Friend Encounters: The Rock N Roll Express and Troy

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Some would say it isn't rock and roll unless Troy is there. I cannot disagree. Neither can Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton. Clearly Troy would fit right in with the legendary Rock 'N' Roll Express tag team. 

Troy got to hang with Morton and Gibson, but he didn't actually get in the ring with them at Squared Circle Expo earlier this year. Actually, Troy got to hang with a lot of great wrestlers there, when he wasn't working there, of course. Troy is one of several diligent folks who make SCX the best wrestling convention. With four SCX events completed, there have been a couple hundred wrestling legends and stars in their lineup. That's in addition to full wrestling cards each night, quality vendors, panels, Q&As and much more. Plus, you get to meet Troy.

Meanwhile the Rock 'N' Roll express seems to be winding down their Hall of Fame careers, but never say retire. Though older and slower, these guys can still go in the ring and entertain all. They were very popular with the SCX attendees.

For more info, go to SquaredCircleX.com. I'll be there as always. When you see Troy, ask for a selfie.

Ricky Morton, Troy and Robert Gibson in Chillicothe, OH-March 2024.

Friend Encounters: Mickie James and Troy

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Squared Circle Expo is the biggest and best wrestling convention. It features a huge lineup of wrestling legends and current stars, vendors, panels, Q&As and more. It also features Troy!

Troy can always be found at SCX. He usually assists a wrestler at his table, but he also does other things, pretty much anything that is needed. He is a Troy of all trades and he is a great guy.

Last year, although he wasn't working her table, Troy got a picture with Mickie James, former WWE and Impact women's champ. James is a future Hall of Famer and she also dabbled in music. I really enjoy her singing, as I told her at SCX IV. She talked about doing more singing and I hope she does.

James did not need a manager in her wrestling career, but Troy would have made a good one. I also believe Troy could have worked both as a heel and a fan favorite.

SCX V has been announced for April 25-26, 2025 in Indianapolis. For more info, go to SquaredCircleX.com. I'll be there. Troy will be there. Mickie might be there, but there will be 50+ other wrestlers for sure.

Troy and Mickie James in Indianapolis, IN-March 2024.

Friend Encounters; Barbara Crampton and Troy

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends meeting celebrities.

Barbara Crampton made her mark in horror movies and on daytime dramas. Her work in the horror field is what makes her in high demand at celebrity conventions. My friend Tony and i met her at HorrorHound Weekend in Cincinnati a couple months agi. She was as nice as could be and had a long line of fans all weekend. I do believe Tony was her first fan though.

Also very popular at celebrity conventions is my pal Troy. Oh he might say he is simply a handler, one who helps the real celebrity at their booths, but I know better. Troy is in high demand wherever he goes.

While I have not been a handler, it is a great way to get into a convention and be around celebrities. Basically, you either sit at a celeb's booth or you are a general help, handling things all over as needed. Troy is a veteran at this and one of the best. He also is easy-going, fun and a great guy. I highly recommend him for any convention.

Go to HorrorHoundWeekend.com for more info and scheduling. As for Troy, look for him anywhere and everywhere.

Barbara Crampton and Troy in Cincinnati, OH-March 2024.

CM Punk at C2E2 2019

New York Comic Con returns to the Big Apple October 17-20. From ReedPop, the same folks who run C2E2 in Chicago, NYCC is one of the major comic cons in the world.

I have attended NYCC the last two years, but will miss it this year. It's not because I don't want to go. I loved NYCC. I just have other commitments, but my mind will be at NYCC.

I was amazed at how big it was when I first saw it in 2021. With all due respect to comic cons in Chicago, NYCC was bigger and bolder. I quickly realized I needed to make a logistical plan to minimize walking back and forth across the huge Javits Center, but every step was worth it. It was awesome.

NYCC will probably have several wrestlers on their guest list. I have met a bunch there either as part of the NYCC lineup or brought in by specific vendors. Either way, there was a solid wrestling presence.

While he probably won't be at NYCC, CM Punk is a popular guest at C2E2. The Chicago-area native is also back in the ring with the WWE.

Punk can be a polarizing figure, but I have had nothing but pleasant experiences with him. I've talked to him at length at various comic cons and a couple shows. Maybe it is the right time and place for him, but no matter, he was still very friendly.

For more info on Punk, go to WWE.com. Also, check NYCC.com and C2E2.com for more info and scheduling on these two great events.

Troy Babbs, CM Punk and me in Chicago, IL-March 2019.

Friend Encounters: Duke Droese and Troy Babbs

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

Today, I feature Troy Babbs, who I met years ago at a horror convention. Since then, I have seen him many times at other cons and he has even joined the Johngy's Beat crew for a few. It's always great seeing Troy, whether he's assisting me or just hanging out.

Until recently, I would have been envious of this picture. Troy met former WWF wrestler Duke "The Dumpster" Droese. Fortunately for me, I had the pleasure of meeting Droese at the Squared Circle Expo in May. I also reconnected with Troy, whom I hadn't seen since the pandemic.

Droese started wrestling in 1990 and wrestled with the WWF '94-'96. After leaving the WWF, he wrestled in smaller companies, but made a few return appearances with the WWE.

In the period when the WWF was full of job characters, Droese was saddled with a garbageman character, but he embraced it and had a nice run with the company. He didn't win any titles, but he was pretty popular for a while. He also was ranked No. 130 o the top 500 singles wrestlers  in the PWI 500 in 1995.

At the Squared Circle Expo, Droese brought his trademark garbage can, which worked great in pictures. I wonder if he brings the can with him for his appearances or if he gets one in each city.

Although I finally got to meet Droese, thus losing my envy over this picture, it's still a great one. Troy still gets to say he met him first.

The Squared Circle Expo was loaded with great wrestlers of the past and present. The SCX 2022 is this Friday and Saturday, 4/15-16. Go to SquaredCircleX.com for more info and updates. Also follow here for my recurring coverage of the SCX.

Troy Babbs and Duke Droese in Fort Wayne, IN-October 2018.

Friend Encounters: Robbie Rist and Troy Babbs

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

Troy Babbs is one of the great friends I have gotten through the convention scene. Troy has been a volunteer helper at several cons and he also joined Johngy's Beat to help me a few times. Of course, I appreciate his assistance, but I appreciate his friendship more.

If you are lucky enough to know Troy, you are well aware of his great sense of humor. Sometimes offbeat and quirky, it never ceases to make me laugh. Speaking of quirky and offbeat, his partner in the picture below is just that or at least his most famous character was. 

Rist played cousin Oliver on The Brady Bunch. Although surprisingly Rist only appeared in six episodes of the show, he is often remembered unfavorably as a much bigger part of the end of it.

Realistically, nobody blames Rist for the demise of the show. It was clearly on its last legs, but the addition of the young Rist has become somewhat of a legendary concept. Many shows inject youth to try to revive sagging ratings. This has become known as "The Cousin Oliver Syndrome." It's a bif unfair, but it keeps his name around.

For his part, Rist takes it all in good humor. He has remained busy in entertainment, doing acting, voice overs, music and more. He ia also a popular guest on the comic con scene. He embraces his part in television history and profits a bit from it.

He was very cool the couple times I met him. I did not meet him at the same place as Troy did, but I wish I did. Look at the fun they are having. It's typical Troy. I am so happy I will finally see this guy again at the upcoming Squared Circle Expo this weekend.

Troy Babbs and Robbie Rist in Indianapolis, IN-August 2018.

Friend Encounters: Sug D and Troy Babbs

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

Today I am featuring two legitimately great guys. I am proud that both are my friends.

Sugar Dunkerton (or Sug D or any of his other wrestling monikers) is one of the most talented and charismatic wrestlers on the Independent scene. I first met Sug many years ago when he was in a tag team at Resistance Pro Wrestling. His RPro path was classic, going from a successful and popular tag team to an eventual Heavyweight champ. As the champ, Sug really came into his own. He became quite a leader in the locker room, while being the face of RPro to the fans. His entrances were electric. It might sound cliche, but he really had an aura about him. It was a fun time at RPro.

I met Troy Babbs on the convention scene. Whether a volunteer, an attendee or even part of the Johngy's Beat crew, Troy is a lot of fun. When he is working the cons, he is a valuable asset and a great ambassador for the promoters. As an attendee, he is loads of laughs.

These two guys truly are two quality people. I have met many people through conventions and pro wrestling, but Sug and Troy rank among the best.

They reconnected at a wrestling show a couple  years back. I can't imagine the fun and hijinx when these two got together. I wish I was there and I hope to see both again this year. It has been too long since I have sen either of these men.

Troy Babbs and Sug D in Carmel, IN-January 2018.

Friend Encounters: Lee Majors and Troy Babbs

Friend Encounters is a weekly series in which I feature friends who have met celebrities.

I met Troy Babbs through the convention scene. Sometimes he volunteers at them, sometimes he is just an attendee and he has even joined the Johngy's Beat crew a few times. Either way, it is always great seeing Troy and I always have fun around him.

I don't see Troy very often, but I always look forward t it.He's simply a quality person> He is one of many awesome people I have met through conventions, but he is one of the best! Everyone loves this guy and I have never heard a bad word about him.

Troy gets excited meeting celebrities, as do we all. He gets the unique perspective from working some of their tables, too. Of course, they also get the "Troy Babbs Experience" and that is priceless.

I am reasonably sure I will see Troy at the Squared Circle Expo coming to Indianapolis in May.

Troy had the pleasure of meeting Lee Majors (or did Majors have the pleasure of meeting Troy) a few years ago. I have yet to meet the "Six Million Dollar Man" and I am envious of Troy on this one. We'll see who we both meet at the Squared Circle Expo.

Go to Squared Circle Expo on Facebook to get all of the info. If you see Troy there, tell him I sent you.

Lee Majors and Troy Babbs in Lexington, KY-March 2017.

Friend Encounters; David Howard Thornton and Troy Babbs at Days of the Dead 2018

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities. With Days of the Dead coming to Chicago November 22-24, this is a special Friend Encounters Dys of the Dead edition.

Troy Babbs is one of the nicest people I have ever met. I originally got to know him from Days of the Dead events, but we have also gone to other comic cons over the years. Troy is a lot of fun and has also been a lot of help with my various coverage.

As I have previously written, Troy is no longer part of the DotD crew and that makes me sad. I miss seeing his smiling face at those events. Still, I enjoy following his exploits on social media. He is always good for a laugh, feel good moment or cool celebrity picture.

I also look forward to seeing Troy at Squared Circle Expo coming to Indianapolis next year. Not much information is out yet, but it is going to be a great event. Stay tuned here for updates on that future event, as I will be "On the Beat" when it happens.

As for Troy's celebrity encounters, he met David Howard Thornton at DotD Chicago last year. Of the encounter, Troy said, "David Howard Thornton from Terrifier was awesome all weekend!! You should have seen him CRUSH Bohemian Rhapsody at karaoke!!" That is typical fun you will experience around Troy.

Go to DaysoftheDead.com for more info on the upcoming Chicago event and all others around the country. Also, follow Days of the Dead on Facebook for more frequent updates.

David Howard Thornton and Troy Babbs in Schaumburg, IL-November 2018.

Friend Encounters: Paul Sorvino and Troy Babbs at Days of the Dead 2018

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

I met Troy Babbs at one of the Days of the Dead conventions several years back. Troy was a volunteer staffer there. While Troy left the Days team with some other friends last year, it did not end our friendship.
Troy is one of the nicest, most genuine people you could ever meet. He is also a load of fun. I always feel very positive after hanging with Troy anywhere. He has helped me at various conventions and I greatly appreciate his many efforts.
At the last DotD that Troy attended, he met legendary actor Paul Sorvino. With a lengthy resume like Sorvino has, you could pick several big roles, but his work on The Sopranos has to be one of the more notable roles. He also played the lead character in Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way.
Sorvino and Troy would make a great buddy pair for a movie. I could see it now. Troy's humor and Sorvino's tough guy presence would combine for lots of entertainment.

I don't see Troy quite as much since he left DotD, but it's always fun when we catch up. You always have to keep good people in your life somehow and Troy is one of the best.

The next Days of the Dead is October 11-13 in Dallas. Check out DaysoftheDead.com for all of the info and check back here for recurring coverage.

Paul Sorvino and Troy Babbs in Schaumburg, IL-November 2018.

Friendly Encounters: Jake Roberts and Troy Babbs

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

At the recent Days of the Dead Indianapolis, everyone was surprised to see wrestler Jake "The Snake" Roberts at the host hotel. Roberts was not there as part of the DotD lineup, but was there for his The Unspoken Word tour at a nearby location.
Unfortunately, I wasn't at the hotel yet, but many of my DotD friends got pictures with Roberts. From all reports, he was very cool. Judging by the many pictures I saw, he posed with a lot of people. How very cool of him.
DotD volunteer and my bud Troy Babbs got his picture with Roberts. He posted it on Facebook Troy did not list it as "literally the best day of the year," as he usually does, but probably only because so much great stuff was happening at DotD that he couldn't give that honor to just one picture.
Meeting Roberts might have been just luck, but it is also another example of the extra fun that can always be had at DotD. You never know what wil happen, but it is always a special few days.
Troy is also a great example of the fine people of the DotD crew. Troy works very hard at whatever assignment he has, but he also has a lot of fun with guests and attendees. Troy is a great guy who has helped me with pictures at a few events.
Roberts started the DotD weekend, but there was a lot more fun in the next few days. It was another great DotD. I already am looking forward to the next Days event in Chicago on November 16-18. Check DaysoftheDead.com for more info and check back here for recurring updates.

Troy Babbs and Jake Roberts in Indianapolis, IN-June 2018.