Monday, December 23, 2024

Multi Day New York City Haul in September

Towards the end of September I would go to NYC. There were a lot of broadway names I wanted to clear up before New York Comic Con that was coming up soon and there was also a book signing with Lance Bass of NSync that I could hit up.

I arrive in NYC, commandeer my parking spot, and sleep. Wake up in the morning and it's off to a bad start. I go to a spot for Javier Bardem. I miss him by about a minute. He was rough around the edges and didn't exactly take care of everyone, but I probably would have had him. I go to the next spot but get nothing good. I think they're housewives. I try for Chris Stapleton at the next spot and he declined. So far a horrid day.

Go to the book signing for Lance Bass. I try to get an extra item before the signing but the guard cock blocks me. At the signing I get the op and the book signed. Outside the signing I manage to get him to sign my 8x10 despite the guard trying to say no.

Got to a spot where George Clooney is having an event and lots of celebs are present. Here is where I find something out just by checking an event on my phone. There was a screening with Hellen Mirren (who I have) and other cast members. And Dustin Hoffman attended that screening! He was not part of the cast but he just attended. To boot, everyone waiting for the cast got the op. Dustin Hoffman is someone I miserably failed on in 2012. And have constantly missed since. My heart was crushed. To boot, the guy is 87 so not many more opportunities will come up at this point.

Now in a stroke of magical luck, all the cast members left the screening, but Dustin himself stayed! This means there is another shot at him. I could have waited at the theater, or I could go to his hotel. I abandoned my current spot and go wait outside his hotel. I figured he probably would not stop at the theater since he did it for everyone going in. 

Wait at the hotel, the event lets out, and sure enough he did not stop at the theater. By another stroke of magical luck, I'm the only one waiting at the hotel! Finally Dustin arrives as expected, I give him my plea, and he agrees to the photo op! Major unexpected score of the year right there! It went from a horrid day to an epic day right there and then! 

Go back to the Clooney event to see what can be had, I see people I have leave such as Shailene Woodley, Keegan-Michael Key, Gabrielle Union, and others. But I had no need to fight to get them. I got a DJ named Mark Ronson and an update with actor Richard Kind.

Dustin Hoffman

Full list of Day 1 photo ops


Next day start at a spot mainly for Fred Hechinger (Gladiator 2). I get Hamish Linklater (repeat), Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Fred Hechinger, Jimmie Fails, and Ethan Herisse. Daveed Diggs was there but I didn't bother to get that since I have him. Go to the Dustin Hoffman spot to see what can be had, and I score Luke Wilson (upgrade).


I go to the next spot for Cate Blanchett. Someone I've always failed on photo op wise. And given the crowd it was looking like history would repeat itself. She did nothing going in and barely signed while leaving fast. I got an autograph. I also got an op with Leila George.

Move on to the "easy" show spots. First one the main target is Mamoudou Athie from Jurassic World Dominion. I get a couple of barely valids in the show and then see him inside on his bike. I go up to him, he introduces himself, and is nice as can be. Next Show spot features Adam Driver but I need actress Heather Burns. I get Frank Wood and Kenneth Lonergan who I have but somehow I miss Heather Burns. I also fail to even get an Adam Driver autograph. This means I would have to return.

Fred Hechinger

Luke Wilson

Full list of Day 2 photo ops


Next day I start at the same spot as the prior day, this time for actor Brady Corbet (Thirteen). Adrian Brody and Felicity Jones are here but I have them both. Got Felicity Jones going in but it's slightly blurry. No big deal as I have a shot. Randomly leaving nearby was Timmy Trumpet. I get the op. Brady Corbet goes in and I get that op. On exit I get Adrian Brody but it comes out blurry. Again no big deal. But I get his wife Georgina Chapman who is an actress.

Go to the next spot for an upgrade with actress Saoirse Ronan. On entry she does nothing but I manage to score her husband Jack Lowden who is a fresh meet! On exit neither do anything.

Now back to the "easy" show spots. First up I wait for a big want of mine, Andrea Martin (My Big Fat Greek Wedding). Wait and as luck would have it she is the first one I see. Was nice, did ops, and signed. Score! Between entries and exists I also get Rafi Gavron, Anna Kahja, Melora Hardin (The Office), and others. Overall a nice clean sweep. Robert Downy Jr is also there but no one ever sees him. Thankfully I have a passable shot.

To the next place back where Adam Driver is, I got Heather Burns (Miss Congeniality, You've Got Mail) but I fail to get another op with Adam Drive. I score his autograph on a program. I'll take that. Heather was moving fast but I ran after her and asked and she was very cool.

Final spot for the evening is a late night spot. I would get lots of good names but sadly I have most of them. It was pandemonium but fruitful. I got Jean Smart (repeat), Jim Gaffigan (repeat), Dana Carvey (no hat upgrade), among others. Post Malone I got autographs since I already have an op. Chaos truly erupted when both Jelly Roll and Machine Gun Kelly came out. I almost got tackled by Jelly Roll's security asking for the op but Jelly Roll overid his authority. The black mark for the evening is failing to get Machine Gun Kelly who is want of mine due to his WWE connections. I guess you can't win them all.

Andrea Martin

Jelly Roll

Full list of Day 3 photo ops


My fourth and final day would be a day of relative rest as I would stick to the "easy" show spots. To boot I would get some much needed sleep. First spot is Meredith Garretson from Resident Alien. She was super happy to do the photo op. Always nice to start your day with names like that. Your day starts well as you got your first photo op, and you make someone else's day.

Next spot was for actress Gus Birney then found out about Saoirse Ronan has an event nearby. So I abandon ship and fail on Saoirse Ronan. No big deal I have a Saoirse Ronan shot and would try for Gus Birney in the future. 

At this point I was debating if I should leave the city or try one more thing in the evening. Upon learning that director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Skyfall, Spectre) is there I decide to stay. The show breaks and I start getting people. Get Clark Gregg (update), Brandon Uranowitz (update), Richard Lumsden. Then playwright/director Jez Butterworth and finally a combo with Sam Mendes. Then get Bryan Dick (Master and Commander), Leanne Best (Star Wars Force Awakens), Laura Donnelly (update), Ophelia Lovibond (Guardians of the Galaxy), among others. This ended my time in NYC till comic con week.

Sam Mendes

Full list of Day 4 photo ops


Autographs obtained:

Autographs part 1

Autographs part 2

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