I often get my recommendations for new shows and movies to watch by way of my close circle of friends. After all, they're my buds and our tastes are usually quite similar so when they let me know there's something I need to see, I do my best to watch it as soon as possible and recently my close friend Scotty let me know that I absolutely needed to see Santa Clarita Diet on Netflix for several reasons, one of them being Nathan Fillion's guest spot on the show. 

I followed his recommendation, and had a hearty laugh at Nathan's role, but what stuck with me most, was the fact that his name came up as one of the key reasons to watch this show and while his role was brief, it was still incredibly impactful and I guess that shouldn't come as that big of a surprise because Nathan is well...an instantaneous draw. Everyone knows his name, and everyone knows that if he is going to pop up in a particular role that it's going to be a good time and the fun that comes with Nathan is one reason why he has such a massive following. 

But perhaps the biggest reason that he's a fan favorite is because Nathan seems to approach every single role with a sense of honesty and realism and that earnest style of acting makes him instantly relatable and it's also made him one of the hottest and most in demand actors around. He's done tons of voice work roles, popped up in pop culture shows everywhere and he is also well known for his roles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Castle but he is best known for inspiring legions of Browncoats thanks to his portrayal as Captain Malcolm 'Mal' Reynolds in Firefly. 

Truly, one could call Nathan a modern day pop culture legend and the man that can motivate legions of fans to watch a new show just on a cameo alone...is coming to Denver Comic Con 2017. That's not a joke ladies and gentlemen, Nathan was announced yesterday afternoon and he will be at the Colorado Convention Center Saturday and Sunday to greet what will no doubt be legions of fans and well, I'll just say it now...holy cow, Denver Comic Con landed one heck of a guest in Nathan.  

I mean come on, Nathan is about as big of a draw as it gets when it comes to the geek world and to have him at DCC, that's something special. Which means that I cannot stress this enough. Get your tickets now. Don't wait, don't debate, just go get them now because with guests like this being announced left and right, I won't be shocked if tickets once again sell out for this great convention. So head to the DCC ticketing site, get yours today and I will see you in what will no doubt Nathan's incredible autograph line come the end of June. 

With the advent of social media and the 24 hour news cycle, it has to be incredibly hard for actors to truly blend into their roles when they take a new part simply because...we have come to know these people. 

We see every interview they do on television or online. We follow their Instagram and Twitter accounts, giving us insight as to who they are and what they believe in and whether we like it or not, we carry that knowledge into the theater or when we watch whatever story they're starring in, which means the person they are, shines through for us regardless, even in moments when technically, that part of them should not exist for the sake of storytelling.

Which is why the finest actors out there, are the ones who can still manage to shed their real world persona when we watch their performance and they outright become the character they were cast to be. It's a rarity in this day and age but it is a feat that can still be accomplished and one such actor that continues to pull this off, is the ultra talented Stanley Tucci. Regardless of what kind of warm and inviting interview he gives or how he carries himself when he's not cast in a major motion picture, Stanley is that rare type of actor that can easily transform himself in a role and simply become that character.

We've seen it time and time again. He went from playing an uppity fashion designer in The Devil Wears Prada to a loving husband/even keeled diplomat in Julie and Julia and recently he has begun to branch out into the biggest of pop culture franchises with his work in the The Hunger Games saga, an appearance in Captain America: The First Avenger and he'll be featured in Transformers: The Last Knight later this year. But truly, the role that that sticks out for me when it comes to Stanley and his ability to transform is the one that netted him an Oscar Nomination for his turn as the creepy George Harvey in The Lovely Bones. In that particular film Stanley simply morphed into that despicable man and it wasn't until his nomination was announced that I came to realize it was Mister Tucci who played that titular role. 

If anything, Stanley is quickly becoming a modern acting legend and the true cream of the crop in his field and ladies and gentlemen, it pleases me to no end to inform you that Stanley Tucci is coming to Denver Comic Con 2017. Yes, you read that right. This powerhouse thespian and pure chameleon of the screen, will join an already incredible lineup in the Mile High City at the end of June and for your chance to meet this talented thespian, swing by the Denver Comic Con ticket website today and grab your passes now, and I will see you in Stanley's line in a couple of months.

There was a time, not that long ago in fact, where being a geek or a nerd was completely and utterly frowned upon. Sure the stuff we currently love and enjoy was still around, but being able to discuss your love of Doctor Who, Star Wars or Star Trek was nowhere near as easy or acceptable as it is in this day and age.

But thankfully, those dark days where people raised an eyebrow at other folks who happened to be wearing a Starfleet uniform have gone the wayside and while I don't know exactly when or where our attitudes toward pop culture and geekiness as a whole shifted...I do know that throughout the Dark Ages of Nerddom, there was one man working hard to make being a geek a mainstream thing; 'Weird Al' Yankovic. 

Of course, he's a household name now, but back in the 1980's, he was an up and comer, a silly fellow that played the accordion and wore thick glasses and made fun of popular music. But his look, and his act, and quite frankly...his song writing skills caught all of our attention. We had to see what incredible lyrics he cooked up next, what kind of costumes he would put together for his parody videos and decades later, 'Weird Al' is truly a pop culture icon, the writer of a cult classic film in UHF and an artist that is considered to be essential listening for any fan of music.

But while that description more or less examines one incredibly successful career, one that has outlasted most of the acts he has parodied, 'Weird Al' did something spectacular for several generations of nerds...he taught us to be ourselves. Al always made a point to let his nerd flag fly, and not give a darn as to who thought he was being too goofy or too silly and it inspired all of us to do the same, to embrace who we are, to be proud of the things we love and share that with everyone, and in many ways...I attribute some of the current popularity of pop culture and nerdiness as a whole to 'Weird Al' Yankovic because he flat out made it cool and well ladies and gentlemen, it makes me extremely proud to know that he will be coming to Denver Comic Con 2017. 

Yes, you read that right, the man, the myth, the legend himself will join an already stellar lineup of guests in the Mile High City, and let me tell you, this is a man whose line I will be more than happy to brave to shake his hand and thank him for all the incredible things he's done and for those wondering what his schedule will look like that weekend, good news; he will be in attendance for the entire weekend and he will be participating in some panel programming as well and we'll have the details on that for you as we get closer in the con. Either way, Denver Comic Con continues to up their game every single year when it comes to their guest lineup, and this announcement is no exception to that rule and if you'd like to meet 'Weird Al' Yankovic, get your tickets at the DCC Website today and I'll see you in Al's line come the end of June...