A video report to kick things off.
Monday, March 3, 2025
Saturday, January 4, 2025
Scattered meets throughout December
Besides the big event already reported, there wouldn't be too much more meets for me in December as I would leave the nation less than half way through.
First up, my final road trip of 2024, Macaulay Culkin. I've tried for him on the street before and to say he's not cooperative is an understatement. At first I had the meet and greet for Erie, PA and that got canceled due to snow. PUNCH. Due to my schedule, at this point it was either go to the one in Louisville, Ky or nothing. So I went to the Kentucky one.
Arrived late the movie had already started. Sat through the Q&A and trivia where he gave out some signed prizes. Then it was time for the photo op line. He was nice and friendly which is a huge contrast to what I've seen on the street. Left after the show, drove some. Then slept about 3h on a wooden bench in a dingy rest stop (it was too cold to nap in the car), and finished the drive back soon after.
After I arrived back home I went to a venue for actress Kelly Bishop (Gilmore Girls, Dirty Dancing). When she came out she was very giving for the photo op but refused to sign. Went to another venue for actor Travis Van Winkle (F13th 2009) but never saw him. It seemed he had left the show so I never went back. Big mistake as he didn't leave the show. PUNCH.
After the long event of December, my final paid/organized meet of 2024 is the lead singer of the band Sonic Youth, Thurston Moore. You paid for the event and the book and you got in the book signing line after his talk. Since I was worn out from the previous few days, last thing I wanted to do was wait outside the venue for a chance. And good thing too because he would end up quickly running off and doing nothing for no one.
After his talk ended, I got a photo op with Ian MacKaye who was in attendance. He was in the bands Minor Threat and Fugazi. At the book signing Thurston Moore was cool. Most people weren't asking for ops but those that did got it.
The final meet of 2024 would be one of the directors of Airline, the Naked Gun movies, Ruthless People, and more. Namely, David Zucker. I would not be in the nation for his event, but as luck would have it, I found his flight coming in about 3 hours before my flight leaves out. AND the same airport. So that worked out well. I half regretted not going to his event in Philly in October 2023. In hindsight I'm glad I didn't. This saved a lot of money and time.
Saw him and he was nice as can be, did the photo op and signed three items for me. My Ruthless People vinyl signed by Danny Devito, my Naked Gun 2 1/2 poster signed by Leslie Neilson and Priscilla Presley, and a Naked Gun DVD cover.
This officially marked my final combo of 2024.
Thursday, January 2, 2025
The long agonizing two days in December
The days I dread every year was upon me. Equivalent to a final exam. Horrific, torturous, and you get a happy feeling when it's over. Me and another grapher always dread this event when it's close, and we always celebrate when it's over.
Day 0
My adventures would start a couple of days prior. The first day I have two flights. First up is Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead. I have the ops but I wanted autographs. Sadly he is completely foul and does nothing for no one as his people stop us.
Later that evening I try for Bonnie Raitt at her flight. I see her and ask for the op. She declines and puts on the mask. She also declined autographs. Wow two busts in one day.
Next day I would have better luck. First up Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead. Again I have the op so this would be an autograph only mission. He came out he was wearing shades so I had no need for that op. His family were being bitches yelling at graphers even photo bombing ops with the middle finger but I manage to get an auto.
Not long after this I wait at a charter flight for Francis Ford Coppola. There are like 15 of us and he finally shows up and tells us to line up and he will do one per and not to try and go around to double dip. After getting him to sign a Godfather vinyl I plead for the op to no avail. He was not trying to do ops and people were trying to double dip and he shuts it down. As he is walking to his car I try again and by miracle I get a selfie after which he goes "get away from me". Not the greatest shot but honestly I'll take it.
Waited for another charter coming in that was presumably Al Pacino but it was no one. After that there was another charter for Dave Mathews. He comes out declines photos but signs and I get an 8x10 done. I have an op from his NYC book signing. Good prequal to the grueling two days up ahead.
Day 1
So the day starts in the morning to launch the dreaded 2 days. It would start slow at least op wise. I start by getting Don Was, Jeff Chimenti, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Verdine White (repeat), Emmylou Harris (repeat), Carlos Fuente Jr, and Arturo Sandoval.
Francis Ford Copolla signs again and says one per again. I get an auto on a Bram Sroker's Dracula poster.
Auto wise also I get Sheryl Crow (she had shades and I had no need for another shades shot), Emmylou Harris, Arturo Sandoval (repeat), James Taylor (have so many ops with him so I had no need for that), Mickey Hart (didn't need the op), and Dave Mathews (didn't get another op).
Sadly I needed Bill Kreutzmann from the Grateful Dead and he did nothing for no one. Others that did nothing included Brandi Carlile, Maggie Rogers, Leon Bridges, and Sturgill Simpson, none of whom I had. Al Pacino who I have sneaked in. Julia Louis-Dreyfus who I also have did nothing.
Other ops I got included Savion Glover, Doug E Fresh (repeat), Kamasi Washington (repeat), Keb Mo (repeat), and Timo Nunez.
Now here is where I made a botch that was almost devastating and fatal. The day is ending and Queen Latifah has entered and promised to stop later. I had the flight for Jason Schwartzman who I already have. I need his mother Talia Shire bad but I couldn't see that she was on the flight. So I stayed to presumably get Queen Latifah autos later on.
What happened? Talia Shire was at the airport with her son and racked it out. PUNCH! To say that I was devastated and destroyed mentally is an understatement. So I abandoned my current post (where as it turned out no one would even end up seeing Queen Latifah)
Now my mission it to beat them to the hotel. There was traffic and even congestion going into the driveway of the hotel. Wait and eventually the car pulls up. First I see Jason and I get another op and get him to sign. Then I see Talia. I get the op then I go for autographs. Took a bit of begging and she wasn't as nice at the airport, but getting the op and 3 things done means I corrected what would have been my biggest blow of 2024! By miracle the hotel didn't even harass us like they usually do. Spoiler alert, the next day they did nothing the one time we saw them at the event and they snuk in and out the rest of the time. Making this even more of a miracle fix.
Next up is a flight for legendary singer Jackson Browne. Sadly he comes up wearing a mask. He does one per then mask ops. When I asked him if he could remove the mask for the photo op he declined. Bust.
Next I was debating if I should call it a night or go to another spot. I decided to call it a night. Big mistake as both James Taylor stopped and Sheryl Crow stopped. Need James auto and no shades op with Crow. PUNCH (another spoiler, I would make those up the next day). I promptly went back to see what else could be had. Sadly nothing great. I got Bill T Jones, Lisa Ann Walter (repeat), Al Franken (repeat), Tania Leon. I saw George Lucas and an auto from him would have redeemed things a little but he didn't stop.
At another spot Francis Ford Coppola signed again. In hindsight I should have been here for Crow/Taylor and went over to the hotel for Ford.
Full list of Day 1 photo ops part 1
Full list of Day 1 photo ops part 2
Day 2
This day would be a good one. It even starts off well with a miss from the prior night. First I get Gia Coppola (fresh) and finally Sheryl Crow who in daylight shows up with no shades. I sacrifice my chance at an autograph for a no shades shot. FINALLY after many years of failing to get that upgrade.
Op wise I subsequently get Chris Botti, Chucho Valdes, Cimafunk, Kamasi Washington, Grace VanderWaal, Randy Brecker, Ella Bric, Trombone Shorty, and Timo Nunez.
Auto wise I manage to score not one but TWO George Lucas autos going in. One on an Empire Strikes Back Laserdisc and one on a THX-1138 8x10. I manage to somehow score a Robert Deniro in the chaos going in. Neither did ops but it's ok as I have them. I also get another autograph of Dave Mathews. Queen Latifah comes in and I get her to sign two CD covers for me.
Any Garcia comes in takes care of everyone. I focused on an auto as I had no need for a beard/glasses op. But leaving when I tried to get another auto he declined autos saying he already signed so I just get another photo op.
Jackson Browne and Martin Scorsese sneaked in and out. Talia Shire and Jason Schwartzman declined going in saying they would stop later but then sneaked. Julia Louis-Dreyfus did nothing as she said she would stop later.
More ops as I get Fatima Washington and Ben Folds (repeat). Then a huge miracle happens. A name I never expected in a million years would stop much less I would actually get would come to the railing. Laurence Fishburne! FUCKING MORPHEUS! One of the nastiest celebs that exists! And I got the op! For the next 5 minutes I was high on a fucking photo op! I could not believe it.
As things winded down I get an op with Kofi B and I finally go to the bathroom for the first time to unload all my wastes from the entire day. While doing so I miss a dolled up Grace VanderWaal doing ops.
Now it's time for evening entries and that was sub par. This time they were entering from two different doors which was odd. Most weren't stopping but Julia Louis-Dreyfus racked it out while I was on the wrong door. PUNCH as I wanted autos. All I did at that wrong door was be denied by Mavis Staples and others. On the "correct" door photo wise I got Glenn Youngkin and Susan Collins but both are repeats. Auto wise I got Cal Ripken Jr (already have the op).
While the dust settles and everyone goes off premises for dinner and other reasons at this point we are four people and a late arrival comes through. Al Pacino! Three of us get autos and one of us gets the op. I of course go for autos since I have a perfect shot. Second miracle of the day!
It's time for exits and finally the final phase of not just the evening but the entire event! I get singer Raye, combo with house speaker Mike Johnson (fresh), and Kendrick Scott. I see singer George Clinton and beg and plead for the op. He finally comes over I barely get a shot. Mavis Staples again denies me. I fix my previous miss and get a nice dolled up Grace VanderWaal photo op. I also get James Taylor to sign for me again as he left.
Autograph wise the night ends with one more round of Francis Ford Coppola where I get him on my THX-1138 8x10 already signed by George Lucas! SCORE! And photo op wise the night ends with Andy Blankenbuehler and an update with actress Kym Whitley.
Full list of Day 2 photo ops part 1
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