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Greek and Roman Tragedy IN PERSON Style

Hi guys so I spend 6 days in Rome for the Film Festival and 5 of those was mostly spend on Stallone who is my favourite action star of the 80s

I have to say the festival was diabolic and it killed me done 5 days on sly everyday from 8am till 23:00 when he always came back every night at hotel.

I knew sly was gonna arrive in Rome on sunday I had his flight info and knew he was gonna land at 12 Noon , I also knew he was due to check into his hotel at approx 13:15 to 13;30.

And that is exactly what happened he arrived at 13:16 I was the only person there so I decided because I know he has changed huge since Expendables one , That I wont try him on a photo or a glove but I felt maybe a VOCTORY T shirt that I had already obtained a bunch of others from the film, I have been doing sly for years so I know what he is like in and out like a the white USAIN BOLT.

Sly can I ? Thats as far as I got he was in the door he did see me thought before he got out the car but flew through the hotel doors. At 13:47 he came out again and as I said Mr sylver he was gone , I got the call that he was buying shoes at Spagna so I walked there and waited for approx 35 minutes , He comes out by then the crowds are huge in their hundreds and I knew there is no way I would get him I knew exactly what he will do punch the sky etc and show off as he always does. So I run up the spanish steps like ROCKY and beat him to his hotel which was at top of the steps got there and my tounge was hanging so low I nearly tripped myself.

Sly ple a s e he was in through the doors.

About 4 pm he came out again to go and meet the president of the fest and he stopped and said to me NEVER , I was a little shocked lol but not loads as I know he has changed big time. So i went to 236 were he was doing the meeting and said to him on his way out WHY SLY WHAT DID I DO TO YOU ? He replied nothing bud just dont want sign autographs anymore done it all my life.

I said ok man still love you as grew up watching all your films and he said to me I dONT WANT YOU TO LOVE ME , I WANT YOU TO LEAVE ME ALONE , It was a little heart breaking but have been down this path thousands times but this time its different as I really am a huge sly fan but hey I put a brave face and went back to hotel for the next four days I was there but not opened my mouth once or even approached , I watched all the locals and foreign graffers try day and night close to over 30 times he refused every single time.

On the 13th I was waiting and I notice Walter Hill walking past I walked up to him and started to talk with him, Told him how much I loved his movies as he is one of my 80s favourites, And I noticed there was over 15 hunters there but no one knew who he was but me, I realised he was not staying there he just walked passed did not even know sly was through those doors, Anyway I said am gutted as had all my items in the hotel as was hopping to meet him tomorrow , So i said to him I had 20 items inc 14 posters of all his films such as THE WARRIORS, SOUTHERN COMFORT, RED HEAT, BREWSTERS MILLIONS, STREETS OF FIRE , 48 HRS , THE STREETFIGHER aka as HARD TIMES etc.

I asked if it will be ok if I get to him tommorrow he said no worries then I met his daughter and spoke for nearly 20 minutes.

Next day I went and 1 hour before the premiere walter arrived he asked me to join him inside and signed all 20 items while we spoke about Asian Cinema and Pielberg and Lucas etc, When sly turned up his faced was made of stone he called me over took my shirt and gave me the best autograph I have ever seen in the last 12 years, I said to him I am like your creation Rocky no matter how many times I get knocked down I still stand here and try again he winked and added a massive one liner above his autograph.

Am sure it is not the last time we meet but I know I will never ever see another autograph like it for as long as I leave as the whole reason I got what I got was because I put in 5 whole days and at some point even if he did not want to he understood I had earned it.

So when I look at Milton Luban the New York seller selling all that sly memorabillia that is bend like him , and gets away with is its a shame , An IN PERSON slaves for hours to get one autograph and he bangs them out in seconds..

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/onestop_autographs/IMG_030...

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/onestop_autographs/IMG_031...

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Permalink Reply by Cogo on November 15, 2012 at 11:08am

Great story and congrats to a great autograph!!

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Permalink Reply by Rich on November 15, 2012 at 11:09am

Wow, that is a spectacular Stallone auto!

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Permalink Reply by Steel on November 15, 2012 at 1:14pm

Great story and shirt, Jason. Congrats.

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Permalink Reply by A.B. on November 15, 2012 at 1:25pm

Amazing story :)

Congrats !!!!

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Permalink Reply by Jason Thanos on November 15, 2012 at 3:37pm

Thanks guys , the incredible part for me was after I got it ,
I accapted defeat as it was 5 days and sly said never but let me state no once in those 30 times did I swear at him or act in any way that will provoke him , by acting so I had won over his driver Max his manager K£&@% and his 2 security guys . All of whom have seen me at each sighting but never once did I make them work out or take action, I remember now that all 5 of us pulled the shirt it's weird the driver and the guards were on my side so they were trying to land a hand and once Sly picked the marker he kept going till he run out of shirt space , I was like what the he'll he is gonna sign across the other side in a minute he really wanted to give me every letter . So as he finished and started to walk away the driver shook my hand and one of the Italian security guys tapped me on my back with a huge smile .

Timeless experience it's what drives an In Person on sometimes this moments .
Especially when this is the only autograph he signed the whole trip in Italy !!

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Bautista on November 15, 2012 at 3:54pm

He signed some autographs on the red carpet of the movie . Or at least they posted photos of him signing autographs last night in rome .

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Permalink Reply by Jason Thanos on November 15, 2012 at 4:02pm

No Anthony he did not he shook hands only he took a photo with a disabled guy inside the venue after the red carpet inside I was there running the whole line from when he got out his lancia to when he walked in the theatre , over 30 in person graffers spread all over did not get him Inc people like Carlo inside with a press badge . People had photos out and markers but he was just touching hands , I was there he touched my hand too .

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Bautista on November 15, 2012 at 4:06pm

Wireimage showed him signing something . I ll see if I can find the photo . In Los Angeles at Expendables 2 he signed for awhile .

Found it. It only show him signing whatever he is . The rest are him shaking hands. So mayve he stopped and signed this item .

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Permalink Reply by Jason Thanos on November 15, 2012 at 4:19pm

Yes that s weird this is also my Marker it's my black N50 no one has them there people don't know what it is . That looks like a t shirt and that by the cameras and photographers Smart guy lol looks like he is but reallity he done that one item .

Yes I know about exp 2 same in UK only done a hand full but 5 or 7 years ago when he came he done hundreds of photos on red carpet and was Tom cruise for a day , one journalist actually said it might be cause he was away from spotlight so he had too now he is box office number one he don't need to do anything .

Opposite with Arnie he was super super tough now he is in films he is changed at list for now he signs again maybe he will turn again after his films come out god knows .