Sunday, December 13, 2015

A bunch of scattered meets in November

Mid November starts with two days of busts. Day one I attended an event hoping to see Natascha McElhone, Ray Stevenson, Vincent Kartheiser, and some others. I arrive at the event and try to confirm which actors are actually going to attend. What do I find out? Michael Jibson and Kalani Queypo 

I had obtained a free ticket to the event but decided these weren't even worth dedicating an evening for. So I simply scoped out the premises for a possible future event just so I know what the layout is like then began to exit. As I walked out I literally saw those two actors walk by me (I had googled them to see who they were so I now had an idea of what they looked like). I got photo ops with both of them and I continued to leave. 

The next day I tried for Henry Kissinger. First I had his train info so I hoped to get him there. Unfortunately we didn't see him so he must have garaged it. On to the next spot where the event is I wait with other graphers. While waiting we see Bob Schieffer. I had a photo op but it needed an upgrade so I got another. Sadly we don't see Kissinger therefore he must have garaged here as well. Since he garaged in he would garage out, I cut my losses and gave up, another day of failure. 

Two days of failure photo ops
 

Next day was a music related event. I arrive and get some lower names. Rosanne Cash (Johnny Cash's daughter) who is nice as can be. Get Jamey Johnson, Lukas Nelson (Willie Nelson's son) and Buckwheat Zydeco. Unfortunately for both entry and exists Paul Simon refuses to do anything saying he's done signing and taking pictures. Couldn't have been a calmer setting we were only a handful. We all begged and pleaded. 

We find Neil Young's tour bus and wait there. We see him and his people come out and his handler says "we're just gonna keep walking". But Neil stops to sign. I ask for a photo op he says he will stop doing anything if I don't put away the camera . Since an autograph is better than nothing I get my 8x10 signed and say "thank you Neil" and he goes "eye contact, eye contract" so I look at him and say "thank you Neil". Instead of saying things like "eye contact" why can't you do the photo op To boot he was a strict one per. After I left I got a call asking me what the situation is. I debrief the situation and he said he's coming to try. I had left but when that guy plus one grapher tried for Neil he goes "I already signed going in" the guy responds that he wasn't there and Neil laughs and responds "well you should've been". 

Full list of photo ops from the day

Neil Young autograph

The next day I didn't make it which was a huge mistake cause Willie Nelson racked it out (thankfully I have that combo already) and Don Johnson did photo ops leaving! Though both Paul Simon and Neil Young did nothing for no one. 

BUT I had a chance to redeem Don Johnson. Went to the airport the next morning to try for him. His guard tried to say he is late and I say "no he isn't the plane doesn't leave for another hour". When walking he says he's not stopping and to take pictures with him as he's walking. Thanks to some help from a Master pap I manage to get a valid photo op.  

Don Johnson photo op


Next up I had a major quest. Get a photo op with Stephen Speilberg, who was attending an event along with Barbara Streisand, Gloria Estefan, James Taylor, and others.  

Arrive and we get Gloria and her husband Emilio who are nice as can be. Already had Gloria but Emilio is a first time meet.  

Speilberg arrives and sadly does nothing for no one saying he'll do it on the way out. A guard on the gate was demanding we stop harassing celebrities and that "they're here for the event" even though we were 110% on a public sidewalk. Streisand arrives and does nothing. We are again yelled at but we all completely ignore him and try to approach her anyway. There was one of him and several of us so not much he could do. James Taylor arrives and is his usual nice self. Streisand's husband James Brolin arrives is nice as can be. Got the photo op but I had it already. 

On exits James and Gloria are still nice. Streisand does autographs and I get one on a vinyl but sadly she didn't do a photo op with me despite my best begging and pleading. Speilberg turned out to be a liar as he drove out. I've seen Speilberg like 15 times and each time it's either auto only or nothing. When will I break this curse 


Full list of photo ops

Autographs


Towards the end of November I had a seemingly simple quest. Get Thomas Dolby. 



He was advertised as a "special guest" so was he the opening act? Was he the final act? Would he come in the middle and leave? No idea. I arrive there after doors open. In hindsight I should have tried earlier in the day because another combo hunter got him coming into the venue. Sadly as it turned out he played in the middle of the show, stayed till the end, and did the final song. But when he left he was nice as can be, signed and did photo ops. Dedicated more time than I would have liked, but thankfully it was a success. 



Sucks the upper right one is in rough shape and the upper left one is in garbage shape, but for $1 per vinyl one can't complain. 

On the final day of November I embarked on a short quest to get record producer Berry Gordy. He signed but wouldn't take pictures even citing "facebook" as a reason not to do photo ops  TV host Mike Rowe is randomly spotted and we get photo ops. 






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