An Array of movie and music meets in June, July, and August

Generally speaking, summer is a down time for me when it comes to hunting. Because I know a very busy fall is coming. But I do occasionally venture out here and there. 

Around mid June there was a chance at Gary Sinise. I had missed a  previous chance at him recently and this was a good chance to make up for it. In my previous tries he was always a dick hence why I hadn't tried, but lately I've heard he's been stopping. 

I arrive at the spot and park illegally. I debated whether or not I should try to park and come back, but chose to stay. Not 2 minutes later he pulls up! I manage to get a photo op and my Apollo 13 laserdisc signed (already signed by Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, and Ed Harris). Wow it sure was a nice feeling to feel success almost instantly after arriving at a spot. Sure is different than waiting for hours upon and hours and failing. 

Gary Sinise

Autograph (he's on the upper left) 

After this I went home, took a nap, then readied for the next meet! Namely the legendary Pat Boone! When he did Hollywood Show he actually left early. So the odds of him doing Chiller or another show are pretty slim. Plus his daughter Debby Boone already did Chiller so if he were going to do Chiller one would think he would have done so with his daughter.

Arrive at the spot and wait. Pat is nice as can been. Signed my items, took a photo op. Another guy getting him mentioned to him that he wanted to get him at Hollywood show but he left early, Pat had this face  as he goes "huh, where?" Wow he doesn't even remember that con? 

I got signed a vinyl already signed by Shirley Jones and an 8x10. When I asked him to sign the 8x10 he goes "it won't show up well" so I gladly handed him a gold. Wow what a nice guy. 

Later when he was getting luggage I saw that he removed his shades, so I asked for another shot which he gladly did. I guess they don't make them as nice as Pat Boone anymore 

Pat Boone

Autographs 

About a week later me and try for Huey Lewis and the news. I know them best from the Back of the Future soundtrack. 

Thanks to the report of markedout's Greg2600 we knew how everyone looked like. We arrive at the venue and mooch the tail end of the concert. We could not see the band but we could hear the music. 

Finally it ends, as people are leaving I enter the venue and grab some $1 burgers and a huge $1 cup of lemonade that they were trying to get rid of after the show! 

We spot original member Johnny Colla and he signs. Got him on the album and the sleeve jacket of the album. Also got a photo op. Next member we spot is John Pierce. Sadly he's not original so just got the photo op. Then finally Huey Lewis himself. I managed to get him on the same items I got Colla plus the photo op of course. 

Unfortunately this success was met with a punch in the face. 

We never saw original members Bill Gibson and Sean Hopper who probably went in the bus when we were busy with Huey. I had the option of going to the next spot, but since I got the most important name in the band and the second most important name of the band, I chose to declare this trek done. 

Huey Lewis

Full list of photo ops

Autographs


It is the end of June, and I have two objectives, Lisa Jacob at a book signing and Robert Duvall after that. I arrive at the bookstore and meet up with  plus another friend of ours. We listen to Lisa speak, then when it comes times for combos she is as accommodating as can be. I get her on her book, a Mrs Doubtfire DVD signed by both Robin Williams and Sally Field, and of course the photo op. 

I invite them both to come with me for Duvall on condition that they get me an autograph for the Master combo hunter that provided me the info. They agreed. 

We all go to Duvall and wait. Finally we see him and he is acting like a total asshole, saying no autographs and not even taking time to pose saying "just take the picture". I was able to get a lucky selfie, and I did my very best to get photo ops for everyone there. Sadly I wasn't able to get a good one for Joresky. 

Lisa Jacob

Autographs

Robert Duvall


It is beginning July and I have my sights set on a spot with Robert Davi (Licence to Kill, Predator 2, among others) and KC from KC and the Sunshine band. 

I also wanted the band Alabama. I arrive at the spot. Sadly Alabama are total douches ignoring all requests. First get is Hunter Hayes and he signs my photo. Nice as can be. Although I already had that shot. 

Next we spot Meghan Linsey from Steel Magnolia and get a photo op. After that I see a guy that looks like a valid combo but I couldn't tell for sure. He was also wearing a KC and the Sunshine band jacket. I ask him for a photo op and he happily does it. After I get home and research it turns out he is Fermin Goytisolo, the only original member in KC and the Sunshine band besides KC! So while not an extravagant score, a decent "get if there" name. 

Finally we spot KC, and he is nice as can be, signing and taking photos! Wow you forget that sometimes people are nice. Then Robert Davi who actually told us to come over and insisted we don't do selfies and wanted us to make sure the photo op came out. Again, so refreshingly nice. 

Robert Davi

KC

Full list of photo ops

Autographs


At the end of July I chose to try for Sinbad at a comedy show in Baltimore. Sadly I didn't have merch and didn't go to Costco (online system was done). I did have a Jingle All The Way laserdisc but since it looks fine with Arnold and Jake Lloyd on the cover I figure I'd get him to sign his picture in the back of the laserdisc. Not ideal but something over nothing. 

I get to to spot and see markedout's adelta13 plus another friend. That evening would mark the first time adelta13 set his eyes on a laserdisc. His mind was boggled. 

We wait and finally Sinbad comes out. One security guard was trying to stop us from meeting him. OH HELL NO! I drove and waited long enough. But as I ignored that guard another guard said "he's going to do it". He did one per plus the photo op, which was fine with me. After we were done he just hung around there chatting with people. 

Sinbad

Autograph

Before going to Monstermania in Cherry Hill I had two targets, namely Lea Thompson who was making an appearance at Maryland Live Casino and David Koechner who had a comedy show. First stop is Lea. When it's time for her appearance they say photo ops only. I go through, get my shot. After that they line people up for autographs and she signs two things per person. I had a third pic which I gave to a friend to get done. With the addition of Lea, I am only missing two major BTTF names, and that is Elisabeth Shue (second Jennifer) and Mary Steenburgen (Clara). 

On to the comedy venue with Joresky, Asian Dave, and Martin for David Koechner. We wait for it to end and make sure we have eyes on all doors. He comes out and is nice as can be even calling us out for not watching the show (how did he know!). Signed what he had and did photo ops. What a super nice guy!

Lea Thompson

David Koechner

Autographs 

Then it was off to Monstermania and then NYC (stay tuned for that report). 


At the end of August I decide to try for Greg Allman of the Allman Brothers band. 

Here I have two chances. The venue and the hotel. I first try the venue. Show ends and we wait. Then we see what we think is his vehicle go around back. We run like the wind and as we approach the van the driver goes "back, stay back". So we rush to our car and dash to the hotel. 

We wait. Two tour buses eventually pull up, but no signs of the main man. Later on a bus driver would tell us that Greg did not get on the buses but he is already in the hotel. That made no sense as we were waiting the whole time and didn't see any other vehicle. So either the guy was lying about him not being on the bus, or he is mistaken about Greg being inside. If he were to lie it would make more sense for him to say "oh he was on the bus now he's inside" rather than tell us he wasn't in the bus. So all signs pointed to option #2 where he was mistaken. Of course there was the possibility of his vehicle beating us to the hotel, but that seemed unlikely since we left immediately. 

We wait longer, getting more and more impatient. FINALLY the vehicle arrives and we hide inside the building. Him and his entourage come inside, and Greg is accommodating. I manage to get a full combo 

Greg Allman

Autograph

Washington DC Awesome Con report

After a much needed break from all things combos and celebrities following my week long ordeal, I attended a relatively stress free awesome con. 

My main attraction to that con was of course the 3 original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles voice actors that I never met. Additionally, Cam Clarke who voiced Leonardo also voiced He-Man in the 200X cartoon. 

So I get to the con and start getting guests. Luckily I managed to split the majority of my photo ops so I saved a lot of money. I also got more autographs in this con than I do in most other cons. 

From Cam Clark I get a photo op and two things singed. One is my TMNT photo already signed by Rob Paulson and Kevin Eastman in the past. The other is a 200X He-Man figure which he marked out for. Of course, I had more figures I wanted Cam on, but sadly money constraints prevented that  

Next up Barry Gordon (Donatello) and Townsend Coleman (Michelangelo). Photo ops with each and my TMNT photo done. Only person I would get on that now is Peter Laird. 

Keeping up with the TMNT theme I get a combo from Judith Hoag who played April in the fist TMNT movie. I got her to sign my TMNT laserdisc. 

Next up more photo ops. Got Buffy actresses Amber Benson (Tara) and Emma Caulfield (Anya). Kristin Bauer is a name I always passed on but she seemed reasonably priced here so got the photo op. Got George Newbern from Father of the Bride and Adventures in Baby Sitting. Also split with Joresky the Once Upon a Time actresses Victoria Smurfit (Cruella de Vil) and Merrin Dungey (Ursula). 

Last but not least, I wanted to get a Kevin Eastman autograph. First was was free after which it was paid. Unfortunately they were getting ready to take him away for his photo op session and the line was cut. But I didn't want to wait and I wanted out of there so I begged and pleaded my case on why I could not say, gave a sob story etc etc. Then a handler took my replica first issue of TMNT (the one that came with TMNT Ultimate Guide book), she took my gold marker, she went to Eastman, and got the comic beautifully done in gold. So that ended my trek at awesome con. 

Full list of photo ops

TMNT photo, TMNT comic, and He-Man figure

TMNT laserdisc

Atlantic City Boardwalk Con

No rest for the weary. As I was done with my week long NYC ordeal, I head to Atlantic city with both markedout's heelorton and  

One of my main reasons for attending this con is Tress MacNeille who voices Babs Bunny in Tiny Toons, Dot in Animaniacs, and two of the main roles (Dale and Gadget) in Disney's Rescue Rangers. She was not scheduled for any other con. Plus it was sort of on the way back so it made perfect sense to stop there. 

I was so so beat I couldn't make the full drive the evening I left NYC so I stopped to sleep about an hour before we reached Atlantic City. But I wake up, finish the drive, and we are at the con. 

Joresky was getting combos with the Warriors cast so I get a free photo op with Terry Michos. I then get a photo op with Sean Gunn (for his work in Guardians of the Galaxy), split Drew Powell (Gotham) with heelorton, split Elizabeth Lail and Georgina Haig (Once Upon a Time) with Joresky, and get a photo op with Sean Maguire (Once Upon a Time),

The voice actors took a while to get at their table, but finally they were there. Thankfully I didn't need to pay for Rob Paulson as I got him for free at NYCC a couple of years back. For the other two I proposed this strategy to Joresky. Pay for autographs, mooch the photo op. And the plan worked. So we essentially got the full combo from each for the price of the autograph. 

Jess Harnell (Wakko) was nice and seemed happy to be there. Got him to sign my Animanics 8x10. Then to Tress MacNeille where she did voices for us which was awesome. After the combo her handler pointed out we didn't pay for the photo op and she goes "it's ok". I tell her how she is in so many of my favorite cartoons she replies "I'm really lucky".  

While I didn't need Rob Paulson, me and Joresky watched him sing the countries song in full Yakko voice to another fan. We both watched in awe and everyone clapped when he was done. 

My final table guest for the con was a photo op with Jim Cummings from Darkwing Duck. 

Now Kevin Smith is doing a panel. And he is someone I never got around to getting for one reason or another. After the panel me and Joresky both mooch our way into a backstage area where we see Smith greeting fans. Security gets upset but we make up a lie to secure our spots in that area. We stand in line and wait our turn. Then there was this little boy having a looonngg ass conversation with Kevin. Wow that was very nerve wrecking as any minute they could shut this whole thing down. It was like standing on thin ice while watching another person jump up and down jeopardizing the volatility of that ice. And if you try to stop him in any shape or form, you simply end up stomping the thin ice even further thus increasing the chances it'll break, so all you can do is calmly suppress your anger and do nothing. Thankfully it all worked out and I manage to get Silent Bob robed Kevin Smith, which was a huge relief. 

After ending the week long trek on a decent note, it was finally over 

Kevin Smith

Jess Harnell

Tress MacNeille

Jim Cummings

Full list of photo ops

Signed Animaniacs photo, completed

Multi Day NYC Haul in May

After Wizard World Philly me and went to NYC for what would be a week long torturous and agonizing ordeal to would result in lots of physical and mental pain (that would endure even after it was over). 


Day 1

The trek starts the evening of Wizard World Philly. After Wizard World we head to the city and I go to try for Larry David which wound up to be an awesome decision because Victor Garber from Titanic and The Flash was a random there! I got a photo op and when seeing him the coming days he would be difficult to impossible. Martin Short was also there as a random I told him I didn't need to bother him because I got him before and he joked about that saying "oh you don't need me anymore". 

When it came time for Larry he signed my photo but didn't want to do selfies. Luckily someone took my photo op. 

After this I went to a spot with Vanessa Hudgens mainly cause I wanted to get Richard White who voiced Gaston in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Unfortunately I find out that White comes out before the rest of the cast. I got photo ops with lower cast members and had no interest in dealing with the crowd just for an updated Vanessa photo op (didn't have items on me). 

Final spot for the evening was a spot for Reese Witherspoon. That is a photo op I needed badly. Sadly when she arrived she did one item per and no photo ops. And then she snuck out. To boot, there were no random celebrities at this spot. Big, big let down. 

Victor Garber

Larry David

Full list of photo ops


Day 2

Hit up the first spot for the day where we got a bunch of names. It was cool to upgrade my Craig Robinson car shot. Unfortunately we got a punch in the face cause we found out shortly before we arrived that somebody scored a photo op with Dolph Lundgren. He wasn't part of any of the events, but he was just there. Wow that would have been a huge score for both me and Joresky. We did wait and wait for him to return but sadly didn't see him. I guess the combo Gods didn't want us to get Dolph. 

Then went to another spot where I got a couple of names. Then I followed Joresky to another spot which was worthless. The only fascinating thing there was when we went to a bathroom that looked like it was out of a 1950s sci fi movie.

Here is that bathroom

I went back to the previous spot where I did decent. I saw Rob Lowe who was mobbed but thankfully I didn't need him as I got him before. One notable name I got was X-Files creator Chris Carter. 

Full list of photo ops part 1

Full list of photo ops part 2


Day 3


This day starts off at the first spot with a bunch of scores, including Melanie B of the Spice Girls, Scott Wolf from Double Dragon, Jamie Alexander from Thor, Mark-Paul Gosselaar from Saved by the Bell, among others. The big punch in the face here is seeing Wesley Snipes do nothing for no one It was even more painful that others got that photo op at other spots. 

Off to the next spot where we nab a premium spot - or so we thought. Unfortunately they changed the setup! WTF! So we had to improvise. This spot was total chaos with lots and lots of running around. 

I got a combo from Corey Michael Smith (The Riddler in Gotham), Got an autograph from Robin Lord Taylor and Ben McKenzie. I managed to chase Jamie Lee Curtis as she moved along and went to an area I wasn't allowed to in order to get a photo op with her! That is a huge score because she is normally not nice. I heard stories of how she would deliberately avoid old people. After I got her they barricaded that particular area. Via lots of running and begging and pleading I also managed to get an Emma Roberts photo op! 

Unfortunately Joresky failed on the Emma Roberts front and his reaction was this

I also got David Boreanaz to sign my Buffy/Angel photo. Damn does he have a horrid autograph. To think people pay a 3 figured number for that at conventions. I had to beg and plead a lot for that surprisingly. He was signing but seemed to single me out for some reason till I finally got it and he said "the 10th one I sign for you". Really?  This was the first and thus far only David Boreanaz autograph I got in my entire life!

Other notables were updates with John Stamos, Matt Bomer, Terence Howard, and a first time shot with Neil Tyson and Sarah Paulson. Fred Savage and John Travolta were doing combos but I had them already.  

After this I hit up 3 more spots throughout the evening. The previous spot of the day, then another where I get a Paula Abdul car shot and a less than ideal shot with January Jones, then another one, then back to the initial one. 


Cory Michael Smith

Terence Howard

Jamie Lee Curtis

Emma Roberts

January Jones

Paula Abdul

Mark Paul Gosellaar

Jamie Alexander

Full list of photo ops part 1

Full list of photo ops part 2

Full list of photo ops part 3

Full list of photo ops part 4

Full list of photo ops part 5

Full list of photo ops part 6



Day 4

This day starts with a relatively stress free meet. Ronda Rousey at a book signing. She sat down shortly before it was our turn to go up to her which was a punch in the face, but thankfully posed for anybody that asked. 

Go to another spot and got a few names. Then to another spot where we saw Melissa Benoist (Supergirl) who blew us off. I then ran to the other side of the building and she did multi combos over there! I got a full combo. 

Then another spot where Sharon Stone and Luis Guzman did nothing for no one but still got a ton of names. Then the final spot of the evening I got a few more names including Ken Jeong from the Hangover, which ended the day. 

Ronda Rousey

Melissa Benoist

Ken Jeong

Full list of photo ops part 1

Full list of photo ops part 2

Full list of photo ops part 3


Day 5


This day starts on a sour note where me and Joresky try to purchase tickets for NYCC. Literally as we were pressing the final complete order button, Wendy's wifi dies on us Wow I couldn't believe my bad luck. Thankfully we had a miracle as markedout's Greg2600 managed to order us two tickets 

Me and Joresky then go to the first spot. I breifly leave to check out another spot. I get one name before deciding it's a dud then go back to the original spot. I do decent there as upgrade my Jane Lynch shot and get several first time shots including Luiz Guzman. One notable blow off was Stephen Colbert who didn't do photo ops. I can never seem to get him photo op wise. 

I then stop by a spot where Woodmo and others were on a railing, then decide to join markedout's heelorton at an "easy" spot. I got Dan Lauria on my Wonder Years photo, got a photo op with actress Swoosie Kurtz who was a random (thanks to heelorton for phoning me to over), among other photo ops. 

Went to one final spot for the evening before calling it a day. My body at that point was telling me I needed to stop. Pain was everywhere. Despite Joresky saying things like "I'm here to rack" much like an uncharged phone cannot make calls, and uncharged body cannot combo hunt. 

Swoosie Kurtz

Luis Guzman


Jane Lynch

Full list of photo ops part 1

Full list of photo ops part 2


Day 6

This day starts off early in the morning. But after getting 7-8 hours of sleep WOW did I feel better. The first spot was chaos defined, where I would run around, scream, beg, etc. Had to REALLY beg for the photo op with David Ramsey from Arrow but I broke him down. Got combos from Willa Holland (Thea Queen), Tom Cavanagh (Reverse Flash), Grant Gustin (Flash), Carlos Valdes (Cisco), among many other photo ops. Jesse L Martin and Paul Blackthorne I only got an autograph from since I had photo ops. Brandon Routh was doing photo ops with all who wanted but I got a perfect shot from Wizard World so I had no reason to get one. Daniel Panabaker for some reason did not want to sign for me. 

Over to the next spot where I got DJ Qualls, Aaron Stanford (Pyro in X-Men 2 and 3), among others. Sadly I JUST missed Julian McMahon (Dr Doom) and many did not come over. 

As I arrive at the next spot with Greg2600 I arrive just in time to get Julian McMahon! Wow that felt good. I got Josh Holloway, improved my George Hamilton photo op, among other things. Markedout's Lanza would also make an appearance here. 

Went to the last spot for the evening which was the same as the morning spot, got a couple more names and that was it. 

Julian McMahon

Aaron Stanford

DJ Qualls

Willa Holland

Tom Cavanagh

Carlos Valdes


David Ramsey

Full list of photo ops part 1

Full list of photo ops part 2

Full list of photo ops part 3

Full list of photo ops part 4


Day 7

The final day. I chose to hit up yesterday morning's spot without eating breakfast. This was a good move cause I got photo ops with Ciara Rene (Hawk Girl), Wentworth Miller (Captain Cold), Arthur Darvill (Rip Hunter, took lots of begging), and Dominic Purcell (Heat Wave). 

Grant Gustin came out I had no reason to get a downgrade of a photo op so I got an autograph. 

After this spot me and Joresky went to find the movie set of Dakota Johnson and Rebel Wilson but we could not find it (as we would later find out, it wasn't even set up at that point). We then go try for actress Leah Remini but a security guard told us no one else was coming today. We believed him but still waited just in case he was lying. After it seemed like everything was dead we left the spot.

We are then joined by our buddies Jimmy and James and we go back to the filming spot and everything was now setup. Sadly, neither Dakota Johnson nor Rebel Wilson were trying to accommodate anyone! Me and Joresky go to try for Emma Roberts and Dave Franco. Emma does nothing for no one, Dave I got a combo from. 

Me and Joresky have a rule that if all else fails, go to the "easy" spots. As I told Joresky after the wave of failures, "well, all else has failed". 

So we go our separate ways and try our own "easy" spots. My first spot for me was for Amanda Seyfried. I got her before but had a magazine for her to sign. There's a crowd inside and a crowd outside. I elect to stay outside. As soon as her co star Thomas Sadoski starts signing, she runs out the side door. OH HELL NO! I came to "easy" spots as a fallback here! I ran after her till she was close to her car and started screaming and begging and she signed my magazine! After this I got a photo op with Thomas. 

For the final spot I go back to the Vanessa Hudgens spot and was joined by heelorton. This time I was keeping my eyes open to spot Richard White. When I see someone exit the door that could have been him I yell out "Richard" and he stops and looks back and says "yes?". His reaction was this face I tell him that I came to see him while everyone came to see Vanessa. Again, the same face as goes "ok". I then ask him for a photo op he agrees to it but wonders what to do. I ask him to come closer so I can get it and he goes "sure". I also say I have something for him to sign. I pull out my Beauty and the Beast laserdisc and goes "oh wow you came prepared" and he also asked how I knew he was in the cast. Since I didn't like my photo op after he left the raining I got another shot and the security guard began telling at me. Really? The guy can't believe he's being stopped and security is yelling? 

Vanessa then comes out, does combos, and I get combo. This would be my final meet before leaving the city and going to Atlantic City Boardwalk Con.

Dominic Purcell

Arthur Darvill

Wentworth Miller

Ciara Renée


Richard White

Full list of photo ops


Now to showcase autographs obtained:

Signed stuff part 1

Signed stuff part 2 (Flash poster signed by Jesse, Grant, Carlos, and Tom)

Beauty and the Beast laserdisc