Friend Encounters: Christy Hemme and Jim Strong

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Music and wrestling are two of my pal Jim's interests. Christy Hemme meets both requirements.

I have known Jim for many years. I first met him when he was photographing wrestling. We don't remember when we first met. He doesn't even remember an event we attended sometime after meeting. Although we knew each other, he doesn't even remember helping me when my camera died and he took pictures of me with wrestlers at a signing.

When I saw former wrestler Hemme was appearing at the Midwest Sports Buffet, I thought I might see Jim there and I did. (Maybe he'll even remember this meeting. LOL)

Hemme debuted in the WWF in 2004. She also worked in Impact Wrestling. Along the way, she also dabbled in music, with her band Hemme. I am a bit biased, but I really liked her music.

Hemme stepped out of the limelight for a while to have a family. She had one child, then had quadruplets. Recently, she started doing appearances. She looks fantastic and more importantly, she is as sweet as can be. She even remembered me, even though I hadn't seen her in years. Back a few years, Hemme was kind enough to do some promos for my site (which can be foun in the far left column).

Midwest Sports Buffet has small conventions about every month or so. Look for Midwest Sports Buffet on Facebook for more info and scheduling. I keep hoping they will bring more wrestlers like Hemme.

Jim Strong and Christy Hemme in Bridgeview, IL-April 2023.

Christy Hemme at Wizard World 2010

Wizard World returns to Chicago this weekend. I really missed Wizard World. I also really miss Christy Hemme, who I saw many times at Wizard World and elsewhere.

Now retired from wrestling, Christy also ventured into singing, acting, hosting and more. Christy was always one of my favorites in and out of the ring, but after interviewing her a few times, I gained a whole new appreciation for her. My interview with Christy at Wizard World can be found at On the Beat With Christy Hemme. She's such a positive person and so much fun.

Christy seems to be enjoying life with her family these days. The mother of five, including quadruplets, talks about that in or interview. As the kids get bigger, I am hoping Christy will make more appearances. It's been too long!

Check WizardWorld.com for news and scheduling. Also, check back here for my recurring coverage.

Christy Hemme and me in Rosemont, IL-August 2010.

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.

My Prom Date Christy Hemme

I don't know exactly how long it has been since I have seen Christy Hemme, but it has been way too long. Christy has been a bit busy though, having quadruplets in late 2017, making her a mom of 5 total.

Christy modeled and was on the Chicago Bliss and then entered the world of pro wrestling. Always full of energy, some of her best work was as a backstage and in-ring interviewer.

I had the pleasure of meeting Christy times. One of our interviews can be found at On the Beat With Christy Hemme. She also did a promo for Johngy's Beat, which can be found in the left column.

At a show in Oaks, PA, Christy suggested we do a promo photo. I couldn't refuse that suggestion, especially since I never went to the promo. So there it is, my official prom picture.

Christy has made a few appearances of late. I am hoping these continue and become more frequent and more widespread (like to Chicago). Christy is really one of the sweetest people I have met and I miss seeing her.

Christy Hemme and me in Oaks, PA-October 2011.

Still Missing Christy Hemme

There was a time when I would see Christy Hemme at least a couple times a year.  I had the pleasure of interviewing her a few times, too.  Unfortunately, I haven't seen her in a few years.

Christy was a wrestler and ring announcer.  She was unique among the beauties in the sport.  She had a great look, charisma and talent.  She also has dabbled in the music industry.

Christy had a baby in 2015 and in September of 2016, she announced she was expecting quadruplets.  While I certainly am happy for Christy and her husband, five infants does not bode well for Christy making appearances in the near future.

Christy was always very cool with me.  She was always good for a laugh and some fun chitchat.  I always looked forward to seeing her.  Last year, I listed Christy among my top ten of people I wanted to see again and she remains on that list and will stay there until we do meet again.

For now, I will have to be content watching the Johngy promo she did for me.  That can be seen in the left hand column.  It was one of the best and most excited promos I've ever gotten.  Of course it was.  It was from Christy!

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

Christy Hemme Loves Johngy's Beat

I have liked Christy Hemme from her debut in the WWE.  She is a great combination of looks, personality and ability.  I have watched her evolve from a Diva Search contestant to a wrestler to a broadcaster.  Besides that, she is also an accomplished singer!  More importantly, she is a real sweetie.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Christy at TNA's Bound For Glory in Chicago a few years back.  The PR guy gave me a list of possible subjects and I immediately jumped at the chance to talk to Christy.  I have since interviewed her a couple more times.  Unfortunately, I have not seen her in a couple years.  I miss Christy.

I did recently get a little Christy fix, thanks to a wonderful video message she sent me.  Christy gave me the most energetic, fun promo I have ever gotten.  I absolutely love this and I love her for it.
I really, really hope to see Christy this year.  It's been way too long.  Until then, I'll always have this video, which is permanently in the left column of promos!

Friendly Encounters: Louis Tufano Meets Christy Hemme

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

I met Louis Tufano at a POWW (Purely Obsessed Wrestling World) event.  Louis was their new ring announcer.  He came up and introduced himself to me.  I liked him right from the start.
Of course, I asked Louis for an interview (which can be found here).  I learned a lot about Louis before and during the interview.  He is one interesting guy.
He obviously has an interest in wrestling.  I learned he was also a ref earlier in his career.  Most interesting, he told me that he has a huge action figure collection, which can be see on his Facebook page.  He has some great figures there.  It is cool to see that many.
Louis (or the Big Loubowski or even Shrek) surprised me by asking for a JohngysBeat.com shirt.  He then surprised me even more when I saw his daughter Reese wearing one of the shirts I gave him.  A father-daughter JohngysBeat.com shirt combo...how cool is that?
I think Louis is one of those soft-spoken, laid back guys who probably has about a thousand great stories.  I hope to hear some in 2013, as well as more about his action figure collection.
He has a bunch of pictures with wrestlers and other celebrities on his Facebook page.  I picked one with JohngysBeat.com favorite Christy Hemme.  (I went all of 2012 without seeing Christy...I miss her, but I digress).
Hopefully, I will interview Louis again in 2013.  I definitely plan to feature him here again.  He has a lot of awesome pictures.
I really appreciate Louis for reaching out initially.  I appreciate and respect him.  You should come out to POWW and see Louis and some great wrestling, too.

To learn more about Louis, see all of his pictures and get his updates, go to the Official Louis Tufano Facebook Page.

Christy Hemme and Louis Tufano in Chicago area, IL-August 2010.

Missing Christy Hemme

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

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

Friendly Encounters

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

Jack Odanovich was the first person to share a recap and picture when I was covering the Motor City Comic Con several years ago.  I really appreciated Jack's help and eventually met him at another MCCC.  Since then, I have gotten to know Jack a little better and also have gotten to know his father Craig, a relatively new author.
Jack dresses in full Star Wars garb while attending some conventions and charity events.  He also is a photog and has the Jack Odanovich Photography site.
Jack has a lot of fun, as is obvious in the picture below.  Jack apparently fell victim to a slashing (with his own sword) at the hands of Christy Hemme.
I love these type of pictures with celebrities.  There are only so many standard side-by-side shots you can have (especially for those of us who meet a lot of celebs).  Christy is always a good sport and I know Jack is always up for some fun at these events.

Jack Odanovich and Christy Hemme in Austin, TX-Fall 2010.

On the Beat with Christy Hemme

Wizard World is one of my favorite conventions.  I have attended and covered several of the events in Chicago and elsewhere and have always had a great time.  The vendors, artists and celebrity guests are all very people (and reporter) friendly.
At the last WW con in Chicago, I caught up with Christy Hemme.  I have interviewed Hemme a couple times in the past and she is always ready to talk about her music, travel or wrestling.  She is an excellent spokesperson for TNA Wrestling.

Fans can knock TNA Wrestling for a lot of reasons, but one thing nobody can deny is that they are extremely fan-oriented.  They have a lot of fan events and much of the talent is accessible.  At WW, fellow TNA star Mick Foley also talked to us and Kevin Nash posed with us, but we missed the interview times.

Thanks to Wizard World, TNA Wrestling and Christy Hemme for the time and consideration.They never tell me to write nice things, but this is what they deserve.

I Need a New Videographer

I have interviewed Christy Hemme twice, once at a wrestling pay-per-view and once at the Motor City Comic Con. She was great both times and also every other time I have met her.
Unfortunately, my videographer at the MCCC was not great. In fact he was lousy. I thought he had the videotaping under control. He's a techno-whiz.
Hemme was the first person I had the chance to interview at the MCCC in 2009. She gave me a good couple of minutes and I was happy that we were off to such a good start.
Then my friend showed me the video (and I used that term very loosely). At that point, I was totally frustrated. I had no other options and this one obviously was not going to work.
I haven't mentioned his name, because he is a good guy and meant to help. It just didn't work out that way....and below is the proof.

Divas on Display

One cool part of conventions is when the celebrity guests mingle with each other. This usually presents photo opportunities featuring rare combinations of celebs. I actually stumbled into one such occasion at the Ultimate Collectibles Show in Oaks (PA).

I had basically finished all of my work and was meandering towards the exit. The aisle in front of me was unusually clogged. I thought a big new celeb had arrived.
As I worked my way through the mob, I saw seven wrestling divas (past and present) assembled for a group photo. As I explained earlier, this was a rare chance to get a group photo of so many divas from the WWE, WCW and TNA. The ladies gladly posed as fan after fan captured the moment. Everyone wanted to get a picture of this Diva All-Star team.

Stacy Carter, Traci Brooks, Christy Hemme, Jackie Gayda-Haas, ODB, Georgie Frankenstein and SoCal Val in Oaks, PA-October 2010.

Interviews:2009

Here is the complete listing and linkage for all of my 2009 interviews.

David Clyde was a baseball phenom when I was growing up. He had an interesting career and I had the pleasure of talking to him at the Miracles Baseball Academy in Houston. Clyde's statements were open, honest and very refreshing. I posted his interviews in parts.
To hear the interviews with Clyde, click here and here.
In 2008, I interviewed Christy Hemme (of TNA wrestling) at the Wizard World Convention in Chicago. In 2009, I caught up with Hemme at the Motor City Comic Con.
To hear the Hemme interview, click here.
I did a phone interview with former pro basketball player Randy Denton. Denton talked about the draft, the ABA, basketball cards and more.
To hear the Denton interview, click here.

I had a quick chat with Bob Uecker in the Milwaukee Brewers dugout. He talked about golfing with Fran Gallagher of Global Traveler magazine.
To see the Uecker interview, click here.

In New York, I caught up Scotty Eyre, who pitched on both sides of Chicago. To see the Eyre interview, click here.

We talked to pitcher Jack Taschner in the Phillies dugout while at Citi Field in New York. Taschner talked about his hometown and his time on the west coast. To see the Taschner interview, click here.

It was a thrill talking to Gorman Thomas. He discussed his favorite ballparks to visit as a player. To see the Thomas interview, click here.

Willie Randolph was a class act throughout his playing career and he still is. Randolph gave some insight into Milwaukee and other cities when I talked to him at Miller Park. To hear the Randolph interview, click here.

Pitcher Jerry Augustine was another former player with the Brewers who talked to us. He talked about signing autographs at the stadium. To see the Augustine interview, click here.

We caught up with catcher Brad Ausmus, whom we followed for years in Houston. Ausmus talked about playing in Los Angeles and his future. To see the Ausmus interview, click here.

Jim Gantner talked to us about his playing days and the possibility of having his number retired by the Milwaukee Brewers. To see the Gantner interview, click here.

Pinch-hitting ace Manny Mota discussed his favorite cities to visit when he was a player. To see the Mota interview, click here.
Mike Cameron gave me a memorable interview. Cameron talked about the proper way to approach him, his favorite cities to visit, his time in Chicago and his time in Milwaukee. To see the Cameron interview, click here.
Then, a couple weeks later, I caught up with him in Houston. To see that video, click here.
My interview with Casey Blake got off to a bit of a rough start, too. Blake laughed it off and I recovered enough to make it okay. To hear the Blake interview, click here.

Ryan Braun approached us at Miller Park in Milwaukee. I asked him about the All-Star game and the Home Run hitting contest. To see the Braun interview, click here.

I caught Matt Thornton playing a video game at the Metrodome. I talked to him a bit about his game. To see the Thornton interview, click here.

Jason Michaels talked to us about his favorite cities to visit, which included Chicago. To see the Michaels interview, click here.

Hunter Pence turned down our first request, but came back to us later. To see the Pence interview, click here.

I was very excited to talk to Jose Cruz, one of my earliest mancrushes. To see the Cruz interview, click here.

I talked to Dewey Robinson about favorite cities to visit and about his time with the Chicago White Sox. To see the Robinson interview, click here.

I talked to Cecil Cooper about his favorite cities to visit. To see the Cooper interview, click here.

I think Geoff Blum got me in my quick chat with him. To see the Blum interview, click here.

Catching Up with Christy Hemme

I have met Christy Hemme (of Total Nonstop Action wrestling) several times. Hemme is a great spokesperson for wrestling, as she is always willing to discuss the business honestly. She also has more fun at conventions than any other celebrity I have ever seen.
When I did a piece on TNA wrestling for Global Traveler last year, Hemme was the first person TNA set up on my interview schedule. At the time, she was part of a group called the Rock and Roll Infection. Shortly after that, Hemme was injured and the group split up.
At the 2009 Motor City Comic Con, I had the chance for a quick catch up with Hemme. That brief interview with Hemme is here. Check out all of my interviews on my YouTube channel.

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

Friendly Encounters

This is another in a series of meetings of my friends and celebs.

In doing research for my Global Traveler online piece about the Motor City Comic Con, I have come across some very interesting people. Jack Odanovich is one of those people.
Odanovich is a member of SWSSA (Star Wars Society of San Antonio), having joined in May of 2007. Odanovich has attended the MCCC in the past to meet some of his favorite celebrities, but at times he is also treated as a celebrity by those who want a picture with him as Anakin Skywalker.
Odanovich has had a lot of fun at the MCCC, but I'll let him tell you a bit about that:
The special part of Motor City Comic Con compared to others is how it's more laid back and you can actually have conversations with the stars or comic book artists rather than feeling rushed at another convention where it's usually telling them your name to sign on the picture, saying that they are really fantastic, posing for a picture then leaving. Due to that fact alone and being from Texas, the convention was an amazing experience just to see and meet a new group of Star Wars fans that I haven't met before, having the opportunity to march in their parade around Rock Financial Showplace, having huge crushes on a few of the stars then getting the chance to meet them in person was almost like a dream come true, and to check out such cars that you would find in Knight Rider, Dukes of Hazzard, and the Monkees.
When Odanovich met Christy Hemme, one of the top wrestlers for Total Nonstop Action wrestling, he expressed how much he enjoyed her work as a performer. Odanovich appreciates what the wrestlers go through to please the fans.
Like most of us, Odanovich sometimes gets starstruck when meeting some celebrities. Unlike most of us, he has a costume and light saber which many of them find intriguing. Hemme obviously found Odanovich interesting.

Jack Odanovich and Christy Hemme at Motor City Comic Con in Novi, MI-May 2008.

Total Nonstop Action at 2007 Motor City Comic Con

One of the fun parts of the Motor City Comic Con is the fans. Many fans will dress as their favorite Superhero or sci-fi character for the costume contest (and some probably just for fun). Previously, I wrote about meeting Aquaman, my favorite Superhero. In 2007, Total NonStop Action wrestlers Gail Kim and Christy Hemme were pretty excited about meeting 'Wonder Woman'.
Much like my meeting with Aquaman, the fact that it wasn't really Wonder Woman did not stop Hemme or Kim from wanting a picture taken with the Amazon Princess. The fan paying the part was no woman, but he did make me wonder. Actually, this fan was one of the most photographed people at the show.








Hemme and Kim are very good wrestlers, who pride themselves on actually being able to wrestle. They also have done acting and Hemme has her own band (HEMME). Both were very fan-friendly.
For me, it was just fun to see Hemme and Kim eagerly call Wonder WoMAN over to pose for a picture. It isn't often that a celeb wants a picture with an attendee.

Gail Kim, Wonder WoMAN and Christy Hemme at Motor City Comic Con in Novi, MI-May 2007.

Christy Hemme the Quarterback?

Last Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. There was another game scheduled for the same day, but the Lingerie Bowl VI was canceled because of possible nudity, not by the players but by the fans.
The game was scheduled to be played at the Caliente Spa and Resort, a clothing-optional resort. The Lingerie Football League (LFL) requested that people stay dressed in certain areas of the resort. Caliente would not agree to the mandate. Reports differ as to the extent of the LFL's request for clothing beyond the official game area. No agreement could be reached, forcing the game to be stripped...I mean scrapped.
Further adding to the absurdity of this situation was the St. Petersburg Times. Read about the event on their site and make sure to check out who the staff writer was. You just can't make up better stuff than this.
The original Lingerie Bowl was a special pay-per-view event, which was broadcast at halftime of Super Bowl XXXVIII. Coincidentally, the NFL's halftime show featured Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson (and we all know what happened there). This silliness evolved into a full-fledged league, currently consisting of 10 teams, including the Chicago Bliss.
One of the former 'players' from the Bliss is Christy Hemme, currently a star with Total Nonstop Action wrestling (TNA). Hemme went from quarterbacking the Bliss to the WWE and then to TNA. I had the opportunity to interview Hemme and her tag team mates, Jimmy Rave and Lance Rock at TNA's Bound For Glory event in Chicago last year. Previously, I met Hemme at the Motor City Comic Con.

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

Interviews:2008

Here is the complete listing and linkage for all of my 2008 interviews.

I interviewed Rick Monday right outside the Dodgers' clubhouse at Dodger Stadium in June of 2008. We talked mostly about when he saved the U.S. flag from being burned. I wrote a piece about that for Global Traveler magazine's website. That GT piece was read by David Stein on Sporting News Radio.To hear the Rick Monday interview click hereTo hear David Stein read my piece click here


For another piece on GT's website, I interviewed wrestling personalities Al Snow, Terri Runnels and Scott Taylor separately at Wizard World in Rosemont, IL in August of 2008. We talked about travel, their current life and their future plans.To hear the Al Snow interview click hereTo hear the Terri Runnels interview click hereTo hear the Scott Taylor interview click here


I interviewed Mike Easler and Larry Bowa together during batting practice at Dodger Stadium in June of 2008. Easler talked about his favorite city, while Bowa wasn't quite as decisive about his. I also helped Bowa with fielding practice, although that is not part of the interview.To hear the Easler and Bowa interview click here


I interviewed Hall of Fame broadcaster Peter Gammons of ESPN on the field at Dodger Stadium in June of 2008. It was long before the game started and there were only a handful of people even there. We discussed his favorite cities.To hear the Peter Gammons interview click here


The last interview I got at Dodger Stadium in June of 2008 was with Ryan Dempster. Dempster had an unbelievable season after converting back to a starting pitcher after being a reliever for several years. Dempster was very loose and seemed happy to talk for a bit.
To hear the Ryan Dempster interview click here


I interviewed ESPN broadcaster Jon Miller at Dodger Stadium in June of 2008. Miller gave me over 3 minutes of his time, which is quite a lot for an unscheduled interview. He talked freely about a number of his favorite cities.To hear the Jon Miller interview click here


I interviewed Hall of Famer Joe Morgan right as he headed into the dugout moments before the game at Dodger Stadium in June of 2008. Morgan only had about 30 seconds, but I logged in another Hall of Famer!To hear the Joe Morgan interview click here

Doing some research for another GT website piece, I attended a couple of TNA wrestling events in the Chicago area. At the fanfest, i was able to interview Christy Hemme, Lance Rock and Jimmy Rave (collectively known as the Rock N Roll Infection). We talked about travel and the expansion of TNA.To hear the Christy Hemme, Rock and Rave interview click here


At the Walk for Hope 2008, in Glenview, IL, I interviewed actress Andrea Evans for a GT online piece. Evans discussed her return to tv's One Life to Live, her commitment to Walk for Hope, her partnership with Lather and her future plans.To hear the Andrea Evans interview click here

Total Nonstop Action

A few weeks back, on behalf of Global Traveler magazine, I checked out some Total Nonstop Action, otherwise known as TNA Wrestling. TNA held a pay-per-view (Bound For Glory) in Chicago for the first time. It was a major success, as was the fanfest the day before the ppv. Founded in 2002, TNA has been growing steadily. It is succeeding due to the hard work, dedication, versatility and creativity of all involved. Currently, Spike TV airs TNA iMPACT on Thursday in prime time.
The fanfest was held at the Hyatt Rosemont. Fans got to meet their favorite TNA personalities, purchase TNA merchandise and play the new video game (TNA iMPACT). Plenty of TNA staffers were on hand to ensure that this event ran as smoothly as any such event I have seen.
I had the chance to interview the Rock N Rave Infection (Jimmy Rave, Lance Rock and Christy Hemme) and to talk with Jeremy Borash (TNA broadcaster), Dixie Carter (President of TNA Entertainment) and Terry Taylor (Director of Talent Relations).
The ppv, Bound For Glory, was even more fun, as the Sears Centre was overflowing with rabid TNA fans and the show did not disappoint. From the opening tag team bout (Eric Young and Sojourner Bolt defeating Lance Rock and Christy Hemme) to the Icon Sting winning the TNA championship (defeating reigning champ, Samoa Joe), the action never let up nor did crowd reaction.

Jeremy Borash and me in Rosemont, IL-October 2008.