I went to Fanboy Expo for the first time on Saturday, July 13, 2024 at the Knoxville Convention Center in Knoxville, TN.

I had tried to go there a few times, but ultimately things kept happening which prevented me from doing so.

I was somewhat hesitant to go this year because the person I wanted to see the most canceled (They’ve tried to get this person, Dolph Lundgren, at least 3 times, but I get it because he’s busy.  Hopefully someday.) and because of the travel (4 hour drive there and 4 hour drive back).

But I went and boy am I glad I did!!

I got to meet a lot of my favorites and saw even more of them.

I got to meet actors Danny Glover (the Lethal Weapon franchise, Predator 2, Silverado, Lonesome Dove, Angels In The Outfield, Witness, The Color Purple, Grand Canyon, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Prince Of Egypt, Saw and Saw III, Badasses and tons more), Danny Trejo (Machete and Machete Kills, From Dusk Til Dawn 1, 2, and 3, Heat, Death Wish 4, Kinjite:  Forbidden Subjects, Conair, Desperado, Spy Kids 1, 2, and 3, Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, Bad Ass, Bad Asses, and SO MUCH MORE), Michael Rooker (Guardians Of The Galaxy 1, 2, and 3, The 6th Day, The Walking Dead, Replicant, Tombstone, Horizon Chapters 1 and 2, JFK, Cliffhanger, The Suicide Squad, and a lot more), and Dave “The Snake” Sabo and Rachel Bolan (co-guitarist and bassist and main songwriters, respectively, of the band Skid Row).  I got pictures with and autographs from all of them (Rooker’s autograph I actually got for my girlfriend Mariah because she loves him so much and couldn’t go with me.)

I also met Roger Christian, who worked on Star Wars, The Return Of The Jedi, Alien, Star Wars The Phantom Menace, and many others.  I could not afford a picture or autograph from him, but I had to shake his hand and thank him for his great work and that it’s so important.  He appreciated me saying that and said “this is why I do it”.

The celebrities I saw but didn’t meet were Lee Majors (I’ve met him a few times but almost bumped into him today.), Jon Lovitz, Rob Schneider, Peter Cullen, Giancarlo Esposito, Paul Williams, Pam Grier, a lot of The Wonder Years TV show cast (Olivia d’Abo, Jason Hervey, Dan Lauria, Alley Mills, and Josh Saviano.  Danica McKellar was there but I didn’t see her.), David Wenham, Jaleel White, Sean Gunn, Lana Parrilla, Ray Park, Gina Carano, Brendan Wayne, C. Thomas Howell, Mark Metcalf, Patricia Velasquez, Maxwell Caulfield, Christopher McDonald, Adiran Zmed, wrestlers The Big Show (Paul Wight), Kane (Glenn Jacobs), Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, Hacksaw Jim Duggan (met him before, great guy), Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, Macey Estrella (alson known as Lacey Evans), and Nic Nemeth (also known as Dolph Ziggler).

There were also the cast of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle 1990 movie but I didn’t see all of them, but I had seen most if not all of them at another convention.  Richard Usher, part of the group Partners In Crime who did the song “Turtle Power” for the movie, was there too.

And there were others too but I did not see them.

Anyway, I first met the Skid Row guys Snake and Rachel.  Very nice and cool guys.  A lot has been said, especially lately, about their singer situation (They’re without a singer again, although Rachel told me they have a few possible singers in mind, but they’re taking their time with it.) but I told them I love all of their stuff (which I do) and I will support whatever they do in the future with their new singer.  Whoever that is.  And I meant it.  They appreciated me saying that and that it meant a lot.

Yeah I would love for Sebastian Bach to be their singer again too, but it will never happen.  And I like to think it’s the best of both worlds if you’re a fan. 

Sebastian is making great music on his own, and so is Skid Row.  I had Snake and Rachel sign their most recent album from 2022 called The Gang’s All Here.  Very good album.  And I have all of them.  They all rock.  And I can’t wait to buy their new live album/DVD Live In London soon. 

Thank you Snake and Rachel for being so cool and regardless of what anyone says, I love all you guys and keep on rocking.

I then met Danny Glover.  I did not know until this year that he even did these events, but he does.  I’m glad too because I’ve been a fan since I was a kid.  He’s one of those great actors that is great in everything he’s ever done.  I especially love him in the Lethal Weapon movies and Predator 2 but really everything I’ve ever seen him in, which is a lot.  I got him to sign a Predator 2 picture and told him how much I love that movie.  He kept saying “alright alright!”  He’s a very nice man and seems happy to meet his fans.  I appreciate you sir.

I then met Danny Trejo.  Wow what a cool, nice man.  He told me he loves doing these events because he gets to meet all kinds of different people. 

I asked him if there will ever be a third Machete movie because I LOVE his movies Machete and Machete Kills SO MUCH.  He told me that Robert Rodriguez (the director/writer of the movies and one of Danny’s cousins) needs to be texted about it. 

I hope it happens, but if not, I love those movies and Danny has done so many movies, TV, animation, music videos, you name it. 

He even has his own brand of tacos and shops called Trejos Tacos.

He’s lived quite a life and has lived to tell it and has done very well.  And on top of all that, he is a nice and caring person.  Thank you sir for everything.

I then met Michael Rooker after my first photo op with Snake and Rachel of Skid Row.  I’ve been a fan of Rooker’s for many years too.  In more recent years, he’s become very known for his character Yondu in the Guardians Of The Galaxy movies, but he’s been in so much, including Horizon recently, which my Dad and I really enjoyed.  He was wearing a Horizon hat as a matter of fact.  He can appear to be animated and eccentric (He actually grabbed a fan by the arm at one point and walked him out of the autograph line because this person was taking pictures of Rooker when he shouldn’t have, but ultimately Rooker took a picture with him anyway, so it was fine.) but he’s a nice person too.

For some people in front of me, he offered one of them to pick a free picture for him to sign, and when there was a group that  included several kids, he told the leader of the group that he would take a picture with all of them at the photo op later. 

When I told him I couldn’t afford to get his autograph for me but I wanted to get one for my girlfriend and just a picture for me, he understood. 

But when I told him that my girlfriend made a quilt of his character Yondu some years ago and showed it to him, he thought it was fantastic.  He even added a heart to the autograph for her.  And he wanted me to tell her thank you and that he was sorry she couldn’t be there with me.  I thanked him and he said “next time”.

Then later on, after I had walked around to look at all the vendors, I got my pictures taken with Danny Glover and Danny Trejo together, and then finally one with Michael Rooker. 

I wanted to show off the picture Rooker signed for my girlfriend and he asked me if I wanted to do that.  And when I said yes, he offered to hold it. 

All Great people and I really appreciate not only their work but for their service to us fans at these conventions. 

They do NOT have to do this, and yes they get paid well for these and probably one reason why many do it now, but I still find it to be a great service.

Thank you all!!!!

And thank you Fanboy Expo for the great time.

If you keep running this event like you did today, you will be just fine.  Thank you!!