Celebrity Jersey Cards #481 Sophia Bush & Nicolette Slapo

This is a regular series in which I create virtual trading cards for celebrities wearing jerseys. Once again, we are working our way alphabetically through all of the Major League Baseball teams.

California native Sophia Bush rose to fame on television's One Tree Hill. More recently, she co-starred on tv's Chicago Med. For her Celebrity Jersey Card, she wore the home state Dodgers jersey, while tossing a pitch before their game.

 Native New Yorker Nicoletta Slapo is a singer, songwriter and vocal coach. Like other mono-name celebs, she is known professionally as simply Nicoletta, Perhaps clinging to their Brooklyn roots, Nicoletta sang the National Anthem for the Los Angeles Dodgers and earned her Celebrity Jersey cards.

Cards That Never Were: Bob Love 1977-78 Topps

Cards That Never Were is a recurring series in which I create virtual trading cards for players missed in various sets.  It is a concept I have borrowed from far to many to list, but I appreciate all of them.
Bob Love was selected by the Cincinnati Royals in the 4th round of the 1965 NBA Draft.  After a season in the Eastern Basketball League, Love made his NBA debut in the 1966-67 season.  Prior to the 1968-69 season, the Milwaukee Bucks picked Love in the Expansion Draft, but traded him to the Chicago Bulls halfway through that season.
"Butterbean" flourished in Chicago, making 3 All-Star teams and averaging 21.3 points per game.  He also was tied for most games played in a season three times.
Midway through the 1976-77 season, the Bulls traded Love to the Knicks.  After 13 games with the Knicks, he was claimed off of waivers by the Seattle Supersonics.  He played 32 games with Seattle, averaging 4.1 points per game, before retiring at the end of the season.
Topps saw fit to give Love cards in their sets from 1969-70 (their first year of producing basketball cards) through 1976-77.  As odd as it is to see a picture of Love in the green of the Sonics, I made a "career capper" 1977-78 card for him.

Morgan Newport and the 2020 Northwestern Wildcats

Right now, collegiate softball players should be looking back at a fun season, with seniors feeling bittersweet about the season and their college careers ending. Instead, their season was halted at the midpoint leaving everyone disappointed and missing softball. One of those seniors is Northwestern pitcher-utility player Morgan Newport.

I have had the pleasure of watching Morgan up close for her entire career with the Wildcats. An excellent two-way layer, Morgan has been a star on the mound and at the plate.

Over her four seasons, she was 21-15 with an ERA of 3.37. Offensively, in 158 games, she hit .272 with 7 HRs, 55 RBIs and 45 runs scored. She was off to a great start in 2020, with 2 HRs and 14 RBIs in just 22 games.

A Biological Sciences major, Morgan will do awesome things in life. She will go on to a successful career. Morgan is a smart and personable young lady. She has a fantastic attitude on and off the field.

Morgan was great with the fans and always willing to talk a little softball with me as I covered the team. I really appreciate Morgan for her kindness and consideration over the last four seasons. I am sad that I won't get the chance to thank her in person. Maybe I'll get to see her again if she comes back to any NU games. Good luck to Morgan as she makes her way in the world. 

In the grand scheme, missing some softball isn't a huge deal, but right now, it the unexpected loss of softball stings. I'm sure it hurts the players more than the fans, but we all are missing the fun at the ball park.

I hope things are settled enough for Fall Ball in September. Check NUSports.com for updates and news on the Wildcats.

Morgan Newport and me in Evanston, IL-May 2019.

Cards That Never Were: Chris Ward 1973 & '74 Topps

Cards That Never Were is a recurring series in which I create virtual trading cards for players missed in various sets. It is a concept I have borrowed from far too many others to list, but I appreciate all of their efforts. Usually, I only feature my own creations, but today I make the exception for those others that I mentioned.
Chris Ward was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 3rd round of the 1968 amateur draft. The outfielder made his MLB debut with one pinch hitting appearance in 1972. After spending 1973 in the minors, Ward returned to the majors with the Cubs for the 1974 season. Ward spent 1975 and '76 in the Cubs minor leagues. He spent 1977 playing in Triple A for the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians, before retiring. In total, Ward played in 93 games, collecting 28 hits, with one home run, 15 rbi's and a .203 batting average.
For his efforts, Ward received a Topps card in the 1975 set, which would make it a career capper, although that wasn't known at the time. Obviously, his 1972 playing time did not merit a card, although he could have gotten on one of the "prospects" cards.
I originally set out to create a missing 1973 card, but in my search for a usable picture, I found a fully created card. I also found a 1974 virtual card from another creator. They saved me time and effort and created very nice cards.
David Jenkins of the Facebook group Custom Baseball Cards created the 1974 card, while Gio over at When Topps Had Balls created the 1973 card. These are examples of the fine work by others. I highly encourage you to check out the Facebook group and Gio's site. Both are excellent sources for many great card creations (and not just baseball).

Janie Reed of Team USA

Janie Takeda was a star outfielder at the University of Oregon. In four seasons, in 241 games, Janie hit .392, with 11 HRs, 132 RBIs, 20 4R and 102 SBs. She was a 2 time NFCA Second Team All-American, a one time NFCA First Team All-American and a three time First Team All-Pac-12.
On the international stage, she was a three time World Cup of Softball Silver Medalist, a one time Pan American Championship Gold Medalist and a one time Pan American Games Gold Medalist. She is also a two time WBSC Women's World Championship Gold Medalist.
Takeda was selected by the Dallas Charge with the 26th overall pick in the 2015 NPF Draft. She chose to concentrate her efforts on Team USA.
On a personal level, Janie is married to Major League Baseball pitcher Jake Reed. She says playing for Team USA wasn't really a dream, because she didn't think she would be at that level. Janie is on that level though, as evidenced when Team USA named her to the 2020 Olympics roster.
Unfortunately, the Olympic dream is delayed until 2021, but it'll be just as sweet when Team USA takes the field. As I have written, I know most of the players and I look forward to seeing them go for the gold. I am usually ambivalent to the Olympics, but at least for softball, I will be intently watching the games. In fact, I'll be following the team on the road to the Olympics.
Go to TeamUSA.org for more info on the USA Olympic team. Follow Janie at @_JanieReed on Instagram.

Janie Reed and me in Rosemont, IL-July 2019.

Softball Dreams

The collegiate softball seasons were halted shortly before they were to begin home games at Northwestern and DePaul. Late last week, National Pro Fastpitch commissioner Cheri Kempf announced the cancellation of the 2020 NPF season. This effectively has eliminated a major part of my spring and summer recreation.
I looked at a few potential softball options for this year in Softball Dreams, my latest online article for Global Traveler. Hopefully, some of these potential options become reality.
These softball games are perfect for me. They are relaxing and fast-paced, finishing in about two hours. There is pre-game fun connecting with friends and post-game fun with the players and again with fans.
Between the various places, I have seen about 30 softball games every summer/fall. That's a lot of empty time, if softball doesn't return this year.
Perhaps the most likely option might be Fall Ball at Northwestern and DePaul. Every year, the school play a few weekend tournaments in September and October. The other teams are usually smaller colleges. While DePaul and NU are always favored, it does allow fans to get a preview of the next season team and also to see different schools and players. It's a great way to end the softball year. This year, it'll be a great way to restart and then end the softball year.
Check NUSports.com and DePaulBlueDemons.com for updates and news. Also, check back here for my coverage. If softball news is happening, I will be on it!

Danielle Williams and me in Evanston, IL-September 2019.

Friend Encounters: Ric Flair and Adolfo and Carrie Dorta

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

After much anticipation, the Squared Circle Expo debuts in Indianapolis this Friday and Saturday. It promises to be two days of fantastic wrestling fun.

Two of the main folks behind the Squared Circle Expo are Adolfo and Carrie Dorta. I met Adolfo many years ago when he was one of the organizers of a different convention. He met Carrie at one of those events and they got married a couple years ago. It was  a true convention love story involving two awesome folks.

Along with some other great people, Adolfo and Carrie have organized the Squared Circle Expo. Banking on years of convention experience, excellent people skills, pure energy and a passion for wrestling, the promoters of SCE have gone all out to make it a success.

Adolfo, Carrie and the crew have brought so many great wrestling legends to other conventions. Roddy Piper was a frequent guest, while many others enjoyed the convention so much they appeared multiple times, too. The quality of wrestlers was a testament to how well they were treated by Adolfo and the staff there.

Of all the wrestling guests, it didn't get any bigger than 2015 when "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair was the headline guest. Fair's line was one of the longest I have seen, but he made every fan feel special in their interactions. Normally a blur of activity, Adolfo and Carrie did make sure to stop for a moment to get a picture with the Hall of Famer. Adolfo even flashed the famous "Four Horsemen" sign.

The announced wrestling guest list for Squared Circle Expo includes, Glen "Kane" Jacobs, Rey Mysterio, Christian, Vickie Guerrero and many more. I am quite certain there will be many wrestlers in the crowd as attendees as well. I am sure the crowd will also include many other folks involved in wrestling on some level. I can't wait, but fortunately it is only a few more days away. 

Check out SquaredCircleX.com and follow them at Squared Circle Expo on Facebook for all of the info and updates. I hope to see you all there this weekend.

Carrie, Ric Flair and Adolfo in Indianapolis, IN-June 2015.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #480 Grant Hill & Allison Schmitt

This is a regular series in which I create virtual trading cards for celebrities wearing jerseys. Once again, we are working our way alphabetically through all of the Major League Baseball teams.

Grant Hill is a second-generation pro athlete, following his father Henry into the NBA. Grant's uncle Jim was a Major League Baseball pitcher, too. Grant played for four teams over his 18 seasons in the NBA, including the Phoenix Suns. For his Celebrity Jersey Card, Grant crossed sports, wearing an Arizona Diamondbacks jersey. He currently is part-owner of the NBA Atlanta Hawks. 

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but raised in Michigan, Allison Schmitt is an American competition swimmer who specializes in freestyle events. She is a four-time Olympian and a ten-time Olympic medalist. Schmitty admits she didn't really focus on swimming until she was about 12. The Arizona Diamondbacks honored her and she responded by wearing her medals. She earned extra points by sharing her Celebrity Jersey Card with D. Baxter the Bobcat.

Sug D Is All Elite

Whether he is called Sug D, Suge D, Sugar D, Sugar Dunkerton or anything else, I am a big fan of the man. More importantly, I am a friend of his.

Sug D was part of the tag team Lockup at the beginning of RPro. Lockup was a popular and excellent team that won the tag team titles. He would eventually join the solo ranks and ultimately became the heavyweight champ. He worked extremely hard to get to the top and he worked even harder while at the top.

Sug really came into his own as champ. He wqas a leader in and out of the ring. The fans loved him and so did the lockerroom. He was a great champ and represented RPro well.

While he hasn't wrestled in the Resistance in a while, Sug has been quite busy, wrestling here and overseas. I love seeing my friend chase his dreams and succeed.

Recently, Sug made his debut on All Elite Wrestling. He lost to Sammy Guevara in a solid match. There is no shame in losing in wrestling. It's all part of the bigger story. Hopefully, this leads to more appearances for Sug at AEW.

It also got him the Pineapple Pete name from Chris Jericho. That is some kind of accomplishment.

The wrestling business is tough. There are only so many spots on a roster and even less spots on television. The fact that Sug got a televised match is a great accomplishment. We are all proud and happy for our friend.

I miss seeing Sug at events, but he is on to bigger things. I am sure our paths will cross again and I look forward to the usual big hug Sug gives. Until then, I'll keep following him and cheering his success.

Sug D and me in Summit, IL-January 2014.

Checking In With Sara Richard

It's been a little while since I gave an update on Sara Richard, one of my favorite artists. As always, she has been very busy.

The Royal Book of Oz is the fifteenth book in the Oz series. It is the first book in the Oz series written by Ruth Plumly Thompson. Clover Press created a new edition with updated artwork by Sara Richard and an afterword by Eisner Winner, Eric Shanower.

The book is produced in its original size and is a beautiful piece to add to any book collection. Sara's fantastic art is certainly a highlight.

Sara also revealed her GI Joe cover. Sara was "So excited to have drawn my girl, Baroness." It is a credit to the GI Joe franchise to have Sara now be a part of it.

I have met and interviewed Sara several times. I have a few pieces of her wonderful artwork hanging in my place, including her take on the Johngy character. Sara is massively talented and one of the coolest people I know.

Check out SaraRichard.com for more info. For more freuent updates and other cool stuff, you can follow Sara at The Art of Sara Richard on Facebook. 

Sara Richard and me in Novi, MI-May 2015.

Cards That Never Were: Jim Kaat Topps 1984

Cards That Never Were is a recurring series in which I create virtual trading cards for players missed in various sets. It is a concept I have borrowed from far too many to list, but I appreciate all of them.
Jim Kaat signed with the Washington Senators in 1957 after a tryout in Chicago. The Chicago White Sox actually tried to sign him, offering him more money, but he ultimately signed with Washington. He made his MLB debut in 1959 and would go on to forge a great career.
After the 1960 season, the Senators moved to Minnesota and became the Twins. Kaat remained with the organization until a midseason trade in 1973 brought him to the White Sox. He was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies after the '75 season, then purchased by the New York Yankees midway through the '79 season. Early in the '80 season, the St. Louis Cardinals purchased Kaat. He pitched for the Cards until midway through the '83 season, when they released him.
In his 25 year career, Kaat went 283-237 with a 3.45 ERA. Kaat made 3 All-Star games and won 16 Gold Gloves. He is considered one of the best players not in the Hall of Fame.
For his efforts, Topps gave Kaat cards from 1960 through 1983. It is understandable that Topps did not give him a final card in their 1984 set, because he was released in June. Still a "career capper" would have been nice, especially for a player of Kaat's ilk. A fan of his from his days with the Sox, I wanted to give him his proper sendoff by creating an '84 card for him.

Ali Aguilar of Team USA

Last year, Team USA came to Rosemont for a week of exhibition games and practice. It was a wonderful opportunity to watch the 2020 Olympic team in action and to get to know the players.

Ali Aguilar was a star infielder at the University of Washington. Her freshman stats are unavailable, but in her last three seasons, in 171 games, she hit .377, with 51 home runs, 170 rbi's and 204 runs scored. Over her career, she racked up a lot of awards and honors.

The National Pro Fastpitch Scrapyard Dawgs selected Ali with the 13th pick in the 2017 NPF Draft. Unfortunately, the Dawgs left the NPF after the 2018 season.

On the international scene, Ali is a two time Pan American Games Gold Medalist. She was also on a World Cup of Softball Silver Medal winner. Earlier this year, Ali was named to the Team USA softball squad that will compete in the 2020 Olympics in July in Tokyo.

Because the Dawgs left the NPF, I haven't had the chance to watch Ali in action many times. I did talk to her a bit during her time with the Dawgs and I landed a cool picture of her with Team USA teammate and softball great Monica Abbott.

The Olympics have been postponed until mid-2021, but I will be following the team all the way. It willl be awesome seeing so many friends and elite softball players on the biggest stage of all.

Check AliAguilar.com for more info on Ali. Go to the Team USA softball site for more info on the team.

Ali Aguilar, me and Monica Abbott in Rosemont, IL-Summer 2017.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #479 Aimee Garcia & Chloe Bennet

This is a regular series in which I create virtual trading cards for celebrities wearing jerseys. Once again, we are working our way alphabetically through all of the Major League Baseball teams.

Chicago born actress Aimee Garcia co-starred on television shows including Lucifer, George Lopez and Dexter. Most recently, she teamed with AJ Mendez Brooks to co-write GLOW vs. The Babyface, a four part comic book series based on the tv show GLOW. Garcia went with an old school pitcher's pose for her Celebrity Jersey Card.

Also born in Chicago, Chloe Wang is professionally known as Chloe Bennet. She is best known for her role on television's Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Half-Chinese, Bennet has described the television and movie industry as being racist against Chinese. At least the Chicago Cubs welcomed her to Wrigley Field. For her Celebrity Jersey Card, Bennet wore #4, most famously worn by ex-manager Lee Elia,.

Friend Encounters: Bret Hart, Heather Owens and Ed Gonzales

Friend Encounters is a weekly series about my friends who have met celebrities.

The Squared Circle Expo has been postponed from the original May date to a future date to be determined. While I look forward to the convention, whenever it is, I am featuring a couple people involved.
Ed Gonzales and "Hardcore" Heather Owens have carved out a career on the independent wrestling scene. I met both through Resistance Pro Wrestling several years back. Actually, I probably met them even before RPro, when our paths most likely crossed at a few horror conventions.
Ed and Heather were part of the organizational team who put on the horror cons. Like Adolfo and Carrie, Ed and Heather were usually a blur at those shows. They played a part in more wrestlers being added as the years went on and they were usually heavily involved with events including the wrestlers at the convention.
It's a natural for them to be involved in the Squared Circle Expo. I am sure they will help bring in great wrestlers, while also contributing to the SCE in many other ways.
Actually, I am very much looking forward to seeing Ed and Heather, as much as seeing the big name wrestlers. They are two really cool people. They work very hard and play even harder. They are a lot of fun and I miss seeing them.
The dynamic duo didn't get a ton of pictures of themselves with the various celebrities over the years, but they did get one with Bret "The Hitman" Hart. That picture is one more person away from being a great stable. I would even volunteer myself. It would be a fantastic time.
I am sure Ed and Heather will be busy as usual at the Squared Circle Expo. I hope they take enough time to enjoy it themselves. I also hope they know how much fans love the event.
Check out SquaredCircleX.com and follow them at Squared Circle Expo on Facebook for all of the info and updates. I hope to see you all there when it is rescheduled..

Heather, Bret Hart and Ed in Schaumburg, IL-November 2015.

Monique Dupree at Motor City Comic Con 2008

The Motor City Comic Con was supposed to be this weekend, but it has been postponed due to the pandemic. While I sadly wait for the situation to be resolved and the MCCC to be rescheduled, I am recalling some of my favorite times there.
I met Monique Dupree at one of my first times at MCCC. "Tha Original Gata" is a singer, model, actress and more, including a wrestling personality. Sometimes called the original black scream queen, Monique's resume includes all genres of movies, dating back to her role in Lean On Me.
She is also the sister of actor Tony Todd.
Monique's work in wrestling has mainly been in House of Hardcore, the wrestling events headed by hardcore legend Tommy Dreamer. I was happy to see Monique at Great Lakes Championship Wrestling's Blizzard Brawl (which is a joint effort between Dreamer and Wisconsin promoter and #SuperFriend David Herro) last year and at C2E2 this year. At both events, she wasn't even listed as a celebrity guest, but she was accompanying Dreamer. I was just happy to see her again! I pointed out Monique to a few fans who didn't realize who she was, but were very happy to meet her.
Her combination of acting and wrestling makes her a dual threat at comic cons. She draws fans from both areas of entertainment. Actually, her beauty and personality make her a triple threat, as fans are drawn to her just for being her. She is very sweet and fan-friendly and a great addition to any comic con.
Check MoniqueDupree.com and follow Monique on at @ThaOriginalGata on twitter for more info and updates on Monique. Go to MotorCityComicCon.com for more info and follow MCCC on Facebook for more frequent updates.

Monique Dupree and me in Novi, MI-May 2008.

Happy Birthday, Laura!

Today is my niece Laura's birthday. During this time of quarantine, I send out birthday greetings to Laura here.

The picture I chose today is one I think Laura would like. As she put it, it's her and "her favorite fella" Marley. She loved that pup (and he loved her). She loves all animals.

Laura is a great young woman. Pick an adjective. Tough. Funny. Caring. Opinionated. Awesome. None describe her totally, but all add to the cool person she is.

Whether we are cutting up to "Uptown Funk," exchanging silly texts, driving cross country or anything else, it's always fun around Laura. She even joined in the character insanity by debuting a Russian woman over the holidays last year. It took a while, but she finally caved and created her own character and I love it!

I know friends and family will be calling and texting Laura birthday love all day. I hope she has a great day. Happy birthday and I love you, Laura!

Laura and Marley in AZ-February 2020.

Jenna Elfman at Motor City Comic Con 2018

The Motor City Comic Con was supposed to be this weekend, but it has been postponed due to the pandemic. While I sadly wait for the situation to be resolved and the MCCC to be rescheduled, I am recalling some of my favorite times there.
When talking about the best celebrity guests, Jenna Elfman would have to rank high. Elfman went above aqnd beyond with every fan at her booth. Despite having one of the longest lines, Elfman made sure to make each interaction as special as could be. She greeted everyone warmly and thanked all for seeing her. She had a decent selection of 8x10s, but it was her personality that was the hit. After taking every picture, she made a point to make sure the fans liked the picture before leaving.
These are all simple things, but they go a long way in attracting and keeping fans. I am sure reports from the first day brought more fans to her the next two days and justifiably so.
Elfman is probably best known for her title role in tv's Dharma & Greg, a role for which she won a Golden Globe award. Elfman met her husband Bodhi at a Sprite commercial audition in 1991. Famed composer Danny Elfman is Bodhi's uncle.
You can follow Jenna at @JennaElfman on twitter. Go to MotorCityComicCon.com for more info and follow MCCC on Facebook for more frequent updates.

Jenna Elfman, Cuzz Gekas and me in Novi, MI-May 2018.

Sarah Wilkinson At Motor City Comic Con 2017

The Motor City Comic Con was supposed to be this weekend, but it has been postponed due to the pandemic. While I sadly wait for the situation to be resolved and the MCCC to be rescheduled, I am recalling some of my favorite times there.

Sarah Wilkinson is an artist who has worked on comic books, trading cards and other projects. In the world of trading cards, Sarah has illustrated for Indiana Jones, Star Trek, My Little Pony, Dr. Who, Bettie Page, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Batman, Wonder Woman and more. Her first job was with Topps when she was only 19 years old.

In addition to her work projects, Sarah also creates her own art. Much of her work was on display when I met her at MCCC a few years back. Sarah had to have one of the most diverse and plentiful selections, among the many talented artists there.

On a side note, Sarah describes herself as a crazy cat lady and a foodie. I describe her as a talented and very nice artist. I hope to see her again this year.

Go to MotorCityComicCon.com for info and scheduling. Also, check out SarahWilkinsonArt.net for info on Sarah.

Sarah Wilkinson and me in Novi, MI-May 2017.

Jay Brant At Motor City Comic Con 2017

The Motor City Comic Con was supposed to be this weekend, but it has been postponed due to the pandemic. While I sadly wait for the situation to be resolved and the MCCC to be rescheduled, I am recalling some of my favorite times there.
Michigan-based Jay Brant is the talented force behind Heads Up Studios. The name is a clever take on his work, which often is the head of various pop culture icons. He is not limited to just illustrating heads, but it is a large part of his portfolio and a very successful part.

I first met Jay many years ago and I was immediately drawn to his wall of heads. Of course, I had to search for my beloved Aquaman and I found one (applause to Jay for this). Jay has multiple sizes of his creations, including trading card sized creations.

Given my previously mentioned search for Aquaman and my never-ending appreciation of Aquaman, you'd think I would feature that illustration here. Since I have done that in previous posts, I selected BatGirl for this one. I particularly like this one, because it is old school BatGirl, like the version portrayed by Yvonne Craig on tv's BatMan.

Jay also does commissions. One day, I will get to do his take on the Johngy character and I will add that to my Wall of Johngy, which isn't quite as impressive as Jay's Heads Up Wall.
I always look forward to seeing Jay and his new creations. He is as friendly as he is talented.
Go to MotorCityComicCon.com for all of the info, including the celebrity guest list and scheduling. You can also find Motor City Comic Con on Facebook and other social media platforms.

Jay Brant and me in Novi, MI-May 2017.

Tornado Toth At Motor City Comic Con 2017

The Motor City Comic Con was scheduled for late May, but obviously was postponed. The MCCC is always a fun con. I have been to the MCCC enough times to develop "con friendships" with the regulars, one of whom is Tornado Toth.
I first met Tornado and his young daughters in 2009. Peri and Layne were budding comic book creators, among other things. The young girls were extremely busy and very talented. Since then, I have followed their exploits on line and we catch up at every MCCC.
A couple years ago, Peri was doing interviews at MCCC. We tried to do some joint ventures there, but it didn't work out. Still, I hope to work with Peri at a future MCCC. It would be such a kick to go from meeting the young girl to working with the young lady.
It just shows the type of bonds that can grow from these cons. How else would I be connected to a random Michigan family like the Toth family?
While the MCCC and other cons have fascinating celebrities, fun cosplayers, great vendors and more, the friendships and bonds made along the way really make the events special.I miss the celebs and the fun of the cons, but I miss my con friends even more.
Go to MotorCityComicCon.com for more info and follow MCCC on Facebook for more frequent updates.

Tornado Toth and me in Novi, MI-May 2017.

Friend Encounters: Neil Cicierega and Princess Etch

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Princess Etch (aka Jane Labowitch) is an artist who uses Etch A Sketches as her canvas. Her art is definitely unique, which is what drew me to her a few years back. We have interviewed the Princess a couple times, the latest with IPW Chicagoland champ Joey Roth handing the duties. Our latest interview with Jane can be found at On the Beat With Princess Etch.

Several years back, Princess Etch had an awesome celebrity encounter with Neil Cicierega. I'll let her tell all about it though.

The first Etch A Sketch I ever preserved was a gift for Neil Cicierega which I presented to him at Youmacon in 2009. Regretfully it would take many more Etch A Sketches to really get the hang of making my art permanent, and my work understandably didn't fully survive the flight home.

More than a decade later, Lemon Demon continues to be my favorite band and Neil continues to be my favorite YouTuber. I rarely have dark backgrounds in my Etch A Sketch art but I like how it makes the logo pop!

For those of you familiar with Lemon Demon, what's your favorite song? Mine is The Ocean, though Sweet Bod (demo version) is a solid bop too. Tbh tho they're all solid bops 🎶

Cicierega is an internet artist, comedian, actor, filmmaker, singer, musician, puppeteer, and animator. He created "Animutation," a form of flash animation. He has released albums of mashups, as well as more albums under the name Lemon Demon. Cicierega is as unique as Princess Etch.

Check out Princess Etch at PrincessEtch.com. Also, follow her at Princess Etch on Facebook for more frequent updates.

Neil Cicierega and Princess Etch in Detroit, MI-Summer 2009.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #478 Paul Kariya & Bernie Federko

This is a regular series in which I create virtual trading cards for celebrities wearing jerseys. Once again, we are working our way alphabetically through all of the Major League Baseball teams. Today, we have a couple Blues-Cardinals crossovers.

Paul Kariya played 15 seasons in the NHL, nine with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks, one with the Colorado Avalanche, two with the Nashville Predators and four with the St. Louis Blues. Concussion issues plagued him and ultimately forced a bit of an early retirement. His brother Steve played three seasons in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks. Kariya's #9 was retired by the Ducks and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017. Kariya earned his Celebrity Jersey Card after throwing a ceremonial pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Bernie Federko played 13 seasons with the Blues, before one final season with the Detroit Red Wings. Among his many achievements, Federko was the first player to record 50 assists in 10 consecutive seasons. The Blues retired his #24 and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002. Federko got his Celebrity Jersey Card while throwing out a first pitch for the Cardinals.

Gene Simmons at Wizard World St. Louis 2017

With the current pandemic, all comic conventions are in limbo. That doesn't stop Wizard World from bringing great celebrities and cool experiences to fans.

Wizard World has been having virtual conventions and events and they have several more scheduled in the next few weeks. Tonight, they have the voice cast of Goblin Slayer, tomorrow they have the 1996 New York Yankees (1996 MLB World Champs), Tuesday they have the cast of Charmed and the cast of Dallas and more are scheduled after that.

The virtual experiences include live Q&A, live video chats, recorded video messages, and autographs. It's a great way to have some fun from the safe environs of your home. Admittedly, it is not as cool as experiencing this in person, but it is the next best thing. Also, some of these celebrities might not do actual comic cons, but they are doing these virtual events.

During these tough and strange times, we can use whatever bit of (close to) normalcy we can get. We can't go to comic cons yet, but Wizard World is bringing comic cons to us in the best way they can. I am waiting to see virtual selfies popping up online. 

I have met some of my favorite stars at Wizard World over the years. At Wizard World St. Louis a few years ago, I enjoyed a complete Gene Simmons experience, including a photo, meet and greet and a live show. I was literally a few feet from the stage as Gene and his band rocked all night. I figured he would perform a few songs. He performed for a solid two hours. This was an amazing day thanks to Wizard World.

Wizard World has come through many times over the years and they continue to satisfy fans. Yes of course it is a business, but they are doing it well and creatively. Especially in times like now, I appreciate what they do.

Go to WizardWorld.com for all of the details. Also, follow Wizard World on Facebook for more frequent updates, news and other fun stuff.

Gene Simmons, Jack Keenan and me in St. Louis, MO-April 2017.

Christy Hemme at Motor City Comic Con 2008

The Motor City Comic Con was supposed to be later this month, but it has been postponed due to the pandemic. While I sadly wait for the situation to be resolved and the MCCC to be rescheduled, I am recalling some of my favorite times there.
Christy Hemme was one of the main guests I wanted to meet at one of my first treks to the MCCC. Back in those days, the celebrities sold polaroids or fans took pictures with film-loaded cameras. It was much harder back since polaroids were never great and the other film had to be developed before you could tell if the pictures were any good.
Christy was a wrestling personality, among other things. She has also modeled and dabbled in singing. Christy has such an energetic and charismatic personality, she could be a success at anything.
Already the mother of a little girl, Christy and her husband became parents to quadruplets in early 2018. She seems so happily ensconced in family life. In one of my interviews with her, she was gushing about it. I am so happy for her. She is such a sweetheart. She even was kind enough to do a promo for this site (as seen in the left hand column).
I haven;t seen Christy in a while. I miss that smiling face and great laugh. This is a call-out to all comic con and wrestling promoters to get Hemme-powered in 2020.
Follow Christy at @HemmePowered on twitter for news and updates (and cool pics of her beautiful family). Go to MotorCityComicCon.com for all of the info, including the celebrity guest list and scheduling. You can also find Motor City Comic Con on Facebook and other social media platforms.

Christy Hemme and me in Novi, MI-May 2008.

Chris Ringler at Motor City Comic Con 2017

Motor City Comic Con was supposed to take place later this month. I am looking forward to the rescheduled date, but for now I am recalling fun from my many years of covering the MCCC.

I met author Chris Ringler at Motor City Comic Con a couple years ago. A native of Flint, MI, Chris has been writing since he was a teenager. His website invites you to enter "the cemetery of his mind." That pretty much sets the tone for Ringler's works. Obviously, his writing focuses on horror, blood, fantasy and the like.

As memorable as that was, it paled in comparison to reading one of his books. His books are horrific in the best, scariest sense of the word. They are almost impossible to put down. I have often intended to read just a few chapters, only to find myself too engrossed (or just grossed) to leave the book.

A master of horror, Ringler is actually very normal in person (of course). He is happy to discuss his books or horror in general with all of his fans.

Like many of the other area natives who have had booths at MCCC, it is always interesting to see the split reactions of the crowd. To the area residents, he is like a biddy. To the rest of the attendees, he is a celebrity writer. I always like seeing the way MCCC embraces the local talent and Ringler si one of the most talented.

Check out SpookyChris.com for more info about Chris. Go to MotorCityComicCon.com for all of the info, including the celebrity guest list and scheduling. You can also find Motor City Comic Con on Facebook and other social media platforms.

Chris Ringler and me in Novi, M-May 2017.

Celebrity Jersey Cards #477 Les Paul & Charley Pride

This is a weekly series in which I create virtual trading cards for players wearing sports jerseys. Today, I continue working my way alphabetically through the Major League Baseball teams.

New York native Les Paul is a legend in the music industry. He taught himself how to play guitar, then he became one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar. He has received numerous awards, including the National Medal of Arts from U.S. President George W. Bush. He is also in several Halls of Fame. Foe his Celebrity Jersey Card, Paul donned the #93 Brewers jersey, presumably for his age.

Born in Mississippi, Charley Pride was a singer, musician, guitarist, business owner, and former professional baseball player. He pitched for the Memphis Red Sox of the Negro American League and also in the New York Yankees minor league system. He went on to become a successful musician. Despite being part owner of the Texas Rangers, his Celebrity Jersey Card pictures him with the Milwaukee Brewers.

On The Beat With Joey Roth

For a guy who is billed as "The Most Hated Villain," Joey Roth is pretty well-liked. In the wrestling business though, that means he is great at his job. In fact, he is one of the best.
Joey has made his mark in wrestling, on the stage, in movies and on television. He is the current IPW Chicagoland champ, a title he has held for 401 days.
I have run into Joey at several comic cons. It was only natural that I would get him to conduct some interviews for me. That historic event occurred earlier this year as Joey interviewed six creators at C2E2. Joey did a great job and I look forward to him doing more interviews for the Beat. As I mention in the interview, I did not give Joey any info on the interview subjects, because I knew he would be great and he was. The six folks he interviewed all commented on how much fun it was.
I have wanted to interview Joey for a long time.and the quarantine presented a good opportunity, as Joey isn't out defending his tile and I am not out covering events.
In the interview, we discuss his interviews, his career, his future and more. This was the first interview with Joey, but it won't be the last. He is so active, I can interview him on any number of topics. Then there is also Roxi Heart, the other half of this power couple. I will be interviewing her in the future, too. The Roth entertainment empire is huge and getting bigger. You'll definitely see more Joey here on Johngy's Beat.
Check out Joey Roth on Facebook for news and updates. Also, look for Joey all over the entertainment scene.

Friend Encounters: Kacy Standohar and Jonathan Cimaglio

This is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

Today, I feature two folks I met through the National Pro Fastpitch Chicago Bandits. Jonathan Cimaglio is a fan and Kacy Standohar is the team reporter.

I met Cimags a few years ago at a Bandits game. He is a big time autograph collector. As a "grapher," Cimags is usually in the post-game autograph line, but he also gets signatures from stars of other sports and entertainment fields. He even has his own YouTube channel. Cimags has been an occasional assistant to Johngy's Beat at Bandits games.

Broadcaster and reporter Kacy is one busy and talented lady. In addition to the Bandits, Kacy has worked for the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Chicago Cubs, the Chicago Steel and more, including covering Chicago area high school sports.

My interview with Kacy from last season can be found at On the Beat With Kacy Standohar. It was a real pleasure learning more about her and her responsibilities. It was even more fun watching her all season and getting to know her.

We should enjoy Kacy as much as we can during her time with the Bandits, because she will move on to bigger things. She has talent, intelligence and charisma. She could easily be a broadcaster for any of the major sports teams.

Meanwhile, my bud Cimags is in Minnesota. Hopefully, he will make his yearly trip to Rosemont for a game if the season ever starts and we can catch up.

Check out KacyStandohar.com and follow her at @KacyStandohar on twitter for more info, including her latest assignments.

Go to the Cimags YouTube channel to watch his videos. Be sure to subscribe to his channel for notifications on updates.

Jonathan Cimaglio and Kacy Standohar in Rosemont, IL-August 2019.

On the Beat With Michele Mupo

I don't even remember how I first came across Michele Mupo. It had to be in some entertainment related story online. I know I met her for the first time at a convention in Oaks, PA in 2008. I have followed her career since and it has been quite a career and it is continually evolving.
Michele has done a lot of work in the entertainment industry. She has been involved in major projects in music, television, books and more. She is constantly busy.
Michele fascinates me. She has accomplished so much, but she remains so very humble. That might be helpful when she does ghost-writing, but it is unique and refreshing, especially in the entertainment world. Those who know her and entertainers of all sort know the contributions she has made.
I have wanted to interview Michele for many years, but I haven't seen her in a while. The quarantine has forced me to do video interviews, but it also has opened the door for me to interview folks I have always wanted, like Michele.
In our interview, Michele talks about Mupo TV and her other projects. As usual, Michele has a lot going on. The Mupo Entertainment empire is growing and it will be huge. Television shows, books, podcasts and other artistic endeavors are coming.
Perhaps the best part of Michele's work is her dedication to causes. She is helping United States veterans and has more plans for the future. Her Keep The Peace project has already made an impact and continues spreading positivity.
I really appreciate Michele for her time and for what she is doing to better this world. I look forward to seeing what Michele produces next. After you watch our interview, check out MupoTV.com and look for Michele Mupo and Mupo TV all over social media.

On The Beat With Tommy Else of "Checking In"

In Podcast Pleasures my recent online piece for Global Traveler, I featured some of my favorite podcasts. That piece set a GT blog record for most pageviews. It included interviews with Jill Urchak of On A Quest and Adam Chalifoux of Running With The Bulls.

Space limitations and scheduling prevented me from running more interviews. Because of the popularity of that story, I reached out to some of the other podcasters for interviews. Earlier this week, I got an interview with Tommy Else of the "Checking In" podcast.

"Checking In" is Tommy's latest addition to his podcast empire. They are all entertaining in different ways, but I am particularly interested in "Checking In" for its' social relevance and impact right now.

On the surface, it is Tommy "checking in" on his friends during this time o social distancing. On a deeper level, it is really Tommy socially un-distancing. He is getting closer to his friends, but more importantly, his friends are getting closer to each other. I have met a few of the people he has interviewed so far,but I have heard of all of them. This is a chance for me to get to know them better. This is an opportunity for his circle of friends to get tighter, yet to expand.

In our interview we discuss all of this, along with Tommy giving us a look at future guests and the future of the podcast in general. Will it continue beyond the quarantine? Tommy reveals all in the interview.

While "Checking In" might have a limited audience of Tommy's frinds and friends of friends, the concept is really more my focus. If more folks did "Checking In" on their own, it would bring the world a bit closer. It would ease the isolation of staying home.

Thanks to Tommy for his time and consideration. I lok forward to hearing from more of his friends as he continues "Checking In."

You can find all of the "Checking In" podcasts on the Tommy Else YouTube channel. Also, you can listen to all of Tommy's podcasts on the Or Else channel on SoundCloud.

 

On the Beat With Kacy Standohar 2020

Last season, Kacy Standohar joined the Chicago Bandits as an onfield reporter. Kacy brought a lot of experience in covering sports and was a welcome addition to the Bandits family. I had the pleasure of doing an introductory interview with Kacy, which can be found at On the Beat With Kacy Standohar of the Chicago Bandits.
I introduced Kacy as the "ace" reporter and I meant it, although Kacy is too humble to call herself that. Kacy covers multiple sports expertly.

In addition to the Bandits, Kacy's impressive resume includes the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Chicago Steel, the Windy City ThunderBolts, Comcast and more. Her experience is only surpassed by her knowledge and enthusiasm. Kacy accomplishes the tricky feat of being a home team supporter, while still delivering content.

Usually a blur of activity at a Bandits game, you know if you see Kacy, you will see something interesting. If you are lucky enough to catch her in a quiet moment, she is always happy to greet and chat with fans and friends.

In the interview below, I talked to Kacy about what she is doing to fill the current sports void, her time with the Blue Jackets, taking batting practice, soap operas and more. She was a great sport, even on the sillier topics.

One of her current projects is "Bandits Candids," which will be taking place on Instagram. Kacy will be conducting interviews with the Bandits. It promises to be fun, light and interesting. It is exactly what Bandit Nation and sports fans in general need right now. As usual, Kacy and the Bandits deliver!

Follow Kacy and the Bandits at ChicagoBandits.com and all over social media. Especially look for "Bandits Candids." I'll be follow along and reporting back here on it as well.

I really thank Kacy for her time and consideration. It was really a blast seeing and talking to her and I look forward to doing another interview with Kacy in person this summer.