, at the Mara/Spacey spot one other grapher who was there told me how he could not wait till this event was over and done with, and I fully agreed with him.
Now at the next spot is where the major work and fruitfulness began! This spot is chaotic cause tons of people are there and celebrities just come from everywhere. First score was a photo op with MC Hammer, which took some chasing after to get. I saw Speilberg and defied the rope line for him but no success. I was then asked politely not to do that again. At this point I figured I can only do that for someone worthwhile. In front of my own eyes I saw a guy in an air force suit with fake medals and a bullshit story go up to Barbara Streisand and get a photo op (one of the most impossible photo ops to get). I could have crossed the rope line and perhaps gotten it, but she wasn't worth getting ejected for. It was very slim pickings at that point but I scored autographs from Claire Danes, Jeremy Renner, and Hayden Panettiere (didn't need photo ops), combo and extra from Olivia Munn, Kate Walsh photo op, among other things. Others like Katy Perry did a photo op or two but I wasn't able to get her. Gangnam Psy of all people was a total asshole. At one point I saw George Lucas and of course if THIS isn't worth defying every rule in the book for, nothing is. So I left my area, fought a crowd of people, and asked for an autograph. He yells NO
Now in any other situation this would be a begging on my knees type situation. Sadly in this one I had to cut my losses and fall back or get kicked out. Fall back I did. Now it was calm again, I had 3 hours of rest. I was hungry but did not want to leave the spot and did not want to order food there as it cost a pretty penny (over $10 just for a plate of wings, screw that). So I went to the bar, got some free nuts, and drank some free water. This would quench my hunger for the evening, and the price could not be beat. Free is free.
Chaos starts again, and everything is speedy. First score is an MC Hammer autograph (he said he would do just one). I also see Michael J Fox and get two more items from him. He was REALLY shaking badly. Also upgraded my photo op. He also signed 3 things for one other guy. I then shook his hand thanking him and telling him what a childhood fan I am. I did legit feel bad for asking for autos, but not bad enough to supersede my selfish desire for combos.
Tried begging Sofia Vergara but to no avail ("sorry I can't"). Same with Streisand. NJ Gov Chris Christie did nothing for me despite my best begging. His bodyguards told me enough. In the total chaos I apparently I missed Nicole Kidman, Michael Douglas, and Ian McKellen all of which did sutff
but I would remedy one of those later. Also George Lucas blew people off at first then actually signed for one person. So I missed him as well. But there was no way one could be everywhere. This spot was tapped out, it was off to the next one. Next one was even more brutal as they made everyone stand across the street. Throughout the evening it was clashes between hired security and graphers, with curse words being thrown. Some that we saw but could not get included Hayden Pannettierre, Patrick Stewart, Julie Louis Dreyfus, Sophia Vergara, Claire Danes, Olivia Wilde, Ed Helms, among others. And celebrities were usually swarmed with fans.
When Kerry Washington came out me and two others defied security and went up to her as she signed. The guy goes "seriously?" She signed for me and one other guy then the third guy she goes "that's not me". Autograph wise I also scored Conan O'Brien, Mathew Perry, and Tony Goldwyn (didn't need photo ops with them or Kerry).
Despite the grueling nature of that spot, I would score two of my greatest photo ops for that weekend. The first would be Michael Douglas who was swarmed. I could not believe how I got that photo op but I did! Considering his age and health, this is a mega score that negates all failures that weekend. Due to concentrating on the photo op I was not able to score any autographs.
Next up I got a photo op with someone I had no idea who he was. I always go by the "get now ask questions later" philosophy. And this is a great example of why it pays off! Turned out I got none other than Bryan Singer, director of Superman Returns, X-Men movies, among others! This is a HUGE score. Sadly with that victory came a defeat, namely the fact that Ian McKellen was right there with him and I didn't realize it
Aside from that got Connie Briton, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from Game of Thrones, among others. Almost got Natalie Dormer. As I was getting the photo op her handler pulled her away and photo op came out blurry.
The night ended with Jay Roach signing my Meet the Fockers DVD (already signed by Ben Stiller) which he marked out for. We got up early the next day to try another spot but security tried to say we couldn't ask for combos on the public sidewalk. They threatened to call the cops and I dared them and told them let's call the police. When they realized they weren't dealing with an amateur they're like "do we really want it to escalate to that?". Normally you always work with security even if they're in the wrong, but they wanted us to not ask for combos. I informed them that we would be doing just and that is simply not open for negotiations regardless of their desires. We did see Alan Greenspan but no one else. He is not looking in my shot but I didn't care as I had him already. I also informed all the guards that if they tried anything I didn't like I would not hesitate to press charges, especially if they tried to knock my items out of my hand.
While I was willing to fight tooth and nail at that spot, we came to the realization that there was nothing really worth fighting for as the party was winding down and no one was showing up. Additionally two other graphers were sitting across the street before we came and they had seen no one. So we tried one more spot then cut our losses.
Jay Roach
MC Hammer
Michael J Fox
Bryan Singer
Michael Douglas
Photo op list part 1
Photo op list part 2
Autographs part 1
Autographs part 2
Michael J Fox autographs
Meet the Fockers DVD
All in all while there are certainly some regrets and some screw ups, overall I cannot complain. It had the potential to be beyond epic, but still epic as it stands, if nothing more just for the Michael Douglas photo op.
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