Sunday, April 5, 2015

Monstermania weekend report

Slacking off so much in 2015, I finally ventured to Monstermania in Cherry Hill and also NYC. Let us begin.

Friday

First stop is Monstermania. Sadly Monstermania ended up costing me more than originally planned thanks to multiple punches in the face. Two people who would have split some photo ops with me (one being a travelling buddy and the other being markedout's Greg2600) changed their plans. And refused to split photo ops with me because he either had the person or simply did not want to split the said name to save a very precious $10

And while I did try to get other people to split with me, when I try to explain how we can split to save money they act like I just spat on their mother's graves  

So we arrive at the show. Upon arriving we see none other than markedout member Big Chad! How haven't seen him in ages. Then me and Joresky do is take our spots in the Tobin Bell line. While waiting in that line I get photo ops with Betsy Russell and Judge Reinhold and me and Joresky split Lin Shaye. FINALLY we get to Tobin Bell and I get a photo op. 

 While walking about at Monstermania somebody even stops me and says he's a "big fan" of my stuff on markedout.com. Things like this remind me why I keep delivering content to the people. 

I then go wait in the Robert Patrick line. In doing so I see that WCW's Fifi the Maid was with Ric Flair! I ask her for a photo op and Ric Flair's handlers try to stop me and say no but she would hear nothing of it. She came over and posed with me no issue! What a nice bonus. While she is not exactly the biggest of names, fresh wrestling meets for me are few and far between. 

We finally get to Robert Patrick. I split the photo op with Joresky and get an autograph. This would be the sole autograph I get at MM. I hated having to get that as it felt like biting poison. But there was sound reasoning for it. First off I now have at least one combo with all 4 major characters from Terminator 2. And second off I have Arnold and Sarah Conner signed T2 figures. So adding the T-1000 makes it my third signed T2 figure! Very glad he was clean shaven as he looks more like the T-1000. 

Director Alan Green, a name for me was doing free combos at his table. Free is free so I get a photo op. I then end my time at Monstermania with mooched photo ops from Sean Cunningham (creator of Friday the 13th) and Robert Mukes from House of a 1000 Corpses 

We leave Monstermania and head for NYC. We arrive at our spot and meet up with a few friends including markedout's Greg2600. We were planning to meet Larisa Oleynik (Ten Things I Hate About You, Babysitter's club). Lucky for me there were bonus meets I was happy to get! Namely Steven Pasquale (Alien vs Predator Requiem) and Caroline Aaron (Edward Scissorhands). Both were super friendly. One girl criticized me saying "you don't know who he is" when I was getting Steven Pasquale but I go by the philosophy "take photo ops now, ask questions later" and this was just one of the many times it paid off. I also got a Jay O Sanders photo op but I had him already. Finally it was time for Larisa Oleynik and she was super nice. Got a photo op and my photos signed. Though she didn't like the photos I printed up. 

After this we ate some $1 pizza slices and slept to prepare for two more days of combo hunting. 






Saturday

Unfortunately for us, Saturday would be hindered by rain. So we aimed our missions to indoor stuff. Our first spot was a possible Heidi Klum appearance. But I was suspicious on whether the info was accurate. She had an appearance the day before I didn't think she had one today as well. Sadly I was right and we wasted our time (not that I really care about Heidi Klum to begin with). Next up was a spot for Ken Watanabe, one of my top names for the day. Sadly we did not see him but we did see Tony Shalhoub. I already have a photo op with him but I got a new shot and it's a million fold better than my old one. Next up I wanted to go for Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Wilson. Thankfully the rain subsided by then. Already have Jake but needed Ruth. Stood over an hour waiting but they finally come out. Jake refused to sign my 8x10 but took a photo op with me. Sadly this is a downgrade from what I have. Ruth thankfully did a combo with me amidst all the chaos. I had two photos but she didn't like the ones I printed. She signed the one she hated less. Me and Joresky then try for Jennifer Nettles, but sadly we were told she wasn't coming out at this point. 

Me and Joresky then go relax at McDonalds, eat some lunch, and engage in a philosophical debate on the differences between mooching and stealing. 

After lunch we wait for Bill Nighy and Carey Mulligan but never see them. We do however see Jason Biggs walking the street all hooded up. I didn't bother for a photo op as it would be a downgrade. Joresky got an autograph. As he was walking away one girl spots him but doesn't bother to chase him down for a photo op that he would have surely done. Wow it baffles me why someone wouldn't try for a photo op when randomly seeing a celeb. 

Thankfully I didn't leave this spot empty handed. Joresky spots Dylan Baker from Sam Raimi's Spiderman! Unlike the girls that spotted Biggs, I actually chase people down the street. I chase him down and ask for a photo op. He removes his hood and is happy to pose. I thank him for removing his hood and take the selfie! In my previous shots he is not looking so glad to finally get a proper shot without dedicating time to it. 

It began to rain again but thankfully in our next spot we had an awning. This was where we were planning to meet an entourage of Asian actors. Our main want was James Saito who physically portrayed Shredder in the first TMNT movie. 

Unfortunately the cast being average looking Asians proved a bit of a challenge. Me and Joresky would google the actors and constantly think the next Asian coming out was one of the cast members. One woman in particular Joresky swore was one of the actresses but to me she looked too old to be that particular actress. Joresky's suspicions were further fueled by the fact that she entered a town car (spoiler, I turned out to be right on that front). 

I then decide to mooch my way into the venue. I go downstairs and I see all the cast just mingling about  I then go upstairs, signal to Joresky to come down, and he runs down. Wow! In damp, rainy weather we essentially got a VIP indoor meet and greet!

To boot, Joresky spots Rosalind Chao from Star Trek. Had we stayed outside we may have left before she came out and we would have never known. We then get James Saito who I got on my TMNT laserdisc already signed by Robbie Rist. He seemed happy to pose and sign TMNT stuff. And I got photo ops with Telly Leung, Jo Mei, and Jennifer Lim. 

Now back to one of my top wants here, Ken Watanabe. We wait and see Tony exit again but I had no reason to get another photo op. I do however see actor Jerry O Connel from My Secret Identity and upgrade that photo op! So another cool bonus! I also get a photo op with actress Gayle Rankin.

Then FINALLY Ken Watanabe comes out along with Kelli O'Hara. Lots of fans were sticking around but shockingly most don't go after Ken and Ken did not seem too eager to walk the whole line. I got one combo from him inside and after he left I run after him outside and get another item signed. It baffled me why everyone was getting combos from Kelli but didn't seemingly care that much to go after Ken. Not that I'm complaining as that meant more Ken for me. But it truly boggles my mind how some people exhibit such peculiar behavior. After I get Ken for the hell of it I then get another Kelli photo op. This ends the evening as we go to Starbucks to chill, charge our phones, and go to sleep. 




Sunday

This day starts with me and Joresky waiting for Jennifer Nettles. She arrives and does combos with us no problem. I get three photos done. A good start to the day. 

My main goals in the next spot were Larry David and Rita Wilson. Unfortunately as me and Joresky were standing a crowd of people began to gather. Rosie Perez and Jerry Adler came in and I got photo ops. Then came Rita Wilson. I was the ONLY one that asked for a photo op (Joresky didn't cause he had it). Shocking that no one else in the crowd cared to ask. Wow just wow Again I cannot comprehend (though again I'm not complaining). Additionally I got two photos signed! Success! Sadly the success stopped there as Larry David did nothing for no one going in. 

 At this point we killed time then went in position for the final spot of the day. Namely Bill Nighy and Carey Mulligan. Bill Nighy comes out and is nice as can be. You forget that some people are actually that nice. Got two photos signed plus the photo op. Then director Stephen Daldry came out and we got photo ops. Finally Carey Mulligan came out after taking a long ass time to come out. I got two photos signed plus the photo op though I already had her. 

 Unfortunately Carey taking so long to come out thwarted our plans to meet singer Sarah McLachlan on the way home. But this ended a trek. Not the most extravagant haul, but a pretty decent one. 

 Bill Nighy (The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy,  Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean, Viktor in Underworld, among others)
Rita Wilson (Arnold's wife in Jingle All the Way, Psycho remake, among others)
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