Monday, September 10, 2018

CSA Show report and meets around CSA show

My main wants at the July CSA show were boxing legend George Foreman and Caddyshack actor Michael O'Keefe, with MMA fighter Chuck Liddell as a secondary want. The evening before I hung out at the hotel see what I could mooch. I only got football player Lem Barney and an update with Sycho Sid. I saw other sports players do photo ops but crowd was crazy and didn't feel like fighting for the ops and potentially getting kicked out. Tried another spot where I might see Foreman but didn't see him. Called it a night.

Go to CSA show the next day and split a George Foreman pro op. I also manage to mooch a table op with Michael O'Keefe by tagging with someone who had autos. So that worked out well.

I tried to mooch a photo op with Chuck Liddell and an update with actor Lee Majors by tagging with someone who had multiple items to get done. But sadly neither one of them did table ops.

I leave CSA show then head to the airport where up and coming actor Brandon Larracuente from Bloodline is flying in. He is a pure pokemon meet right now, but remembering my Kate Upton blunder I get him now while he's super happy to do photo ops.

Lem Barney

Sycho Sid

George Foreman

Michael O'Keefe

Brandon Larracuente

a MISSION that was IMPOSSIBLE: Completed

The Mission Impossible 6 premiere was a wild card. Had a fan pit ticket, but what did this entail? Did that put you in a position for combos? Or could you watch from a distance? No one knew for certain. Would we be able to score front railing spots? What time to be there? When and where would a line form? Again, no one knew for certain. This was the event where we dove head first into the abyss and in many instances had to police ourselves. 

Arrive at the museum with markedout's heelorton and friend at around 5 AM (red carpet was 7pm). We immediately see lounging in a chair with a flashing police car.



The line is basically started, with two groups forming the first 15-20. In all this I managed to get a couple of hours of much needed sleep in my car.

Wait some more and eventually it starts POUNDING rain. My socks got all soaked. Finally they felt sorry for us and checked us in early as the rain continued to pound. They told us you have wristbands but no line yet and to come back later. Obviously unacceptable to us. Then we entered the museum and it literally stopped raining! Wow they couldn't have started to check us in as soon as it started raining. 

Again, here we have to police ourselves. We go to the location they told us the line would form and form the line ourselves. Eventually more people and more staff join.

Eventually they walk us to the red carpet area and we manage to grab the precious front rail spots. Wow so much could have gone wrong here. Imagine if for instance they told us we couldn't stand at the previous location until a certain time. All that waiting at the crack of dawn would have been for nothing. But so far so good.

Event starts and stuff happens! First score is a fresh Michelle Monaghan. Next up, my second biggest want at this event, Superman himself, Henry Cavill! And he is super nice. I am so glad I didn't venture to Ace Comic Con to pay for a bearded Cavill (didn't need much else from that con). And with that score I now have photo ops with every living live action actor who played Superman (Dean Cain, Tom Welling, Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill, and Tyler Hoechlin). Also have some voice actor Supermans but won't get into that here.

Next up actor Frederick Schmidt (fresh). Then the director Christopher McQuarrie (fresh) does combos but steps away whenever he is close to me. After the third time he made good on his promise to come back to me and did a combo with me. Then get Simon Pegg update.



The man of the hour finally greets the crowd! His sister takes my camera. Tom signs laserdiscs for me which both him and his sister get a kick out of with Tom saying he loves laserdiscs. 



At this point red carpet is winding down and both Angela Bassett and Rebecca Ferguson are still being interviewed by press. We have to call them over and run around. Had to scream and fight for an Angela combo (major upgrade as my previous shot is blurry) and Rebecca photo op (fresh). It truly was amazing that it was easier to score Tom and Henry than Angela and Rebecca. 

Against all odds, against all unknowns, in the face of 15+ hours, lack of sleep, lots of pain, lots of agony, this was not only a success but a SWEEPING success! 

Michelle Monaghan

Henry Cavill

Frederick Schmidt

Christopher McQuarrie

Simon Pegg

Tom Cruise

Angela Bassett

Rebecca Ferguson

Poster signed by the director

Signed items


Triumph and Victory

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Kylie Minogue, Danica McKellar, more in NYC, Channing Tatum in PA

Danica McKellar was one of the last remaining Wonder Years names I still never managed to score. Whenever she had a book signing I could not attend it for one reason or another. Matter of fact I would say Winnie Cooper is probably my first ever female crush. So I made it a point to attend the next one. To boot, Channing Tatum had an appearance in Hummlestown, PA that guaranteed photo ops. Already have a shot but it's sub par. So I thought this was a good opportunity to upgrade. I would also combine these with other meets.

Arrive in NYC the evening before the Danica signing. I join at a spot for a slew of celebs most notably Lee Pace who I failed on in the past. This time he is cooperative for the photo op! I also got repeats in Ellen Barkin and Eric Bogosian.

Next up I go to try for Kylie Minogue. I remember her when I was in high school and she was also Cammy in the Street Fighter movie starring Jean Claude Van Damme.I am joined by Vanessa and friend. While waiting I get a couple of barely valids in her band. Finally she comes out and amidst chaos I score a photo op but no autographs (not everyone  present got autos/photos). Sadly I got a horrid photo bomb. After she left I confronted said photobomber. I yelled and cursed him out, and called him a fucking asshole. Venue security tried to intervene to prevent violence as I cursed him out. It amazes me what scum bags people can be. I go through hell and high waters for my ops only to have it tainted like that. 

After calling it a night, I secure my free parking spot walking distance to my first spot in the morning. Wake up and go to my first spot for Jessica Chastain. I got her once before but wanted a better shot plus autographs. She arrives and is as nice as can be. At first she takes shades shots everyone but then removes the shades as I promptly ask for a redo which she obliged. I now consider her virgilized. Also got a photo with actor Michael Greyeyes. 

Next up I go to a movie shoot. I want to upgrade my Melissa McCarthy photo op and score a first time Tiffany Haddish (who I seem to be cursed with). I get rebuffed by both. I then try for Elizabeth Moss but she politely declines citing the fact that she is suited for her role.

After this sweeping failure, I go to Barnes and Noble for Danica McKellar. She does a speech and does photo ops and extras. Wow why can't every book signing be this smooth.

Go to a spot in the hopes that Tiffany Haddish shows up, but apparently she didn't and everyone there are basketball names. So I go to a spot to get Idina Menzel, which in hindsight was a great move cause the sports spot was a bust. I manage to get actor Will Brittain. An old lady photobombs not one but TWO of my shots. Honestly what do I do in these situations? Do I curse out the old lady? When it was time for Idina I positioned myself so she couldn't photobomb. She was nice and I got the combo.

Go to the final spot for the evening where I again hope to see Tiffany Haddish. Get a lot of sports names I don't know and finally Tiffany exits. She is denying but then a combo hunter successfully breaks her down and I manage to grab a photo op as security is whisking her away (photo also features Common who I didn't get but got many times in the past). With that it was time to go to PA for Channing Tatum.


Kylie Minogue photo bomb

Kylie Minogue no photo bomb


Lee Pace

Jessica Chastain

Danica McKellar


Idina Menzel


Tiffany Haddish

Full list of NYC photo ops

Danica autographs

non-Danica autographs



I had planned to drive there and stand in line, but couldn't finish my drive and had to pull over. Wake up and drive. Thankfully I have a savoir in the form of 

He is buying multiple bottles and will help me out. I am 20 minutes from the location and my bowels could not hold up any longer. I pull over and take a crap in the woods. I finally arrive and go to the bathroom at K Mart where I finish up and clean up. I don't think I was ever so happy to see a toilet in my entire life.


I help up a spot for CM as he went home. I would eventually be joined by both him and Mama . People were camping out and waiting for hours upon hours until it was time. Finally got to Channing and he was cool. I got a perfect shot. Mama CM is such a bad ass she even scored an extra.

With that I set my GPS to avoid all tolls and headed home. I would like to thank CMShowstopper for his help in this. It was also good to hang out with both him and Mama CM.

Channing Tatum

Signed bottle

Saturday, September 8, 2018

KNEEL BEFORE ZOD! Some scattered meets in June

In early June I decided to try for singers Paul Young and Midge Ure. To all our shock both came out after the show and did a meet and greet. They were super nice. A rare easy and stress free endeavor.

Paul Young

Midge Ure

Autographs



Couple of days later I go for a show with a bunch of actors. My main want is John Michael Higgins (Pitch Perfect, Yes Man, Bicentennial Man, among others). Arrive and everyone is super nice. Got him, Skylar Astin (upgrade), Becki Newton from Ugly Betty (fresh), Michael Urie (upgrade), and the hot but barely valid Betsy Wolfe (remembering my Kate Upton blunder).

John Michael Higgins

Full list of photo ops


Couple of days after that I acted on a tip from markedout's adelta for a Martin Lawrence flight. I figured this was basically my best chance to get him without paying $400 for the meet and greet. I arrive at the airport and wait. Then I see a black entourage and I see the back of somebody with a hood and shades. I figure that is him. I wait for them to move away from the crowd then I ask. One of his guards tries to stop me but he approves me coming over. I get the photo op.

Martin Lawrence



Around mid June I go to a small con called All Star Comic Con. Nothing too great to report, got my photo ops and was out.

Full list of photo ops


Next up was U2 that was sadly a bust. I tried them day one they all blanked. I tried them day 2 and Edge came over to my side. He wasn't taking photo ops but I manage to struggle and get a valid shot. Sadly due to his moving the shot is blurry. Then when he moves away from me he starts doing ops then goes to the other sides and does more and more ops! WTF? Bono does only handshakes with everyone and Adam Clayton does photo ops with all. BUST. Bono's handshake was particularly painful. Cause the celeb came over, acknowledged you, but basically gave you nothing. This is IMO worse than if they blanked! It's akin to seeing a loved one with dementia. They are living and breathing air, but they are basically dead and gone. It is more painful than if they were dead and buried. But I guess he who never fails on big names also never scores big names.

Horrid but valid Edge

Adam Clayton


Towards the end of June I do two separate airport meets. First up is singer Sarah McLachlan who is nice.

Sarah McLachlan


And the last day of June I did something I never imagined I would do. And that is KNEEL BEFORE ZOD! I'm talking about Terence Stamp who played General Zod in the Christopher Reeves Superman movies. When I was a child I used to wear out pan and scan pirated betamax tapes of the Reeves Superman movies. Today I have the valid widescreen versions in the form of a blu ray boxset. Sadly will never get Superman himself, but getting Zod, someone who due to his age I thought I'd never get, that was truly a special treat! 


Arrive at the airport and wait. Follow him to baggage, and he was super nice! Signed me some 8x10s and also a Superman II laserdisc already signed by Lois Lane and Zod's two minions.

Terence Stamp

Autogarphs


a space event, country legend, actors, and more

To start of June there was a space related event with some celebrities. But the day before I would hit up the airport. First up is a flight for singer Grace Potter. She was coming in for the space event. I was already out so I thought why not. She was nice.

Then head over to another airport for country legend John Prine. He was grumpy but I managed to get him. Next up is pop star and actress Hayley Kiyoko. Due to the delay in getting John Prine couldn't make her flight. So hit up the hotel, waited, and there she was.

Grace Potter

Hayley Kiyoko

John Prine


Next evening the space event. While waiting I see an actress/dancer from another show doing combo. No idea who she is, but I remember my Kate Upton blunder and grab a photo op. See will.i.am leaving from a distance, get an updated photo op and some autographs. He is super nice. Also get two band members of Coheed and Cambria including the lead singer.

I see my main want, actor John Cho about to get in his car. I run like the wind and beg for the op. Despite the handler trying to stop me, he poses and I grab the selfie as he gets into his car! In my NYC shot with him from a few years ago he is wearing hat and shades, so this is a much needed upgrade! The next day people tried for him at the same event and he wasn't even there.

Get Grace Potter again, and wait some more for my other big want, film composer Michael Giacchino (Rogue One, Jurassic World, and many others). He is nice as can be. Ended my time here with Nick Sagan, son of Carl Sagan. When I was in high school I remember watching Carl Sagan's cosmos documentaries in high school. I told him about my memories of his father which he liked.

John Cho

Michael Giacchino

Full list of photo ops

Autographs

Friday, September 7, 2018

a very STRANGE aftermath plus Wizard World Philadelphia

Note: if you haven't already please read my previous report detailing 5 days of the Festivity of the Televisions 

After 5 nights of car sleep, it is time for day 6 in NYC. My first score is a combo from Def Leppard front man, Joe Elliott. Back to a winding down festivity spot where I get a photo op, then to Elliott spot where I run to his hotel and get some autos. Then to another spot for Benedict Cumberbatch where I get actress Louise Brealey but Benedict and others do nothing. Back to the Def Leppard hotel and get a photo op with lead guitarist Phil Collen. Go to an "easy" spot for actor Tom Hollander then Back to the Benedict spot. 

Secured a railing spot. On exits I scored Phillipa Soo and Hugh Dancy. Then Benedict comes out and does combos but not everyone got him. I scored a GREAT photo op but sadly no autograph! I couldn't believe I scored this shot! Ended my time in NYC with a short haired Rose McGowan photo op.

Joe Elliott

Benedict Cumberbatch

Full list of day 5 photo ops

Joe Elliott signed cassettes


Now it's time for Wizard World in Philadelphia the next day. My main want from there was Pom Klementieff and it was convenient due to its proximity to NYC. But sadly she cancelled that Friday before. I had already committed a ride to WW to Vanessa the Jersey Shore Stalker the week prior and I don't like backing out on my commitments. So we left NYC, parked next to WW, and slept.

My wants were practically non existent. I did get a free shot with Kato Kaelin. Thanks to Vanessa paying for ops I managed to get cheap upgrades/updates with Michael Rosenbaum and Ezra Miller. I got in a dual Ezra Miller and Jason Momoa shot. My previous Ezra shot is from years ago when he had long hair and was wearing shades. So I made some lemonade out of lemons. 

Dropped Vanessa at the train station, then headed home. Could not finish the drive so about an hour out I pulled over to a rest stop and slept. This marked my personal record for car sleep as I did it 7 nights in a row! And it felt no different than when I do it for a 2-3 nights.

Another record was attained here. I went NYC to Philadelphia, then back home. I paid $0 in tolls.

Full list of Wizard World photo ops

Justice League shot

New York City: The Festivity of the Televisions

Yes I know I'm behind on reports, but don't worry people, more reports coming. 

Festivity of the Televisions is a week I truly dread. Between this week and the aftermath I would actually break my record for car sleep. More details on that in the aftermath report. Not everyone is ID'd so would appreciate any IDs.


Day 1

First event is unrelated to festivities, and involves Tom Hulce of Animal House. He was nice as can be. On to the first spot for festivities which would be the only time frame I see I then check out a second spot and discover that it is a happening spot. I get lots of names there. Back to the previous spot, then called it a night. 

Full list of Day 1 photo ops


Day 2

This day I would try to juggle various things, with mixed success. Start off at a spot in the morning. Jamie Alexander would do a funny pose which would have upset me if I didn't have perfect shots with her from prior years.

Then I go to another non-festivity spot in lieu of my usual park spot. My main goal is Liam Neeson. Sadly I never see him. Not knowing if he will show up I bailed so I don't miss the array of names from the festivities and also a Deadpool 2 event. I would find out Liam did show up later and people did get him. But I still got lots of names. For instance I got good scores in Martin Mull and Vicki Lawrence. Then got many Deadpool 2 names at another spot.

Would go with  to try for Josh Brolin at a more low key spot. But sadly he ignored photo op requests.

Perhaps the biggest punch of the day was not going for Warren Beatty and finding out people got him (spoiler alert, I would make that up in the future).

Full list of Day 2 photo ops


Day 3

I would start with a morning non-festivity spot for Jamie Foxx. Greg spots Luke Wilson who I need which is awesome. Sadly Jamie only did a couple of ops with girls. Next up a spot where I would get some Rosanne names and a huge score in actor Freddie Highmore, among other names.

Then to a spot unrelated to festivities where I got huge scores in actress Carol Kane and singer Jimmy Buffett. Sadly in the chaos my Buffett shot is slightly blurry but it's both valid and passable. On to the final spot and call it a night.

Freddie Highmore

Carol Kane 

Jimmy Buffett

Full list of Day 3 photo ops


Day 4

This day is off to a horrible start as I am failing at a spot while Greg scored Rosanne at another spot. On the way to the next spot I spot the naked cowboy at Times Square and finally get a combo with him. Get some names at this spot then off to a chaotic spot where I score some decent names such as Jay Hernandez from suicide squad and Tyne Daly. Next up an amazingly low key spot for the festivities and score many names. Sadly I leave this spot a little early to get Neal Schon of Journey and that was an error because I never saw him and I missed a couple of names. After getting some more names at this spot called it a night.

Full list of Day 4 photo ops


Day 5

The final day of festivities and next to last day in NYC. Get a slew of names at a spot and while doing that who other than Benedict Cumberbatch did photo ops going into a spot a few blocks away! Wow I couldn't believe it. Then an evening spot where I get Madelaine Petsch who I always seem to miss.

At this point I am completely worn out of festivities and bail out to go to the "easy" spots. Get Amanda Lawrence from The Last Jedi who I missed in the past. Then to another place where I get both Bill Irwin upgrade and first time shot with Colm Meaney. I followed Colm across the street and he was stumped and wondered what I wanted then did the photo op.

Full list of Day 5 photo ops


Autographs (Deadpool poster signed by Morena Baccarin, Brianna Hildebrand, and Stefan Kapičić)