Ranger: You were my best friend

You were my best friend. Ever since the first day I laid eyes on you back in 2006, I knew you needed to be part of our family. You were just six weeks old. On that day, we just happened to be at Trader’s Village in Grand Prairie, just walking around trying to find that one thing that we absolutely couldn’t live without. Little did we know at the time, that thing we couldn’t live without would be you, my friend. 

After walking around, my family and I decided to go look at the animals they sell there in the front of Trader’s Village (everyone who knows the place knows exactly what I’m talking about). We weren’t looking to buy a pet; we just wanted to look at all the puppy cuteness. We saw all breeds and sizes of puppies, with price ranges from "okay" to "OMG, are you serious?". 

As I was walking down, I saw the beagles (Beagles have been one of my favorite dogs for as far back as I can remember.) My eyes instantly locked onto you, but just as another couple reached down to pick you up and say they wanted you. Then, if I remember correctly, the wife said, “Are you sure?” to the husband. He put you back down with your brothers and sisters and walked away. 

I immediately picked you up and started talking to you. Your tail started wagging, and you started licking my face. “You’re coming home with us,” I thought. We told the sellers that we wanted you, and they got the paperwork, temporarily putting you in the “sold” section. As we were filling out the forms, I remember the couple came back looking for you. They asked about you and were told you were already sold. Within those few minutes of meeting you, they would have had to fight me to get you from us. 

After the paper work was filled out, you were officially ours. Or, more accurately, we were yours. We walked around for a little while longer and decided to take you home. The rest as they say is history, our history. 

I still remember when you made your first little howl. It was very similar to the howl the puppy Copper made in The Fox and the Hound when he and Tod were introducing themselves. Just melted your heart. I can hear him saying “My name is Ranger, I’m a hound dog. Aaww hoooo!!”

Throughout the years, you would get bigger. Maybe a little grayer and a little slower, and you would even eventually lose your hearing. But throughout all that time, you were always there for me and the rest of the family. You would never judge us; you never were angry with us. Sometimes you were a little stubborn when you didn’t want to come in the house, but who isn’t? 

You loved us, and we loved you Ranger. As the tears roll down my face as I am typing this, I will always miss you my friend. We love you so much Ranger, and you will always be in our hearts.

RIP Ranger: 2-14-2006/1-8-2020

Young Tod : Copper, you're my best friend.

Young Copper : And you're mine too, Tod.

Young Tod : And we'll always be friends forever. Won't we?

Young Copper : Yeah, forever.

RIP Ranger: 2-14-2006/1-8-2020

This is Ranger and his son Captain. This photo was shown on the Texas Rangers Jumbotron.

Backyard Tire Fire- Matt Anderson (The interview)

Riley: I’m here with Matt Anderson, Bass player for the Rock N Roll band Backyard Tire Fire.  First of all, let
me say that I think “Good to Be” is an awesome album. Thanks for taking the time to do this. How was
working with Steve Berlin on the new album? And how did or did he influence you guys in the making of
this record?

Matt: Working with Steve on "Good To Be" was a pleasure. He had us change words in a song, herearranged a few parts on a handful of songs, he had me play very subtle different bass lines on a couple tunes, he came up with the drum loop on "Estelle", and all in all he knew how to get good performances out of us.

Riley: Where did the name “Backyard Tire Fire” originate?

Matt: It originated in Asheville, NC. I wasn't in the band when they came up with it. It is a "Simpson's" reference, which is nice.
Riley: Oh yea...The old Springfield Tire Fire. Nice. Ok, this is more of a statement than a question. I personally own six of BTF’s albums. Plus one I put together of a set at Chord on Blues earlier last year. The earliest album I have is “Live at the Georgia Theatre” with Warren Hawk on bass. Though Warren was pretty good on bass, I feel that you, Matt, is more solid and you bring a lot more to the table, musically, and really solidify the awesome sound you guys have.
Matt: That is very nice of you to say, but I have to give it up to Warren who is a great guy and an awesome bass player and singer/songwriter as well.
Riley: I know everyone in whatever business wants to succeed. But, what is your personal goal? Would you be happier where you’re at, or would you be happier on the top ten with Ryan Seacrest? Or somewhere in between?
Matt: Somewhere in between.
Riley: I gotcha. How does it feel to have the fan base you have?
Matt: It feels nice when we are over 1000 miles from where we live and sometimes hundreds of people are there for us. It feels nice and at home.
Riley: As we’ve discussed before, my favorite song by you guys is “Jimmy, Bob, & Jack”. To which is now my 12 year old son's favorite song as well. We were both a little bummed that it didn’t make the cut for “Good To Be”. Do you see it possibly making it on a future album? Or will it be one of those treats you get by seeing you guys live?
Matt: From what I understand it will be recorded in the studio at some time. We have hundreds of songs that have never been put on an album yet, so there is much to work with.
Riley: Awesome. Who are your inspirations (musically and personal)?
Matt: Zappa and my parents.
Riley: I really dig that you guys record on analog first before converting to digital. What prompted you to do this and is this something that you will continue to do for future recordings?
Matt: The quality of sound that you get from tape is a lot warmer than what you get on digital equipment. We plan on recording on 2 inch tape as much as possible. However, I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility that we might do something digitally in the future.
Riley: Outside of Illinois, what are your top three venues to play?
Matt: New Hope, PA (John and Peter's and For the Music Only [I will count that as one place, even though one is a bar and one is a house]), Joe's Pub (NYC), Top Hat (Missoula, MT)
Riley: I know that Dave plays with you when he can. Is there going to be a permanent spot for him? Or is it more or less just letting a bud jam with you?
Matt: His name is Scott Tipping and he does play with us about 99% of the time. He is a big part of the touring act and he might be helping out with the next album as well. Thanks for the ongoing support Riley!
Riley: I don’t know why the hell I said Dave. Sorry about that. Thanks again Matt. I really appreciate it. And like the great Tom Waits said “No, I don’t have a drinking problem except when I can’t get a drink”. So here's to you my friends. Hopefully we’ll see you in Dallas soon. Keep Rocking.

Ashley Eckstein

               I actually wrote this a few years ago when reading about the release of E.K. Johnston’s new Ahsoka book. It reminded me of the times I’ve met actress Ashley Eckstein. You might remember Ashley from when she did an episode of Drake and Josh or even her run on That's So Raven. But to me and countless other Star Wars fans she will forever be Ahsoka Tano, the Togruta Padawan of Anakan Skywalker in the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Rebels, & Forces of Destiny.

                The first time my wife and I met her she was great. It was 2008 I believe. She was really approachable and listened to every word of her fans. Just the nicest anyone could ever be. Not to mention her husband David was there too. I was hoping he would have been because I was a fan of his. So I brought a baseball in hopes that he was going to be. Even though I was a huge Texas Rangers fan, David was one of my favorite non Rangers players. When we walked up to her table we chatted, took photos, etc. David even signed my ball. (To which I still have to this day.) Just an all-around great experience.

                 Fast forward a couple years later. She and David came back for another show of the same promoter. My wife couldn’t make it this time. The promoters made this a kind of “The Clone Wars” reunion. Actually I believe nine of the main cast was there. A Clone Wars fans dream. When you went into the room, they had all the actors (sans Wood & Acord) with their tables lined up against the walls next to each other. The first was the brilliant Tom Kane. Next to Tom was the Eckstein family. As I got to her table she gave me a weird look and said “I know you”. Before I could even say anything she snapped her fingers and said “Riley!!” Holy crap I thought. Ahsoka my butt, this lady is Yoda. She proceeded to ask how I was doing and asked if my wife was there as well. Like it’s only been a couple weeks. Lol But it had been a couple years. Mind was just blown away. Memory like a steel trap. When I think of all the awesome people I’ve met over the years. Ashley and David Eckstein will always be in the top of the list. May the force be forever with you both. 

     

Movember 2019

With November 1^st getting closer and closer (also known to many as Movember) I am letting everyone know that I am participating in the charity again this year and growing out my mustache for men’s health. I am also hoping to raise a little bit of money along the way for this awesome organization. Here is a link to my personal page where you will be able to find out a little more about the organization as well as be able to donate to a cause that often gets overlooked by society as a whole, Men’s Health. And if you want to join me and grow your Mo for men's health for the month of November, by all means please sign up. Thank you for your time and have an awesome day. https://mobro.co/rileyc?mc=1

Made in England

 Dr. Martens: Made in England

                Most people who have known me for a while know that I love Dr. Martens. I have worn Docs since the seventh grade, when my Granny bought me my first pair of 10-eye boots. Back then, all Dr. Martens were made in England. In 2003, I believe, the company was facing bankruptcy and moved production to China and Thailand. As many fans noticed, the quality suffered severely. While my original English-made boots lasted for many years, the ones made in Asia barely lasted a year before falling apart.

Even though the original Cobbs Lane factory in Wollaston, England saw the first pair of Docs roll off the line on April 1, 1960, the business actually traces back much earlier, to 1901. Back then, they were a traditional bootmaker. A year after they outsourced to Asia, they began production on the 'Vintage' or 'Made in England' line. Although some small-scale machinery is used, these boots are essentially handcrafted in limited quantities. I love this line so much that I now own four pairs; I refuse to buy any pair not made in England. You may pay more, but you certainly get your money’s worth in quality and craftsmanship.

Most people also know that I collect autographs. Some of my fellow collectors might not understand what I’m about to say, but someone doesn’t have to be famous for you to value their signature. This brings me to my most recent acquisition. I decided to write to one of the cobblers who made my boots at the Cobbs Lane factory. I only had a single first name to go on, but I took a chance and wrote to her asking for her autograph.

Yesterday, I received something in the mail that has easily made its way onto my list of favorites: a personal letter and three Polaroids from inside the factory. I am beyond flabbergasted. It was totally unexpected and, in my book, incredibly cool.

Wow......it’s been two years?

I know most have read about this so darn much you’re probably sick of hearing about it. Today marks the two year anniversary for the closing of the Doctor Who Experience. As you can read here in my review of ( http://fromthemouthofavoicelessactor.blogspot.com/2017/?m=1 ) when my daughter and I visited on that last day. It was such a great day that I will remember for a very long time. From being able to see actual props and costumes from one of my favorite shows since I was a kid to meeting and having a conversation with Nicholas Briggs aka the voice of the Daleks and getting to meet and have a conversation with Jamie Hill to whom I did an interview with ( http://fromthemouthofavoicelessactor.blogspot.com/2018/10/interview-with-doctor-who-actor-jamie.html?m=1 ) and am glad to call a friend now. That’s just a small snip it of an absolutely brilliant day. I even remember walking  past a person who I consider a good friend now, Paul. We never met in person though. Only after I already left weeks later. I honestly don't think the day could have been better.

Do Fans Ruin the Celebrity/Fan Relationship?

              A while back I wrote a piece titled “Do Conventions Ruin Celebrities for Fans?” https://fromthemouthofavoicelessactor.blogspot.com/2016/01/do-conventions-ruin-celebrities-for-fans.html and then recently provided a follow up piece titled “Conventions: A Celebrity Perspective”   https://fromthemouthofavoicelessactor.blogspot.com/2019/06/conventions-celebrities-perspective.html. The first was about the rising costs of attending conventions and if it ruins the celebrity/fan relationship. The second was an interview I did with my friend and celebrity Mary Deese Hampton giving her perspective on conventions and the changes that have occurred in recent years on the convention circuit. This time I am going to play the devil’s advocate a little. So I ask, “Do Fans Ruin the Celebrity/Fan Relationship?”

                For this one, let’s start with conventions. I’ve been going to conventions for quite a few years now. Presently not as often as I have in the past. It would be a pretty fair assumption to say that I know a little bit about them. Now I know there is a lot more to it than this. So I’m just going to give you the shortened version. Celebrity A is approached either in-person or via his/her agent or manager to be a guest at a convention. If he or she agrees, a contract is written up and signed. It could state something like Celebrity A will attend Convention X on these days for this amount of time for a guaranteed amount of money. Convention X will sometimes pay for lodging, meals, and airline tickets, etc. To recoup some of those expenses, the celebrity agrees to sign autographs for their fans. Someone (that’s a whole other argument) sets the price of how much to charge for the autographs and the process starts. If they go over the amount agreed upon, the celebrity either keeps the extra or they split it with the promoters. But those details are usually in the contract and not public information.

                Basically what it boils down to is that it is a job to the celebrity. You may not like to hear that but in reality, it is. The celebrity is being paid to show up at a specific time, meet the fans, and sign autographs and call it a day. It’s a pretty straight forward process, wash, rinse, and repeat. In theory, it’s simple. It doesn’t always work out that way though. There are a multitude of things that could go wrong. Even before the convention has even started. Usually the convention has a designated person picking the celeb up from their hotel to bring them in to be there at said designated time. Now if something goes wrong and the celebrity is later than their set time, a little chaos ensues. The attendees who are there to see said celeb are waiting and getting more and more anxious because he or she hasn’t shown up when they were scheduled to have. They are taking it out on the volunteers, the showrunners, the person designated to help the celeb at their table. Basically anyone who they can complain to, they do. Meanwhile a line is forming at said celebs table and as soon as they get there it’s full on convention mode. There’s not a lot of time to get situated, get settled, and get prepared for your day. So now everyone who is meeting that celeb or the celeb themselves, isn’t in the best of moods.

                Now this is where this gets a little touchy. There many different people that that attend conventions.  Many different personalities. Nothing to do with race, sexual orientation, religious aspect or anything. That’s one thing I can say about the Sci-fi/Comic Convention world is that we are all the same in that aspect. Our shared common interest puts all of that out of the way. Which is the way it should be with life. But there are many different levels of fans. If you actually think about these levels, you might understand why the convention world isn’t for every celebrity. For example, maybe there’s a celebrity that you have met one time and would like to meet them again or you’re telling someone about your prior encounter (or vice versa) and they don’t do conventions anymore or haven’t in a very long time. The following personalities could be a reason why.

                First you have what I call the inexperienced con goer. Most inexperienced con goers that I have witnessed is that their main interest is meeting celebrities. They would be the main ones in this category. This person seems to usually have a budget but not always. Most know before they even step in the door what celebrities they are going to meet and how much they are going to spend. Then again some are completely oblivious to the price structure. As for the celebrity part of it, they wait in line excited to meet one of their favorite celebrities and getting to actually talk to them. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first convention or your 100th convention, that excitement is still there especially if you’re a fan. You approach the celeb, hello Mr. /Mrs. So-and-so how are you, shake hand, nice to meet you etc., get autograph, have a great day. Usually lasting three to five minutes tops. The celeb is happy, the fan is happy, and all is well for everyone.

                 Second you have what I call the Uberfan. This person is really into the celebrity and a specific role that the celebrity has performed. What I have witnessed in my experience is this type of person will approach the celeb really super excited. Sometimes they will have a multitude of items that they want signed. (Usually at conventions, celebs will sign whatever amount of items you have as long as you pay. But they may ask you to break them up. Sign some now, the rest later for example) This fan will also start asking a barrage of specific questions. Usually about a role they did. For example, as they approach, they might quote their favorite quote or line from the television or movie they did. Then they may ask them specific questions about a role they did 10-20 years ago (maybe longer). “Do you remember in episode The Gamesters of Triskelion of season 2 of Star Trek, did the Master Thrall really shock your collar or was it just for show?” Taking up so much time that the line is getting longer without moving. Most of the time the celeb will keep his/her comments to themselves. Their assistant or handler will try to nicely move them along.

                Third you have what today would be called “the creeper”. This one is mainly certain guys when they meet female celebrities. For lack of a better word, some can get a bit “handsy”. I have seen and heard about certain guys that will put their arm around a female celebrity before they are ready and kind of catch them off guard. Or they will initiate it without their permission. Sometimes even with their permission or their initial invitation, the guy will do something that will make the person feel uncomfortable. If you want a photo with a female celebrity, don’t be that guy. Be respectful.

                Fourth you have what I call corn chips. Now I know that not everyone has the bathing habits that I do. This is one type of person that I have seen quite frequently at conventions. This person doesn’t seem to know what good hygiene is. There is usually a very pungent odor similar to corn chips. Not fritos, I mean off brand corn chips and sometimes onions. Most don’t even try to cover it with deodorant. If you’ve attended more than one conventions then it’s a pretty good guess that you know exactly what I’m talking about. Sometimes this person has traits of my third example. Which is always something that a celebrity loves. (Yes, that was sarcasm)

                This is just a few things that I have personally witnessed at science fiction/comic book conventions that may cause a celebrity to either A: stop attending or B: Be distant a standoffish to a fan. So maybe if things like this didn’t happen, maybe the possibility of a bad experience might lessen and everyone will have a better time. What do you think? Have you witnessed my examples? Do you think things like this could cause a rift between the celebrity and fan?  

                Then there's the dealer/collector who tries to get autographs from celebrities at their hotel or airports and doesn't know the definition of the words "boundaries" and or "limit". A lot of them (not all) have the sole purpose of selling their autographs and a lot of times take advantage of a celebs generosity. Which I have seen time and time again make the celebrity lump all the autograph collectors as dealers. But that's a whole other conversation. 

Cosmic Masque 8 (My article)

Conventions: A celebrity perspective

                      Recently I updated an article I wrote a couple years ago titled “Do Conventions Ruin Celebrities for Fans?”.  https://fromthemouthofavoicelessactor.blogspot.com/2016/01/do-conventions-ruin-celebrities-for-fans.html A handful of people have read it and it’s had some really good and positive responses. One being from some longtime friends of mine who happen to look at from the celebrity side of the spectrum. They are husband and wife Mary Deese Hampton and James Hampton. You would know Mary from her performances on General Hospital, Harold & Kumar 2, & Dallas to name a few. You would know James from such classics as Teen Wolf 1&2, Hanger 18, and The Longest Yard (original). 

                      Mary and Jimmy have been on the convention circuit for quite some time now. They have made many friends and have seen many changes over the years. After reading my article, Mary wanted to give their side of it. 

Riley: Hello Mary, how are you?

Mary: Wonderful Riley.  So glad to be keeping in touch with you!

Riley: Thank you for taking the time to give my article a read. It truly means the world to me. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Mary:  Yes, it really brought back memories of the years we spent on the celebrity autograph “circuit” and the many fans we have that became friends, like you.

Riley: So what kind of changes have you and Jimmy seen over the years and what kind of effect has said changes had on the convention circuit in regards to the celebrity/fan relationship?

Mary:  Well, because of the body of work that Jimmy amassed over his almost 50 year career as an actor, director, writer and producer, he was invited to many conventions with genres that ran from Western, Horror/ SciFi, Sports, Vintage TV, and Comic cons.  He even attended a show in Houston once that was solely devoted to astronauts and actors who had played astronauts in film and tv! 

Jimmy always thought the idea of the conventions was terrific because they are a wonderful way for fans to connect to their favorite actors and vice versa.   People are always interested in “behind the scenes” stories and the cons are a great venue for fans to hear those stories - either in a one on one conversation with an actor or in a Q and A panel that the conventions usually host throughout the weekend. 

One of the changes we’ve seen through the years is that the conventions are getting bigger and bigger.   For instance, Jimmy was a guest at the very first Texas Frightmare Weekend.  There were only 6 celebrities and a few bands. It was held at the little ol’ Grapevine Convention Center.  Today, that convention is one of the largest Horror/Sci Fi conventions in the Southwest.  It’s amazing!

I can’t even begin to guess how many conventions there are out there now!  Because of the number of conventions being held each year, fans now have lots of opportunities to meet their favorite celebs.   That’s a good thing!

One of the other changes we’ve seen are the “photo ops” provided at the shows.  Some celebs don’t charge for photos with fans if they purchase a photo; however, often there are long lines  and  some celebs  can’t stop to take a photo with each and every fan.  So, they step away from signing for a few hours over the weekend just for that opportunity via “photo ops”.

I think one of the biggest changes we’ve seen over the years is the trend to bring entire casts of a television show or film to conventions.  While this seems to be very attractive to some fans, it’s not always so good for the other celebs.  If a promoter is “forced” to take 8 people from a particular television show or film but really only wants 1 or 2 of them, then that eliminates spots at the convention for other celebrities that want to attend or that the promoter would like to have attend.  Which also might keep fans hoping to see those “missing” celebs from coming to the convention at all.

Finally, another huge change in the shows is the startling number of…how do I say this…”mega stars”…that now want to come to the shows.  They’ve realized how much money is to be made and are capitalizing on the opportunity.  Good for them, but that’s also, in my opinion, what’s driving up the prices of the entry fees to the conventions.  Which leads to your next question.

Riley: So to reference the title of my article, in your opinion, with the way conventions are now and their current pricing structure, “Do Conventions Ruin Celebrities for Fans?”

Mary:  Oh, I wouldn’t use the word “ruin” but the explosion in the number of shows, the number of celebrities who attend them, and the trend to bring in entire casts has certainly impacted the wallets of both the fans and the celebs.  If the cost of the entrance fee is too high, then the fans don’t have money left to purchase photos…which, let’s be honest, is a big reason why the celebs are there.  If the prices of the “mega stars” that attend are too high (which $150.00 for a signed photo is ridiculous, in my opinion), then the fans that buy those photos probably aren’t going to purchase many more from other celebs.  The photo ops, while convenient for the celebrities who have long lines, also add to the cost of attendance if a fan wants a photo with a celeb that can’t…or won’t…take the time to snap one at his/her table. There’s got to be the right “formula” in order for a show to work well for the fans, the celebs and the promoters.  I am sure that it’s a struggle for the promoters trying to bring in the headliners and still not raise the cost of the entry fees.  That’s only one of many balls they have to juggle.  What some fans may not know is that the minute a convention is over, the promoters start planning for the next year. No rest for the weary!

I believe that fans will always enjoy attending the conventions and I personally know that most celebrities enjoy them as well. 

Unlike acting on the stage, an actor can’t see or hear responses of his or her audience when they are filming a television show or a movie. Getting together with fans as the cons gives an actor an opportunity to listen to what their fans thought of their past and current work.  Jimmy once said it was like hearing “delayed applause”.  Wonderful!  

Riley: Thank you so much Mary, for an insight to the convention world that most con goers don't know about. It's nice to hear an opinion from the other side of the table. And I completely agree about the high pricing for a single autographed photo to be ridiculous.

It's great to be a friend to you and Jimmy and I thank you so much for your time and friendship. Til the next time.

"Put Captain Solo in the cargo hold."- Meeting Jeremy Bulloch

         

Over the years, I have met or obtained autographs from quite a few actors from the Star Wars franchise. Though they have all been great, the ones from the O.T. (Original Trilogy) will always be my favorites; simply put, those are the movies I grew up on. Out of all of those from the original trilogy, there is one name that will always be on top of my favorite encounter list: the incredible Jeremy Bulloch. I have met Jeremy several times over the years here in Dallas, and every single time he has been nothing but awesome. Out of all the times that I met him, two things stick out the most—I’ll just tell you my favorite to keep it short.

I remember when what was called at the time "Dallas Comic Con" announced him for one of their shows (Richardson, 2008 to be exact); I was so excited. There are a small handful of actors that I could meet over and over and be just as happy as the first time, and Jeremy Bulloch is one of them. Like almost every Star Wars fan, Boba Fett was always a favorite of mine. It was his mystery (like Han's) that really intrigued me. You didn’t need a complete, detailed backstory to know about him; you could tell by his appearance and his character that he was not one to be trifled with. I was a huge fan of Jeremy's, obviously from Star Wars, but also from one of my favorite British shows, Robin of Sherwood, as Edward of Wickham. Doctor Who fans would know him as Hal and Tor, and also as Robert Fett in the short Tale of a Time Lord.

While I was waiting in line to meet him, I noticed everyone was getting "Boba this" and "Boba that." Obviously, with Star Wars and Boba Fett being as big as they are, it’s pretty safe to assume that is what he is mostly known for, especially here in the States. While I was waiting, I took the time to look over the photo selection he had: all Star Wars. That was not exactly what I was looking for. I didn’t notice as it was happening, but as I was looking over the photo selection, Maureen was apparently noticing the look of concern on my face. Maureen is Jeremy’s wife. She said hello while Jeremy was finishing up with the gentleman in front of me and asked if I wanted one of the pics on the table. Before I could answer, Jeremy had finished with the guy, asked my name, and reached out to shake my hand, so I didn’t have a chance to answer her straight away.

I was speaking to Jeremy and Maureen for a couple of minutes, and I told them that I was really hoping they had a photo of him as Edward of Wickham from Robin of Sherwood. Robin of Sherwood had been a favorite of mine since they first started airing it on the local PBS station here in Dallas. Maureen gave a little smile, proceeded to reach down into her portfolio, and said, “Well Riley, I do have ONE. But it’s a weird size. No one over here in the U.S. really likes this size as it’s not an 8x10.” She had actually brought one copy of this photo from the UK, and it was exactly what I wanted. So, obviously, I said, “I’ll take it!” Jeremy made sure I was positive that I wanted it, and of course, I said yes. He said he would sign another one for me for no extra charge—cool! He signed them and took a photo (at no extra charge; I really miss those days). He thanked me, Maureen thanked me, and they both said, "See you next time." That was just one time. As I said, Jeremy is an awesome guy, and you can tell that he and Maureen both love their fans and not just their money.

World Class Revolution: God Bless Texas II

               World Class Revolution presents God Bless Texas II. My son and I went to the first God Bless Texas event last year that was held at the Gas Monkey Live venue. We had a couple issues at that one and was assured that it was a one-time thing and it should not happen again. So we decided to go ahead and buy tickets for this one as well. It was at a different venue this time, so fingers crossed it will be better. My son and I arrive at Gilley’s Dallas around 4:00 pm on Sunday April 15^th. Since we had ringside VIP tickets we were allowed to enter the venue at 4:30 pm before regular admission. Everyone else was allowed to enter at 5:00 pm. So we go ahead and make our way to the venue’s entrance. A line started to grow behind us. We could over hear people making comments like “Do you think they will actually let us in on time?” Laughter and “I doubt it” was the answers we heard. Since we usually don’t know anyone at these shows, we just keep to ourselves. Well 4:30 came and went. We noticed some of the wrestlers starting to walk by to go in. They finally let us in at about 4:45 pm. As we enter we see most of the talent at their respective tables to greet their fans. I had already pre-planned who I wanted to meet. First and foremost was Chavo Guerrero Jr., Marshall and Ross Von Erich, Iceman King Parsons, John Morrison, & Eric Embry.

                When we walk in Ross and Marshall were already in a conversation with some of their fans. Not sure how that happened considering we were the first VIPs to enter. So we walked over to Chavo’s table. Who was set up right next door of the Von Erichs. I had an old WWE program from 2004 that I have been getting signed by some of the wrestlers in it. This time I needed Chavo and John Morrison to sign it. So my son and I were talking to Chavo and I had asked him what he would charge to sign my book. He gave me a price and took a photo with me. The price was really good. Even though we were only speaking for a few minutes, you can tell that he really cares about his fans.
 

                After that we walked back over to Ross and Marshall and were speaking to them for a while. It’s always good to see them. Like others who grew up here in Dallas, it’s good to see them keeping up the Von Erich moniker and keeping the tradition alive. I’m glad we were able to catch up a bit and able to speak about this and that on a personal level. We took a couple photos and let them get back to business. We were also able to get a photo with the Australian wrestler that goes by the name Hunter P.S. Hayes. Who, in the ring, is the “son” of former Freebird Michael P.S. Hayes. Just three of the coolest guys you will meet.

                Speaking of Freebirds. We were walking around the autograph area (which didn’t take that long) and who do I run into. (Not literally) Miranda Gordy. Miranda is the daughter of legendary Freebird (RIP) Terry Gordy. She was there at the show and was going to be part of the match against Ross, Marshall, and Hunter. She was supposed to have accompanied Buddy "Jack" Roberts Jr., son of former Freebird Dale Hey aka Buddy Roberts. But I didn’t see him. In the match he was replaced with Lance Hoyt. But Miranda was really cool. She and I took a photo together, shook hands, and said our nice to meet yous and went our separate ways.

                I totally missed Iceman the first time walking around. But I did see him the second time. So my son and I made our way over. I had a really good photo of the two of us from the first God Bless Texas back in 2018. We were chatting for a minute about it and he was talking to my son. Then I asked him if he would sign my photo. He said of course. It will be $25. I instantly thought “WOW” he went majorly up from the last time we met. Not to mention it was my own photo. But I really wanted him to sign it. (Something that I have since grown to regret doing) So I reluctantly paid it. I then asked if I could get a photo with him with my phone. He looked at his manager and his manager said that will be an additional $20. I was at a loss for words. So I passed on that. A different light seemed to be shinning down than it did before. Last time I make that mistake.

                We made our way over to speak to the Boss man. Jerry and I have never spoken that much in person. Mainly via Facebook. So it was good to finally speak with him and catch up a little. Our conversation spanned quite a few topics. Some personal, some wrestling. It was during one of those conversations that Jerry told me that John Morrison wasn’t going to make the show. Little bummed out because I really wanted his autograph. But it is what it is. So we knew Jerry was busy and we didn’t want to take up to much of his time. Especially by asking frivolous questions. Lol So we went and made one more go around the autograph area. Jerry did give us a promotional poster that came with our tickets. So I could try and get that signed.

                As we were walking around, I had noticed the former wrestler "The Flamboyant" Eric Embry walking around. I walked up to him and we spoke for a few minutes about the good old days of WCCW and the Sportatorium. He was a really nice guy that still seemed to care about his fans from back in the day. He took a photo with me. I got from our conversation that he was a little put off by the charging of autographs and photos. Back in the day I met just about all the wrestlers from the WCCW but I honestly couldn’t tell you if I met Eric before. But I’m glad I did now. I didn’t get an autograph though.

                As we finished up meeting Eric Embry, I really wanted to get my promotional posters signed by some of the talent that I didn’t really know. I walked over to “Retro” Randy Price’s table and spoke with him for a minute. We were talking about the last GBT. Which was his first event with World Class Revolution (At the time it was Imperial Wrestling Revolution). We spoke and he signed my poster then he had to go. I kept looking at all the wrestler’s tables to see how much they would charge to sign it. Not a one had prices for your own item or anything. Plus they would all have a lot of people around their table and it would be really awkward asking how much to sign it. So I wasn’t able to get anyone else on it.

                It was getting closer to start time and my son and I headed to our seats. We had really good ringside seats. They were unfortunately zip tied together. Which made for a very awkward evening. I was so close to the guy next to me, if I was at work, HR would have been involved. Lol Also, the view would have been better if the camera man wouldn’t have been in front of us most of the time. Occasionally he would move and we could see without having to lean this way or that way. But regardless, we had a great time. About mid-way through there was an “intermission” and the VIP ticket holders got to go in the ring and take a photo. We thought it was going to be just us, but wrestler Marti Belle joined the VIP’s in the photo. She was really nice. Then after about 15-20 minutes (maybe?) the wrestling started back up.

                When the final match started, it was Chavo against MVP. I instantly leaned over to my son and said I don’t know who to root for. I like them both. But it was a great match. Not to mention there was a guy behind us that was so funny. He had everyone just cracking up. But after the match, Chavo took the mic and did a speech thanking everyone as did MVP. They also said that they would take in ring photos with anyone who wanted one for $20 with both of them. So my son and I took the offer. As we were waiting for MVP to come back to the ring, Chavo told my son and I to come up in the ring. We got in the ring and was talking to him for a few minutes. Chavo is just a really awesome guy, I can’t stress that enough. So MVP made his way back in the ring and we took the photo. Some random guy walking by took the photo. The photo was ok, it could have been better. But it was cool none the less. Just a really cool night of wrasslin’. We got to have some well-deserved father/son time and see some really talented wrestlers. Can’t wait for the next Dallas show. Great job Jerry and all the talented wrestlers. See you all next time.

We're in this together

Red Letter Media-Mike Stoklasa

Riley: We’re here with Mike Stoklasa. Creative genius behind the website www.redlettermedia.com . Most would know Mike as the voice of the infamous Harry S. Plinkett in the even more infamous Star Wars prequels movie reviews. Mike has also directed, along with Jay Bauman, the movie Feeding Frenzy. Feeding Frenzy co-starred Plinkett alums such as Rich Evans (Mr. Plinkett), Jay Bauman (Martin), & Nadine herself Jocelyn Ridgely as Jennifer.  

Riley: So Mike, how the hell are you?
Mike: Doing well, thanks.
Riley: You’ve done reviews for all the of the (makes me cringe) Star Wars prequels as well as all the "Next Generation" Star Trek movies. I know it all started as something just for yourself, did you ever think it would be as big as it is now?
Mike: No, never. When I started with the Star Trek: Generations review it was 2008 and youtube was still relatively new. There was no Facebook or Twitter so it was hard to imagine viral videos like they are now. Not to say I would have expected that (especially with a video about Star Trek: Generations) but it wasn’t in my mind. I was just making it for fun.
Riley: With the obsession of pizza rolls by Harry S. Plinkett, has General Mills, parent company of Totino's, ever complain to you or RLM about the use of pizza rolls in your reviews?
Mike: Never heard from them, no. But as they say there’s no such thing as bad press! I would imagine they don’t mind the pizza roll name out there more cause of the Plinkett reviews, even if they are being eaten by a psychopath, but crazy people got to eat too. Crazy people love Pizza Rolls!
Riley: Speaking of Plinkett and his pizza rolls. On Half in the Bag, when Rich portrays Plinkett, he never mentions pizza rolls. Any reason for this or did it just happen that way?
Mike: Rich does a slightly different Plinkett. I don’t think we’ve ever said, “you should or shouldn’t mention Pizza Rolls” its just never come up? The Pizza Roll comment in the Generations review was just a non sequitur that I thought was funny to randomly blurt out. It’s sort of latched on with people for some reason, but its nothing I find I want to use more or less. It’s just pizza rolls! mmmmm
Riley: With the ever growing popularity of the Star Wars reviews and Half in the Bag with Jay, what's next on the agenda for you and RLM?
Mike: The biggest thing coming up is our next feature film called “Space Cop” which we’ll be shooting this summer. In addition to that we’ll keep making Half in the Bag, Gamestation 2.0, as well as more Plinkett reviews. I get bored with one thing and like to move on to other things too, but we’ve got a full schedule.
Riley: With your film school and editing background, which do you find more enjoyable  voicing the reviews or filming/editing the reviews?
Mike: I like both! Editing is my first passion though. I love editing and making something out of nothing essentially. Taking all the parts and putting them together and making it work. Voice acting and acting in general is a lot of fun, but I’m not an actor. I don’t enjoy that part as a craft, just as a means to an end. I know the kind of performance and read I need to get and when I got it I move on.
Riley: I know a lot of purist Star Wars fans that agree with everything you say in the Star Wars reviews, what have been some negative reactions?
Mike: The most noteworthy negative reaction was probably the guy that wrote the rebuttal stuff. The real hardcore fans think I was trying to pull some kind of trick or something when I think I made some valid points as to why the movies didn’t work for me or work as movies in general. I know some people love their Star Wars universe and see no wrong in the prequel, but I wasn’t trying to take that away from anyone, just present my opinion. People are free to like what they like! But the key was that it was in a character and in a comical fashion. Some people didn’t get the sarcasm or intentional errors and such. Those humorless, uptight uber-nerds kind of frighten me.
Riley: I know Plinkett is just a character you play. I know a lot of actors that occasionally put a little of themselves into the  character they portray. I know the Harry Plinkett character isn't your everyday guy. Is there any part of Mike Stoklasa in the Harry character?
Mike: Plinkett is a bit of an alter ego I suppose. He’s sort of the embodiment of complaining about stuff. Personified irritation. I’m a little more reasonable in real life, obviously, and he’s just a character. It’s part performance, part commentary.
Riley: Is there anything that yours or RLM fans would be surprised to know about?
Mike: I guess one thing that some fans might not know is that Jay and I essentially do everything in Red Letter Media. Occasionally we have some people help out on a more complex shoot, but when we make Half in the Bag it’s usually just me and jay operating the cameras, then editing, Jay updates the website, I take out the garbage and so on. We really do everything pretty much ourselves. I’ll get emails that say, “Not sure if this is really Jay or Mike reading this or if your assistants filter your mail” and its funny to me. Maybe someday we’ll get some help!
Riley:  With filming of  the short "fuck bot 5000", is there any plans to make a feature length film about FB 5000?
Mike: There are no plans to make a feature about Fuckbot 5000. Fuckbot is actually the brain child of my friend Jack and my girlfriend Jessi. They made him up and we used him in our 48 hour film. He makes appearances here and there, but FB is not really Jay or my thing.
Riley: Well Mike, that's about all the time we have today. Thank you for your time and keep making such awesome films. Is there anything else you would like to tell your fans before we depart?
Mike: Please continue to visit our webzone and purchase our products.