Tuesday, December 31, 2024

2024 (or the year I met Julie Brown)

2024 has been a long year of ups, downs and all arounds, but I want to focus on the ups.  There is still plenty of my New England Adventure I haven’t blogged about.  This is due in part to a decrease in a desire to write, but that’s not what I want 2024 to be known for.   Rather, as the title of this post suggests, this is the year I met a singer/actress I’ve admired for a long time. 
Photo from inside a car showing buildings in Providence, Rhode Island
Did Providence guide me to Providence or was it just Dave?
When Dave of My Gay Opinion, who invited me to the East Coast specifically for the Rhode Island Comic Con, and I were in line to meet Julie Brown, my hands started to sweat.  There she was, only a few people away from me.  My 16 year-old self was bouncing off the walls because he would’ve never imagined getting to meet the star of JUST SAY JULIE and the singer of THE HOMECOMING QUEEN’S GOT A GUN Was this really happening?  Did I hop on my first commercial flight and travel halfway across the country to meet Julie Brown?  Yes, it was really happening and yes, I flew way out of my comfort zone just for this moment!  
Photo of me wearing a mask and mad scientist glasses as I gaze out the airplane window.
Masked for my protection against people!

Photo through an airplane window shows a blue sky and the ground below with the wing of the plane in the middle
Disappointing there was no gremlin on the wing!
During Dave’s turn, he broke the ice for me by mentioning to Miss Brown that I flew here from Nebraska, so it was easy to slip into a conversation with her as she autographed my CD of TRAPPED IN THE BODY OF A WHITE GIRL.
Photo of the cd of Trapped in the body of a white girl shows singer Julie Brown, looking seductive in red. Her autograph reads, to John. Love Julie Brown. With two hearts underneath.
I hope you’re totally jealous!
I stayed relatively calm as I told Julie Brown how she has creatively inspired me and how I was probably the only teenager who watched MTV with a parent.  As I told Miss Brown, my mom enjoyed JUST SAY JULIE and said Julie reminded her of Lucille Ball.  Then I got my picture taken with Miss Brown and I look like the big fanboy who was totally geeking out.  I’m sure if 100 pics could have been snapped, I would’ve looked unapologetically over the moon in all of them! 
Photo of me and Julie Brown at the Rhode Island comic con in Providence where I am totally geeking out!
A freakboy and his idol!
After the photo, Julie Brown and I talked a bit more.  She was truly surprised I came all the way from Nebraska.  I told her how Dave and I were planning to hit New York City the next day and how amazing my trip had been already.  Then Miss Brown said she had to give me a hug!  I wasn’t gonna refuse, so we hugged!  Yes, Julie Brown and I hugged!!!  My 16 year-old self was less of a hugger than I am, but I knew he was freaking out in the best way possible.  After that sweetly surreal moment, Miss Brown was then polite enough to give Dave a hug, but I’ll never let him forget Julie hugged me first! 

My New England Adventure could’ve ended there and I would’ve been satisfied.  However, meeting Julie Brown was really only the beginning and I’ll try to blog more about it in 2025. 
Thanks for reading my blog this year.  I appreciate your support. 

Freak Out, 
JLH 

P.S. click a pic ⤵️ for more about my New England Adventure… 
Photo of me reenacting a scene from fleshpot on 42nd St. in Staten Island.

Photo of me standing outside of the archive in Bridgeport, Connecticut
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Click the pic ⤵️ to experience the most viewed tale of 2024…
Vampira looks deeply into the camera and demands you click her!

10 comments:

  1. Love to read about your adventures!

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  2. What an exciting trip!! So fun to read about. 😁

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  3. Aw, so lovely you meet her. I totally understand that surge of teenage feelings.. I felt like that when I heard from a certain Dallas star.. and you got a hug too. She looks a lovely lady and love to hear more about your trip... Thanks for sharing these great stories so far.

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    1. Thanks, Gill! I’m sure you totally understand! My younger self never even dreamed of actually meeting her!

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  4. Looks like you had a blast! I remember Julie from when I was glued to MTV -- she is such a versatile talent (and a great person)!

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    1. it was a total blast! I just wish Julie Brown would’ve become more well-known back in the day!!

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  5. Thanks for sharing your Julie Brown encounter! I'm so excited for you. :) Looking forward to reading your blog posts for 2025 (I know you'll get your inspiration back)!

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    1. Thanks, Barry!
      Now hopefully I’ll get a chance to meet John Waters and Parker Posey!
      As for inspiration, maybe slowly, but surely

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