Showing posts with label Ghost Adventures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ghost Adventures. Show all posts

Throwback Thursday: Great Stuff From Our Past Years Lists

2008: Haruka Ayase - The Hottest Women of the Year!

One of the highest grossing films in Japan that year was "Cyborg She" (My Girlfriend Is A Cyborg), so it is no surprise that the film's lead actress, Haruka Ayase, would be a sought after commodity. Haruka found working on the film to be a challenge due to the language barrier between her and Korean movie director, Jae-Yong Kwak. "Mr Kwak taught me acting through gestures and facial emotions." Ayase also took a very playful approach to her robot character, "“Because I don’t have an opportunity to punch men, I enjoyed doing it during production.” I'm sure there are a lot of men out there that are happy that she got to live that fantasy out on the set.

Now male fans worldwide will want their very own Haruka Ayase cyborg. I guess it's time to trade in my "Lucy Liu Bot" for a new model!

See: Top Ten Hottest Women Of 2008


2008: Murphy As The Riddler? Weisz As Catwoman? Labeouf As Robin? Here We Go Again!

You know that Batman sequel that Christopher Nolan has been denying for months, well now it reportedly has a cast and a title. According to sources close to Nolan, the film will be titled, "Gotham" and will feature Rachel Weisz as Catwoman, Eddie Murphy as The Riddler and Shia Labeouf as Batman's trusted sidekick Robin.

As recently as October Nolan was making public statements that he wasn't sure that he even wanted to make a third Batman movie, worrying that he couldn't pull off a decent film.

Things reportedly changed in the Nolan camp, and changed in a hurry.

Weisz is the latest of the names to associated with the Catwoman character. For months it was believed that Angelina Jolie was the front-runner for the part. At one time even Cher's name was reported to be on the short-list. Weisz, however, now seems to be a lock.

It is interesting to note that Christopher Nolan didn't want to do a third film because third films generally "suck" (Those are his words), yet by bringing in three new characters, he seems to be following the same formula for disaster. Fans often refer to the adding too many elements into one films as the "Too Many Villains Syndrome." What generally happens here is that too many new characters get put into one film, limiting their character development, which bogs down the films plot. Examples of this are, "Spider-man 3", "Batman Forever" and "Batman & Robin." Fans generally point out that the best superhero films almost always feature one villain.

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See: The Most Talked About Stories Of 2008


2009: Allison Scagliotti

Just like last year's top cutie, Haruka Ayase, this years favorite, Allison Scagliotti, is more of a down to Earth, girl-next-door type.

I guess that this just goes to prove that what guys are 'really' looking for is a girl they can take home to mom.

Am I right guys?.....guys?.....guess I lost a few there.


Anyway, "Warehouse 13" is huge hit for the SyFy Channel and the fact that Scagliotti is on the show, certainly helped the actress capture our number one.

On "Warehouse 13" Scagliotti plays Claudia Donovan, a young, hip, brilliant techno-wiz, who manages to successfully breach the Warehouse's complex security system in order to track down Artie (Rubinek). With a natural aptitude for science and technology, Donovan's talents enable her to manipulate and activate many of the objects contained in the Warehouse to help the Team.

See: The Top Ten Hottest Women Of 2009

2010: GHOST ADVENTURES - Zak Bagans, Nick Grof And Aaron Goodwin At Comic Con 2010

Like I mentioned in my previous article, my experience at Comic Con was a little 'different' than that of the 'typical' fan. Instead of lusting after the 'trendy' movies and shows, my family and I were excited about a lot of things that weren't so mainstream.

One of these was the television series, "Ghost Adventures", and my wife April, son Christopher and I were really looking forward to meeting the shows stars Zak Bagans, Nick Grof and Aaron Goodwin at an autograph signing later in the afternoon.

As luck would have it, the very same people, Zak, Nick and Aaron,that we so strongly wanted to see, arrived at the convention at the exact same time that we did. Amazingly, they were just milling around in the area adjacent to the check-in and autograph areas. To our delite, we were able to snap a few photos and talk to Aaron for a few seconds. My wife was very happy to have told him that 'he was the shit!'

To our surprise, no one else even recognised them.

READ MORE

See: The Top Monster / Sci Fi Stories Of 2010


2010: The First Look At Roger Corman's 'Dinoshark'

Isn't it wonderful that giant mutant monsters are popular again. After J.J. Abrams unleashed his giant monster movie, "Cloverfield", in theaters two years ago, there has been a non-stop parade of independent features where the motto, "bigger is better", has really been taken seriously.

Last year, The Asylum, made a huge media splash with their film "Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus". The film featured former 80s pop sensation, Debbie Gibson, playing second fiddle to a titanic shark and an equally gigantic octopus. Likewise, films of the same vein like, "Dinocroc vs. Supergator", "Megaconda," and even The Asylum's follow-up to "Mega Shark", called "Megapiranha", were all rushed into production by the end of 2009.

Now it seems that the king of B movie monsters, Roger Corman, was feeling a little left-out by all of this, so he has developed his own giant monster film for the SyFy Channel called, "Dinoshark."

Lets see....Megaconda....Dinocrock.....Mega Shark........Dinoshark. Makes perfect sense in the grand scheme of things, doesn't it?

READ MORE


2010: Alessandra Torresani

Alessandra Torresani (born Alessandra Olivia Toreson; May 29, 1987) is an American actress. She is credited as Alessandra Toreson for her work prior to 2007.

Torresani's television debut was at age nine when she hosted the "Kids' WB Club" for San Francisco's KBWB (Channel 20). She co-starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Going to the Mat. Her other television credits include Even Stevens, JAG, ER, The War at Home, Malcolm In The Middle, Arrested Development, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and CSI among others.

In May 2008, Torresani was cast as Zoe Graystone in Syfy's pilot for Caprica, a prequel spin-off of Battlestar Galactica, which debuted in January 2010.

In 2009 she was cast to play Lita Ford in the biopic The Runaways about the all-girl punk band of the same name. However, the role was later given to Scout Taylor-Compton.

See: The Top Ten Hottest Women Of 2010


2012: Dynamite Baby, Grindhouse Dynamite!

Grindhouse is an American term for a theater that mainly shows exploitation films. Named after the defunct burlesque theaters located on 42nd Street in New York City where 'bump n' grind' or striptease was featured.

Grindhouse films characteristically contain large amounts of sex, violence or bizarre subject matter. One genre of film featured were "roughies" or sexploitation, a mix of sex, violence and sadism. Quality varied, but low budget production values and poor print quality were common. Critical opinions varied regarding typical grindhouse fare, but many films acquired cult following and critical praise. Double, triple, and "all night" bills on a single admission charge often encouraged patrons to spend a long time in the theater. The environment was faithfully captured at the time by the magazine ‘Sleazoid Express’.

By the 1980s, home video and cable threatened to make grindhouse obsolete. By the end of the decade, these theaters had vanished from Los Angeles's Broadway and Hollywood Boulevard, New York City's Times Square and San Francisco's Market Street. By the mid-1990s, these particular theaters had all but disappeared from the United States and very few are in existence today.

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2012: Classic Tales Of Cryptozoology: Does The Creature Really Walk Among Us?

For centuries people from all corners of the globe have claimed to have seen all kinds of creatures ranging from dinosaurs to werewolves and if you are inclined to believe so, a real life "Gill-Man".

Way back in the summer of 1972 two young men claimed that they were chased from the beach at Thetis Lake, British Columbia, Canada by the "Creature From The Black Lagoon" or at least something that looked very much like it.

Was it a case of mistaken identity or overactive imaginations run wild after an afternoon of watching monster movies?

At the time the local police believed the two youths and began a search for the monster. Four days later the story seemed to be validated when two fishermen spotted the monster on the opposite side of the lake. Of course the search didn't turn up any man-fish at the time yet reports of the aptly named "Thetis Lake Monster" continued on for two more decades.

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See: The Top Ten Most Popular Stories Of 2012!

The Top Monster / Sci Fi Stories Of 2010

Compiled By: Ken Hulsey

Here we are with 2011 about to begin within the next few hours, so I thought this would be the perfect time to post about the top stories published during 2010 here at MIN.

How do I know what are the top stories of the year are? Well, I am a control freak, so I constantly keep track of the number of hits that each article gets. Based on those hits, here are the stories that got the most visits and were linked to by the most "outside" news sources and web sites.

If you are a fan of giant monster movies, either with or without 80s pop stars in them, namely "Godzilla", then 2010 was your year. Fans all over the world went loco when Legendary pictures announced that they were going to produce a brand-new "G" film in 2012. Also the numerous monster epics produced by The Asylum for the SyFy channel were very popular.

The top story, however, did not involve a giant lizard, but a group of popular paranormal investigators, who have their own TV show, that manged to walk through the busy hallways of Comic Con undetected.

Here is this years top stories:

10. Long Lost Print Of KING KONG Discovered In London Cinema

It seems that a rare print of the 1933 classic film "King Kong" has turned up in a rather unlikely place, buried in the wall of a London cinema.

During recent renovations to the Grosvenor Cinema, a worker named Ross McMillan was working on knocking down a partition wall in the projection room when he noticed something odd looking in the rubble. To his amazement he discovered that it was a copy of "King Kong." Not just any copy, mind you, a copy that has been missing from the vaults of RKO for more than seventy years. An original print, that may very well contain scenes cut out of the film, including the long-lost Lizard and Spider canyon sequences.

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9. Godzilla 3-D, Godzilla 2012, Rumors And Misinformation Abound
It seems that I may have been duped? Earlier today I posted an article about the possible hiring of Keith Melton as the director of Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros upcoming "Godzilla" movie.

Now, that I have had time to do some research, it seems that this report was in error......or was it? Frankly, I'm not sure, there seems to be some confusion.

Now, first off, my source for the Melton hiring, was IMDB, which I have learned from fans, is about as reliable a source for movie info as a drunk at a party.

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8. "Xena" The Movie? Lawless Still Wants To Resurrect The 'Warrior Princess'
Back in 2008 actress Lucy Lawless made it public that she wanted to reprise the role that made her a fanboy....and fangirl....favorite, that of "Xena, The Warrior Princess."

Well her we are almost two years later, and Lawless is echoing the same desire to strap on the leather again. This time, however, the New Zealander doesn't think that reviving the series is the answer. No, Lawless thinks that it is time for a "Xena" movie.

The actress recently told reporters, "I love that character. I would do it if it was a movie. I doubt I would do it as a TV series. I can't see how you would make it fresh."

Just like before, Lawless understands that she isn't getting any younger, and the time may be now to get the ball rolling on any "Xena" related projects.

READ MORE

7. The First Look At Roger Corman's 'Dinoshark'

Isn't it wonderful that giant mutant monsters are popular again. After J.J. Abrams unleashed his giant monster movie, "Cloverfield", in theaters two years ago, there has been a non-stop parade of independent features where the motto, "bigger is better", has really been taken seriously.

Last year, The Asylum, made a huge media splash with their film "Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus". The film featured former 80s pop sensation, Debbie Gibson, playing second fiddle to a titanic shark and an equally gigantic octopus. Likewise, films of the same vein like, "Dinocroc vs. Supergator", "Megaconda," and even The Asylum's follow-up to "Mega Shark", called "Megapiranha", were all rushed into production by the end of 2009.

Now it seems that the king of B movie monsters, Roger Corman, was feeling a little left-out by all of this, so he has developed his own giant monster film for the SyFy Channel called, "Dinoshark."

Lets see....Megaconda....Dinocrock.....Mega Shark........Dinoshark. Makes perfect sense in the grand scheme of things, doesn't it?

READ MORE

6. New Legendary Pictures GODZILLA Design To Be Revealed At Comic Con!
Many things can be determined from looking at this really cool artwork, the most important of which is the fact that the studio is going to go with the 'classic' Japanese Godzilla look, instead of trying to reinvent the monster like Tristar tried to do back in 1998.

That should put a lot of the fears expressed by the fan base to rest.

It is obvious from this that Legendary is taking this project very seriously and like in the very first Godzilla film (Gojira 1954) the monster will be 'true' bringer of mass destruction.

Which means plenty of city stomping action that should make all of us Godzilla movie fans very, very happy.

Am I reading too much from just a simple t-shirt image. Possibly, but at least you can gauge the 'general' idea of where Legendary Pictures is intending to go with this.

"Old School"

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5. Gemma Arterton To Replace Sigourney Weaver In New ALIEN 3D?
Ever since Sigourney Weaver turned down a chance to reprise the role of Ripley in Ridley Scott's upcoming "Alien 3D" prequel, the film maker has been searching for a strong, yet beautiful, woman to take on H.R. Giger's most famous creation.

There have been plenty of names floating around, but none of them seemed to be in any serious contention for the lead role in the film, that is, until now.

Though her publicists were trying to deny it like mad, "Prince Of Persia" star Gemma Arterton has come forward publicly to announce that she has the inside track to land the coveted role. At the Toronto International Film Festival this past weekend, where Arterton was in attendance promoting her new film "Tamara Drewe" the actress let it slip that, "The honest truth is that Ridley Scott has approached me to meet with him about something in the next few weeks."

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4. Zack Snyder To Helm New Superman Movie

While the last Superman movie, Superman Returns, had spectacular special effects and it made over $200 million, it is considered a flop as it failed to re-start the franchise.

It is rumored that the movie is to feature the Kryptonian villain, General Zod. Right now, Legendary Pictures and Warner Brothers are being tight-lipped.

But who will play the Man of Steel? Whomever it is, he has to look like Superman, not Superboy. And ditch that last costume design!

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3. Jurassic Park 4 Has Risen From The Grave..And So Has 5 & 6?
Back in 2008, immediately after the death of Jurassic Park author writer Michael Crichton, Universal and producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy announced that they had decided to abandon any hopes of producing a fourth film.

That was two years ago, it it seems that everyone involved has gotten over mourning the loss of Crichton and are now ready to go forward with "Jurassic Park 4", plus "5" and "6", for that matter.

"Jurassic Park 3" director Joe Johnston has now come forward and announced that Universal is ready to launch a brand new trilogy that will be a whole new bread of cat.

"There is going to be a Jurassic Park IV. And it's going to be unlike anything you've seen. It breaks away from the first three - it's essentially the beginning of the second Jurassic Park trilogy. It's going to be done in a completely different way.

"If you think of the first three as a trilogy, number four would be the beginning of a second trilogy. We just want to make them justified in their own right. We don't want to make sequel after sequel just because there's a market for it. We want to tell different, interesting stories."

The last time anyone heard about "Jurassic Park 4", was way back in August of 2007. At that time, Laura Dern had been reportedly cast to reprise her role as Ellie Sattler from the first film.

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2. It's Official! A New Godzilla Movie Is Coming In 2012!
Rumors that Legendary Pictures were in the process of making a new, American, "Godzilla" film first surfaced last August, and now they have been officially confirmed.

Yes, my friends, the studio has just announced that they have struck a deal with the famed Toho studios in Japan to produce a brand-new "Godzilla" movie, which will be released through Warner Bros in 2012.

According to the deal, Warner Bros will co-produce the film, and pony up some of the cash for it, while Toho will release the film in Japan.

There isn't a director yet, but the studio has announced that Dan Lin, Roy Lee Brian Rogers, Yoshimitsu Banno, Kenji Okuhira and Doug Davison will all serve as producers.

Thomas Tull, Chairman and CEO of Legendary Pictures, commented, "Godzilla is one of the world's most powerful pop culture icons, and we at Legendary are thrilled to be able to create a modern epic based on this long-loved Toho franchise. Our plans are to produce the Godzilla that we, as fans, would want to see. We intend to do justice to those essential elements that have allowed this character to remain as pop-culturally relevant for as long as it has."

Sources close to the deal note that it will be similar in scope to other Warner/Legendary films, co-productions, such as "The Dark Knight" and "300".

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1. GHOST ADVENTURES - Zak Bagans, Nick Grof And Aaron Goodwin At Comic Con 2010

Like I mentioned in my previous article, my experience at Comic Con was a little 'different' than that of the 'typical' fan. Instead of lusting after the 'trendy' movies and shows, my family and I were excited about a lot of things that weren't so mainstream.

One of these was the television series, "Ghost Adventures", and my wife April, son Christopher and I were really looking forward to meeting the shows stars Zak Bagans, Nick Grof and Aaron Goodwin at an autograph signing later in the afternoon.

As luck would have it, the very same people, Zak, Nick and Aaron,that we so strongly wanted to see, arrived at the convention at the exact same time that we did. Amazingly, they were just milling around in the area adjacent to the check-in and autograph areas. To our delite, we were able to snap a few photos and talk to Aaron for a few seconds. My wife was very happy to have told him that 'he was the shit!'

To our surprise, no one else even recognised them.

READ MORE

GHOST ADVENTURES - Upcoming Episode Guide

Source: Travel Channel

GHOST ADVENTURES
Premiering Friday September 10th at 9PM

Paranormal investigators Zak Bagans and Nick Groff, along with equipment technician Aaron Goodwin, search through haunted locations both domestic and international in order to prove the existence of ghosts. During their investigations, the crew acquaint themselves with the general area, interview locals about the hauntings, and place themselves face-to-face with the evil spirits who reportedly occupy these locations during an overnight lockdown.

Best Evidence So Far - Premiere Friday, September 10 @ 9PM

Zak, Nick and Aaron present the best paranormal evidence and the many ways afterlife manifests through their use of scientific equipment from the first two seasons of ‘Ghost Adventures.’

Scariest Moments Special - Premiere Friday, September 10 @ 10PM

The GA Crew reveal’s their most intense, chilling, and intimidating paranormal encounters in the pitch black of darkness armed only with night-vision cameras and investigative equipment.

Gettysburg - Premiere Friday, September 17 @ 9PM

The Ghost Adventures Crew travels to Pennsylvania on the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest conflict of the Civil War. In this special three-part lockdown, the guys attempt to make contact with the spirits of soldiers, the sadistic woman who ran the town's orphanage and the ghosts of the abused children left in her care. From the shallow graves that dot the surrounding hillside to the deepest corners of the orphanage basement, prepare for an in-depth look into the dramatic history of a location that shaped the very fabric of our nation.

Rolling Hills Sanitarium - Premiere Friday, September 24 @ 9PM

Zak, Nick, and Aaron investigate the tuberculosis ward, insane asylum, and geriatric ward of the Rolling Hills Sanitarium.

See Also: GHOST ADVENTURES Gearing Up For An Exciting 3rd Season On The Travel Channel / GHOST ADVENTURES - Zak Bagans, Nick Grof And Aaron Goodwin At Comic Con 2010

GHOST ADVENTURES Gearing Up For An Exciting 3rd Season On The Travel Channel

Source: The Travel Channel

On Friday, September 17 at 9PM, paranormal investigators Zak Bagans and Nick Groff, along with equipment technician Aaron Goodwin, continue to peel back the history and dark secrets of haunted locations around the world during season three of Travel Channel’s ‘Ghost Adventures.’ By using high-tech scientific equipment, taunting techniques and a keen physical sensitivity to the paranormal, the Ghost Adventures Crew (GAC) is on a mission to prove the existence of ghosts.

In the premiere episode, viewers will learn why Gettysburg, PA is considered one of the most haunted locations in the US. The sudden, violent, and untimely death of thousands of soldiers makes this town a potential hotbed for supernatural activity. During this episode, the GAC travels to Gettysburg on the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, the bloodiest conflict of the Civil War. In this special three-part lockdown, the trio attempts to make contact with the spirits of soldiers, the sadistic woman who ran the town's orphanage and the ghosts of the abused children left in her care. From the shallow graves that dot the surrounding hillside to the deepest corners of the orphanage basement, viewers receive an in-depth look into the dramatic history of a location that shaped the very fabric of our nation.

Throughout the season, the GAC takes viewers to the Rolling Hills Asylum in Huntington Beach, CA; Return to Bobby Mackey’s Music World in Wilder, KY; Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, CO; Waverly Hills in Louisville, KY; Hill View Manor in New Castle, PA; USS Hornet in Alameda Point, California; La Palazza Mansion in Las Vegas, NV; Vulture Mine in Wickenburg, AZ; Fort Chaffee in Greenwood, AR and Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction, CA.

With two seasons of ghost tracking experience under their belts, Bagans, Groff and Goodwin are back to hold the magnifying glass over haunted locations both domestic and international. Before being locked inside each location overnight, the GAC researches the area’s history, interviews locals about the paranormal activity and gets acclimated to their surroundings. After each dusk ‘til dawn lockdown, the crew calls upon a third party expert to aid in thoroughly analyzing the evidence. The professionals range from Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) experts and those who use a scientific monitoring approach to Catholic Bishops.

Viewers can log on to www.travelchannel.com/ghostadventures for full host biographies, episode guides, image slideshows, a crew spotlight, gear guides, and video clips.






See Also: GHOST ADVENTURES - Zak Bagans, Nick Grof And Aaron Goodwin At Comic Con 2010

GHOST ADVENTURES - Zak Bagans, Nick Grof And Aaron Goodwin At Comic Con 2010

Written By: Ken Hulsey

This is part 2 of my San Diego Comic Con experience.

Like I mentioned in my previous article, my experience at Comic Con was a little 'different' than that of the 'typical' fan. Instead of lusting after the 'trendy' movies and shows, my family and I were excited about a lot of things that weren't so mainstream.

One of these was the television series, "Ghost Adventures", and my wife April, son Christopher and I were really looking forward to meeting the shows stars Zak Bagans, Nick Grof and Aaron Goodwin at an autograph signing later in the afternoon.

As luck would have it, the very same people, Zak, Nick and Aaron,that we so strongly wanted to see, arrived at the convention at the exact same time that we did. Amazingly, they were just milling around in the area adjacent to the check-in and autograph areas. To our delite, we were able to snap a few photos and talk to Aaron for a few seconds. My wife was very happy to have told him that 'he was the shit!'

To our surprise, no one else even recognised them.

Here is the skinny on the show from the Travel Channel website:

Are you ready for the lockdown?

The "Ghost Adventures" crew -- Zak Bagans, Nick Groff and Aaron Goodwin -- is back to investigate the scariest, most notorious, haunted places in the world.

The trio will interview eyewitnesses and historians at each location, arming themselves with the stories of the ghosts they will later provoke and confront during their dusk-to-dawn lockdowns. (Note: They don't always come out unscathed!) Then they'll review and analyze their findings with some the most respected experts and specialists in the paranormal field.

"Ghost Adventures" signing at Comic Con:


Zak and Aaron 'incognito' at Comic Con

I snapped this pic of the guys while in line for the signing. There was a pretty long line for this. Amazingly the autographs were FOC, while most celebs at the event charged up to $30 for a signature and a photo opp (a chance to have your picture taken with the celeb).

Zak, Nick and Aaron were genuinely happy to meet and take photos with everyone in attendance.

Here Zak talks to my son Christopher. Chris was really excited to meet the very same people that he watches on TV every Friday.

The reps from the Travel Channel, who were very polite and helpful I might add, urged Zak, Nick and Aaron to stand up and personally thank everyone for showing up.

I got a chance to ask Nick about the 'craziest' place that he ever investigated. I mentioned the Linda Vista Community Hospital (old Santa Fe Railroad hospital) in Los Angeles as a possibility, but Nick said that there was a far scarier place that would be featured in an upcoming episode.

I wish that I could remember where he said that was.

Anyway, I was also able to thank Aaron for being a good sport, okay, I said 'sacrificial lamb' for going into places as a decoy. My words to him were, "Hey Aaron, would you mind going into the room where the Satanic rituals were held, and that guy chopped up his family, and read a little from Psalms for us?

The whole group laughed.

That was fun.

It is always a great thrill to meet the people that you see on TV all the time, and Zak, Nick and Aaron were truly 'real', and happy to talk to their fans.