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“American Grit” Contestant Chris Edom has Backyard Viewing Party

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From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry  (ann-parry.com)
July 8, 2017

“American Grit” Season 2 contestant Chris Edom lives right here in North Merrick!

Merrick, New York, USA. 11th June 2017. In backyard of

Merrick, NY, USA. 11th June 2017. “American Grit” contestant Chris Edom (lower left) walks up to where the TV show’s logo appears on the large screen in his family’s backyard during their Viewing Party. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Chris – who described himself on the Fox reality TV show as being bullied and picked last for teams when he was a kid – invited every adult neighbor on both sides of the block his family lives on to the Viewing Party he and his wife Joan hosted for the premiere of the new season.

Merrick, New York, USA. 11th June 2017.

Merrick, NY USA. 11th June 2017. “American Grit” reality television show contestant CHRIS EDOM and his wife JOAN EDOM host backyard Viewing Party for Season 2 premiere. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

The night of the party, when I parked my car, slung my camera across my chest, and walked across the dead end street, I thought back to the 1960s when it was actually a mostly-dead end (as Miracle Max from Princess Bride might put it).

Back then, its rounded end had a limited outlet that brought extra cars and pedestrians, including my best friend Judy and me walking to and from school each day.

Merrick, New York, USA. 11th June 2017. At bottom left, CHRIS EDOM,

Merrick, NY, USA. 11th June 2017. At bottom left, CHRIS EDOM, “American Grit” TV contestant, hosts backyard Viewing Party for Season 2 premiere. On screen are 3 of the 4 “Cadre” team leaders: (L-R) JOHN CENA, JOHN BURKE, and RIKI LONG. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Eventually the outlet closed altogether, and now curbside basketball hoops bloom each summer, and it’s common to see families chatting, children playing….

But that Sunday night, the block felt – uncommon. The air itself seemed charged with some special energy that grew stronger when I joined the crowd at the Viewing Party.

Merrick, New York, USA. 11th June 2017.

Merrick, NY, USA. 11th June 2017. “American Grit” TV contestant CHRIS EDOM (at bottom right, wearing white GOT GRIT? T-shirt) sits with his wife, JOAN EDOM as they host backyard Viewing Party for Season 2 premiere. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

What a turnout! About 60 of Chris and his wife Joan’s family, neighbors and other friends filled the Edoms’ backyard to watch the first episode.

Before the episode started, Chris had the biggest smile as he told everyone how close the contestants have stayed, how many will be getting together to watch a future episode, and how they’re his American Grit family.

Then the words “American Grit” filled the huge inflatable screen borrowed from a neighbor. The show began. Guests cheered when Chris appeared on screen, held their breath when challenges got tough, and waited in suspense to find out: 

Will Chris be picked for one of the 4 teams — or will “the last kid picked for teams” be the first contestant “ringing out” of the competition and the chance to win the cash prize at end of “American Grit”?

Merrick, New York, USA. June 11, 2017. American Grit TV show contestant CHRIS EDOM (wearing white

Merrick, NY, USA. 11th June 2017. During “American Grit” Season 2 premiere Viewing Party at contestant Chris Edom’s backyard with large TV screen – Edom (center below) plunges into lake after pulling rip cord. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

  • UPDATE – July 16, 2017:  Chris made two important decisions during tonight’s episode, and still is a contestant on American Grit.
  • UPDATE – August 6, 2017:  Chris Edom did Merrick proud by coming in 5th Place during tonight’s Season 2 Finale!   —  At the Open House Viewing Party held at ‘Cadre’ Rikki Long’s gym in Copiague, fans joined ‘Cadre’ John Burke and some contestants, including Chris with his wife Joan. The two fans from my family who were there enjoyed cheering for Chris and meeting such friendly cast members.

“American Grit” Viewing Party:  PHOTO GALLERY

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New York Comic Con 2015

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From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
October 16, 2015

I’ve never been at a more bustling or friendly event than New York Comic Con was last Saturday, October 10, 2015, at the Javits Center.

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. October 10, 2015. L-R, Astronaut Robert (Beamer) Curbeam, who is currently tied for the record for most spacewalks (4) during a single spaceflight, and Captain JERRY LINENGER, a retired NASA astronaut and United States Navy flight surgeon, are two of the panelists on Secret Space Escapes - The Real Life Gravity Panel, at the 10th Annual New York Comic Con. Secret Space Escapes is a new series scheduled to begin November on the Discovery Science Channel. NYCC 2015 is expected to be the biggest one ever, with over 160,000 attending during the 4 day ReedPOP event, from October 8 through Oct 11, at Javits Center in Manhattan (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

NYC, NY, USA. Oct. 10, 2015. L-R, Astronauts ROBERT (BEAMER) CURBEAM and JERRY LINENGER are two panelists on Secret Space Escapes – Real Life Gravity Panel, at New York Comic Con. (© 2015 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Those familiar with my photos and posts of Long Island’s Cradle of Aviation Museum over the years won’t be surprised my favorite panel at NYCC was about Science Channel’s new series Secret Space Escapes, which shares true stories of things going terribly wrong in space and how astronauts faced those challenges.

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. October 10, 2015. SOYEON YI, the first South Korean in space, is a panelist on Secret Space Escapes - The Real Life Gravity Panel, at the 10th Annual New York Comic Con. Secret Space Escapes is a new series scheduled to begin November on the Discovery Science Channel. Born in 1978, Yi went into space when she was 29, traveling on Russia's Soyuz TMA-12 to the International Space Station (ISS). NYCC 2015 is expected to be the biggest one ever, with over 160,000 attending during the 4 day ReedPOP event, from October 8 through Oct 11, at Javits Center in Manhattan (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

NYC, NY, USA. October 10, 2015. Astronaut SOYEON YI, the first South Korean in space, is a panelist on Secret Space Escapes – The Real Life Gravity Panel, at New York Comic Con.  (© 2015 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Astronauts  ROBERT (BEAMER) CURBEAM,  JERRY LINENGER, and SOYEON Yi  shared their personal harrowing space experiences at the Secret Space Escapes – The Real Life Gravity Panel. It was an honor meeting them all, with their warmth and laser focus – and Soyeon was born the same year as my older daughter! My family’s looking forward to the premiere of Secret Space Escapes on the Science Channel, November 10th.

New York, NY, USA.  October 10, 2015. Cosplayers Princess Buttercup and Dread Pirate Roberts, New York Comic Con 2015. (© 2015 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

NYC, NY, USA.  October 10, 2015. Cosplayers Princess Buttercup and Dread Pirate Roberts, New York Comic Con 2015. (© 2015 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Of the thousands of creative, dramatic cosplayers, above are my sentimental favorites – Princess Buttercup and The Dread Pirate Roberts AKA Westley, from William Goldman’s The Princess Bride.

Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. October 10, 2015. Visitors are playing STAR WARS Battle Pod, an aerial combat game set in the Star Wars universe, at the 10th Annual New York Comic Con. NYCC 2015 is expected to be the biggest one ever, with over 160,000 attending during the 4 day ReedPOP event, from October 8 through Oct 11, at Javits Center in Manhattan (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

NYC, NY, USA. Oct. 10, 2015. Visitors play STAR WARS Battle Pod, an aerial combat game set in Star Wars universe, at 10th New York Comic Con.  (© 2015 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

One of the popular interactive attractions was STAR WARS Battle Pod Flat Screen Edition, with multiplay mode that allowed two players to play as a team.

And let’s not forget Artist Alley, which had vast aisles of talented comics artists – such as SANYA ANWAR,  PETER KUPER,  LUKE ROSS,  LOUISE SIMONSON & WALT SIMONSON – where fans had a chance to meet them, have comic books autographed, and some artists even offered option of commissioning original work.

NYCC had it all – astronauts, cosplayers, artists, games….  INCONCEIVABLE!

New York Comic Con 2015:  GALLERY 

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