Aaah here we are in the dead of summer. I love it. What better to symbolize the summer than a Storm Trooper!
At C2E2, you see lots of people dressed in costume. Most take it very seriously and go for perfection in every detail. Some of them even scare me a bit.
Then you have the opposite. Enter the Storm Trooper below. While he did not scrimp on authenticity, he certainly had fun with his costume.
I think this is one of the coolest and most original costumes I have ever seen.
A Storm Trooper and me at C2E2 in Chicago, IL-April 2012.
This is a weekly series about friends who have met celebs.
Today's Friendly Encounters features one of my newest friends, Felissa Rose Esposito Miller, one of today's finest 'scream queens." I met Felissa at Days of the Dead, which is where she met Ace Frehley, her celebrity encounter!
Felissa might be best known for her role in Sleepaway Camp, which has become one of the best cult classics. I am happy to report that Felissa was great at the Days of the Dead event. She talked at length to each fan and posed with everyone, often striking unusual poses as requested by fans. She was just aeseome with everyone, including Ace Frehley.
There I was, about to meet Ace, when Felissa came in and sweetly asked to cut in front of me. Of course I wouldn't deny her request. Besides, it was fun watching her interact with Ace. I always find it interesting when celebrities meet other celebrities.
For more info on Felissa, you can go to the Felissa Rose Esposito Miller Facebook page. She is very active and interactive there!
Ace Frehley and Felissa Rose in Indianapolis, IN-July 2012.
As some of you have noticed, Johngy's Beat has undergone some changes of late. As always, it is a work in progress.
We have been covering the Chicago wrestling scene really hard and therefore the site has been heavily featuring wrestling. We have brought Scott Beatty (of AU Sports Memorabilia) into the Johngy's Beat fold and have developed Wrestle Beat, a mostly-weekly YouTube show about wrestling, featuring recaps, reviews and even special wrestling guests. Our first three episodes are up and we plan on only getting better (except for Scott, who is pretty much as good as he will get).
You won't be seeing quite so much wrestling on Johngy's Beat, but we won't be ignoring wrestling either. Basically, we will be returning to our old balance of pop culture, sports and wrestling.
Actually, we should be bringing you even more of the above as Johngy's Beat continues to be well-received in the pop culture communities. Matt Parker and I will be official vloggers for Wizard World in August. We look forward to bring you more interviews, stories and pictures from this great event.
Thank you to the wrestling world for embracing us and allowing us to bring your news to the public. Thanks to our faithful viewers who have been patient throughout this growing process. Going forward, we plan on continuing to bring the same content that has made Johngy's Beat what it is (good or bad).
Matt Williams would probably be the 3rd baseman on my nephew's "All Matt" team. Still, that didn't stop Big Money from flashing the glove a couple summers ago at Cellular Field.
Okay, I admit, it is a cutout (or am I a cut-up?). Never mind. Actually, I am a bit upset that the cutout is poorly done. Clearly the background above gives it all away. Unless the seats suddenly became some sort of wood paneling, this clearly is a fraud.
So here I sit, looking at what could have been a perfectly hokey post. Instead, I have turned it into a whining post about poorly done cutouts.
Matt Parker in Cellular Field in Chicago, IL-Summer 2010.
At last year's Days of the Dead, Kayla Perkins was our first interview. Kayla totally impressed me as a sweet, talented, mature young actress. Naturally at this year's Days of the Dead, I wanted to get an update from her.
We found Kayla right away and she looked great. She greeted us with her usual big smile. She is just so genuinely polite and pleasant.
Kayla told us about the PSA against texting in theaters and her upcoming role in "Smoke and Mirrors". As usual, Kayla is keeping busy, while balancing school and a "normal" life.
I think Kayla has a bright future. She is not just a sweet person, she is a very talented young lady. She has done modeling, acting, print ads and more. She has worked in the horror genre, but in other areas, too. She seems to be developing quite a wide and varied resume. It will only help her as her career develops.
I really enjoy talking to her and watching her career as it grows. If you get the chance to meet Kayla at one of these conventions, do so. You will be as impressed with her as I am.
After you watch the video, head over to KaylaPerkins.com to learn all about her and to get updates. Also, head over to DaysoftheDead.net to see if Kayla will be at the next convention.
Last Saturday, Scott Beatty and I ventured out to Tinley Park (IL) to take in a night of POWW Wrestling. In addition to watching an exciting night of in-ring action, we secured interviews with five wrestlers from the talented roster of POWW.
Grin N. Barrett is the newest member of the POWW roster. He has an unique look and an interest gimmick. We will be following him as his POWW career develops. You can follow him on the Grin N. Barrett Facebook page.
David Hokinson is a ring veteran who, on Saturday, brought back Dehok, one of his old incarnations. Who knows what is next for this star. You can follow him on the David Hokinson Facebook page.
Vinnie Riot is one of the younger stars on the POWW roster. We plan on following him as his career blossoms. You can follow him on the Vinnie Riot Facebook page.
The Natural GQ is another of the young stars of POWW. The very talented GQ has already tasted the championship. You can follow his career on the GQ Facebook page.
Sexy KC is a young veteran. He has wrestled all over and is a relative newcomer to POWW. You can follow him on the Sexy KC Facebook page.
I hope you learned a little bit about the wrestlers and enjoyed the journey. We hope to follow their careers, along with the other talented members fo the POWW roster. We really appreciate the cooperation of everyone at POWW in facilitating these interviews.
Please go to POWWEntertainment.com to learn all about POWW and to get updates and schedules.
Each celebrity at Days of the Dead leaves a unique impression on me. Elissa Dowling is just cool! She was energetic (without being bubbly). She was naturally funny and totally interactive with everyone.
Elissa has been active since her toddler days (as you will see in the interview). She has already done it all and she is still young. While she is very active in the horror genre, her talent goes well beyond just that. Actually, music is her passion, but she does love acting, too.
In the interview below, Elissa discusses her start in show business, her current projects and much more. I learned a lot about Elissa, but I felt like the interview could go for another hour and still be fun. I really hope to see Elissa at a future convention to get updates on her career.
Until then, after you watch the interview below, please check out ElissaDowling.com and Elissa Dowling on Facebook and follow Elissa Dowling on twitter.
Also, be sure to go to DaysoftheDead.net to see when Elissa's next appearance at Days will be.
The beauty of WrestleCrap is that my friends and I could have done the same thing, but we didn't. WrestleCrap is everything you think and want to say about the "fun" bad of wrestling put together a funny, interesting way.
We all groaned at Terry Taylor as the Red Rooster, but WrestleCrap immortalized it. The same can be said for Dale Torborg as the Demon, Kiss-endorsed and Kiss look-alike wrestler. The list goes on and on, which pretty much ensures that WrestleCrap can go on and on.
R.d. Reynolds is one of the creative geniuses behind WrestleCrap. Meeting him at Days of the Dead was indeed a thrill. I have a certain appreciation for the crappier side of wrestling. Why not? It's all fun, especially the way that WrestleCrap features it. Aside from the site, there are three books and several dvd's full of WrestleCrap.
I talked to Reynolds about the origin of WrestleCrap, obscure WrestleCrap and current WrestleCrap. If the idea I am pitching to local indy organizations ever catches on, maybe one day I will be featured on WrestleCrap. Dare I dream?!
After you watch the interview, check out WrestleCrap.com and prepare to spend plenty of time enjoying the crappier side of wrestling. You can also go to the R.d. Reynolds Facebook page for more info and updates.
This is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.
Evan Chavez is a Dodgers fan who lives in New Mexico. He also writes a fantastic blog about it, appropriately entitled New Mexico Fan. Evan's unique perspective comes from living 800 miles from his favorite major league team and 10 miles from their AAA affiliate.
His geographical situation sets up an interesting angle for New Mexico Fan, but it is Evan's passion for baseball, his knowledge and his humor which make this a great blog.
I am not a Dodgers fan (no self-respecting Cubs fan would be), but I really enjoy Evan's site. He has lots of great pictures (game shots and player appearances), stories and info. Okay, to be honest, he has made me more of a Dodgers fan than I was before I found his site.
One of Evan's pictures is shown below. Evan wrote about meeting Matt Moore here. While you are checking out that story, roam around the rest of his site. I am sure you will find it as entertaining as I do!
Matt Moore and Evan Chavez in Albuquerque, NM-January 2012.
At the 2012 Motor City Comic Con, we ran into a couple wrestlers from XICW (Xtreme Intense Championship Wrestling). We caught Chaz Montana as he was heading to the ring in the next room.
Montana is a cowboy, calling to mind the old school cowboys of a wrestling era a few years back. My mind immediately thinks of Black Bart, Dutch Mantel and Jimmy Jack Funk. It is an interesting persona in today's wrestling world.
Debuting in 2000, XICW is the Detroit area's longest running wrestling organization. Alumni of this premiere wrestling company include the Motor City Machine Guns.
Montana hails from Texas and states that he rode his bull Sammy all the way to Detroit. Although that would be a slow ride, I can understand considering gas prices.
Montana talked about his bull, XICW and titles in our interview below. For more information and updates on Chaz, go to the Ask Chaz Montana Facebook page and follow Chaz Montana on twitter. Also, check out the XICW Facebook page to learn all about this wrestling organization.
This is a regular series which attempts to combine my passion for bubblegum cards with my interest in celebrities. Today I am giving some home town love to my Cubs and White Sox.
Representing the1st place White Sox is Jonathan Toews, star of the Blackhaks, who crosses sports for his Celebrity Jersey Card appearance. Toews is wearing #19, which is his number with the Hawks. I had slim hope that it was in honor of Mike Squires, who briefly wore the number for the Sox.
Despite being born in St. Louis (MO), comic actor Kevin Nealon shows no major love for the Cardinals (fortunately). Actually, the former star of Saturday Night Live makes his first appearance on a Celebrity Jersey Card in a Cubs (they are horrible) jersey. I do like the out of focus background, reminiscent of the old cards (new cards suck). Oh well, I guess my attempts to honor 'subliminal man' don't really come across well in type.
Felissa Rose is perhaps best known for her role in the 1983 classic Sleepaway Camp. Since then, she has remained active doing theatre, plays and other movies.
In the interview below, I asked Felissa about her title of scream queen. As regular readers know, I have a great deal of respect for scream queens or maybe I should write "good" scream queens. A lot of actresses can play the screaming role, but only the select, talented few can attain true "scream queen" status and Felissa is one of the elite. As a matter of fact, there is a bit of a scoop on a possible future project involving Felissa and other top scream queens.
I have spent the last few days complimenting the celebs at Days of the Dead and Felissa gets my applause, too. Fans always want as much time as possible with the celebs. This is especially true, when the star was part of such a cult classic as Sleepaway Camp. One more cool thing about Felissa, she was in line in front of me to meet rock legend Ace Frehley. Okay, actually, she asked to cut in front of me...like I would say no to Felissa?!! It was fun watching her interact with Ace anyway.
You can go to the Felissa Rose Facebook page to learn more about her and get her updates. She is very active and interactive on the page. Also, follow Felissa on twitter.
At the risk of repeating myself...DaysoftheDead.net...a great horror con full of awesome guests!
Spider One immediately became one of my favorites when he opened our interview by joining the Jay Leno Club! That's right...Spider One asked if anyone has mentioned that I resemble Leno...and it is right there on video.
From then on, it was all a blur. No seriously, it was a great time talking to him.
Spider One (born Michael David Cummings) is the lead singer (and only continual founding member) of Powerman 5000, a metal band based in Boston. He is also the brother of Rob Zombie.
I had a lot of fun talking to him. He mentioned being on the other end of interviews, as he conducted some for FEARnet at a comic con. It was interesting to see his take on it and who he wanted to meet.
Aside from his work with Powerman 5000, he created Death Valley, a mockumentary series on Mtv. I really enjoyed the shows and hope to see more of them. It's horror, comedy and all very entertaining.
Spider One was totally cool, making me feel at ease. He had a steady stream of fans at the convention and was a hit with the horror fans.
After you watch the interview, check out Powerman5000.com and the Powerman5000 Facebook page to stay updated on Spider One and his activities.
Wizard World is one of the biggest and best pop culture conventions. It will be in Chicago August 9-12. I have already received my press credentials to cover Wizard World for JohngysBeat.com (and other sites), but I have applied for an official vlogger position to cover Wizard World for Wizard World! Actually, Matt and I have both applied for these positions (there are 10 slots open...we want two of them).
We have already passed the first part of the process and have advanced to the "popular vote" round. This is where you come in. We need your votes.
It is pretty simple. You go to the links below and "like" Wizard World on your Facebook page. Then you vote for my interview with Patricia Kara of Deal or No Deal and Matt's interview with actor James C. Burns. You can vote for both of us each day. You can vote multiple times, but only once every 24 hours. We would appreciate as many votes as you can provide. Also, we extend this "invitation" to anyone else you might know who might be willing to help this great cause.
At last year's debut of Days of the Dead in Indianapolis, I met Todd Card who had just released Hell Cometh, his debut novel. Looking back, both debuts were major successes! Hell Cometh is a zombie novel. It is full of gore to the extreme. Todd openly states he doesn't pull back and I quickly learned he kept his promise.
I have talked about Hell Cometh before, but I never want to give away parts of the story. I want readers to be drawn in, just like I was. While it is definitely a gore-fest, I need to clearly state that there is much more to Hell Cometh than just zombie gore.
Todd developed great characters (like Dixie, Christian and more), who we get to know. We invest our emotions in these characters as we learn more about them and see them interact. They are not cardboard cutouts for the zombies to devour.
My point is that there is a real story here. I think the story would stand up if the zombies were replaced by a gang of thugs (for example), but it becomes alive (pardon the pun) because of the zombies. It is unique, different and awesome.
I also enjoyed Todd writing as some of the characters speak. While this makes it a bit difficult to read at times (just take your time and do it, because it really adds flavor), it also adds to the uniqueness of the book.
As it is Todd's debut novel, there are probably things he will do better next time, but I can't find any real problems with the book. As I have stated, this was my first zombie novel and I just loved it.
More important to me, I have gained a friend in Todd. It is always fun for me to interview these interesting people at these conventions, but when one becomes a friend like Todd, it becomes a wonderful experience. I consider myself blessed to have gotten to know Todd and I look forward to his future novels and to getting to know him better.
After you watch the interview below, you can learn more about Todd from HellCometh.com and the Todd Card Facebook page and also, be sure to follow Todd Card on twitter.
This is another example of why I love Days of the Dead. While I did have press credentials, which helped me get some interviews, I also saw many regular fans spending as much, if not more, time with the celebrity guests. Every time I walked by Todd's booth, I saw him entrenched in a conversation with fans. At Days of the Dead, you get a full experience. Check out their future shows at DaysoftheDead.net.
This is a weekly series about friends who have met celebs.
I have known Michele Mupo for several years and have met her a handful of times at conventions. She is a singer, songwriter, scriptwriter, talent booker and more. Michele (of Fuchsia) is the definition of dynamo!
Michele has her hands on everything and seems to be in constant motion. I also think she meets more celebrities and wrestlers than I do. Maybe this should be Fuchsia's Beat...but I don't want to give her any more ideas!
Michele and great friend Dawn Marie are the driving force behind WrestlersRescue.org, an organization formed to raise money and awareness for health issues of wrestlers. They have done great work and Johngy's Beat salutes their efforts!
Michele's big ongoing project is her Keep the Peace video. You can help support the cause and possibly appear in the video by going here. According to Michele, "the monies generated from the fundraiser, song & video will assist in aiding these brave men & women with job placement, food, grants, home rebuilding/renovation & much, much more."
I have featured Michele with several celebrities in the past. Today, I am posting a picture of her with actor John-Paul Lavoisier, perhaps best known for his role on tv's One Life to Live.
You can learn more about Michele by going to MUDAMultiMediaEntertainment.com, or Fuchsia's Facebook page or by following Michele on twitter. Also, check out Michele's YouTube channel for her music and other fun stuff.
Michele Mupo and John-Paul Lavoisier in Seacaucus, NJ-December 2008.
This is a regular series which attempts to combine my passion for trading cards with my interest in celebrities. Our last Celebrity Jersey Cards segment featured the two worst teams in baseball. Today, we are featuring representatives of the two best teams.
First up is Joel Osteen representing the surprising Washington Nationals. Maybe they aren't all that surprising and maybe Osteen is bringing some divine intervention. My real question is why is he wearing a Nationals jersey and not one of the Texas teams' jerseys?
Representing the Texas Rangers is Rick Carlisle, former NBA player and current coach of the Dallas Mavericks. Carlisle stayed true to his Dallas allegiance. Extra points on this card for ceremonial pitch catcher Rangers Manager Ron Washington (although slightly blurry).
At Resistance Pro's "Taken By Force", JohngysBeat.com's Scott Beatty handled the interview duties solo, as Johngy was off in Canada covering the Toronto Blue Jays. Scott was able to round up four talents who had previously not been interviewed by Johngy's Beat.
First up is the #1 contender, Lonesome Jay Bradley. Bradley is one of the most popular wrestlers at R Pro. He has bided his time and is primed for a title run. After watching our introduction interview, check out Jay Bradley's Facebook page to keep current on his activities.
Josephus Brody is a relative newcomer to R Pro, but he is already making a big impact. We look for Brody to insert himself into the title picture in the very near future. Watch the Brody interview and then head over to Jocephus Brody's Facebook page to learn more and keep updated.
Next up is the high-flying Mr. 450. We have been trying to land an interview with this young star for a while. A noted high-flier, Mr. 450 can also battle the big guys. After you watch the interview, check out Mr. 450's Facebook page to get all news on him.
Michael Bradley is not a wrestler, but he is definitely part of the R Pro family. He also can do a pretty good kip up, as witnessed on the T3 Universe. Bradley's real skill is humor and he is very funny. You can look for him at R Pro and on the comedy scene. After you watch the interview, check out Michael Bradley's Facebook page to learn more about this very talented man.
Resistance Pro's next show, called "Fair Warning", is Friday July 27 at the Teamster Auditorium in Chicago (IL). Wrestling superstar John Morrison will also be there and will surely get involved in some way. Go to ResistancePro.com for all of the detail and to get tickets.
Michelle Shields is a talented, young actress from the Chicago area. Last weekend, I finally got to meet her in Indianapolis (IN).
Michelle has been performing from an early age, making her big screen debut as a teenager, but you can learn all of that by watching the interview or checking out her site. I am here to tell you that Michelle is a lively, engaging person. She was so much fun at the convention.
Aside from our interview, I talked to Michelle about her other appearances in the Chicago area. I also witnessed many of her fans talking and laughing with her. She made everyone feel welcome and everyone walked away satisfied with their experience.
Michelle has done conventions before, but I think it is more her natural self than her experience at public appearances. She is simply a fun person.
In the interview below, we talked about her start in show business, her current projects and more. I hope this is just the first of many interviews with Michelle. I will definitely be looking for her at future conventions and will continue to cover her as her career continues to grow.
Michelle is a very busy woman. You can get info on her upcoming projects at the Llorona Facebook page, the Llorona funding page, the Night of the Living Dead Facebook page and the Hells Little Angels Facebook page . Of course, you can also go to TheMichelleShields.com, the Michelle Shields Facebook page and the Michelle Shields YouTube channel to learn all about this talented young actress.
When Sean Whalen confirmed that he would talk to us at Days of the Dead in Indianapolis, I immediately knew one question I wanted to ask. Whalen has a lengthy resume of roles to his credit, but one of his most memorable roles was in the first "Got Milk?" commercial. I wanted to ask Whalen about being asked about that role.
I have witnessed some actors being annoyed that people remember them from a specific commercial or a specific role (probably from a lower level movie). Some actors want to leave those roles behind and will cringe at the prospect of discussing them.
Whalen answered my question perfectly. His response (as you will see) made total sense and I respect his take on it. All celebrities have the right to discuss or not discuss any topic, but when a role is so memorable, I always hope the star appreciates the significance as much as fans do.
In the interview below, Whalen also gave us a little extra trivia from that "Got Milk?" commercial. In addition to that, he discussed his current projects. Whalen was very cool and I really appreciate his time and willingness to talk to us.
After you watch the interview below, please check out the That Guy-Sean Whalen Facebook page and Sean Whalen's YouTube channel and follow That Guy Sean Whalen on twitter. Also, check out DaysoftheDead.net, the horror convention where you can meet cool actors like Sean Whalen!
The first interview we did at this year's Days of the Dead convention was with Mink Stole, veteran actress and total sweetheart. Mink has had a lengthy and successful career, but might be best known for appearing in every feature film by John Waters.
Stole has played so many and varied roles. I would probably pick her her portrayal of Dottie in Serial Mom, as my favorite, but she has a different favorite, which you will hear in the video below. Of course, you don't get that many parts over that many years, unless you are a great actress...and Mink is.
Acting isn't her only passion. She is also working on a musical project, entitled Do Re Mink. Mink discusses this project in the interview, but more info and samples can be found here.
Mink is a lovely woman and so very endearing and engaging. It was a wonderful way to start a day of interviewing.
After you watch the interview below, check out MinkStole.com and the Mink Stole Facebook page, as well as follow Mink Stole on twitter. Also, be sure to go to DaysoftheDead.net for more info on this great horror convention.
I spent this last weekend with Cuzz at Days of the Dead in Indianapolis (IN). This horror convention debuted in Indy in 2011 and has since expanded to Atlanta, Los Angeles and Chicago (November 16-18, 2012).
Days of the Dead is a great convention. They have terrific celebrity guests. I don't know if the organizers demand it or if it is just the good celebs they bring in, but every celeb seems to really want to make it special for their fans. The lines move slowly, because the celebs actually take the time and effort to make the moment a memorable one. Nobody can complain about that.
One of the partners behind Days of the Dead is Adolfo Dorta, who also runs FromDuskTillCon.com, a fun site featuring horror news, interviews and more. Dorta has a great outlook and a passion for the convention and the fans.
I had the pleasure of meeting Adolfo last year, but because he was so busy, we never connected for an interview. This year, with a few conventions under his belt, he had just a little free time and I grabbed him during a down time.
Adolfo discussed the start, the current status and the future of Days of the Dead. It is an interesting look at the conventions from the other side of things. After you watch the interview, head over to DaysoftheDead.netto learn all about this cool con.
This is a weekly series about friends who have met celebs. If you have any pictures of your own with any celebrity of any sort, I'd be happy to feature you here, too!
Bill Melton was one of the first players I ever remember. Melton was a fixture at 3rd base for the White Sox from my first game through 1975. Many years later, he rejoined the Sox as an analyst and ambassador. There is something very comforting with Melton back here. It's like reliving a good part of my childhood.
Speaking of reliving my childhood, every time I step into AU Sports, I feel like I did so many years ago when I would but a pack of baseball cards from the corner store.
Recently, these two forces of nostalgia came together for a wonderful afternoon. Melton appeared in the store to sign autographs and tell baseball stories. It was awesome to hear memories of Eddie Leon, Bart Johnson, Dick Allen and more. I felt like a kid again. Melton even hung around longer than expected and we all appreciated it.
What could be better than an afternoon of talking baseball with Melton at AU Sports? Well, actually, talking baseball with Melton at the new location of AU Sports. The legendary card store has moved into a bigger and better location. Now located in Morton Grove (IL), Scott plans on having more guests like Melton. When he does, I will be there to report on the day and to hurdle myself back in time to my pack-buying days.
Frank Caputo, Bill Melton, Scott Beatty and Brian O in Niles, IL-April 2012.
Marc Price became one of Johngy's Beat's favorites this year. We first interviewed Price in Indianapolis at Days of the Dead. Then we interviewed him again in between sets at Riddles Comedy Club in Alsip (IL).
Of course, Price is best known for portraying Skippy on tv's Family Ties. His career since has turned out much better than his unrequited love for Mallory. He is a producer, comedian, actor, game show host and more.
Price was very cool about our interview requests. He even invited us to his comedy show in Indy. No other celeb invited us anywhere after an interview (although that was probably wise of them).
By all accounts, Price is well-adjusted after growing up on tv. His comedy act is ever-evolving and ever-improving. He was funny when we saw him in Las Vegas a while back, but he was hilarious at Riddles. I was surprised at how solid his act had become. He didn't even use much stuff from Family Ties in his act either.
I hope to meet Marc again in 2012 and to see him perform, too. Skippy might not have been cool, but Marc Price certainly is!
Today we feature our second set of interviews from the last POWW Wrestling event We learned a lot and hope you enjoy them.
We lead off with Chazz Moretti, which he would say is the only choice. Moretti is a quick-witted manager. He does an excellent job of being current, while harkening back to old school managers. Enjoy the interview and then head over to Chazz Moretti's Facebook Fan Page. Moretti is very active on the page.
Trevor Blanchard is another ring veteran. His passion and ring technique make him a very entertaining wrestler. Blanchard has a ton of stories and in future interviews, we definitely want to start hearing some more.
The last interview is perfect or rather features the Picture Perfect Man, Logan Scott. Scott plays the heel to ...well...perfection. He is a very talented performer who should go far in this business. After viewing the interview, go to Logan Scott's Facebook page to learn more about him.
Johngy's Beat really appreciates the talent at POWW Entertainment for taking time to talk to us. We hope to continue to grow this relationship and to bring you entertaining news, interviews and pictures from POWW.
POWW's next show is this Saturday, July 21 at the Tinley Park Convention Center. Hardcore Bob Holly will face Billy Gunn in what will be a great attraction. Johngy's Beat will be there and you should, too!
Actress Camille Keaton is the grandniece of Buster Keaton. Camille has appeared in many films including I Spit on Your Grave (originally titled Day of the Woman). Film Critic Roger Ebert has often mentioned I Spit on Your Grave as the worst film ever made. I believe that has as much to do with the abuse of the woman character as it does with the actual quality of the movie.
When I met Camille at the Days of the Dead convention, she was very fan friendly. She hung both versions of the movie poster for her famous movie. She had plenty of good 8x10's to purchase and willingly signed and posed for pictures with all of her fans.
Camille was another of the fun and accommodating celebrity guests at the Days of the Dead con. Keaton's entire resume isn't incredibly long, but Grave is a cult classic.
Camille Keaton and me in Indianapolis, IN-July 2011.
A couple weeks ago, Scott Beatty and I attended another great POWW Wrestling show in Elk Grove (IL). Before and after the night of wrestling, we got interviews with several members of the POWW roster.
Who better to be the first interview than Jimmy Blaze. Blaze is a veteran wrestler who runs POWW. Blaze has experienced success as a singles competitor and as part of Psychotic Rage with Mitch Blake. After watching the interview, you can learn more about Blaze and get updates from the Jim Blaze Facebook page.
Blaze's partner in Psychotic Rage is Mitch Blake. Blake is a ring veteran who has many stories to share. We look forward to hearing some of those stories in the future. For now, you can watch our introductory interview. After that, head over to Mitch Blake's Facebook page to learn more about him and to get his updates.
I finally got to interview Nikki St. John one-on-one. Nikki is the Queen of POWW and one of JohngysBeat.com's favorites. In addition to her work in the ring, Nikki is a huge supporter of the Huntley Animal House, a no-kill shelter located in Huntley (IL). After watching this interview, go to Nikki's Facebook page to follow her and also check out the Huntley Animal House. The little animals deserve all the love they can get.
Stay tuned for more interviews from the POWW talent coming very soon. The next POWW show is on July 21 at the Tinley Park (IL) Convention Center. Special guests Hardcore Bob Holly will be wrestling Billy Gunn. Johngy's Beat will be there to provide full coverage and get some new interviews, but you should check out the great action for yourself!
Johngy's Beat officially started in September of 2008. I have always liked writing. Many people pushed me to write and/or to put up a blog, but a complete stranger (a celebrity of course) really pushed me over the edge.
I have previously written about my encounter with Rick Monday and the aftermath which saw my Global Traveler blog being read on Sporting News Radio by David Stein, thus helping me win the much-coveted Globility award from Global Traveler. I won't repeat the story (for which you are probably grateful), but I will mention the event which started the whole chain reaction of events.
On April 25, 1976, Cubs outfielder Rick Monday saved the United States flag from being burned by protestors on the field in Los Angeles. This act launched Monday into the team picture of patriots. As a kid, I was watching that game. I didn't totally understand the significance, nor did I have any idea that it would come into play in my life some 42 years later.
Monday is humble, but honest about his actions and his love the this country. This is a great story on every level from every angle. On this celebratory day in this country, let's take a moment to remember the great people who helped make this country free. Thanks to all of them, but especially from me, thanks to Rick Monday!
I was a bit too young to have watched the Brisco brothers wrestle. Gerald and Jack were pretty much retired by the time I started watching wrestling.
On the other end of the spectrum are the Briscoe brothers. Mark and Jay are in the early stage of their careers.
The Briscoe's are not related to the Brisco's however. I have to admit, I originally thought they were.
In fact, the Briscoe brothers are Jay and Mark Pugh. They adopted the name "Briscoe" when they entered the world of pro wrestling.
The brothers have made a name for themselves on the independent scene, most notably for the Ring of Honor. In January, they appeared for Resistance Pro Wrestling.
Bringing in talent like the Briscoe brothers is part of what makes R Pro so successful. The Briscoe brothers were part of a tag team tournament and may appear again in the future. You never know with R Pro.
After the event, Jay and Mark were very cool. They hung out with everyone, talking and posing in pictures for hours.
Jay Briscoe, me and Mark Briscoe in Chicago, IL-Jnuary 2012.
This is a weekly feature about friends who have met celebs.
This is an exciting day. Although he has appeared on the blog several times, my brother-in-law Dave has never appeared in Friendly Encounters...until today!
Dave works for Saputo Cheese USA. They feature a full line of premium cheeses. Dave is in Logistics and doesn't have anything to do with the actual making of the cheese. Still, without Logistics, all of that great cheese would just sit in a warehouse.
I have tried their cheese. Actually, I have devoured several of their cheeses. They are outstanding. My only complaint is the lack of goat cheese. Seriously, they need to start producing goat cheese.
At the holiday party, Dave and Nancy met the company founder, Lino Saputo Sr. Probably at Nancy's urging, they took a picture with Mr. Saputo for me.
I am glad Dave finally made his Friendly Encounter debut. I am glad to write about Saputo Cheese, because they do really make great cheese. Finally, I am glad I made it through this whole piece without referring to Saputo as "the big Cheese".
Dave and Nancy Blais and Lino Saputo Sr. in Lincolnshire, IL-December 2011.
This is a regular series which attempts to combine my passion for trading cards with my interest in celebrities. Today, I am highlighting the worst teams in the AL and NL. Coincidentally, they also are my favorite teams in each league. Go figure.
Dan Patrick gained big fame while on ESPN. I loved the days of Patrick and Olberman. Patrick left ESPN after an 18 year stint. He has since joined NBC Sports, as well as having a syndicated radio show. Patrick was a pretty good amateur athlete. I think with his guile, he could have carved out a Frank Tanana-esque career. Unfortunately, even now, he might be able to help the Cubs. I do think his Celebrity Jersey Card does fit with the 1980 Topps cards (which happen to be among my least favorite).
Mark Spitz won nine Olympic Gold medals, plus a silver and a bronze. He also set 33 world records. That is a Hall of Fame career and it was all done in a four year span. That is pure dominance. I am not sure how that would help the woeful Twins, other than hoping his greatness would rub off on them. Still, I like the looks of him on the Celebrity Jersey Card. The gray hair is reminiscent of Phil Niekro.
