RIP Jeff Conaway and Randy "Macho Man" Savage

I saw Jeff Conaway just a month before he died at Wizard World Anaheim. I’ve seen Grease numerous times and I’m a big fan of Celebrity Rehab and used to watch some Taxi as a kid. I just wasn’t a Jeff Conaway fan. I did feel for him as I do the other patients in Celebrity Rehab – it can be an intense show. Still, it feels weird to have seen the guy a month ago and he’s dead today.

While I wasn’t a Jeff Conaway fan and didn’t have any intention of stopping at his booth to talk to him or get an autograph, I can’t help feeling that I missed a genuine opportunity to meet someone who’s been on a movie and TV shows I’ve enjoyed. The truth is that I can’t afford to get autographs from people I kind of dug in this one role that one time (unless they were an episode of Buffy or Angel).

I accept that Jeff Conaway being taken off of life support is a big loss to those who did love him and his work. I guess I’m mostly affected by having seen him so close to his death.

 

RIP Jeff Conaway 

A week before Jeff Conaway passed, one of my all-time favorite wrestlers died: Randy “Macho Man” Savage.

I was a huge fan of wrestling back when the Macho Man was a regular fixture. I saw him wrestle at the San Diego Sports Arena a few times. I was a kid back then who was told wrestling was fake. I was in that wonderful ‘middle’ state where I knew that was probably true but it still felt real. I can remember the Macho Man going from heel to hero, teaming up with Hulk Hogan to form the Mega-Powers team. I can remember when Macho Man went back to being a heel, turning his back on Hulk Hogan and accidentally hitting Elizabeth, I tore his poster off of my wall. Of course he turned hero again because there's nothing fans and I love than redemption stories.

I didn’t see his WCW work and the last time I saw him do anything was the first Spider-Man film but I was a huge fan and loved seeing him perform. The Macho Man holds a pleasant place in my childhood memories so I’m going to miss him.

 

RIP Randy “Macho Man” Savage

Spudtrooper Adventure

For my birthday this year, a co-worker gave me a Spudtrooper. That's a Mr. Potatohead in a Stormtrooper uniform. I started thinking of ways to display him - should I pair him with 3 3/4" figures? Then I went to Wizard World Anaheim 2010 and they had a lot of cheap figures and I imagined them in funny situations with the Spudtrooper so I picked a few up. Then I got a few more cheap figures at Southern California Comics (my homebase for comics) - I was starting to assemble a cast.

I wanted it to look like a strip in Toyfare but I don't have the space or skill to pull that off so I did the best I could. I gave my co-worker this strip for her birthday.

Enjoy!

Wizard World Anaheim 2010

There’s been talk that Comic Con International could be moving to Anaheim because it has more convention space and available hotels nearby. I hope it doesn’t because right now that convention is local to me and I like going everyday (it’s huge) and I don’t want to pay for a hotel. Two weeks ago I got a look at Comic Con International’s possible new home when I went to the first ever Wizard World Anaheim.

Wizard World Anaheim was from April 16 – 18 at the Anaheim Convention Center (right across the street from Disneyland). It was held in one hall of the massive convention center.

I’ve never been to a Wizard World convention but it was a really good time. The only thing I have to compare it too is Comic Con in San Diego. I’ve been going to the San Diego Con for about 25 years. With that in mind, I hit the Anaheim floor like a tornado, covering the entire room in about an hour. Very few celebs, with the exception of Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs, and Adam West had large lines (and even those lines didn’t last long, allowing everyone who wanted an autograph to get one). The sellers were helpful and there were a lot of great deals to be had.

The vibe was really mellow and laid back and the celebrities were friendly. From my hotel (on the perimeter of Disneyland), I could clearly see the fireworks display every night.

I didn’t go the last day because the size of the con allows you to do everything you want to do in one day. I’m going to do it again next year, but just for Saturday.

Here are a few pix from the event – none of them were taken by me but others took great pictures.

The Anaheim Ghostbuster franchise (I can't wait for GB3)

The Purrfect Angelz - like the Pussycat Dolls, but geek friendly

The always awesome and sweet Jewel Staite (who plays Kaylee, my favorite Firefly/Serenity character)