The ultimate mooch in a YELLOW SUBMARINE

This event would take place the Monday immediately after Chiller. See the next post for my report of post Chiller meets. This portion deserves its own report. 

This started when I found a Ringo meet and greet in NYC that cost over $3,100. What did that 3K+ get you? And I quote 

★ Your choice from new photographic prints created by Ringo

★ Professional portrait taken with Ringo

★ Tote bag with your Open Edition book

★ Framed artist-signed print couriered to your door

Note that while this looks like you get 4 items, it is in fact 3 items. #1 and #4 are essentially the same thing. A signed photo print. 

And example of one of the "Artist signed photographic print" you get to choose from (and gets mailed to your door)

Now me and Joresky toyed with an idea. Split that huge amount of money, get the photo op, then sell the autographed print. After the print is sold we would split whatever profit or loss we incur (most likely a loss). 

So I emailed them asking if I could bring someone with me if I bought it. Here is what the email said, and I quote 

While we can confirm that there will be seats reserved for both AAA Pass holders and their partners , we would mention that as part of our agreement with Ringo Starr, we have to restrict the actual meeting/photograph to one person per AAA Pass.

Going by that email, if let's say I put 3K on my credit card, Joresky would be able to come inside with me but would not be able to get the photo op. So this was no good. Of course we were both aware that something like that is not necessarily set in stone, but one of us would have to risk eating the full 3K if we went through with that setup. So we decided not to do it. 

Now both me and Joresky know a guy who lives in Maryland. We will call him Mack. Mack's combo habits baffle me to no end. He only cares about combos with music related celebrities. It's not that he doesn't enjoy movies or other stuff besides music, he just doesn't care to get combos from them. This is something that I simply cannot comprehend no matter how much I try to process it in my head. I could maybe understand somebody not caring about getting combos PERIOD over someone who only cares about combos from just one genre despite enjoying other stuff. 

For instance I asked him "if Arnold and Stallone were standing right there right now and said "everyone who wants photo ops with us come stand between us and take a photo" you would seriously not go?" He reponded "I wouldn't even bother". He said that if he spent a weekend with Tom Hanks it wouldn't even cross his mind to get a photo op. He once told me "Hulk Hogan is my favorite wrestler and I wouldn't care to get a picture with him." BUT music he actively wants to get. 

So anyhow, Mack sends me a text asking me if I heard about the Ringo Starr meet and greet in NYC. I tell him yes and that it's over 3K. I asked him if he wants the info. He says he does. So I text him the link. Couple of days go by and I am at Chiller and he gives me a call. Not an exact "and I quote", but it goes something like this:

Steve, I really want to do the Ringo Starr meet and greet, but they only accept credit cards as a form of payment. I can't even go there and pay cash. Could you buy it for me with your card and I will pay you back the cash in full amount. 

I then tell him I would help him out if I can be his plus one. He asked me if he can bring a plus one I said I have that in writing but I don't know if we can both get the Ringo photo op. He said he agreed. A bit later he calls me back saying that he would not accept if he has to pay 3K for a split shot. He said he's paying all that money he wants the solo shot with Ringo. This upset me but I still agreed because at the very least this arrangement puts me in the playing field for a Ringo Starr photo op.

It's the Monday after Chiller the day of the event. Mack tells me he is in NYC. I asked him why is he here so early he says he doesn't want to risk this. 

Around 1pm I get to the Strand bookstore in downtown Manhattan. I get on the phone with and Mack apparently he is at another venue in uptown  He is trying to tell me that this is the right place and I have it wrong cause he spoke to the staff and Ringo has an event here. I tell him Ringo has two events and the one he went to is the more expensive one. After he asks around in the venue he finds out I'm right and he is wrong. So he takes a cab and rushes down. 

I get "my" VIP pass and tell the woman I have a guest coming. She goes "only one of you can get the picture with Ringo". It sure was weird seeing my name in a VIP list. I guess I could get a feel of what it's like to be rich. Mack finally arrives and I give him the VIP pass.

The VIPs enter and we are ushered into a backroom of the bookstore where we can get our Ringo Starr photo op. They announce "All the plus ones of the VIPs can get a photo op with Ringo" YES!  SCORE! But then they say "Two people per photo op". DAMMIT 

We enter the room and we are near last in line. I tell Mack let's go to the end we might have a better shot but he would not want to comply. Situations like this I wish it were someone like Joresky, Asian Dave, Greg, Woodmo, Lanza, etc etc because a simple tactic like that would be a no brainer for people like us

They announce no handshakes, no fist pumps, no autographs. We can only do elbow pumps with Ringo. As we go along I noticed one couple got a single shot then a dual shot. So this was one tactic we could use. Mack gets up to Ringo and gets the shot. He then goes "could my buddy come in" Ringo agrees then I jump in the photo op and we get a croppable group shot 

My reaction was these faces 

After we leave the VIP room he got to sit on a seat in my name (again weird seeing my name on such a thing). The VIPs had a seat as Ringo conversed about his new book while a crowd of general admission crowded the area behind the seats. I could care less about hearing Ringo talk, so I went away to where there was an outlet and charged my phone and texted everyone about how I scored the Ringo Starr photo op.

On a side note, a GA ticket cost $50 and included Ringo's book. The book of course isn't signed but has a bookplate featuring a replica Ringo autograph. This was the same for both GAs and VIPs. You would think for over $3K he would at the very least sign the book but no

After the event me and Mack took a train to where his car was parked. He then gave me the cash in 20s, 5s, and 1s 

I counted the 20s and it was close to 2K in 20s. I then put all the cash in my bag, grabbed my bag real tight, and ran like a rocket to the bank where I was able to deposit the money in my account.

Of course, 2-3 weeks pass still no digital photos. I email to ask about it and they say it will be a few more days. another week passes still nothing. I email again and they say "sorry for the delay" then send me the link. That's where I manage to finally obtain the photo op 

And I present to you a markedout.com photo op of the year candidate, the Ringo Starr shot