An assortment of wrestling meets in January (WWE and otherwise)

Wrestling wise January starts with WWE when I get a flight for Shane McMahon! Wow what an awesome way to start the year! I get there with markedout's adelta and sadly it would not be as turns out it's a different Shane McMahon after this PUNCH me and adelta go to the WWE hotel. As I'm parking I get a call that the Riott Squad are out and about! I need them all! I quickly get there, park in front of the hotel telling the staff I'll be 5 minutes, and I score single shots with each of them, making Liv Morgan my first wrestling photo op of 2018. After I park my car I would score another fresh name who has alluded me for a long time, announcer Tom Phillips! 

Meanwhile I'm seeing lots of repeat names  and Darryl DMC McDaniels is spotted. I get another photo op with him. I got Harvey Wippleman again as I figured clean shaven is at least different. I didn't bother with all the repeat names as I wanted to keep a low profile, but eventually a bunch of fans attack AJ Styles as he is about to go in his car and security tells everyone including me that we have to leave (again to clarify I didn't even budge for AJ Styles). So I exit but stay around the property and I score a fresh name in announcer Dasha Fuentes.

Me and adelta then go to an all you can eat buffet, Chill out at my place, then go back to the spot. We hope to see Shane come back even though we knew slim chance of that. But I scored a group shot with the Riott Squad and more WWE_E autographs. Saw lots of names that I didn't bother with. Even told Charlotte to have a good night and she thanked me, HCIT! 

Randy Orton comes through signs one a piece no issue but declined adelta for a photo op. I didn't even ask since I have two great photo ops with him. It's a great feeling to not need many photo ops. Takes away so much stress.

One blow off was Kalisto who declined a photo op because he had no mask. Sucks cause I needed him.

WWE_E V3 autographs obtained at this spot

Harvey Wippleman
Randy Orton
Tyson Kidd
Tom Phillips

After this we ate some Burger King and waited for mass exits where we saw pretty much the whole Smackdown roster. Sadly the only fresh name I had to gain was Cedric Alexander. Thankfully I scored that along with some WWE_E autographs. 

Xavier Woods looked like he wanted to hang himself but he signed for us. Kalisto happily signed for us but sadly he politely declined to give us any kind of photo op.  I missed a Sami Zyan auto as I didn't have his page ready in time (wasn't expected him to stop).

At one point we end up riding a shuttle bus with Becky Lynch. HCIT! Get her and get The Miz who also didn't seem happy to see us. 

We had a Rusev and Lana flight and I needed a better Lana shot, but since she has always declined me at an airport I didn't think that was worth the wait. So we mooched some breakfast and I dropped adelta at the train station.

WWE_E V3 autographs obtained at this spot

The Miz

Tye Dillinger

Kalisto

Kofi Kingston

Xavier Woods

Zack Ryder

The Riott Squad

Full list of photo ops


Next up wrestling wise is Icons of Wrestling (RF Con)! When Sting was announced in Wolfpac attire I got all excited! I even found a flight for him the evening prior as I wanted a Steve Borden shot.

I get to the airport and wait for him as he's about to exit the plane. I chose this spot because I wanted to make sure I'm away from any promoters. He takes a photo op with me but refuses to sign saying "I can't". I told him I would see him the next day for the wolfpack op. After this I tried for Henry Rollins in Philly but sadly never saw him. So he must have left a different way.

Park by the former ECW Arena and sleep for the night. Wake up and get ready for the con! Luckily I find someone with two Sting figures so I was able to save a little money on the photo op by splitting the combo.

First I pick up upgrades with Mean Gene Okerlund and Victoria. Then get a fresh name in Jessie Godderz. Mean Gene is wearing shades in my shot and my Victoria shots are all airport photo ops where she has a cap on that covers half her head.

When I got up to the table for Sting he told the promoter "this is the airport stalker I was telling you about" and the promoter said "at least he kept his word". Sting then asked if I had something I wanted signed I said yes and got my magazine. Sting told the promoter "I want to take care of this" and I got a freebie! So Wolfpack suited Sting full combo cost me $50. Not too bad. He told me "see, it worked out" and I said "thanks I appreciate you". He responded "and I appreciate you". I now have FOUR different looks for Sting. Steve Borden, Crow, Wolfpac, and Joker. Now all I need is surfer!

Ended my time at RF con with another fresh name in Renee Michelle. I wanted Teddy Hart but couldn't find him and no one could give me an answer as to whether or not he was even in the building. Wanted to ask RF but he seemed too pre occupied with the Ric Flair line. I decided to bail Philly and head out for my first NYC endeavor of 2018.

Steve Borden

Wolfpac Sting

Full list of photo ops

Sting autograph

An assortment of celebrity meets in January

Finally breaking 2018 with a long overdue report! And for my first report I will showcase some celebrity meets throughout January (with yet more January reports to come, of course).

My first meet of 2018 would be a couple of days after the New Year when I went to the airport for singer Rik Emmett. Not a huge name but since it was an easy spot for me and I didn't have to pay for parking, I thought why not. His song "Saved By Love" was in the movie Problem Child 2.

He was super nice, signed and took photos marking my first combo of 2018. Also got the barely valid Dave Dunlop who tours with him.

Photo ops

Autograph


Fast forward about a week and there was a show with two major actors, Richard Thomas and Pamela Reed (who I know best from the awesome Arnold movie, Kindergarten Cop). Already have Richard from Chiller but needed Pamela. Sadly I would have to come to this show two days in a row.

I go the first night and get Richard Thomas who was nice as can be. Also got some of the barely valids. Sadly turns out Pamela had family and went out another way. So now I was forced to come the next night. Thankfully this night I would see her. I got more autos from Richard, Joe Mantello who was the director, and of course Pamela who could not have been nicer, officially marking my first fresh movie name of 2018! 

Pamela Reed

Full list of photo ops

Autographs


Next up was a rather big event. No big names but a lot of names. On a day when the weather was exceptionally fantastic I would hit up multiple spots. 

First spot was repeat names. I was only there cause nothing else was going on. I got repeat shots with Chris Chalk and Drew Powell of Gotham. Saw Sean Pertwee but didn't need him. 

More repeat Gotham names were coming to this spot but I went to the next spot where I wanted to get a name who for some reason I didn't get at Chiller. Namely James Remar. He comes through and is being grumpy, but via pulling teeth I get a full combo from him, officially putting me on board for the day.

Next up were more actors from the TV show Black Lightning. While I don't plan on watching this show, Cress Williams doubles up as a Beverly Hills 90210 name and who knows what the other actors could end up doing. 

First up Damon Gupton and Nafessa Williams, both super nice. Then while waiting I notice someone waiting for actor Bruce Greenwood! I already got him at Star Trek con in NYC but he had a big ass mustache so I was excited to get this upgrade! And by chance no less! He was suspected to be coming but no one knew for sure. By chance I found out for sure. He comes through and is super nice! He took a shot with me then took off his glasses to take another photo op. When I saw that I then asked for a second photo op since he had no glasses on. Asked him why he wasn't announced he said he was not sure he was coming.

Back on track with Black Lightning folks both Christine Adams and Cress Williams come through, again super nice! Was expecting Tobias Whale but turns out he arrived the prior day.

Final meets at this spot would be repeat names in Caity Lotz and Danielle Panabaker from the Arrowverse. Also saw Candice Patton but she was looking rough so didn't put any efford for a photo op.

Move to the next spot and I luck out and see Tobias Whale hanging around! He is super nice. Now comes probably the most epic moment. FIVE Gotham actors walk out at once and I score a group shot. Even though they were all repeat names for me, considering Gotham is my favorite modern day TV show this is a major treat for me! And second this marks the most amount of celebs I have in a single photo op. To boot I didn't even have to pay triple digits at a con for it! After this shot I immediately grabbed a solo upgrade shot with Erin Richards because my photo ops from NYC are sub par and I was not next to her in this group shot. 

Then see Russell Tovey from the Arrowverse, I get another shot with him as I got him at NYCC before. He was with someone else who I assumed was his boyfriend. Unfortunately that would not be the case. Two days later I get a text from who informed me that Joseph Morgan was a surprise guest for this event. A day after that I was thinking back and it hit me that this "boyfriend" was actually Joseph Morgan (who I never got). PUNCH. After this the final meet at this spot is another repeat name in JW Cortes. Had a flight on Black Lightning actress China McClain but she changed it to early the next morning so that was out. David Harewood from the Supergirl TV show (who I never got) arrived and denied photo ops saying he had to check in.

Go to the final spot for the evening expecting both David Mazouz and Camren Bicondova. I got them multiple times but besides autos my main goal was the dual shot. They both came out, after guiding Camren to the bathroom they were both nice as can be.

James Remar

Cress Williams

Bruce Greenwood

Group Gotham shot #1

Group Gotham shot #2

Full list of photo ops


The next day I still needed both China McClain and David Harewood. I decided the China flight was way too early so I chose to sleep. I then went to the event to try for her and David. It was getting colder and colder so I wanted to limit my time here. I tried to get into some autograph signing but they were old sold out. So it was outside or bust.

The Black Lightning cast comes in a bus and luckily I could ignore most of the actors. I asked China for a photo op and she was nice as can be. My other want David Harewood was still inside (or so I hoped/suspected).

After I get China I am approached by a cop. He said he was "advised" that I put my arm around someone while getting a photo op. I said that I didn't and that I can ask for photo ops here because it's a public sidewalk. He said he didn't say I did just that he was "advised". I then show him my photo op with China and point out that SHE in fact had her arm around ME. After a few more words he tells me to "enjoy" my day and I wish him the same. He then enters the venue. This marked my first police encounter of 2018.

After the cop went inside there were like 3 staff members of the venue who stared outside from inside the venue and seemed amazed that I was still standing there and waiting. My guess is they thought sending out a cop would scare me off. That might work for most people but of course won't work with me. Wait for the Black Lightning cast to exit and I get some China autographs. After this I get a lecture from the venue staff basically saying not to over step boundaries and no means no (though I point out that I didn't thus far and they agreed). They then remind me of the cop if I do act up.

I wait some more and finally David comes out and is nice as can be for the photo op. With that I told everyone I got the other actors at the airport so I'm basically done here. I wished everyone including the cop a good day and was happily on my way, and not a moment too soon because it really cold from that point on.

China McClain

David Harewood


Autographs obtained the past two days part 1

Autographs obtained the past two days part 2


Next up is a music name, namely John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful, known of the song "Summer in the City". Arrive at the venue and wait for the show to end. Once it does I mooch into the m&g. He is nice and can be, does combos for all. If only everything could be that easy.

Photo op

Autographs


On two different days I went to two different flights for actors. First off Anne Heche from The Brave and the Psycho remake. Not too fond of my NYC photo op so I wanted to improve it. Arrive and she is nice as can be. While getting her I notice someone waiting with a sign that says "Robot Chicken" so I figured I'd wait and see who it is. Turns out it's for Alexis Preston who is some kind of animator. I get a photo op. 

On another day I do an outgoing for actor Mike Vogel from The Brave, Bates Motel, the 2003 Texas Chainsaw Massacre, among others. I decide right off the bat to go to the spot where he'd be waiting for the plane. This was a great tactical move cause as I arrived I saw him just sitting down and playing with his phone. He was nice as can be, did combos no issue.

Anne Heche

Alexis Preston

Mike Vogel

Autographs