Convention Crasher

Kids Suck!

The Resident — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:07:13 +0000

Screw Politics

The Resident — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:02:27 +0000

The American International Toy Fair

The Resident — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:40:10 +0000

ZOMG, I totes got to go to this year’s Toy Fair at the Jacob Javits Center here in NYC! So basically, companies that make cool new toys show them off at the Toy Fair, and people with stores come to find out what toys they want to stock. Best fair ever! Also: Every vendor had CANDY at their booth, which made it that much better. Interestingly enough, though, NO KIDS are allowed to attend. The little snotty nosed brats all have to wait in the lobby. It’;s like the Christmas Tree being roped off on Christmas morning! hahaha. This is why it’s good to remain a kid as you grow up; you finally get to go to the Toy Fair.

Characters on Parade at the New York Comic Con

The Resident — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:37:20 +0000

So, this year I visited Comic Con at the Jacob Javits Center for a little grassroots news coverage. Hm. Let’s see. Lots of people dressed up in funny outfits, geeking out on video games, comic books, and lots of tech stuff. And me, unleashed on them. It’s a win-win right there, folks! So I donned my Super Resident costume, grabbed my mic, and hit it full force. Behold! The Resident’s first trip to Comic Con. Should it be my last? You decide.

The International Gift Fair, a Satanic Den of Consumerism

The Resident — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:35:21 +0000

This week, I visited the International Gift Fair at the Jacob Javits Center, where suppliers displayed their wares to potential retailers. Basically, people who make things set up a booth in hopes that people who own shops will attend the convention and order lots of the things for their stores. So, imagine this: 3 floors of booths, all stuffed with every chotchke, doodad, bric-a-brac, trinket, wall-hanging, throw-pillow, candle, blanket, drink holder, picture frame, and other piece of plastic or ceramic imaginable. It was a shopper’s paradise. It was a Residential nightmare, and what do I do with my nightmares? I turn them into fun for myself! So, amidst the rows upon rows of goods, I asked attendees one pressing question in the hopes of having a good time in this Satan’s den of consumerism, all while providing a little social commentary along the way. Watch the video to hear the result.

National New York Boat Show, Not Just For Rich Jerks

The Resident — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:30:57 +0000

I visited the Annual Boat Show at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City, and I fully expected to meet a bunch of rich, white jerks who voted for McCain and were out of touch with reality. And yeah, they were there. But everyone was for the most part nice to me. And they were all in good moods! So that was nice. I mean, they’re there to buy boats that cost several hundreds of thousands of dollars, so why wouldn’t they be in a good mood? It made me stop and think. Is it that bad to be really out of touch with what’s really going on, when the end result is happiness? Made me want to do drugs again. Kidding! I don’t do drugs! See how funny I am?

E3 – Booth Babes, Geeky Gamers, and More

The Resident — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:12:44 +0000

So, I was hired by UGO.com to cover E3 at the Staples Center in LA. They hired me because they knew I’d have a lot of fun with all the insanity there: the booth babes, the nerdy attendees, the overlit, overproduced shrines of consumism – all of it. They were right. I had way too much fun.

The thing about E3 is, you know it’s going to be a sensory overload. You know there are going to be chicks with their boobs out, dudes geeking out over new controllers, PR reps dying to hand you cards and flyers, and more sound and light than a human should ever be exposed to within a 48-hour period. So yeah, that was all there.

And luckily, I was there, too, to show you what you missed. So check out this video to see all the sights and sounds, and experience the impetus behind my career as a Convention Crasher.

Wired NextFest – Shirts That Hug You!

The Resident — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 15:08:36 +0000

I’m totally a tech-geek, I’ll admit it. Well, ok. I’m an everything-geek, and technology is no exception. So I went to check out Wired’s NextFest to do a little crashing, I was psyched! I really love Wired magazine and even subscribe like the nerd I am. I get all my geeky info from alternative news sources as much as possible. But there just weren’t that many cool gadgets at this convention. A freaggin robotic bartender? Didn’t someone try that in 1950? Does our culture need this? I feel like I’ve seen a black and white TV commercial on some old-timey special that showcased such a product. And this is what Wired NextFest offers. The best, by far though, was a hug shirt. This is a shirt that hugs you. WTF???I also got to ride that cultural phenomenon that is known as a Segway, which sucked but was HILARIOUS, especially since GOB drives one. You never did change the way people scoot about in society, now, did you Ginger? And there were some revved up astro-nerds to talk to, and I like talking to them a lot. But overall, I give this exhibition a C, and my coverage an A.