Celebrity Pictures

Posting the picture of Lou Mongello and me in my last post, got me thinking about other pictures I have taken with celebrities. Today is the perfect opportunity for me to share some of them. After all it is "Throwback Thursday". So here we go these are some of my favorites. 

These first two pictures were taken at the Vent Haven Ventriloquist Convention in July 2006. The man with me in this picture is Steve Axtell. 

He is the founder, owner, and creative force behind Axtell Expressions in California. His latex puppet creations and props are amazing. My Cecil the turtle and lion are Axtell puppets. 

He may He not be well known outside of the world of puppets but to me he's a celebrity. 

Also at the same convention I met and had my picture taken with a guy who has since taken ventriloquism to another level. 

Jeff Dunham was just on the verge of skyrocketing to stardom when he spoke and performed at Vent Haven. The construction paper version of his Jose Jalapeno puppet was used as a prop in his lecture.

This is me and comedian Frank Caliendo in August of 2006. Frank was still a member of the cast of the Fox Network's MAD TV show. I caught his night club act at Zanies comedy club in Nashville. In this picture he is making face he does when he impersonated, President George W. Bush in his act. 

Six years later in February 2012 I met these next two celebrities on the same day in Nashville. 

The first one is Taylor Mason. He's a multi-talented comedian and ventriloquist. 

I caught Taylor Mason's act at Zanies, also. It was the 2nd time I'd seen him there. This was right after I had finished reading his book "The Idiot's Guide To Ventriloquism." 

Not only did he take this picture with me, he answered some of my questions and gave me some very useful advice. 

BTW, the pig puppet on my shoulder is Paco, Taylor's "lawyer."

Earlier in that February day, out of curiosity I decide to seek out the Nashville branch of the Antique  Archaeology store. The place had just been opened by the two guys who star in the reality show "American Pickers." 

I only went there to look around out of curiosity. Much to my surprise one of the owners, Mike Wolf, was there. 

He was very nice and kind enough to pose for a picture. I know in this shot he kinda looks like a cutout. But believe me he was there live and in person. 

My last two celebrity pictures was taken during a pair of very special vacations. There's nothing unique about these shots. Millions of people take pictures like this each year. 

In September 2010 Paula took me to Walt Disney World to celebrate my 50th birthday. It was also a celebration of the success Paula and I had in getting healthy after our by pass surgery a year earlier. 

One day while in the Animal Kingdom we happened upon a photo op with one of my favorite characters. I took a picture with him and another of one of Disney's "Fab Five."

I am proud of this shot because it was the only character picture I took during my birthday trip and I am a "Goofy guy". 

Since I'm posting pictures from Walt Disney World, here's the ultimate character picture taken during our family trip there in 2004. 

This photo op was totally as well unexpected. We were just walking into the Hall of Presidents in the Liberty Square section of the Magic Kingdom hoping to get in line to get a good seat. 

In the lobby we discovered Disney's "big cheese" and his best gal. 

There you have some of my all time favorite "Ron With Celebrities" pictures. Just something I wanted to share on a "Throw Back Thursday."