Runnin all around the Northeast for comedy, Celtics and Hollywood. 'Twas a cool week last week for me. Here's a quick journal of my journey. 

 

Things picked up steam on Tuesday. After work I jumped into a studio to do a photo shoot for the up-coming Markathon. No pics of that cause I want to surprise you all. Look for that handy work to be ready in a couple more weeks.

After the shoot, I jumped in the car and drove north to Orono to see Kevin James' stand up comedy show. Luckily Kevin played two nights in Maine; one in Orono and the next in Portland. I would have loved to have not driven and walked across the street to see him in Portland, but the Celtics game was the same night. Good for me I had the chance to see him his first night in Maine.

Two hours later I arrive in Orono. A little early I hit up Pats Pizza for a bite to eat. Talk about a great local Maine tradition. This location in Orono is the original, #1 first Pats location. It's been there since the 30's I believe. (some of the customers might have been too) Great service, awesome original set up. It was a touch of old school the right way.

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You can imagine how much I was lovin' this! The songs seemed to have stopped in the mid 90's, but that's understandable. Nothing wrong with a little Primitive Radio Gods or Seal with your din din. 

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Eventually I made it over to the Collins Center for the Arts on the UMaine Orono campus. They have done a killer job re-doing that venue. Its a theater style spot, but more modern. 

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So awesome, I was second row, dead center. Prime location for heckling should that be part of Kevin's bag.

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They didn't allow cameras at all when the show started. It's 2014 baby. You can't stop it! There were some staff right by me though most of the time and I didn't want to drive 2 hours for nothing so I kept my phone in my jacket. For the most part.... 

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BAM! KJ right there in the flesh! You ain't gonna stop me from pretending to text someone when I'm actually taking a picture in 2014 y'all. No way, no how!

It IS Kevin James. I swear it's him! He was talking about losing weight or kids or something. He was great. I saw him in New Jersey about 15 years ago when his career was just taking off and been a huge fan since. This was a great time! Nice work by the Collins Center. Ace venue!  

The next night I really got a super awesome deal. The Celtics played their first pre-season game in about 20 years in Maine in Portland. I go to see them in Boston plenty but to have them in my zip code; that's just awesome. And convienent!

I heard I had good seats, but this was just crazy!

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Then I look to my other side and I see the greatest TV Basketball announcer in the game, Mike Gorman! I'm also a major fan of this man! 

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Turns out I was sitting right next to the broadcast booth, which was great cause I got the play by play from Mike (and Cedric Maxwell) IN PERSON! LIVE STEREO! 

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It was awesome to see Danny Ainge on the other side of the broadcast table, sitting a couple seats over from good local music friend, Pete Kilpatrick. 

Really though, it was a great experience. One of the Celtics owners Steve Pagliuca was on the other side of me. I was hoping to tell him to re-sign Kevin McHale regardless of his age, but we didn't get that deep into conversation.

with Celtic legend "Cornbread" Cedric Maxwell
with Celtic legend "Cornbread" Cedric Maxwell
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with the best in the biz, Mike Gorman
with the best in the biz, Mike Gorman
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I was getting texts and messages all game from friends all over. "Dude is that you?"... "Dude, I saw you on TV!"... "Dude, you at the Celts game?" I guess it was hard to steer the cameras away from me cause I was smack dab in the middle, courtside. I was in the way all night! Sorry. 

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It was another great night. Awesome to see families being able to enjoy the Celtics right here, in town. Kids were having a blast, city was alive and die hard fans were able to show Mainers bleed green like anyone from Massachusetts does. Man, those seats. Unreal!

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As the weekend rolled in, I had plans to head to Portsmouth NH for the 14th NH FIlm Festival. A handful of days filled with movie premiers, vists from directors, actors and Hollywood players - but also a great time for movie fans who could show up and enjoy the entire festival! 

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Some of the great showings were "Take Me To The River" about the Memphis music scene, Stax Records and all the great musicians involved. "Low Down" about jazz musician Joe Albany and his daughter and their fight to stay alive while Joe battled a drug addiction during his prime music years. I saw that film Saturday night and it was pretty heavy. Flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers was a co-star in it as well as Glenn Close and a great performance by John Hawkes from Eastbound and Down. Here's that trailer.

This was the Q&A after the film with the director, Flea and subject of the movie, Amy-Jo Albany.

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I was lucky enough to meet Flea earlier in the day. I talked a lot of crap about his Lakers and I gott say, he knew his Basketball real good. He gave me some smack talk back. 

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TV and movie star Mike O'Malley was there too! Mike grew up in Nashua NH, same as me. He Graduated from the same high school as me AND lived next door to one of my best friends growing up; but this was the first time I got to meet him. He's an ace dude. You've seen him on ESPN commercials, Glee, Nickelodeon programs like "Guts" and he co-starred in the TV show, "Yes Dear". He's also been a writer for "Shameless" recently. Right now, he's working on writing a new show with Bill Cosby, but he was there to promote his new show on Starz that he wrote called, "Survivor's Remorse", about a Basketball player from Massachusetts who signs a big deal.

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Rae Dawn Chong is not just the daughter of Tommy Chong (of Cheech and Chong), but she's also a talented actress (The Color Purple, Commando, American Flyers, Beat Street, Quest For Fire, Tales from the Crypt, etc) AND a gifted writer/director and producer. Rae Dawn was there to promote her latest venture called, The Celebrant, about a person that helps people die. Her next project is a comedy/horror film starring a man she found waiting tables who would become one of the biggest starts in the world, Chris Pratt. Rae tells it like it is and is still very lovely still to this day!  

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Here's a wrap up o this year's festival! Pretty cool clip! 

Well, by Sunday night I was wiped. This turned out to be THE best seat I sat in all week. No place like home!

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