This world is so small and random sometimes.

So, there I was, in my Gladiator knock-off outfit with a friend enjoying the Georgia Renaissance Festival on Easter Weekend - as one does. We go to take a seat in the hookah lounge and pound a little mead while watching the joust.

The tent is crowded and nary an open seat can be found... until this hulking large fellow in a Mickey shirt beckons us over and pulls up two extra seats at his table. Apparently not an issue because he's friends with the owner of that establishment.

We then spent the majority of our day there, hearing stories. As it turns out, this friendly and charitable fellow is Brandon Stoker. He's apparently been a fairly regular background character on the show for ages, portraying various zombies, was a Sanctuary member for a while, and - since apparently he and Jerry's actor get along smashingly well - he's most recently been a Kingdom member because Jerry insisted he join them. LOL

He also builds mascot uniforms because why the hell not? His most famous is Aubie the Tiger of Auburn University.

Here's our shot in the hookah tent, and a few reference shots of him in his Kingdom gear.







Go figure. This time last year, we hit the festival on Saturday and then visited Senoia on Sunday to do all TWD tours and stuff. Didn't spot a soul (as expected, filming was on break, but still). This year, we spend the whole time at the festival and accidentally run into one! LMAO

 

Huh. Never even heard of it either! I'll have to look it up.