| In Auguest of 2003, I went to Maryland to meet Leo and Pat from Techtv and this time I was there in time to spare. Because of that, I was first in line to get autographs and meet Leo for second time in 3 years. I brought my book along for him to sign. Meeting them was so awesome and I really admire Leo and his work. Then Comcast bought Techtv in March of 2004 and within two months, totally fired everyone. G4, Comcast's Game Channel took over and is killing Techtv. Thankfully Leo got back into Radio in January 2004 and he has another place to call home while things go down hill @ Techtv. I never realized that last Auguest would be the last time I'd see Leo in person from his Techtv days. I am thankful I had the last chance to see him before things died out. Below are some of pics I got from my visits in 1999 and 2003. | |
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I started watching TechTV formerly ZDTV a few months after it went on the air back on May 11th 1998 and I have been watching it ever since. A year later, I was lucky enough to have Kate and Leo of the Screen Savers visit my home town city of York Pennslyvainia on April 30 1999. Back then they called it ZDTV, now TechTV. It was a nice Sunday afternoon and I was going to go see them @ our local Staples store. They were invitied by our cable company, Susquehanna Communications and Blazenet. Now our part of the USA is somewhat unknown and in no where land. Why would TV Stars visit little old PA. I was truely excited when I arrived to get in line, which was growing inch by inch. Anyway I stood in line for 1:45 minutes to get their autographs and it was totally worth it. When I finally got into the store, and saw them together in person I was shocked. "Kate & Leo in person!!!!" WOW Well after I went through that, it went fine up until I was right next to them. I dropped something, I can't remember what it was, but all I remember to this date is Kate saying, "Are you alright, you dropped your free T-Shirt?" I was simply speechless, I mean she is cute and she is a computer geek and I was in "aww" to see her and Leo. I remember her signing it and Leo answering quick questions. Then it came to meet Leo and it was basically a small hello and how are you, etc. I will always remember that day, and that special hour and 45 minutes in line.
Thanks Kate and Leo BLAZENET AND ZDTV'S "SCREENSAVERS" DRAW HUNDREDS TO STAPLES SUPERSTORE IN YORK, PA - April 30 1999 -- They came from far and wide. Hundreds of people. One family drove six hours to be the first in line to meet the hosts of ZDTV's "ScreenSavers", Kate Botello and Leo Laporte, courtesy of BlazeNet and Cable York. Another couple drove two hours to the Staples Superstore in York, PA to get autographs and register for prizes. But The ScreenSavers were only one of the main attractions that Sunday afternoon in April. People were lining up and signing up in droves for BlazeNet's high speed, cable modem Internet access service, BlazeNetExpress. Weary of the limitations of phone line speeds, the obvious main draw to BlazeNetExpress is high speed. In some instances, where BlazeNetExpress Pro two-way service is available, the other draw is the elimination of the need for a phone line altogether! On top of that, for this one day only, new signups received one free month of service PLUS a free cable outlet installation, a total value of almost $60. The events of the day contributed to record numbers of one-day cable modem sign-ups. The 24-hour cable television channel about computers and the Internet partnered with Cable York and BlazeNet on April 18. ZDTV's popular television hosts, Botello and Laporte met hundreds of fans, signed autographs, and supported cable modem sales efforts at the event. While people gathered around the three, "live" cable modem demo stations to try the speed, the sign ups continued. In addition to meeting Botello and Laporte, fans registered to win three five-day Caribbean cruises courtesy of Cable York and BlazeNet, a Panasonic fax machine ZD University scholarships and more. Staples also raffled off an autographed banner for charity.-- Blazenet Express |
| Kate's Profile @ TechTV | |
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Name: Kate Botello.
Job Title: Host, The Screen Savers. Homepage: Egregious lack of homepage. Hometown: Born in Dallas, Texas, raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Favorite website: As of this week: Tom's Hardware and of course, Fan Site and Deport Laporte First computer: Texas Instruments 99/4A. College/University: San Francisco State University. Former Life: Tap-dancing, Judy Garland impersonating, Senior Desktop Services Analyst-- Pretty close to my life now. Favorite piece of technology: The NETCAM! Favorite author and book: Matt Ruff, Fool on the Hill; Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There; Jack Womack, Random Acts of Senseless Violence; Neil Gaiman, The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish. Favorite movie or TV show: Amadeus, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Favorite quote: "Get me a bromide! And put some gin in it!!"-- Mary Boland, The Women, Clare Booth Luce. My other favorite quote is by Mae West, and not-- ahem-- appropriate for all viewers. Ditto for Talullah Bankhead. Motto: I've got all the time in the world to wait, and none of it to waste. And now the Proust Questions: What is your most marked characteristic? My rubber face. What do you consider your greatest achievement? Keeping my rubber face straight when Leo "churns butter." When and where were you happiest? In recent memory: COMDEX, Las Vegas, with Leo and Stacee, two feet (two feet!!) away from my All-time favorite Kate: Kate Pierson of the B-52's! What is your greatest regret? Teaching Leo how to make the "L" symbol on his forehead. What is your idea of perfect happiness? I'm not sure, but it probably involves food. And napping. What is your most treasured possession? My health. Oh, yeah, and my vintage brown suede ankle-length coat. Where would you like to live? A big Victorian flat in a cool neighborhood with good coffee and groceries within walking distance and a big garden for the cats to run around in. Either that, or a Tuscan villa with a T3. What is your greatest fear? Other people finding out what I'm most afraid of. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? My tendency to procrastinate, but we'll talk about that later. What is the trait you most deplore in others? Lack of common sense!!! What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Life without butter What is your greatest extravagance? Attempts at "Martha Stewart Living"-- with butter. What is your favorite journey? Sunday morning, fuzzy slippers, from couch to coffee pot and back again. What is it that you most dislike? Headgames! What is the quality you most like in a man? Not being all hung up on what quality they think women like most in men. What is the quality you most like in a woman? Guts and general no-bull-taking sass. Also, the above, vice-versa. What do you most value in your friends? Honesty with love. Combine honesty with love, a sense of humor, and a tendency to bring snacks when you come over, and we're set. If you were to come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be? If Karma dictates, a clumsy, tone-deaf accountant with no fashion sense. Or maybe a cow on the Harris ranch, considering all the steak I've eaten. Clumsy accountants with no fashion sense should come back as flamenco-dancing supermodels. Do vegetarians come back as carrots? If you could choose what to come back as, what would it be? Argentine tango dancer, fireman, or kung fu fighting star. How would you like to die? In my sleep, as painlessly as possible, a very, very, very long time from now. -- From Techtv |