James Brown . . . Rest In Peace.

This shot is from May 11, 2005, as James exited B.B. King's Blues Nightclub in New York City after the second of two shows that night. As with most of these encounters . . . it was just luck . . . we were in the right place at the right time. We were there less than a minutes when the front doors of the club swung open and out he came. He wasn't going to stop, but we mentioned that we were from the St. Louis area . . . home to Chuck Berry. That brought a smile to his face and got him to stop long enough for a quick photograph before he hopped in his stretch limo and departed.

What happens in Vegas . . . stays in Vegas. Not on this blog.

We vacationed in Sin City, November 13-18. We saw several shows (Love, the Beatles Cirque du Soleil show is a must see! It's by far the best show I've ever seen!), had lots and lots of great food (the desserts at the Bellagio, thai at Lotus of Siam, breakfast at the Paris, and lunch at the Wynn were tops!), and met a few celebrities.

First up was Don Rickles. The 80-year-old comedian was receiving a star on the new Ceaser's Palace Comedy Walk of Fame. Whoopi Goldberg was the presenter. Being Vegas, there were about twenty different entrances/exits to the event, so I decided to go for the photograph as he departed. Luckily, I got close enough to the roped-off area to ask Don for a photo as he came off the podium. He looked up, said "sure," and motioned for me to come over. That's when the Mrs. intercepted me and told me he had to go as he had a show in 25 minutes . . . all the while Don is motioning me to come over. Then security threw an arm up and blocked me also. Not one to give up, I worked my way back through the crowd down to the end of the sidewalk where he was leaving. Sure enough, here came Don lead by a costumed Ceaser's mascot, yelling "All hail to Don Rickles!" I quickly brushed by the mascot and approached Don for the picture. He wouldn't actually stop walking, so I had to snap the shot on the run.

The following night we had excellent 9th row tickets for the comedy and magic of Penn and Teller at the Rio. Michelle even got to share the stage with Teller and took home an autographed fish bowl as part of the act! Penn and Teller always take time to meet and greet fans after the show (and to sell the merch :--) ). We had a nice chat with Teller as he told us about one of his favorite Thai restaurants, Lotus of Siam . . . he even drew us directions on the back of our ticket stub. What a nice guy! By the way, the show was great too!

Friday was the jackpot day for pictures. During an afternoon walk to the Las Vegas Fashion Show Mall, I stopped and asked comedian Rita Rudner for a photo. She gave me the usual not now, I'm in a hurry line, but obliged after I asked a second time.

At the Mall, my target was famed pianist Roger Williams. He was attempting to break his own record by playing the piano for 14 hours straight, with only a small break every 45 minutes to one hour. After listening for about 40 minutes, Roger stopped and made his way to the sidelines where he greeted me and several other fans before retreating to his dressing room to soak his hands in ice water.

Next up was a stop for a meet and greet with comedian and rap artist Jamie Kennedy at the Comedy Festival. He was there to promote his new DVD and his new CD with Stu Stone. Everyone there got a free DVD, plus the chance to hang with Jamie for a few minutes. Jamie also gave me some good-natured kidding about requesting a "blue" Sharpie for the autographs. But like a true pro, he had several fresh "blue" Sharpies by his side.

Following the meet and greet, I headed inside Ceasar's Palace to hang outside the entrance to a celebrity poker tourney being held in conjunction with the Comedy Festival. I first spotted Steve Shirripa (Bobby Bacala from the Sopranos). He took a picture with me and we chatted about our previous meeting in May in New York at a children's fund-raiser. Steve's is one of Hollywood's good guys.

Speaking of good guys . . . Jeremy Piven is also near the top. Jeremy was more than happy to stop for a photograph and sign some autographs as he exited the poker tournament.

Oh, I might mention also that I saw Billy Crystal and the Mrs., not once, not twice, but three times. He was in too big of a hurry to stop each time. No problem though, I've got a great picture from NYC.

I concluded the evening with a picture with comedian George Lopez. I spotted George while strolling through the Forum shops at Ceasar's Palace.

Yep, they shocked the world!

Congratulations to the 2006 World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals! I was there for the clincher, well, sort of. I didn't have a ticket to the game (just couldn't bring myself to fork over $400 plus the scalpers were asking), but was just outside the gates with thousands of other Cardinal fans soaking up the atmosphere and trying to catch a glimpse of the game between the gates. After the final out, I rushed in to celebrate with the rest of Cardinal nation. Wow . . . what a feeling!

After the game, I ran into actor/comedian Kevin Pollack. He's friends with Cards manager Tony LaRussa and was in town for all three World Series games.

Plus, Cardinal/Fox Sports broadcaster Joe Buck was kind enough to visit with fans while waiting for his ride. He said he thought alot about his dad, Jack, during the game. He also replayed his game ending call for the fans who asked. And, no, I didn't touch his throat.

Finally, here's David Eckstein, your World Series MVP . . . from this past February at spring training in Jupiter, Florida.

Here's a member of the 2006 NL Central Division Champion St. Louis Cardinals . . . super reserve Scott Spezio. This shot was taken this past March at spring training . . . "pre-red soul patch." Let's hope the Birds get it in gear in post-season!

Wow . . . it's been a while since my last update. The following are my three latest additions.

Sherman Hemsley (aka George Jefferson) was in Peoria, Illinois on September 17 to star in the play, "Mama's Sweet Potato Pie." The play was part of the city's Black Expo. As he exited the van which brought him from Chicago, his hands were full with his wardrobe and lunch. He said he'd be back in a minute to sign our autographs. Sure enough, about 5 minutes later, he came out the backstage garage to sign. I had purchased his CD, "Dance," via Ebay for him to sign (the disk is RARE and includes an interesting mix of jazz, r and b, and dance music, yes George Jefferson can sing). He was quite startled to see the disk and seemed thrilled to be able to accommodate my request for an autograph. As he finished, he caught a glimpse of my Moodies Strange Times crew shirt I was wearing. "Moody Blues, huh? Strange Times...I really never liked that one. I really like their first six albums," he said. How's that for an unexpected surprise? We spent the next five minutes chatting about the Moodies, favorite songs, and seeing the band live. As we finished our conversation, he posed for a picture and then walked back inside for the show.

Guitar wizard Leo Kottke was at the UIS Auditorium in Springfield, Illinois, for a September 15 concert. After declining my request for a photo before the show (said he had to take the stage in five minutes, when in reality he had 45 minutes), he stopped to sign and take pictures with fans at the backstage door after the show.

I headed to Springfield, Illinois, August 22 in hopes of getting a picture with actress Vivicia A. Fox at an AIDS awareness event at The Center. Instead, I got Grammy winner Kelly Rowland, a member of 90's super group Destiny's Child. She was a last minute fill-in for Vivica who had a film commitment to honor. Getting to Kelly was the hard part as she had sequestered herself in an area to the side of the stage where she watched five different rap artists perform. I won't give you specifics, but I did manage to access the backstage area. Kelly posed for the picture on a rest room break between acts.

Best wishes to the new bride on her marriage this weekend to Kid Rock. I met Pam Anderson this past May at the after party for the Rainforest Benefit concert in New York City. Although she was with a large entourage, she took time to sign autographs and pose for pictures.

Let's see . . . a professional race car driver, a Heisman trophy winner, a professional golfer, and a supermodel. Not bad for a night's work. I captured photos with them at the July 27 stop in Springfield, Illinois, of the Kyle Petty Chick-Fil-A (I love Chick-Fil-A . . . Eat More Chicken!) Charity Motorcycle Ride. The caravan of over 200 motorcycles pulled up to the Hilton Hotel about 8 p.m. They had been delayed about two hours due to inclement weather earlier in the day.

As Kyle was making his welcome speech at the podium, I managed to work my way into the crowd and next to the podium to get my first shot, PGA golfer Davis Love III. In his 21-year career, he's managed to win over $33 million in prize money.

As soon as Kyle finished his speech, the cyclists dispersed to their bikes and the ride around the corner to the parking lot. That's where I met 1982 Heisman Trophy winner and NFL running back Herschel Walker (in 1992 he was inducted into the NCAA Collegiate Hall of Fame and also named the second greatest college football player of all time, second only to the legendary Red Grange). Herschel looked splendid in his white jump suit, but took off the haz-mat looking apparel for the photograph.

Next up . . . super model Nikki Taylor. I waited for Nikki as she exited the parking garage. Nikki, who has graced the covers of Vogue, Cosmo, and several SI swimsuit editions, was more than happy to stop for a photograph and chat for a minute. I suppose it's not often you find super models who enjoy riding motorcycles.

Kyle Petty was final celeb of the evening. #45 was in a great mood after completing the day-long ride of over 500 miles. He signed autographs and took photographs with fans at a reception inside the Hilton.

We spent the past week on vacation . . . taking in the Taste of Chicago (Lou Merlonti's deep dish pizza is to die for!), Milwaukee's Summerfest (don't wait until midnight to leave), and the Wisconsin Dells. While in the Windy City, I met actor/comedian Martin Short following the first night of previews of his new play, Fame Becomes Me, at the LaSalle Bank Theater (don't you just love corporate sponsorship?!?!). Martin was cordial to the small group of ten waiting outside the stage door as he signed playbills and posed for photographs. Martin's next stop is Broadway. His Broadway previews start July 29. You can also catch "Marty" next week on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Another neat surprise on tonight's episode of The Closer . . . John Billingsley! John played Dr. Phlox on Star Trek Enterprise and has been in numerous other TV shows and movies (including White Oleander). John played the role of a food critic who murdered the wife of a chef. I met John in May as he was leaving the Trump Hotel in New York City. He was kind enough to stop for a quick photograph, even though he was chatting on the phone. Too bad he's looking elsewhere.

Superman Returns opened this past weekend and raked in a tidy $52 million. Here are the movie's leading ladies: Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane and Parker Posey as Kitty Kowalski. I met Kate at a movie premiere in New York City. I was close to the beginning of press row and called to Kate for a picture. She politely waved and continued. However, she remembered my request for a photograph! After completing her duties, she exited the theater and came over to say hello. I just love her pose . . . it's glamour and Hollywood all in one. My pose . . . "deer in the headlights."

I caught up with Parker in May 2005 before an evening performance of the play Hurly Burly in New York City. She came up the sidewalk on rollerblades with a Starbucks drink in hand. She promptly sat down on the steps of the theater to remove her blades and visit with us (my collecting buddies Jay and Mark). As I recall, she spent about 15 minutes chatting about various topics, including rollerblading, coffee drinking, and her cool shades.

It's almost over . . . birthday number 40 . . . a great day topped off with a wonderful dinner with Michelle at the Magic Kitchen . . . food doesn't get much better than this!

From this past Saturday's Andre Iguodala's Charity Basketball Game at LLCC in Springfield. I was looking to snag a pic with Allen Iverson, Andre's 76'ers teammate and all around NBA star, but he was a no-show. I did manage to capture shots with three key members of the 2004 Fighting Illini Final Four team . . . Dee Brown, Deron Williams, and Luther Head . . . all three were more than happy to chat, sign, and take photos with fans. Dee was especially pumped for the upcoming NBA draft.

I was pleasantly surprised to see Frances Sternhagen on last night's episode of The Closer (another one of my favorite prime time TV picks!). She was playing Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson's (Kyra Sedgewick a.k.a. Mrs. Kevin Bacon) mother. I met Frances, or should I say startled her, as she arrived for a Sunday afternoon performance of Steel Magnolias last May. She had her hood up and head down as she made her way to the theater. I suppose she wasn't expecting me to ask for a picture as she jumped and exclaimed, "Oh, my," when I spoke. You might also remember Frances as Norm's mom on Cheers.

Finally . . . a few minutes to share a couple of photos from the May NYC trip. It was a very productive visit, with over 150 pics added to the collection. There were lots of "A listers" on the trip. Here are my first three highlights.

I'm three out of four in meeting the Seinfeld cast. Jerry, Kramer, and now the lovely Ms. Elaine Benes! Julia Louis-Dreyfuss was hosting Saturday Night Live May 13 and I met her following the show at the show's After Party at McCormick and Schmicks. She opted not to do photos or sign autographs during the week of rehearsals, but was accommodating following the show, signing before and after the party. I also got to meet hubby Brad Hall, also a Saturday Night Live alum.

A decision to stop at the Mandrian Hotel for a few minutes after a tasty Mexican lunch at Rosa Mexicano (awesome food and guacamole made fresh at your table!) provided a house call by the doctor himself . . . Hugh Laurie! Hugh stars in "House," one of my favorite primetime TV shows. Plus, the good doc shaved for the pic! I can't begin to tell you how excited I was to meet him!

May 21 . . . 4:30 a.m. . . . Rockefeller Center . . . Kevin Spacey! Yep, just before sunrise, Kevin exited the Saturday Night Live After Party (he hosted) to sign, chat, and pose with those fans who were still awake. Don't know if you can tell or not, but Mr. Spacey had been enjoying the beverages all night "--).

More from NYC . . . stayed tuned.

Just back from New York City (after an unexpected night's stay at the Airport Hilton in Atlanta) with lots of celeb photos and stories. Plus, I finally got to meet a long-time autograph friend, informer, and Guns-n-Roses fanatic, Bob Pivoroff. Watch for an update this weekend.

This past Friday, April 28, I made my annual visit to Ebertfest, Roger Ebert's overlooked film festival, at the Virginia Theater in Champaign, Illinois. Friday night's screening was Ripley's Game, starring Illinois native John Malkovich. I did manage to squeeze in a brief conversation with John during my attempts to get a photograph. Unfortunately, John just didn't want his picture taken.

However, Roger didn't disappoint. He's always accommodating to festival attendees and frequently roams the lobby and theater. If you see a silver Lexus SUV with the license plates MOVIES, that's Roger.

Marni Nixon, Audrey Hepburn's singing voice in My Fair Lady, was in the audience for the Ripley's Game screening. She had lots of compliments for the Ripley's movie score during the Q and A session that followed. My Fair Lady was screened the day before, with Marni sharing stories about the movie and her other "singing" roles in feature films. Marni's son is Andrew Gold of "Thank You For Being a Friend" one hit wonder fame.


Finally, I spotted Scott Wilson in front of the Theater as I was leaving. Scott is one of the stars of the early 1980's movie The Right Stuff. He was at the Festival as part of the next day's screening of Junebug, a movie he co-starred in with Amy Adams. This was Scott's second trip the Festival.

Periodically, I'll post some of my favorite photographs and stories from previous years.

I attended the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game last night in St. Louis. Chris Carpenter, the 2005 National League Cy Young Award winner, was the starter for the Cardinals. Even though he didn't have his best stuff, Carp managed to hang on for the win. This is a pic of us from spring training 2006. The photo was taken between practice fields 1 and 2 at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida. I told him he was on my 2005 fantasy league team, and I thanked him for getting so many points for me. He grinned and said, "No problem."

Rhoda Morgenstern is alive and well! Valerie Harper was in St. Louis this past Sunday, April 23, 2006, at the Fox Theater in a performance of Golda's Balcony. She arrived via taxi and was in a rush because the taxi driver couldn't remember how to get to the Fox. Even though she was in a hurry, she was gracious and stopped to sign an 8 x 10 and pose for this picture. Valerie was more relaxed following the show and signed two programs from her performance.

Welcome to Kevin's Celeb Pics . . . specifically photographs of me, Kevin Eckhoff, with celebrities big and small! I obtain my photographs in Illinois and Missouri, in such locales as Springfield, Peoria, Bloomington/Normal, Chicago, and St. Louis. Plus, a yearly trip to New York City, adds to the collection. New York is the MECCA for celebs . . . heck, on my first visit, I ran into Penelope Cruz, Donald Sutherland, and David Bryan (Bon Jovi) within the first two hours!

I'll publish my most recent pics first, plus I'll add additional notes about the encounter.
Here's Bob Saget and Ozzie Smith at the Bob Costas Celebrity Gala for Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital. The event was April 1, 2006, at the Fox Theater in St. Louis. Bob is always nice . . . my second time meeting him. Asked him about his new about his new movie, "Farce of the Penguins." Bob says he has lots of work to do, but hoped the movie would be released later this year. He signed a photograph of us taken last May in New York City (Note: In New York he was talking on the phone as he approached us . . . asked the caller to hold for a minute while he posed and signed . . . a class act!) Ozzie is always professional. He patiently posed for photos with several fans, but the Hall of Famer politely declined to sign autographs. Ozzie was behind the wheel of a very nice and very new maroon-colored Mercedes.