An Evening of Comedy with Rowdy Roddy Piper-Part 1

I was excited when I heard that Rowdy Roddy Piper would be appearing at the Days of the Dead convention.  Then I heard he would be doing comedy at the hotel bar when the convention ended for Friday.  Piper doing comedy?  Oh this I had to catch.
Piper is a funny guy.  His wrestling promos were some of the best and funniest promos ever.  His skits were hilarious.  The man is a natural.  Still, I didn't know what to expect from his comedy act.
The show was originally scheduled to begin at 11 p.m., with a packed house of 100.  The show was delayed as that number swelled probably closer to 150.  Fortunately, we arrived early and Cuzz Gekas worked some magic and got us excellent seats.
When Roddy was announced, the small club rocked.  The bagpipes hit to thunderous applause as Roddy made his way to the stage.  You'll also notice Piper's son Colt accompanying him and then standing right in front of us.  Before the performance actually started, Colt settled into a spot next to Cuzz.
Below is the clip of the entrance (to give you an idea of the atmosphere).  Tomorrow, I will feature a bit of Piper's act (to give you an idea of his humor).

Colt Toombs is Piper's Son, but His Own Man

I first met Colt Toombs years ago when he accompanied his father Roddy Piper to Flashback Weekend in Chicago. Back then, Colt was a young teenager helping his dad.  We talked a bit and I thought he was very polite and respectful.
At the recent Days of the Dead convention, Colt once again was at Roddy's table.  We talked a bit, but he was pretty busy helping fans get what they wanted.  The second day, Colt was there early and I took the opportunity to grab a picture with him.
Colt is an MMA fighter now.  His next scheduled bout is in about 4 months.  I know I'll be looking forward to that bout.
As readers know, I have been a long time fan of Roddy and it is always a pleasure to meet him.  While forging his own path, Colt is following in his dad's footsteps in terms of fan interaction.  He's a great young man and I wish him much success.

Colt Toombs and me in Indianapolis, IN-July 2011.

Friendly Encounters:Tommy Else Meets Billy Corgan and Harry Smith

This is a regular feature about my friends who have met celebrities.

I first encountered Resistance Pro Wrestling last year at Wizard World.  Since then, I have been featuring R-Pro regularly here and have enjoyed their live wrestling shows at Excalibur.  During the course of my learning all about R-Pro, I came across Tommy Else aka T3.
Tommy is a Chicago area guy and also a fan of R-Pro.  Actually, he is more than a fan.  He is trying to become part of R-Pro.
Tommy has his own site, The T3 Universe.  You can read about his audition for R-Pro here.  It is a great story, full of passion and real emotion.  Making his experience even better was meeting Billy Corgan, one of his favorites.
The story doesn't end there though.  Tommy started a campaign to get into the R-Pro organization.  You can read about that campaign here and here and here.  Tommy manages to show the passion, emotion and humor of a wrestling vet.  I have seen a lot of wrestlers and Tommy could easily make a name for himself with the right breaks.
Tommy made his Resistance debut recently for the Vicious Circle event.  He is aligned with D'Arcy Dixon as part of Team D'Arcy.  I am really hoping to talk to both of these Resistance stars at Obsession on March 23.
I really appreciate Tommy sharing all of this here.  I think he has a great future and I am looking forward to watching his career develop.

Harry Smith, Tommy Else and Billy Corgan in Chicago, IL-January 2012.

Hop on the Chicago Express

I first heard of the Chicago Express when current Gwinnett Gladiators coach John Wroblewski told me there would be a new Chicago franchise in the ECHL.  John and I had the plan to meet for the first time when the Gladiators came to Chicago to play the Express.  It would also be my first time of seeing the Express.

Thanks to the hospitality of Bob Mills (Director of Media Relations) and the Chicago Express, Matt and I had the opportunity to attend the recent game and get a great look at everything involved in an Express game.
We got to the Sears Centre early and check out every level.  The staff there was so helpful, informative and funny.  They told us what we needed to see and joked with us as we wandered around the stadium.
The VIP Luxury suites offer comfort, great views and excellent food, among other amenities and are reasonably priced.  These would make an excellent setting for parties or any type of gathering.

There is a kids area behind the east goal.  It features several attractions, such as table top hockey, video games and a puck shooting game.  The Express mascot Trax can sometimes be seen here taking pictures with the kids.  Also, the kids can stand near the ice entrance and greet all players as they head to the ice.
The game itself was a tightly-contested battle.  The Express played a solid game, but came up just a bit short
The Club Seats sections are part of the Sears Centre premium seating plan.  You can watch the game from extra comfortable seats (similar to suite seating) or you can relax in the casual and comfortable concourse area.  There is also a bar and food service featuring a carving station.  It doesn't get much better than this.  You also have the ability to leave this special area to sit in regular seats just below the Club section (but why leave paradise?).

The game was a battle, as the Express played a solid game but came just a bit short, losing 4-3 to the Gladiators, who were in 1st place in the conference.  The crowd was very into the game, supporting their team from beginning to end.  We talked with many fans and found them all to be very informative, passionate and friendly.  It was dollar beer night and everyone drank and acted responsibly!
After the game, once again with the help of the staff, we were able to meet with coach John.  I wrote about that historic meeting last week.
As we made our way to the exit, many staffers asked us about our experience and wished us well and it wasn't just because we were part of the press.  We saw the staff talking to many of the fans as they exited.  What a pleasant way to end a fantastic night.  This really was a totally great experience.
The Express are the ECHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL and the Springfield Falcons of the AHL.  These players are young, hungry and talented.  The action is exciting and the Express organization certainly does a great job at making each game a fun experience.
I highly encourage anyone to go to ChicagoExpress.com to learn about this young team.  If you live near Chicago, go to a game.  If you live near any ECHL team, you should check out the great hockey they provide.

John Wroblewski and John Wroblewski in Hoffman Estates, IL-February 2012.

Celeb Jersey Cards #94 Burton Cummings & Michael J. Fox

This is a regular series which attempts to combine my passion for trading cards with my interest in celebrities.  How about some old school hockey?

The Guess Who is one of the most underrated rock bands of all-time and certainly one of my favorites.  Burton Cummings was the lead singer and was born in Winnipeg. In 2009, Cummings was named an officer of the Order of Canada, a very prestigious honor.  Cummings was a supporter of bringing a hockey team back to Winnipeg.
When I saw the picture of Cummings goofing with the Jets jersey, I started "laughing".  I have seen a lot of hockey cards, but "these eyes" have never seen one like this.  Cummings is a "star, baby" and that was long before he was ever on a Celebrity Jersey Card.

Fellow Canadian Michael J. Fox was born in Edmonton, but spent a great deal of his youth living in Vancouver.  Fox is very comfortable on skates and often plays in charity games or exhibitions.  Fox has been one of my favorites for years.  I gained even more respect for him when I saw the picture of him wearing the Canucks "V" jersey.  It's an interesting picture, because clearly he isn't playing hockey (look at his shoes), yet he is wearing hockey gloves.  This is a first for Celebrity Jersey Cards.

Roz Varon Salutes Literacy

This is a sporadic series which allows me to wax nostalgic on a series of ads I ran for the Newspaper In Education program while I was at Lerner Newspapers.

When I was selecting celebrities to pursue as spokespeople for the NIE ad series, I was always looking for big Chicago names.  At the time, Roz Varon had over 20 years of radio and television exposure in the Chicago area (and she is still going strong).
Varon is perhaps most known for her work in traffic reporting, but she has also been a news reporter, as well as a radio and tv host.  She is very well known to Chicago tv viewers and radio listeners of all ages.
I was proud to get Varon, because of her Chicago fame, but also because she was born and raised here and has never strayed (although she has appeared on national programming).  Plus, I was a big fan (still am).  Adding all of these factors makes Varon the perfect spokesperson for the literacy campaign.  I have never had the pleasure of meeting her, but from all accounts, she is very nice.
Shortly after the ad ran, it was announced that Varon had breast cancer.  Fortunately, years later, she is a breast cancer survivor!

Reading can take you places beyond your wildest imagination.
--Roz Varon as quoted in the NIE ad series in Lerner Newspapers in 2004.

The Big Ragoo and Johngy

When I was growing up, Fonzie was the coolest, but Vinnie Barbarino and Carmine Ragusa would have to be included on a Mt. Rushmore of cool.  The Big Ragoo was all of 5'3", but he appeared bigger on tv (much like Fonzie).  He could fight, sing and dance.
I have met Eddie Mekka a few times and he has been gracious each time.  The last time was at the Hollywood Celebrities Show.  Mekka was joined by former costars, Cindy Williams, Penny Marshall and Henry Winkler.  Oddly, Mekka Mekka sat a little away from the other three who had connecting booths.
I asked Mekka about it and he had no idea why the positioning was as such, but he showed no signs of being disturbed.  Maybe it was just a matter of space and logistics.  Still, they offered a special combo autograph and picture of the three, but Mekka again was on his own in that regard.  He was pictured on a cast photo of Laverne and Shirley, but I don't recall any photo with Mekka and Winkler.
Who knows what the thinking and reasons were.  It might be nothing.  It just seemed odd.  Mekka wasn't just a fringe character.
Whatever the case, as I wrote, Mekka was very friendly and chatty at the convention.  He posed and signed for fans all afternoon.

Eddie Mekka and me in Rosemont, IL-October 2011.

David Clyde and My Dad

As I wrote about last week, I recently had the pleasure of spending a few minutes with David Clyde, one of my childhood baseball favorites.  This time, I brought my dad along (but more on that later).
David has been coaching at the Miracles Baseball Academy for over a decade.  He is teaching young players the fundamentals, while molding them into fine adults.  David is positive, genuine and happy.
David is open to being involved with a major league team, but he is not campaigning for such a position.  David is perfectly content with his work at the Miracles Academy.
Major League Baseball could use men like David.  In my 2008 interview, David talked about how he took the pressure off his players and let them play.  He talked of training them to do the right things in baseball and life.  He discussed the importance of baseball, but the balance in life of everything.
I walked away from that interview so impressed.  Quite honestly, he blew me away.  I became more of a fan then when I was a kid collecting his cards.
On my recent trip to Houston, I again had the pleasure of doing an interview with him, chatting a bit before and after the official "interview".  He is still the same guy, full of genuine and infectious positivity.
Since my sister drove and was operating the camera, we also brought our dad along.  After the interview, I asked David for a picture with my dad and me.  He eagerly greeted my dad and took the picture with us.
My dad was very impressed with David, too.  He was excited about being in the picture with a major leaguer and me.  It was one of the highlights of the trip.
It was another wonderful experience thanks to David.  He made my dad very happy.  He also made me very proud to be able to call my former childhood favorite, my friend!
You can learn more about David at MiraclesBaseball.com.

My dad, David Clyde and me in Houston, TX-February 2012.

On the Beat with John Wroblewski

The historic first meeting between John Wroblewski (hockey player turned coach) and John Wroblewski (me) finally took place.  We recently met after John's Gwinnett Gladiators beat the Chicago Express in an exciting ECHL hockey game.
One of John's friends saw my original post about him and notified him.  John emailed me, which started a bit of an email exchange between us.  Then to my surprise, John sent a signed jersey of his from the Fresno Falcons.  That was extremely nice, of him to do.  How cool was that?!
He also told me that since Chicago would be having a new team in the ECHL in 2012, he would be coming to Chicago and we could meet at a game.  I had a schedule conflict and missed the first game, but I was not going to miss the next one.
Matt and I went to the game and just missed meeting John before the game.  After the big win, John met us near the locker room and talked to us for several minutes.  It was great to finally meet the "other" John Wroblewski.
I would like to thank John for his time and willingness.  I know he had some family at the game, as well as friends.  He gave us some time and a great memory.  Hopefully, we will see him again at a game in the future (maybe even when he is coaching in the NHL!).
I would also like to thank Director of Media Relations Bob Mills and the entire Chicago Express organization for their hospitality and cooperation in facilitating this meeting.

Friendly Encounters:Tom Kirlin Meets the Thomas Nicholas Band

This is a regular feature about friends who have met celebs.

I came across Tom Kirlin thanks to Milena Matic, my childhood friend who is an awesome artist (check out her site MoJiExpressions.biz).  Tom is the creator of The Pancakes and Booze Art Show, which debuted in 2008 when Tom was working as a cameraman in Hollywood.
Tom was feeling a bit burned out by the long hours on the job.  He came up with the idea to create an art, alcohol and pancake event for a friend.  The idea was a hit and The Pancake and Booze Art Show has been growing ever since.  He already has scheduled the event in seven cities and six more are tentative (please come to Chicago).  The first event is March 2-3 in San Francisco, CA.  This video gives you a little peek at the show.
Artists and art patrons flock to the Booze and Pancake Art Show.  There are art pieces for every budget.  There is live music, body painters, sculptors. dancing and more.  Did I mention the pancakes and booze?  It's a winning combination.
For the exhibitors, it is about displaying their work, creating a buzz and selling creations.  For the attendees, it is about finding cool pieces or simply having a good time.
Tom met with Thomas Ian Nicholas and his band at a show a couple years ago.  Nicholas has grown from a child actor to a multi-talented performer.  I see the Booze and Pancake Show experiencing similar growth over the next few years.  Hopefully, I will experience a show firsthand at some point.
I appreciate Tom for sharing his story and his picture.  I encourage everyone to go to PancakesandBooze.com to get more info about this unique event!

Thai Long Ly, Tom Kirlin, Shay Godwin, Thomas Nicholas and James Weston in -July 2009.

Happy Birthday Sam

Today my niece Sam celebrates her birthday.  Because she is studying hard at Iowa, I can't say it in person, but I certainly wanted to say it here.
Sam is a great young adult.  She is so much fun.  She's intelligent, funny, caring and a lot of other great things.  I am so proud of her and I love her dearly.
Also having a birthday today are singer Seal, actress (and Johngy's teenage crush) Justine Bateman, wrestler Big John Studd and singer Smokey Robinson.
Happy birthday Sammie!  I hope you have a great day!

Kyle Kolb, Sam Parker and Charley in Mokena, IL-November 2011.

Celeb Jersey Cards #93 Maria Sharapova & Flea

This is a regular series which attempts to combine my passion for trading cards with my interest in celebrities.The Los Angeles Lakers are kind of like this feature.  Both are combine celebdom with sports.  I could have also said both are wildly successful, but I am much too humble for that.

Wildly successful can also be used to describe Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova.  She has won 24 singles titles, including three grand slam singles titles and has been ranked #1 on four separate occasions.  Her popularity, personality and looks have lead her to off-the-court success in modeling and endorsements.  I am trying to get Sharapova on board as the celebrity spokesperson for Celebrity Jersey Cards (although I doubt I will be wildly successful in that attempt).  Sharapova's #04 probably pays homage to the year generally considered as her breakthrough year.

Michael Balzary is one of the founding members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Better known as Flea, he is regarded as one of the best rock bassists of all time. I am sure his dexterity on the bass would translate to his ball-handling skills, but would it compensate for his 5'6" stature on the court?  I am guessing Flea's #24 is for Kobe Bryant, although I would love it if it was for Ron Boone.

Good Luck to Serenity Tonight!

Serenity (aka Bree Bruce) is wrestling for the Resistance tonight and PCW tomorrow.  I am hoping to catch both matches.
Serenity just turned 21, but is a veteran of almost four years inside the ring.  I was very impressed with her ability in the ring and her poise outside of the ring.  Serenity represents the best of women's wrestling.  She is hard-working, athletic, charismatic and cute.  If Serenity continues on her path, I see big things for her.
Serenity and all of the excellent women of R-Pro are great reasons to go see Resistance Pro Wrestling.
My only real question is when Serenity hits the big time, will she remember us little guys at Johngy's Beat!

Serenity and me in Chicago, IL-January 2012.

Happy Birthday Louie

Today is Louie's birthday.  Therefore,my friend of almost 25 years gets the star treatment today.
I first met Louie in late 1987 at the Skokie (IL) office of Lerner Newspapers.  I had just taken a new job there and was sitting in what I thought was my seat.  I was mistaken, as it was actually Louie's spot.  I lost my chair, but gained a longtime great friend.
Louie and his entire family have always treated me like family right from the start.  Through many ups and downs at work, I have always felt relieved to know that Louie always had my back (and I always tried to have his).  I could not have asked for a better workmate, business partner or friend.
Here's to Louie.  I hope you have a great birthday!

Fran Gallagher, Louie Atsaves and me in New York, NY-March 2009.

On the Beat with David Clyde

I first heard of David Clyde while scouring The Sporting News, where I found most of my baseball info in the pre-internet days.  David was a high school phenom.  He quickly became one of my favorite players.  I followed his career closely through The Sporting News.
You can read about David's career here.  Also, I have written about David here, including parts of my 2008 interview with him.  It was a thrill to meet him in 2008.  He was very generous with his time, as he sat down with me for over an hour at the Miracles Baseball Academy.
David was candid with his answers.  He was also so positive.  Actually, I could not believe how positive David was.  The thrill of meeting him turned into the pleasure of getting to know him.  It's just awesome when your sports idols are so nice when you meet them.
When my recent trip to Houston was finalized, I contacted David and asked for a quick update interview.  Once again he agreed to give me his time.
We talked about the Miracles Baseball Academy, his 2009 induction to the National High School Hall of Fame and a bit on his future in baseball.
I want to thank my sister Jean for helping me with this video (much like Scott did last time).  I really want to thank David for his time, consideration and friendship.

Celeb Jersey Cards #92 Mary Hart & Melissa Joan Hart

This is a regular series which attempts to combine my passion for bubblegum cards with my interest in celebs.  Since today is Valentine's Day, I thought I would present two harts.

Television personality Mary Hart is a native of South Dakota.  As Miss South Dakota, she finished in the top ten of the Miss America pageant.  Clearly she went Hollywood as the host of Entertainment Tonight.  She also went Hollywood with a Dodgers jersey.  The Dodgers were loaded when she would have been coming up.  Therefore I put her at first.  I think Steve Garvey would have taken her under his wing (although he would have definitely wanted to work on second base with her).

Melissa Joan Hart got an early start in Hollywood by appearing in commercials.  She gained her biggest fame and spent her teen years on Sabrina the Teenage Witch. I listed Hart as a shortstop on her Celebrity Jersey Card, because Bill Russell was starting to slow down and could have mentored her as his replacement.  Also, if a Wizard could play shortstop and make the Hall of Fame, why not a witch?

Friendly Encounters:Dodgerbobble Meets Dee Gordon

This is a weekly series about friends who have met celebs.

Josh Kohl is a frequent contributor to Friendly Encounters. Josh is the creative juggernaut behind Dodgerbobble, a site dedicated to "the Los Angeles Dodgers, bobbleheads and baseball". Josh also attends many player appearances. Fortunately, he shares those stories here!
Last summer, Josh met Dee Gordon, a rising star of the Dodgers. Gordon is also a second generation player (you know how I love those). I also especially like Gordon because he is on my fantasy team and I am hoping for an excellent season from him.
The Gordon appearance was an interesting tale, which included free pizza! You can read all about Josh meeting Dee Gordon here.
Josh does a great job with Dodgerbobble. I hope you check it out and see for yourself.

Dee Gordon and Josh Kohl in Anaheim, CA-Summer 2011.

Happy Birthday JayHawk Evans

He is most commonly known as Jason Fleigel, but most of his inner circle know him as JayHawk Evans, an American legend since 1998.  How he gained legendary status is a bit murky, but make no mistake, a legend he is.
I first met Jason at Lerner Newspapers.  He was hired as a part-time telemarketer, but quickly established himself as a valuable asset to our IT Department (actually, he pretty much was our IT Dept.).  He also quickly became a vital part of our audit crew (he might argue that he was the audit crew).
I like to say that I recognized this diamond in the rough and molded him into the gem he became.  In truth, I'd be proud if that is even 5% true.  I'm also proud to call him a friend.
I snagged this video of Jason's vocal stylings while on a trip to San Francisco.  Anyone want to play "Name That Tune"?  I have no idea what song Jason is trying to accompany, but it was all fun.
Hopefully, Jason will be celebrating even more today.  Go ahead JayHawk, you deserve it!  Enjoy your day, my friend.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #91 Dan Aykroyd & Jim Belushi

This is a regular feature which tries to combine my love of trading cards with my interest in celebrities.  Now that football season is over, it is time to concentrate on important things, like the Blackhawks!

Making his second Celebrity Jersey Card appearance is Dan Aykroyd. Unlike the Jazz jersey he wore in his last appearance, the Blackhawks sweater was not for a movie role.  He is just one of many (but one of the best) stars who have appeared at Hawks games wearing the Indianhead.

As you might know, I really want to like Jim Belushi.  I just don't.  I don't hate him or anything like that.  I just don't find him particularly entertaining.  I will give him props for wearing the Hawks sweater.  At least it is better than seeing him again wearing a Cubs jersey (and I don't even want to think about him wearing a Bulls jersey).

Cuzz Buzz:Tia Carrera

Once again, we find Chuck "Cuzz" Gekas at the helm of Johngy's Beat.  Johngy could always use a day off and Cuzz is always up for the challenge of sitting in for him.

Tia Carrera first gained notice in the 1992 hit movie Wayne’s World, as a rock star and the love interest of Mike Myers. She went on to star several motion pictures including True Lies with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rising Sun with Sean Connery. She later starred in her own TV series the Relic Hunter and had a re-occurring role in Curb Your Enthusiasm. Johngy and I had the opportunity to meet Tia at the 2011 Motor City Comic Con. Tia was very appreciative of her fans and gracious as she posed with us for this picture. 

Once again we appreciate Cuzz grabbing the reigns and filling in for Johngy.  Cuzz is gaining quite a fanbase.  Could this become a regular gig for him?

Tia Carrera, JayHawk Evans and Cuzz Gekas in Novi, MI-May 2010.

William Katt...A Super Guy

William Katt is one of those actors who is usually remembered for one role in particular, despite having a lengthy and successful career.  Katt starred on tv's The Greatest American Hero (1981-1986) as Ralph Hinkley, a role which catapulted him to stardom.  It is also the role to which he is most identified.
I really like Katt because he doesn't seem to mind that.  A lot of actors bristle at such.  Some even distance themselves from their high profile role.  Katt will gladly talk about his other work, like his recurring role in the 1980's Perry Mason tv movies, but he doesn't grimace when someone mentions the Hero role.  In fact, when I met Katt at the Days of the Dead convention, he grabbed an 8x10 of himself as the Greatest American Hero for display in the photo, joking that it would help people realize who he was.
Katt was very personable and took time to talk to everyone.  He made you feel appreciated and he expressed gratitude to everyone for stopping by his area.  It was a real pleasure meeting him.

William Katt and me in Indianapolis, IN-July 2011.

Sgt. Slaughter (Wrestler or G.I. Joe Character?)

First, Sgt. Slaughter was a wrestler.  Then Sgt. Slaughter became a character in the G.I. Joe series, although it was base on real life Sgt. Alvin York.  The G.I. Joe figure was the first such figure to be accurately based on a real character (the wrestler).  William "the Fridge" Perry was the second.
At the Motor City Comic Con, I ran into a Sgt. Slaughter wanna-be, complete with puffed arm muscles.  I had to get a picture with the character (wrestler or G.I. Joe action figure).  I later saw the Sarge with the rest of his G.I. Joe crew and realized this character was the action figure kind.
It all made sense (or got more confusing) when I later saw another Sgt. Slaughter.  This one was a bit less buff (okay, he had a paunch).  This costumed person was obviously going for the wrestler.  Either that or he just did his best and didn't care what others thought of his effort.
Are you confused now (are you even still reading?)?  This is the sort of stuff that happens when you see two Sgt. Slaughters (and many other comic book heroes) at a comic con!

"Sargent Slaughter" and me in Novi, MI-May 2011.

No Eggs Benedict

Actor Dirk Benedict has had a long and successful career.  He is best known for his role as Faceman in The A Team and Lt. Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica.  It is his connection to Galactica which is a major draw at celebrity conventions. 
As I have often written, being part of a major franchise (like Galactica) is an instant invitation to do well at conventions.  Galactica fans want to get every Galactica signature possible, especially the bigger names and Benedict certainly fits that description.
At the Motor City Comic Con, Benedict was signing many Galactica related items, along with other photos.  He was also selling and signing copies of his two books, Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy and And Then We Went Fishing.  Benedict gladly talked baout his career and books, without being too pushy about the books.
It was fun meeting him, but I was a little off my game.  I completely forgot to ask him about his role in Body Slam, a wrestling movie starring Roddy Piper.  Oh well, maybe next time.

Dirk Benedict and me in Novi, MI-May 2011.

Friendly Encounters:Alfredo Meets Allen Covert

This is a regular feature about friends who have met celebrities.

Recently, Alfredo Ortega sent me an email about a celebrity encounter he had.  Alfredo is the creator of The Cardboard Don, a cool site mostly about card collecting.  The Cardfather recently met Allen Covert and offered to share the story here.  I love these sort of submissions and I will let Alfredo take it from here:

Today was a great day at the Ortega household. Not only was it my father-in-law's birthday but the whole family was heading out to the “Greatest Show on Earth” Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in West Palm. Well the circus was great, the kids loved it. But after the show was over my wife grabs me and said “That guy looks like someone I know”, so of course by now I’m running all over the place trying to find this man. And I stop and turn around and what do you know…. Sammy the limo driver from The Wedding Singer, aka Allen Covert. I had to do a double take just to make sure, and sure enough it was him. I asked my wife to take a picture of him and me and at first she was like I can’t but she pulled her self together and granted my wish. Then all I had to do was ask him, which I did and he said of course. He also said he loved my Papa Smurf shirt, which I laughed at. I said thank you and went on my way with a great picture and a great day overall.  Thank you Allen Covert for making my day!!

A little info on Allen: Covert’s first film role, as a bartender, was in Sandler’s 1989 film Going Overboard. He had minor parts in several subsequent Sandler films before his first prominent role in 1998′s The Wedding Singer alongside Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Covert would continue to have fairly large roles in Sandler’s next four films, including one in Little Nicky for which he gained 40 pounds. He eventually settled back into smaller walk-on and single-scene appearances in Sandler’s films beginning with 50 First Dates in 2004. However, in 2006 Covert starred in the comedy Grandma’s Boy, his first (and only) role as the top-billed actor. Sandler didn’t act in that film but served as an Executive Producer.

I really appreciate Alfredo sharing his story and picture here.  I also appreciate Alfredo being a regular reader of Johngy's Beat!  Hopefully, we will see Alfredo here again in the future, but until then, make sure to check out his site The Cardboard Don.

Allen Covert and Alfredo Ortega in West Palm Beach, FL-December 2011.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #90 Mark McGrath & Mayor Michael Hancock

This is a regular series which attempts to combine my love of trading cards with my interest in celebrities.  Today is Super Bowl Sunday and I have cards representing both teams.

Representing the New York football Giants (going old school there) is singer, actor, tv host Mark McGrath.  The lead singer of Sugar Ray also went old school with a Spider Lockhart jersey.  This isn't my favorite Celebrity Jersey Card, but it is definitely my favorite jersey on a celebrity so far.
Carl Ford "Spider" Lockhart was a defensive back for eleven years with the Giants, retiring after the 1975 season.  The two-time Pro Bowler had 41 interceptions in his career (three returned for TD's).  He also punted 13 times during his career.  Of course he did...he's Spider Lockhart!.

As the participant in many jersey bets with my brother-in-law and nephew, I really respect Denver's Mayor Michael Hancock.  Of course, I'd respect him more if he won the jersey bet.  Still, by making an appearance on a Celebrity Jersey Card, didn't he actually win after all?

Finally Meeting Rich Koz (aka Svengoolie)

Rich Koz is a Chicago institution.  He has been a familiar face (although under some makeup as the Svengoolie character) since 1979.  Despite attending many conentions and working for years at a local newspaper, I had never met the legendary Koz until last July.
The big meeting occurred at a PCW wrestling event of all places.  PCW was putting on one of their big shows and they brought in several big name wrestlers as extra attractions.  The wrestlers were well-received by the fans, but Rich Koz was nearly as popular.  Koz drew a huge line of fans wanting to meet him.
This speaks volumes for Koz and his place in Chicago entertainment history.  Koz is a Hall of Famer.  Besides keeping the Svengoolie character funny after all of these years, Koz also hosts a syndicated Three Stooges program, Stooge-a-Palooza.
This also speaks volumes about PCW.  Along with great independent wrestling action, PCW brings in star wrestlers from elsewhere as added attractions and they occasionally bring in stars like Svengoolie.  PCW presents an awesome show every time.
On this particular night, Koz was very fan-friendly.  He graciously signed photos and posed with his famous chicken.  He was funny, talkative and very patient (which can be a challenge with a crowd of rowdy wrestling fans).
My hat is off to Koz and PCW.  They combined to make that June night one to remember!

Rich Koz, Matt Parker and me in Oaklawn, IL-June 2011

Missing Christy Hemme

Last year was the first in several years that we failed to talk meet Christy Hemme.  In fact, we had interviewed her in 2008, '09 and '10.  Unfortunately, the streak ended in 2011, despite us attending more events in more cities than ever.
We first interviewed Christy when she was part of the Rock 'n' Roll Infection and TNA Wrestling was holding their Bound For Glory event in Chicago.  In 2009, we talked to Christy at the Motor City Comic Con in Novi (MI).  Lastly in 2010, we had a short exchange with Christy at Wizard World in Chicago.
Christy is a favorite of Johngy's Beat.  She worked her tail off to become a solid wrestler.  Unfortunately, injuries shortened her in-ring career, but she has remained active on the wrestling scene.  Christy also has kept busy outside of the ring with her band HEMME.
Christy is always very approachable and fan-friendly.  She graciously has granted us interviews and has been thoughtful and informative with her answers.  She is also a very popular celebrity guest at any convention.
I am hoping to start a new streak with Christy in 2012.  I hope to see her at one of the many conventions we will be attending.  Hopefully, she will even grant us a few more minutes of her time and give us an update on her life and future projects.

Christy Hemme and me in Novi, MI-May 2009.

Did We Anger Chewbacca?

I have written many times about the many great guests at the Motor City Comic Con.  I even gave Mayhew the benefit of the doubt about our first meeting and chalked up his demeanor to just being quiet.  I am not so sure anymore.
When we met Mayhew again last year, he was even quieter.  Again, he wasn't surly, but he wasn't friendly either.  He barely acknowledged us as we posed for the picture.
As regular readers know, I don't ask for much from celebrities at these such events.  I simply expect them to be mildly personable when signing pictures and posing.  Twice now, Mayhew has failed to even reach that minimal level.
I have previously written that the celeb should just stay home if he doesn't want to be there.  Fans wait all year to see their favorites at these shows.  Then they wait in long lines and spend good money to meet them, get autographs and pictures.  The celebs aren't doing anyone any favors.  They are well-compensated.
Fortunately, most celebs are pretty good at these conventions.  Most people walk away happy after meeting their favorite celebs.  I can't speak for all fans, but I know I walked away unhappy twice after meeting Mayhew and I can promise there won't be a third attempt.

JayHawk Evans, Peter Mayhew and me in Novi, MI-May 2011.

Meeting Aquaman Again

Over the years, I have met Aquaman a few times at the Motor City Comic Con.  It's one of the highlights for me.  He's a really nice guy.  When my camera failed last time, he waited patiently for me to regroup and take a picture with him, despite being in a hurry to get to one of the many activities at the show.
He is constantly being stopped for photos.  Oh sure, I know he dresses like that for the fun of it and the fans are part of it, but still, it does take patience to handle it.  I have never seen him refuse a photo request and I have never seen him rush anyone.
He is a yearly staple of my MCCC experience.  In 2012, I'll be looking for him as always.

Aquaman and me in Novi, MI-May 2011.