Days of the Dead Chicago
This weekend I spent part of it in Chicago, at the 2018 Days of the Dead. If you kids have never gone, it is like a comic con, but with very few comics, guests centered on the horror genre, with a sprinkling of guests that don’t fit the genre, but will be popular, either by association, or they are just cool to meet. There are lots of artists selling their wares, lower level production companies selling their movies, some tattoo shops advertising their stuff, and a weird guy selling space music.
To be honest, these shows are really more of a gathering place for people who just enjoy horror movies. They are an excuse for them all to get together, stay in a hotel, drink, visit, and enjoy the panels and other activities that are planned. Many come in large groups, and they will drink, smoke, and visit. I talked to one of the hotel people, and he said that he recognizes people every year, because it’s the 8th year it has been there.
I like it for the simple reason that it’s pretty small. It takes up a big main room, with a few other conference rooms used to run people through to get pics or autographs with the bigger names.
This year Clive Barker was there. I can appreciate what Mr. Barker does, but was not a huge fan, so not even sure what they were charging for his stuff. Decent lines for him, so I am guessing that they made their money off of him, and probably didn’t have to pay a premium to get him there.
Last year, Sean Astin was there, and mid Saturday they were sending out messages that people still had plenty of time to get his autograph and picture with him. I’m guessing he didn’t get the crowds they expected, so they were recouping their losses by doing so.
By that, I mean there are two ways of paying the celebrities that I know of. One is, they get a lump sum, and the house gets all they make from autographs and pictures, until said sum is made, then I’m sure there is some kind of split This is what I suspect Mr Astin signed.
The lesser celebs will get a small appearance fee, but then they get all the money they make.
Anywho, I went to the show, and to be honest, it’s been almost like any other Day of the Dead I have been to, just some different guests. Last year, I met Jeremy Bullock and got a pic with him in his Boba Fett Suit, and an autograph. And Mr Astin. Just autographs from him, because my son is a LOTR fan, and I got him a signed Funko.
This year, I had two main goals…Jello Biafra and Joey Lauren Adams.
Jello was once the singer of The Dead Kennedys. I should not have to explain who they are, but for you young uns, they were one of the more widely known punk bands out there, back when the internet was just a gleam in Al Gore’s eye, bands had to flyer the area’s they were playing themselves, and most travelled by van that smelled like cigarettes, farts, and sweat.
If you watch Rise and Fall of Western Civilazation Pt 1 (the punk years), you get a wonderful feel for what the scene was like. Raw, gritty, and they did it for passion, not money.
I mostly talked to Mr Biafra about his band Lard (Ministry as his backing band), because he has since left the Dead Kennedys amid a cloud of lawyers, and East Bay Ray got the band name, he got the record label (Alternative Tentacles).
We had a very nice chat about his “Trump Hates Me” t shirt (I still have the Newt Hates Me shirt ), Lard, and how I shouldn’t drink Coors Light because they support the Republicans. I shouldn’t drink Coors Light because it tastes bad, but I listened politely. He was very kind, and my pic with him is on my social media. (type in jaycanchu, you’ll find me)
Joey Lauren Adams was the hot blonde in Mallrats. She was Adam Sandler’s girlfriend in Big Daddy. She was Amy in Chasing Amy. Though 50, she was just as beautiful as I imagined, very kind with her words, and listened to me gushing over her patiently. She told me about a movie she directed which I am pretty sure I drunkenly ordered off of Amazon, thru our link on myworstholiday.com (see what I did there fellas), and just seemed like a kind person overall.
We also chatted a bit at the Starbucks in the morning about the weather, and her being a southern belle, how she didn’t care for snow
Yep, I’m pretty sure she’s going to be ex wife number 3.
I also got to meet Meg Foster from They Live, 31, and Lords of Salem fame, but no picture or autograph, just a chat.
Trish Stratus was very kind, apologized for being late, and was very chatty despite a decent line. I got her picture and autograph, though to be honest, not a huge wrestling fan anymore. But she still looks amazing, though a bit skinnier than I imagine. Her career as a fitness athlete after her first run really trimmed her up, like she needed it.
I also met Ashley Laurence from the Hellraiser franchise. To be honest, I knew who she was, saw her movies, and if it wasn’t for the afore mentioned Coors Light, would probably not have gotten her autograph and picture. I’m glad I did, because she was very nice, and we talked for a good 20 minutes, but Jello was right, Coors Light bad.
And definitely last, but not least, I met two of the three creators of the Holliston franchise. Stephen Sharar and Joshua Werner. Both very nice men, and I later read the two books they had for sale, and enjoyed them. I am a sucker for comic artists there selling their wares, especially ones that are good bargains, and this was a very good bargain, and they were kind enough to autograph both books, and talk about their art for a bit.
I think Days of the Dead is a great convention to go to if you like horror movies, or if you want to go to an affordable con with some big names in their genre. You are going to get at least one or two of the people who played Michael Myers, a Jason or two, a few aging rock musicians, more than likely Linda Blair, and Pinhead.
There are lots of macabre art, a wonderful photographer named Jenna Manson who takes very odd pics of herself, T shirts of movies you haven’t thought about in twenty years, and hundreds of DVD’s, some of movies you’ve never heard of, unless you are really into horror.