{"id":8840,"date":"2020-01-01T22:55:04","date_gmt":"2020-01-01T22:55:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wallyontheweb.com\/home\/?page_id=8840"},"modified":"2020-01-04T01:42:23","modified_gmt":"2020-01-04T01:42:23","slug":"2019-highlights-lowlights-and-notable-events","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wallyontheweb.com\/home\/2019-highlights-lowlights-and-notable-events\/","title":{"rendered":"2019 \u2013 Highlights, Lowlights and Notable Events!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Though a few of the previous years have certainly been interesting, 2019 has been one of particular note!  Many wonderful things occurred, but as with any year, a few sad events occurred as well.<\/p>\n

Please enjoy this documentation of the stand-out events during the final year of the decade! It was, as they say, one for the books!<\/p>\n

Even though the main filming was done in 2018, the episode of \u201cHollywood Weapons,\u201d (starring Special Forces vet Terry Schappert) that featured my \u201cStarsky-ized\u201d Gran Torino aired in early January!  Not only was my car used in main shots featuring Terry and his co-star Pompeo, but I got to do all of the stunt driving through the mean streets of L.A.!   This involved utilizing license plate replicas of the original \u201cStarsky& Hutch\u201d showplates (537 ONN), but it also included driving at very high speeds with my red light flashing!  What a dream come true!  My 13 year old self was squealing with joy!<\/p>\n

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Though I was involved in many amazing Voice Over projects during the year, I was called in to do several voices on the latest incarnation of \u201cLupin III.\u201d  This was particularly meaningful because providing the voice of Lupin III for a motion comic back in the mid 90\u2019s was one of my first Voice Over jobs ever!  So the character holds a particular place in my heart.  Even though in this series Lupin III is voiced by a very capable Voice Actor, it was still a thrill to be involved.<\/p>\n

For quite a while now, I\u2019ve been feverishly involved in writing, conceptualizing characters and designing product for a new children\u2019s book and toy project I created.  I love this project so much and it\u2019s very close to my heart.  The work continued all throughout the year, and I\u2019ve been working very closely and regularly with a talented seamstress who has made the prototype products come alive, as well as a well-known cartoonist who has been realizing fantastic designs for the characters!  Though I can\u2019t say much more about it at this point, it\u2019s our team\u2019s hope that we\u2019ll have a publisher and manufacturer lined up sometime in the first quarter of 2020. <\/p>\n

It was time to dive into creating a new Promo demo, and I was happy to do so under the tutelage of the highly respected producer Jeff Howell.  I\u2019m extremely happy with the result, and you can hear it here.  https:\/\/wallywingertvo.com\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Through my friendship with singer\/songwriter Elliot Lurie (creator of the song \u201cBrandy (You\u2019re a Fine Girl)\u201d) I got involved in a fantastic new documentary about the world of collecting.  The subject matter deals with collecting a certain TYPE of collectible, and is very cleverly titled.  But of course, I can\u2019t say much more about it.  But from the sounds of it, this doc is going to be utterly amazing!<\/p>\n

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On January 31st<\/sup> the cast and crew of Nickelodeon\u2019s film \u201cInvader Zim: Enter the Florpus\u201d were invited to a private screening of the film at the Nickelodeon studios.  Seeing this film on the big screen was utterly amazing!  Not one of us left thinking that it was going to be anything less than a blockbuster hit!  We had seen a few clips of it at the panel we did at the 2018 San Diego Comic Con, but seeing it all put together was amazing on so many, different levels!<\/p>\n

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At the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood on February 4th<\/sup>, I was asked by my old pal Rob Richards to narrate the opening slideshow in his \u201cTo Disney With Love\u201d concert!  The impact of being on the microphone in that legendary theater, with all its amazing history, was not lost on me!<\/p>\n

March 1st<\/sup> my pal Officer Mark and I headed to Las Vegas to meet up with my pal \u201cDr. Doom\u201d from my hometown of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  I had met the good Dr. during the previous year and was amazed at his incredible home and collection.  When I noticed a heavy slant toward the original Transformers in his scope of obsession, I mentioned that I had worked the great Frank Welker on \u201cThe Garfield Show\u201d for six seasons.  \u201cDoom\u201d turned into a little kid at the mention of Frank\u2019s work as Megatron.<\/p>\n

So when I found out that both Frank and his \u201cTransformers\u201d co-hort Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime) were going to be appearing live at the Las Vegas Toycon, \u201cDoom\u201d and I arranged to meet there so I could introduce him to Frank.  Dr. and Mrs. \u201cDoom\u201d had an amazing time, and it was a real blast seeing this very important member of the medical community shaking hands with many of his childhood idols!<\/p>\n

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A few short weeks later, I was asked to emcee a party at Paul Michael Glaser\u2019s 76th<\/sup> birthday event in Cypress, California.  Paul was one of MY childhood idols, and I wouldn\u2019t have missed it for the world!  From the sound of things, Paul has now retired from doing any future \u201cStarsky& Hutch\u201d-related events. But I was honored and thrilled to have been a part of so many of them in the past years with Paul and David Soul.<\/p>\n

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Shortly before I discovered \u201cStarsky& Hutch\u201d on TV, I was addicted to another legendary celluloid duo \u2013 Laurel & Hardy!  Our local channel 9 in Aberdeen, South Dakota hosted \u201cLaurel & Hardy Theater\u201d every Saturday night at 10:30, and I never missed it.<\/p>\n

I bought every book I could find on the greatest comedy team who ever existed, and boned up on their history.  I read about a worldwide fanclub of Laurel & Hardy obsessives called \u201cThe Sons of the Desert,\u201d taken from the theme and title of one of their best films.  Though I sat all alone on those Saturday nights laughing hysterically at their movies, it was my dream of someday enjoying them on the big screen with other fans.<\/p>\n

A few years ago it was my privilege to become an official member of the local \u201cSons of The Desert\u201d chapter called the \u2018Way Out West\u2019 tent.  All throughout the 2019 I continued to attend meetings and hobnobbed with other L&H fans. And my 92 year old \u2018adopted grandma\u2019 Shirley loves going too!<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s been 37 years since I built a puppet, but I was getting the itch to try building again.  I\u2019ve always loved Rowlf the Dog (my first dog as a kid was named after him) so I decided to try my hand at building a Rowlf. He seemed simple enough to start with.<\/p>\n

After starting the build on Christmas Eve of 2018, I continued finessing him all through the first quarter of 2019.<\/p>\n

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I sculpted the eye pieces and the nose piece. Cut and glued the foam pieces and the mouth plates. I researched it meticulously and felt that I came up with a pretty good final product.<\/p>\n

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And on Saturday March 30, my pal (and fellow Muppet fan) Mark Evanier invited me to participate in the final moments of his Cartoon Voice Actor\u2019s panel at Wondercon.  Carrying Rowlf to the stage in a non-descript plastic bag, I brought him up at a certain point in the panel and surprised the entire crowd.  It was a fantastic debut for my Rowlf! As a lifelong Muppet-fan, this was probably the greatest thrill of my puppet-obsessed life.  The crowd went nuts!<\/p>\n

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A few days after that, I was called in to do two days\u2019 worth of sessions for the \u201cMario and Sonic at the Olympic Games\u201d videogame. I voiced a vintage 60\u2019s-era Olympic announcer and had a blast.<\/p>\n

The very next week, Eliot Brodsky (owner of the Monsterpalooza convention franchise) asked if I would bring some of my life-size mannequins and busts to be a part of the museum in his spring show. I had been hoping and dreaming about exhibiting something from Planet Wallywoodin the Monsterpalooza museum for a very long time, so this was a dream come true.  He requested my Andy Kaufman \u201cHeartbeeps\u201d figure, and my \u201cScarecrow of Romney Marsh\u201d figure.  He also asked for the Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion \u201cWizard of Oz\u201d busts.  It was a huge thrill to be able to have them on display there!<\/p>\n

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Good Friday of 2019 fell on April 19th<\/sup>, and it was a real pleasure to be involved in my church\u2019s evening commemorative service.  This year there was a \u201cJesus Christ Superstar\u201d theme, and I was pleased to honor my old friend Barry Dennen\u2019s memory by performing \u201cPilate\u2019s Dream.\u201d <\/p>\n

A few days later, on Easter Sunday morning, I once again donned the costume and portrayed Jesus for the \u201cEaster Walk\u201d for the kids. This makes the fifth year I\u2019ve done it, I believe.  I had to miss one Easter a few years ago due to illness.<\/p>\n

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Speaking of church activities, I was also very honored to be a part of \u201cHomeward L.A.\u201d \u2013 a benefit for the Midnight Mission on L.A.\u2019s Skid Row.  It\u2019s an annual citywide event comprised of actors performing readings of actual stories from those who have received transformative help from the Midnight Mission.  The creator of the event told our directors that it was the best presentation of the format he had ever seen.  High praise indeed!<\/p>\n

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As the warm spring weather began to spread throughout Southern California, it was time to take another short excursion to my beloved Palm Springs for a much-needed respite!  Roxy and I had a fabulous time enjoying the dog park and watching the stars in the desert sky at night.<\/p>\n

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After a few years of dubious health issues (including a fractured crown from a past botched root canal which unceasingly sent abscess into my left sinus causing continual, painful sinus infections) I decided that 2019 was my year for getting all my health issues in order once and for all.<\/p>\n

In 2017 I had radical sinus surgery, followed by a major extraction of two back teeth and considerable reconstruction of my upper left palate in 2018.  I had an implant installed by my oral surgeon, but it would take close to 9 months for the area to heal enough so the post and crown could then be attached.<\/p>\n

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As I waited for that to occur, I contacted my personal physician to get a complete physical.  Even though he urged me to eat better and lose a few pounds, I was in impeccable condition.  I pretty much passed all the tests with flying colors.<\/p>\n

I also decided to visit an eye doctor for the first time in a long time and I had my orbs thoroughly checked.  I got a gold star approval from the doctor and all is good!<\/p>\n

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The attorney handling all of the trademark and IP (intellectual property) concerns for my new kid\u2019s book and toy project had urged me to attend the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas with her on June 5th<\/sup> to speak about our property to interested parties.   She said it would be an eye-opening experience for me, and indeed it was! <\/p>\n

She was convinced that nobody could explain my concept to people as well as I could, so I spent a few days in Las Vegas and I learned a great deal about that aspect of the business. I\u2019m glad I went, and we made several great contacts!<\/p>\n

On June 8th<\/sup> my pal (and fellow Muppet maniac) Mark Evanier invited several of us to see the \u201cPuppet Up!\u201d show at the Henson studios in Hollywood.  Though it wasn\u2019t the usual cast of Muppets that we\u2019ve come to know and love, the show was fantastic! <\/p>\n

It\u2019s basically a comedy\/improv show, but done completely by puppeteers and their fleecy friends.  I can\u2019t wait to go again! And it was really a kick to see Brian Henson in person!<\/p>\n

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The very next day, on June 9th<\/sup>, I was a guest at my pal Scott Zillner\u2019s convention called \u201cRobo Toy Fest.\u201d  I hadn\u2019t done very many cons where I\u2019ve been compelled to charge for my autograph (as I\u2019m still not very comfortable with it) but I was convinced that many people wanted to meet me and have me sign things. So I figured I\u2019d give it a try.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m really glad I did it, as I got to meet many wonderful people and head some fantastic stories about the lives and fandom.  It\u2019s truly nice to hear that all of the nutty work we\u2019ve done in the past has impacted so many lives for the better.<\/p>\n

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After a long, painful journey filled with surgery after surgery, the crown was placed on my implant on June 11th<\/sup> and I could chew on my left side again!  It\u2019s an amazing technology and I\u2019m thankful the long ordeal was finally over!  (In fact, I had them put on a \u201cbionic\u201d crown so I could chew my food 1000 times faster!<\/p>\n

With most all of my health issues taken care of, I flew to Sioux Falls to help celebrate my parents\u2019 60th<\/sup> wedding anniversary.  Given the sinus and tooth issues I had been deal with over the past few years, traveling wasn\u2019t really something I looked forward to.  But now that I was feeling my old self again, I vowed to travel as much as I could this year. <\/p>\n

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But there was one final health issue I had to resolve before I was free and clear for the year \u2013 my tri-annual colonoscopy.  Colon cancer runs in our family tree quite rampantly, so I\u2019m compelled to have a procedure every three years to stay ahead of potential problems.<\/p>\n

So on June 19th<\/sup>, immediately after I returned from my folks\u2019 anniversary, I had my third ever procedure.  As expected, some small polyps were found, but they were removed and I\u2019ll be back in 2022.<\/p>\n

I remember waking up toward the end of the procedure and actually seeing polyps being removed on the monitor It was AMAZING!   I urge EVERYONE over the age of 50 (40, if it runs in your family) to have this procedure.  It CAN save lives!<\/p>\n

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As nice as the regular meetings of our local Sons of the Desert tent are, there\u2019s NOTHING that compares to watching a Laurel and Hardy feature in the presence of 2,000 other L&H fans!<\/p>\n

On June 22nd<\/sup>, the Los Angeles Film Conservancy hosted an afternoon event at the famed Orpheum Theater in downtown L.A. which featured a silent L&H classic called \u201cBattle of the Century\u201d (with a legendarily massive pie fight!) followed by what many consider to be their best feature – \u201cSons of the Desert.\u201d <\/p>\n

Not only was it amazing watching this film as it would have been seen during its initial release, but one of the guest speakers mentioned one of the creators of the Laurel and Hardy fanclub\u2026the late Chuck McCann.  Chuck was one of my best friends, and he passed away in 2018.  So it was an emotional afternoon on many levels.<\/p>\n

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On July 6th<\/sup> I got to pay tribute to someone who was an immense help to my L.A. aspirations \u2013 the one, the only Dr. Demento.  I was invited to his 78th<\/sup> birthday celebration at the Smokehouse.  He and his production staff helped out considerably when I moved to L.A. back in 1987, and I\u2019ll never forget his kindness. <\/p>\n

The best thing about the party was, he was there to thank in person.  All of the well-deserved accolades issued from those who love him were received congenially by the good doctor.  I\u2019ve been to too many memorial services where good things are said about the person after they\u2019re no longer around.   It was nice to be able to tell the person how much they mean to you while they\u2019re still on the planet.<\/p>\n

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The very next night on July 7th<\/sup> I saw MickyDolenz perform again at the Canyon Club.  He always does an amazing show and his voice is still utterly amazing.  It sure is great to hear him do all the Monkees classics again!<\/p>\n

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As with any house, sooner or later you\u2019ve just got to make some upgrades.  This was the year for that!  July was the month to get a new roll-up garage door, a new dishwasher, new vinyl flooring in my kitchen, and brand new carpet in the lower two floors!  They were all much-needed improvements, and it makes Planet Wallywood much more comfy!<\/p>\n

The kitchen issues started with a leaky old dishwasher that was leaking water under the panels of my hardwood floor. When stains started to become evident on the flooring, it was time to tear it all up and start all over again.<\/p>\n

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My friend Gil Christner, whom I had known since the mid 90\u2019s when he hired me to voice radio comedy, passed away over the summer.  The last time I saw him was in the hospital on July 13th<\/sup>.  He was in good spirits, but well aware of the less-than-idea prognosis for his condition.  He was a funny, funny man. And we miss him.<\/p>\n

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On July 17th<\/sup> I signed on with the legendary Abrams Artists Agency for Voice Over.  They also have a number of other departments which I hope to also sign with soon.  I like to keep things all under one roof \u2013 in the family.  I have a good feeling that this relationship will prove to be very fruitful.<\/p>\n

After having seen Jeff Lynne\u2019s ELO twice before (at the Hollywood Bowl and the L.A. Forum) I was bound and determined to see them in concert again.  But this time I wanted to see them with my old radio buddy Scott Maguire in Sioux Falls.  Another fellow ELO fan is my pal Bob Japs from Rochester, MN \u2013 whom I\u2019ve known since 5th<\/sup> grade. <\/p>\n

My buddy Officer Mark and I planned a trip to Sioux Falls to rent an SUV, pick up Scott, drive to St. Paul to see the concert on the 23rd, and then go to Paisley Park for a tour the next day.  It worked out perfectly, because Officer Mark\u2019s girlfriend Miss Connie happened to be in the Minneapolis area that same week with her family on a road trip.  So he joined the road trip and Scott and I drove back to Sioux Falls.  What a great trip!<\/p>\n

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Toward the end of July my pal Pat Evans asked me to be a part of an amazing new album project.  I can\u2019t say much more about it at this point, but it\u2019s an awesome project.  I sang a song for the album, harmonized with myself, and did my own back-up vocals.  There\u2019s already label interest in the finished product when it\u2019s completed!<\/p>\n

With my 40th<\/sup> class reunion rapidly approaching, I made plans to attend the festivities in my hometown of Aberdeen, South Dakota.  I\u2019m the \u2018image voice\u2019 of one of the radio stations in town, so when I told them I\u2019d be back in town for the reunion they suggested that I do a live radio show, playing all the hits from my days as a DJ back in the late 70\u2019s  I thought it sounded like an amazing idea!<\/p>\n

On August 7th<\/sup> I started assembling the elements for a six hour radio extravaganza called \u201cThe Class of \u201979 Reunion Rewind!\u201d  The entire show would be scripted, and in addition to playing all the great songs from the 70\u2019s, I would also include trivia and stories about the \u2018old\u2019 days.<\/p>\n

Since the show would run from noon to 6 on Saturday August 31st<\/sup>, the same day as our big reunion party, I could do the first three hours live. But I needed to pre-record the final 3 hours so I could get ready for the reunion festivities.  All of the music transitions for the first three \u201clive\u201d hours were assembled here in L.A., and the final three hours were completely mixed here as well. That made it a lot easier for the station in Aberdeen to handle all of the programming acrobatics I had planned. <\/p>\n

It was a real kick writing and producing the show, and I was really looking forward to getting back on the radio playing 70\u2019s tunes!<\/p>\n

August 16 was the release day for \u201cInvader Zim: Enter TheFlorpus,\u201d the long-awaited Nickelodeon reunion movie.  Its debut on Netflix was a huge success and in a certain survey, the film polled as the fifth most important animated feature film event of the year!  It also earned Richard Horvitz (voice of Zim) a well-deserved Annie Award nomination!<\/p>\n

The last part of August was a wonderful time for Fantastic Four projects, as I got to voice Reed Richards \u201cMr. Fantastic\u201d for TWO different projects!  I can\u2019t say what they are for quite yet, but voicing Reed is a dream come true, as a lifelong comic book fan!<\/p>\n

As Labor Day weekend 2019 approached, I got ready to head to Aberdeen, South Dakota for the big class reunion and radio show.  On August 29th<\/sup> I flew into Aberdeen and started prepping for the show.  It would be a real blast from the past being live on the air in Aberdeen again; something I hadn\u2019t done in about 41 years!<\/p>\n

On Saturday the 31st<\/sup>, with a few good pals in the studio, I went live on the air to spin yarns about the old days, and play all that good 70\u2019s rock, disco and pop!<\/p>\n

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During the trip I was able to sit in the house I grew up in as a kid, get back in touch with lots of old friends, catch up on all the latest happenings, have some of the food I used to love growing up, and relive a LOT of great memories!<\/p>\n

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Appropriately enough in September, on Friday the 13th<\/sup>, I got to be involved in \u201cSon of Monsterpalooza.\u201d  It\u2019s a smaller version of the springtime \u201cMonsterpalooza,\u201d but still a ton of fun nonetheless.<\/p>\n

The show\u2019s creator Eliot Brodsky asked if I would be interested in emceeing some of the events, and even hosting some of the panels. It was a fantastic time and I look forward to becoming even more involved in future Monsterpalooza cons!<\/p>\n

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A few short weeks later, I on a plane heading for Sioux Falls, South Dakota again to be a guest at Siouxpercon on September 26th<\/sup>! It was great seeing how much the comic and sci-fi fan community has grown since I lived there 32 years ago. It was a wonderful time spent in the presence of a lot of terrific people!  One amazing time!<\/p>\n

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All the hustle and bustle was  making me long for another respite in my beloved Palm Springs, so come October 16th<\/sup>, Roxy and I headed out for some rest in the desert watching stars.<\/p>\n

But on our first full day there, she was attacked by a Pitbull at the Palm Springs Village Fest street fair.  Needless to say it totally wrecked our vacation.  Going to the dog park (one of our favorite things to do) was not possible, and she was made uncomfortable by the huge gash in her cheek courtesy of an insane, vicious dog whose wiring was off kilter.   To make matters worse, on the final day of our vacation, I contracted food poisoning and was laid up in the room all day.<\/p>\n

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Needless to say it colored my attitude about any future visits to Palm Springs.  It might be time to find a different \u2018happy place.\u2019<\/p>\n

In the early 2000s I had a lot of fun going out as Tony Clifton using a full set of facial prosthetics which had been made for me to use in the \u201cE! True Hollywood Story\u201d about Andy Kaufman\u2019s life.  Over the years I have been acquiring better and better pieces for my Tony Clifton costume, including two of the original Lord West orange paisley tuxedo jackets similar to the ones Andy and Bob Zmuda wore as Tony Clifton.<\/p>\n

But I\u2019m just not interested in wearing a bunch of prosthetics any longer.  So for Halloween I had my pal Jim Ojala\u2019s effects studio whip up a lifelike Tony Clifton silicone mask.  It was a lot of fun to put the costume back on again after all these years.  And it was even better to attend a Halloween party at one of the top special effects studios in town.  I even got to meet the wife of the make-up artist who created the original Tony Clifton make-up for Andy and Bob!<\/p>\n

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November 4th<\/sup> was a career first \u2013 my stand-up comedy debut.  The first Monday of every month was designated as Voice Actor night at Flapper\u2019s Comedy Club in Burbank.  Created by Ken Pringle, the entire evening was filled exclusively with Voice Actors in something he called \u201cWe Talk Funny.\u201d<\/p>\n

He asked me to participate and I responded with an eager \u201cYES!\u201d  But I responded before I figure out what I was actually going to do.  But I threw some things together and did a 10 minute set at the end of the night!  It was a great deal of fun, but I don\u2019t think I\u2019d want to make it my priority.<\/p>\n

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A few short days later I was on board another plane, but this time I was headed to Ranger Stop in Orlando.  It was the first time I had ever been to a Power Ranger convention, and it was a lot of fun. <\/p>\n

Though the character I voiced in Power Rangers back in the late 90s was only on a few episodes, apparently the fan following is considerable.  My character even has not one but TWO action figures!  I had a fantastic time hanging out with all the fans and fellow Power Ranger actors!<\/p>\n

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I was able to extend my stay by a few days and attend Disney World for a day on November 11th<\/sup>.  It was really a kick to hear the voices I provided for the most recent section of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride!  I\u2019m still shaking my head to know that I\u2019m in Disney World!<\/p>\n

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Thanksgiving 2019 had one of the biggest groups we\u2019ve ever had at our tradition group feed \u2013 23 people!  Because the Sportsmen\u2019s Lodge was torn down in mid-2019, (where we normally went for Thanksgiving) we had to find other accommodations.  But we were amazed at how wonderful the dinner at the Smokehouse was!<\/p>\n

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On December 2 we lost another member of our regular Saturday night Movie Night group.  Sci-Fi writer Dorothy (D.C.) Fontana passed away.  We were all very saddened to learn this news.<\/p>\n

My buddy Ron Chaney (grandson of Lon Jr. and great grandson of Lon Sr.) and I are planning a huge Chaney exhibit for Monsterpalooza in May of 2020.  On December we had a planning meeting to visualize the entire experience.  It\u2019s gonna be amazing!!<\/p>\n

As I being to branch out into on-camera endeavors, the most important tool to have is a set of great headshots.  On December 5th<\/sup> I went to the Make-Up Designory in Burbank to do a session with my pal Scott Sebring. We shot close to 300 images.  That was the easy part.  Now the hard part is picking a handful to have retouched and releasing them to my agents!<\/p>\n

As the whole \u201cDark Christmas\u201d movement grows, I\u2019m curious to see how it develops.  So I hopped on the subway and headed into Hollywood on December 7th<\/sup> to attend the Seasons Screamings pop-up market at Sweet in Hollywood and Highland.  I found a lot of great items there, and I\u2019m convinced that the \u201cDark Christmas\u201d thing is only going to get bigger!<\/p>\n

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December 17th<\/sup> was the first on-camera job I took in many years.  Since I\u2019ve done just about everything there is to do in the field of Voice Over, I\u2019ve decided to stretch my legs a little bit and expand into other areas of entertainment, including on-camera acting.<\/p>\n

Being a \u201cFace Actor\u201d (as opposed to a Voice Actor) is the same, but different (if that makes any sense).  The only thing I don\u2019t like about it is all the waiting around, which seems like it would be totally unnecessary with better planning.<\/p>\n

The film is called \u201cThe Rideshare Killer\u201d and I play the brother of my friend Tuesday Knight.  I\u2019ll have more on the film the closer it gets to being released.<\/p>\n

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Just a few days before Christmas, I was back in the studio working on the secret album project with my buddy Pat Evans.  But this time they needed a pedal steel guitar, and I only know one guy who can make the pedal steel sing like a bird\u2026my pal Dr. Stephen Patt!<\/p>\n

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He brought his rig to the studio and within an hour they had several wonderful takes!  I can\u2019t wait to tell you more about this historic undertaking!<\/p>\n

Once again, it ended up being another fantastic Christmas season.  I adhered to my usual, annual routine of visiting my church\u2019s Living Nativity (there was a chicken who loved roosting on my head!), the candlelight service, (we sang Silent Night on the steps of the church to a calm, peaceful neighborhood) and I spent Christmas Eve working on my Oscar the Grouch puppet.  Fantastic!\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

I\u2019m looking forward to 2020, or as I call it the year of \u201cI Can See Clearly Now,\u201d as I\u2019m filled with determination and resolve.  I hope and pray that you have clarity and vision for the new year as well.<\/p>\n

Happy New Year!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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