The Time I Met Chad Michael Murray

This should probably be in a walk by category but it was such a pleasant interaction that it is a confirmed meeting.  I was walking the showroom floor at the 2011 New York Comic Con with formal internet mogul Mark Goldstein when we passed a massive line of teenage girls.  As we got close to the front of the line we saw Chad Michael Murray signing autographs.  I proceeded to yell out the most random thought a man in his mid twenties could think of.  “I loved you in A Cinderella Story.”  He immediately stopped what he was doing looked up, made eye contact with me, and gave a thumbs up.  That’s a pretty awesome reaction.  He could have ignored my deep manly voice of adoration but instead he acknowledged and went back to business. 

Isn't he dreamboat?

Written by

Joseph Ammendolea

Owner/President

“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®

ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

The Time I Met Ron Perlman

It was the 2014 New York Comic Con and Mark Goldsein insisted on getting Ron Perlman’s autograph with an included free picture together.  We waited on line for over an hour.  When we got to the front Mark got his photo and I passed Perlman a DVD for the Dumped trailer.  Perlman asked me what the DVD was.  I told him it was for a film I made.  He then broke out of autograph mode looked up, asked me my name, nodded and said “good luck with the movie Joe.”  He then reached out to shake my hand.  We both thanked him for his time and left.  Afterward Mark accused me of stealing his moment with Perlman.  Mark got the photo and the autograph.  I got the handshake and the memory.  Perlman got a DVD with a 2 minute trailer of a “Decent Film.”

My overall impression of our interaction with him really summed up what Perlman was and what he appreciated.  He was an actor and appreciated people who put effort into the craft.  He saw a young filmmaker and by his understanding of the process he wanted to show his appreciation and respect for an artist.  Or maybe he thought it cost him nothing to shake my hand and wish me luck.  If I hit it big I’ll always remember Ron Perlman was nice to me and will give him a job, WHICH I ABSOLUTELY WILL!!!

Ron Perlman as the Beast along with Linda Hamilton.  Linda Hamilton is on the left.

Written by

Joseph Ammendolea

Owner/President

“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®

ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

The Times I Met Taimok

This guy’s at every convention and he’s really nice.  What's more baffling is how all my friends are always so impressed whenever they see him at a convention.  I think I’ll be invited over to his house on the holidays if I meet him another three times.  Sadly I’ve never seen his film The Last Dragon and at this point in my life probably never want to because it would be hard to look him in the eyes if I thought the film sucked. 

Yes, he can glow in the dark.

Written by

Joseph Ammendolea

Owner/President

“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®

ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

The Time I Met William Shatner

This is one of the best and weirdest celebrity meetings I ever had.  Shatner was at Big Apple Con selling an autograph photo-op package for $75.  The money went to some horse charity that helped poor inner city kids learn about stuff.  I don’t really know much about the charity but it was to help kids and that’s and good thing. So anyway, I can’t justify dropping $75 on an autograph for anyone, even Buffy peeps.  I know it’s Shatner and it’s for charity but I just can’t spend that kind of money. 

Shatner is boxed off so the public cannot see him.  It’s isolated but you know he’s there.  The line was short so I asked the people selling the autographs if I could just say hello. Apparently no one ever thought to charge people to say hello to a celebrity before.  So since there wasn’t a price for it they had a bit of a debate and they said I could jump on the line. 

I get up to him and he’s got this deep raspy voice, he might have been sick.  I went to shake his hand but he’d only do a fist pound, which is totally fine, handshaking is way dirty.  I wanted to say something to him but I didn’t want to talk about Star Trek because he’s heard it a million times and Boston Legal had been off the air for a few years.  He was pushing this new interview show Raw Nerve that I would watch.  So I started talking about how I liked the show and then added some colorful conversation about how the seating arrangement freaks me out (because it did) and he replies in all his Shatner glory “We’ll we did it that way to freak you out!” Motherfucking awesome!!!! Best response Shatner could say.  I thanked him and left.  Entire experience with him was less that 40 seconds but will stay with me for a lifetime. 

Shatner interviewing his best friend, older Zachary Quinto.

Written by

Joseph Ammendolea

Owner/President

“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®

ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

The Time I Met Nichelle Nichols

I saw her at Big Apple Con.  She was super sweet and came off genuinely nice. There isn’t much to say about the interaction because it was so chill.  That’s a good thing.  She’s an awesome lady and has tons of stories to tell.

That's not me on the left.

Written by

Joseph Ammendolea

Owner/President

“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®

ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com