Lou Ferrigno Loves Johngy's Beat

I couldn't ask for much more than to have "The Incredible Hulk" supporting Johngy's Beat.  Last year, at the Wizard World Media Session, Lou Ferrigno was kind enough to send a shout out to us.

I also had the please of interviewing Ferrigno.  I have met and talked to him at conventions many times before, but it was very cool to sit down with Ferrigno and basically just talk.  I asked him about his motivation, his acting (including his role on King of Queens) and more.  That interview can be found at On the Beat with Lou Ferrigno at Wizard World.  He followed the interview by giving us the promo below.

The promo has now taken its rightful place in the right column of Johngy promos.  Thank you Lou!

On the Beat with Gabe and Jacques Baron at Days of the Dead 2014

I always have a great time interviewing the Baron brothers.  Jacques and Gabe Baron of Resistance Pro wrestling are always good for some interesting and witty banter.

At the recent Days of the Dead, I caught up with them again.  We talked a little horror, a little wrestling and a little nonsense.

I have written many pieces on Resistance Pro and I will continue to do so.  The Baron brothers deserve all of the press they can get, but I don't write just for them.  I write for the other workers at RPro.  I write for the loyal fans of RPro.  I also write for the potential fans out there who have not experienced RPro yet.  I cannot encourage you enough to come out and enjoy a show.

The next show is "Animals" on Saturday, January 17 at 115 Bourbon Street in Merrionette Park, IL..  Until then, please enjoy the interview with Gabe and Jacques.

On the Beat with Mad Man Pondo and Crazy Mary Dobson at Days of the Dead 2014

Crazy Mary Dobson and Mad Man Pondo are two of my favorite wrestlers in Resistance Pro.  On the surface they are seemingly opposites, yet they are a great match.
Pondo is a ring veteran of many years.  When I heard he was coming to RPro, I expected to see hardcore wrestling from him.  I have seen plenty of that, but I have also seen a veteran who is willing to help the younger wrestlers any chance he gets.
If I say Pondo is caring, he might crash my skull with his trademark stop sign, but the truth is he does care.  He cares about the sport of wrestling, Resistance Pro as a company and the individual wrestlers.  He has shown himself to be a real company man, while still being a hardcore wrestler.
Crazy Mary came in a one of many women trying to earn respect in the women's division.  She has put on many great matches.  She went to Japan for several months to hone her skills.  Since her return, even the WWE has taken notice and put her on their program a few times.  I think it is only a short matter of time before she has televised matches with the WWE.
At the recent Days of the Dead convention, I caught up with the couple.  They talked to me about some of their horror favorites, as well as what they have been doing in wrestling.
These two are just great.  I love them both.  I encourage everyone to come out to the next RPro show on January 17 to see them in action.  They will not disappoint!  Until then, check out my interview below and then go to ResistancePro.com for more info on them and RPro.

On the Beat with William Forsythe at Days of the Dead 2014

William Forsythe has a long and impressive acting resume, including many roles as unlikeable characters and villains.  His role as real-life mobster Sammy Gravano, aka "The Bull", in Gotti, is probably the favorite of my friends.  That and the fact that he has done a lot of work set in Chicago, has earned him a soft spot in our hearts.
Despite his longevity and success, Forsythe has remained a pretty private person.  He doesn't grab headlines and basically stays out of the limelight.  At the recent Days of the Dead though, he was definitely one of the most popular guests.
Pre-show, I saw Forsythe talking to several fans and vendors.  He was just a regular guy, friendly as could be.  I approached him and was successful in getting a short interview.  I wasn't too successful at getting any major scoops about his favorite Chicago spots, but he did mention one.  I'll take it!
He is an interesting guy and he was totally cool with all of his fans.  As always, I give thanks to Days of the Dead for bringing in such quality celebrities.  I also totally appreciate the time Forsythe gave us.

On the Beat with Coach Ted Dent of the Rockford IceHogs-12/06/14

We made it back to Rockford over the weekend to catch the Saturday night game.  The first place IceHogs were hosting the last place Grand Rapids Griffins.  

The Western Conference Midwest division is highly competitive this season.  The IceHogs were 16-5-1-1, while the Griffins were 9-9-2-0.  The five teams in the division were separated by a mere 14 points.

Making this game even more interesting is the NHL affiliations of the two teams.  The IceHogs are the Chicago Blackhawks AHL affiliate, while the Griffins are the Detroit Red Wings AHL affiliate.  Even the mildest hockey fans knows of the rivalry between the Hawks and Wings.

Unfortunately, this was not a good night for the IceHogs.  The Griffins won the game 4-0, but the game was more evenly played than the score would indicate.

The power plays seem to be the story of the game.  The Griffins played tough when they were outnumbered, but the IceHogs did not do so well when the Griffins had the advantage.  An empty net goal was the final score, as Coach Ted Dent pulled goalie Michael Leighton with about 3 minutes left, in hopes of sparking the IceHogs.

After the game, we talked to Coach Dent about the game and the next day's schedule.  The IceHogs would go on to lose to Lake Erie in overtime.  The IceHogs still hold a 6 game lead over the Chicago Wolves.

It is always tough talking to a coach after such a loss.  What can I really ask and what can he really say?  The team did not play exceptionally well.  They missed some opportunities and they did not stay strong when defending the power play.  Yet, there was Coach Det handling the questions from other media outlets and me.  He waqs upbeat and classy.  I have alot of respect for him.

This was only one loss.  The IceHogs are still in first and there is much optimism for a great season.

I am excited to be back on the beat with the IceHogs.  The games are always fun (although wins are more fun).  The BMO Harris Bank Center was packed Saturday night.  The fans were disappointed, of course, but they remained supportive and loud throughout.

Until my next game in Rockford, I will be following the IceHogs from Chicago.  It won;t be long before I return though.  I can;t wait.

My assistant was Chuck Gekas, who has now seen two IceHogs games and is quickly becoming a fan, too.  There is always room for more on the IceHogs bandwagon!

Thank you to Coach Dent for his time and consideration.  Thank you to the IceHogs organization for their hospitality.

On the PsychoBabble Beat with Felissa Rose at Days of the Dead 2014

I first saw Felissa Rose in Sleepaway Camp.  Little did I dream that years later, I would interview her at Days of the Dead in 2012.  Our first interview with Felissa can be found at On the Beat with Felissa Rose.

I wrote "first," because we got another interview this year, although Dr. Chance Burnbaum (aka Jimmy McHugh) of PsychoBabbleTV took care of the interviewing duties as only he could.  Dr. Burnbaum and Felissa together are comedic gold.

I got a little ahead of myself there.  As I roamed the Days convention setting up my interviews, I came across Felissa's booth.  I started to greet her, but was stopped as she jumped up, came around the booth and gave me a huge hug.  It doesn't get much better than that.  Felissa is a real sweetheart.  We talked for a few minutes and I told her the PsychoBabbleTV crew would be coming by later.

Felissa has a lengthy resume, including many memorable roles..  She is easily one of the most popular guests at every convention.  She is also one of the most fan-friendly guests.  Simply stated, Felissa is a dream guest.

I am sure you will enjoy the interview below as much as I did.  Thanks to Felissa for her time.  Thanks to PsychoBabbleTV.com for partnering with me.  Thanks to Days fo the Dead for another in a long line of fantastic guests!

On the Beat with Justin Alcala at Days of the Dead 2014

Days of the Dead is always presenting me with new opportunities.  At the recent Days in Chicago, I met a native Chicagoan author, who just happens to be a distant relative.

Early Saturday morning, my cousin Ernie Sanchez messaged me that his cousin was appearing at Days.  I never pass on a new author, especially one with familial ties!

Justin Alcala is a freelance writer and a published author.  Like me, he was born and raised on the southside of Chicago.  Justin did a lot of writing to hone his skills and get noticed.

Alcala was at Days to promote his first supernatural thriller, “Consumed.”  I will let him tell you about "Consumed" in our interview below.  We also talked about his current projects and some other fun.

After you watch the interview below, check out JustinAlcala.com for more info on him.  I am sure you will find him as interesting and engaging as I did.  I look forward to seeing him again and to following his career.

On the Beat with Jeff Scanlan

When our Boys of Summer trip shifted to Milwaukee this year, Chuck Gekas mentioned his friend and fellow magician Jeff Scanlan performed at Miller Park.  Scanlan entertained fans with close-up magic at Sunday home games.  I thought it would be an interesting interview, but there was even more to the picture than I first thought.

Chuck and I found Scanlan near the right field concourse.  He had a consistent audience throughout his entire show.  Scanlan incorporated many of the kids into the tricks.  I am always amazed at the ability of magicians, especially performing up close tricks like this.  Scanlan entertained the fans with his tricks and with his interaction.  This was such a cool attraction at a ballpark.

At the conclusion of his performances, the three of us went to the Brewers offices to talk.  I figured Chuck would be the better interviewer, since he knew Scanlan.

Scanlan told a couple of fun stories about his performances.  Then Chuck asked about his other passion.  Here is where it got even more interesting.

Scanlan puts things inside of bottles.  Of course, I had heard of ships built in bottles, but Scanlan's skills go well beyond that.  I also learned there were others like him (although Scanlan loos to be the best) and that there are rules governing the craft.

Tennis balls, golf balls, perfect and new decks of cards and Converse high tops are just some of the things that Scanlan has gotten into standard bottles.  I checked his website and I still can't believe my eyes.  This is simply amazing.  His magic was impressive, but his bottle magic blew my mind.

The interview covers Scanlan's magic and also his bottle magic.  I am just fascinated by this.  After you watch the video, check out JeffScanlan.com and BottleMagic.com to learn more about this talented man.

Thanks to Chuck for turning me onto this.  Thanks to Jeff for his time and consideration.  Thanks to the Milwaukee Brewers for their hospitality.

On the Beat with Resistance Pro at "Rust in Peace"

Resistance Pro's Halloween themed "Rust in Peace" was another night of great wresting action, along with spooky, funny and odd costumes worn by wrestlers and fans.  It made for another memorable night at RPro.
JohngysBeat.com scored our first interview with RPro Security member Scottie Steiner.  The namesake of Big Poppa Pump and the son of RPro staffer Heidi discussed his future goal of wrestling, along with other fun stuff.  Scottie, aka Big Scott Vader, won last year's costume contest as ScottDust and should have won this year.
Special Correspondent Jonathan McMahon got an interview with Sugar Dunkerton.  Special D is always a treat and is always entertaining.
JMac also talked to Mad Man Pondo.  Pondo discussed his role in video games, his role at RPro and more.
Lastly, I talked to Professor Kliq who was back at RPro.  The talented musician and wrestling fan talked about his latest projects.  It is always a pleasure seeing and talking to Professor Kliq.

The next RPro show is "...And Justice For All" on Friday in Lockport.  Check out ResistancePro.com for all of the details.

On the Beat with Resistance Pro's "Practice What You Preach"

At last month's "Practice What You Preach," Resistance Pro put on another great night of wrestling.  We got a handful of interesting interviews, as well.

Eric St. Vaughn and Brady Pierce of Body Magic took home the tag team gold.  We have supported ESV from his debut and this interview was well worth the wait.  Cameos by various RPro people and assorted other fun, make this one of my favorite interviews of all time.

I have to give Special Correspondent Jonathan McMahon credit for nabbing D'Arcy Dixon, former RPro Women's champ.  D'Arcy has been rather elusive, but JMac got her or maybe she got him.  She really had himn squirming and that made this one of my favorite interviews, too.

The talent isn't the only thing of interest, however.  Some of the fans can be just as entertaining.  Such is the case with Dick Griffiths, aka Chain Male.

JMac was back on the beat with an update interview with Mike Bellcaster.  Since our last interview with Bellcaster, has has added "ring announcer" to his resume.  He has also added "dad," and we congratulate him and his lovely wife Nicole (aka the Merchandise Girl).

The next RPro show is "Rust in Peace," a Halloween themed night of fun.  Come out and join the gang on Saturday night.

On the Beat with New Tag Team Champ Eric St. Vaughn

This post and this interview is over 2 years in the making.  It is all well worth it though.  (Of course, Eric St. Vaughn did all of the hard work to get to this point.)

When I heard that Eric St. Vaughn had joined Resistance Pro wrestling, I immediately contacted him about an interview.  ESV was going to be RPro's first home grown star and I wanted to get him from day one.

Despite his in-ring persona, ESV had always treated me very well.  He never turned down my many interview requests.  Win, lose or draw, he always was willing to talk to JohngysBeat.com.  Even after a particularly hard and tiring show, ESV gave time to talk to a group of teenage JohngysBeat.com interns.  ESV proved that you could be a bad guy in the ring, but not a total jerk outside.

I have witnessed how hard this man worked at his craft.  He started in D'Arcy's Dynasty and morphed into the leader of Body Magic.  His fan section at the shows is always the largest and loudest.  Clearly, ESV has been doing something right.

In truth, he is still learning in the ring, but together with Brady Pierce, Body Magic captured tag team gold at the recent RPro show.  The place went wild.  Wrestlers, fans, RPro management and a reality tv show crew all congratulated and celebrated with ESV.

After the win and the victory tour around the arena, ESV was mobbed in the lockerroom.  After a brief celebration there, he had some interviews to do with the reality show folks.  A visibly emotional and exhausted ESV emerged from the backstage area and signaled me for our interview.

This was the interview I had planned for years.  True, as is stated in the interview, "everything went off the rails," but that was okay for this night.  We got cameos by other wrestlers, plastic fruit and bread, laughs, emotions and more.  I hope I did this win justice for ESV.

I want to take this time to publicly thank ESV  for letting me ride along on his journey.  The title is yours, buddy.  You worked for this, dreamed of it and now you are living it.

It was another magical night at RPro.  Actually, it was a Body Magic-al night!

On the Beat at Resistance Pro's "Draw the Line"

The last Resistance Pro show was dedicated to United States veterans and they packed the house.  It was the usual great RPro event, plus the added bobus of giving back to the veterans for their service.

Speaking of the veterans, we got an interview with C Red, a veteran of the service.  He spoke on what this show means to him and the others.

We also spoke to Mickie Knuckles.  Knuckles left me with a unique and much-appreciated gift.

While Special Correspondent JayHawk Evans was interviewing Head Ref Robert King, they were interrupted by Robert's brother Justin.  They also were interrupted by "The Ego" Robert Anthony and Knuckles.  Lastly, all heck broke loose and the interview had to be continued in another room.

Finally, we talked to Warden Myers.  This interview was also interrupted.  Rival Manager C Red injected a little soul into the segment.

The next show is Friday night.  "Practice What You Prewch" promises to be another awesome night of entertainment.

On the Beat at Resistance Pro's "The Real Thing"

It was a sweltering night in the Barn in Willowbrook, but that did not prevent the folks at Resistance Pro Wrestling from putting on another great event.  "The Real Thing" featured an evening full of wrestling, along with several extra cameras, as the long-awaited reality show tapings started to happen.

The AMC film crews were not the only ones doing any video recording.  As usual, JohngysBeat.com grabbed a few stars of RPro for some interviews.

The Slobberknockers were making their return to the ring, after such an emotional debut a couple months ago.  We also got them for a return interview.  Despite the best efforts of a few joker wrestlers, the Slobberknockers held their composure throughout (most) of the interview.

Special Correspondent Jonathan McMahon interviewed Referee Mario Scruggs and I interviewed Referee Drew Thomas.  These were our first interviews with both of these refs.

After months of trying, I finally got to interview Musical Director Sheri Shaw.  Shaw is usually a whirlwind of activity, but we got her right before her day began.

We also spoke to Matt Knicks.  The Marvelous One discussed his recent attitude change and his split from former partner "Big C" Chris Castro.

Lasty, in a short video presentation, we gave Eric St. Vaughn a trophy commemorating his 40,000 YouTube Views for one of our previous interviews.  It was the first interview we have done (and only one so far) to have reached that mighty milestone.

On the Beat with Jason David Frank at Wizard World 2014

Prior to this year's Wizard World in Chicago, I had the pleasure of conducting an interview with Jason David Frank at 5 Roses Pub in Rosemont.  This type of media opportunity is rare, but this is how Wizard World operates.  They make sure that the press and other attendees have great opportunities all throughout the convention.

The question I most wanted to ask Jason was about him developing his own martial arts practice.  How does one do such a thing?  Clearly this man is a master.

We also talked about the Power Rangers, his acting, future projects and more.  He even mentioned indoor sky-diving, something I really have wanted to try.

Jason is an interest guy.  Matt wanted to interview him at a previous con, but we didn't have the chance.  I am so glad to have done it this time.

On the Beat with Lou Ferrigno at Wizard World 2014

I have had the pleasure of covering Wizard World for several years.  I have done so on my own, as an official video blogger and as a member of the credentialized press.  Previous to that, I went as a fan.

This year, the experience was taken to another level, when I was part of the media group at a pre-event gathering before the actual convention in Chicago.

The event featured two celebrity Guests of Honor, Lou Ferrigno and Jason David Frank.  I got to interview each man separately.  What a blast this was.

The question I really wanted to ask Ferrigno was how he felt about the new technology making the superheros (including the Hulk) literally larger than life.  Back when he was on The Incredible Hulk, he really was the Hulk.  That was the great part.  Aside from the green makeup, he didn't need any enhancements.

His answer was awesome.  In the end he will be the only one who can ever sign autographs!  How perfect and how fitting for a comic con.

I also asked Ferrigno about The King of Queens, his motivations, his acting and more.  It was a bit noisy at the event, but we did our best and would never pass on a chance to intervuiew Ferrigno.

On the Beat with Matthew Mossotti at Wizard World 2014

I owe my Resistance Pro friend Sheri Shaw for today's feature.  Prior to attending Wizard World 2014 in Chicago, Sheri told me about Matthew Mossotti and I was very intrigued.

According to his website MatthewMossotti.com, Mossotti is a philosopher and developer of creative media.  That seems deep and intriguing.  Once I started talking to him at his booth, I realized how accurate it is.

Mossotti is a fascinating guy.  He is the creative force behind the SpeciMen Trilogy, a graphic novel series.  Listening to Mossotti explain the concept of SpeciMen captivated me.  I was hooked immediately.

According to the SpeciMen Trilogy Facebook page, the SpeciMen Trilogy is "A ‘Star Wars meets The Matrix’ action-adventure, a complex tapestry of global intrigue, cutting-edge physics, ancient mythologies, & sacred scriptures."  Clearly this isn't your average graphic novel.

Mossotti discussed philosophy, religion, politics, events and much more when explaining SpeciMen to me.  The knowledge and research alone which was put into the series blows my mind.  Mossotti did not just write some fantasy joy-ride series.  This is thought-provoking, to say the very least.

I really want to keep up with the developments of this series.  I plan on following Mossotti and the SpeciMen Trilogy updates going forward.  I hope to have the chance to interview him again for more updates and info.

On the Beat with Kristen Butler of the Chicago Bandits

The season is over for the Chicago Bandits, but JohngysBeat.com and Justin's World of Softball will continue to run our series of interviews with the team.  Today, I am featuring Kristen Butler.  Justin's take can be found at Kristen Butler Interview on Justin's World.
A catcher by trade, she was the 2006 SEC Player of the Year while at Florida.  Butler played four seasons with the Akron Racers, before taking off a couple years.  She rejoined the National Fast Pitch with the Bandits in 2012.
Butler accepted the position as the Head Coach at Toledo, thus ending her NPF playing career.  It is always sad to see someone like Butler go.  She is as talented as she is classy.  We certainly wish her well in her new position.  Hopefully, our paths will cross again and we can get an update from her.
For now, we hope you enjoy our interview with her, which can be found at Kristen Butler Interview on YouTube.

Kristen Butler and me in Rosemont, IL-July 2014.

On the Beat with Tommy Else (The Madame Zuzu's Aftermath)

A couple weeks ago, a group of my friends watched our mutual friend Tommy Else live out his unimaginable dream. Tommy played an acoustic set at Madame ZuZu’s Tea Shop in Highland Park, Ill. Also in attendance was Billy Corgan, owner/operator of Zuzu’s, frontman for the Smashing Pumpkins and Tommy’s musical idol.  I wrote about the night in an online piece for Global Traveler magazine at A Night of Good Music and Good Friends.
I had interviewed Tommy before the show to get his pre-show thoughts.  That interview can be found at On the Beat with Tommy Else.  Last Saturday, I spoke to Tommy about that night, to get his post-show thoughts.  That interview is below.
Tommy's performance impressed all of us.  We knew that Tommy dabbled in music, but we had no idea how good he really was.
I am quite sure Tommy was nervous about the night.  It was his first public performance in a long time (other than random karaoke nights).  He was performing in front of his idol, Billy Corgan, at Billy's invitation.  I applaud Tommy for just having the guts to do this, let alone do it so well.

Tommy is a great guy and we were all so happy tat he got this opportunity.  This is beyond bucket list stuff.  Five years ago, Tommy would never even have dreamed of this possibility.  Yet, there he was weaving flawlessly through a two hour set of beautiful music.  It truly was a magical night and I am happy and proud to have been there.

On the Beat with Manager Shane Winkler of the Chicago Bandits

The Johngy's Beat-Justin's World joint coverage of the Chicago Bandits continues today with Manager Shane Winkler.  This is an interview I did not want to see happen.  It is the season wrap and therefore it meant that the regular season was over.
Winkler lead the Bandits to 2nd place with a 30-18 record.  The USSSA Pride finished in 1st with a 33-15 record.  The Bandits met the AkronRacers in the playoffs and unfortunately lost the best of three series.
It was a great season of watching the Bandits.  Winkler was very professional and friendly to us.  I really enjoyed this season and look forward to next season.

We will have several more interviews with the Bandits in the near future.  We were fortunate enough to talk to every player and we will run all of those interviews here.

Post by Justin's World.

On the Beat with James Finn Garner and Paul Erickson at Wizard World 2014

I first met James Finn Garner and Paul Erickson separately last year.  Both did interviews with JohngysBeat.com and I have followed them since.  A few weeks ago, Erickson told me he would be at Wizard World in Rosemont and that he would be sharing a booth with Garner.  I was excited about revisiting each.

I don't usually like to interview two people together, especially when they are not totally connected professionally.  After talking informally to both, we all decided it would make sense and be fun to do this twofer.

Jame Finn Garner is a New York Times best-selling author.  His clown noir book series featuring Rex Koko fascinated me.  I am not just giving lip-service either.  I bought the first two books in the series from Garner and I can't wait to dive into them.

Erickson is the best Tolkien parodist.  His passion (and humor) is evident as he is usually in costume at these conventions.  My nephew Matt bought his books last year and this time, I purchased the first book, The Wobbit A Parody (of Tolkien's The Hobbit).

I had a blast seeing and talking to these guys again.  I encourage everyone to check out their works after you watch the interview below.

This is one of the cool things about the comic con circuit.  I get to reconnect with people like Garner and Erickson.  Each time we get to know each other a little better (that's a scary thought for them).

I appreciate Wizard World granting me the opportunity and I thank Garner and Erickson for their time and consideration.  Check them out.  They are really interesting guys!