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Community Corner

Famed Photographer Kernats Asked To Photograph Foley Appearance

In a rare move not often seen in comedy clubs across the country, the headliner asked for a famed local photographer to take snapshots within the confines of the humor hall.

On Thursday, July 24, former wrestler and all-time WWE fan favorite Mick Foley stopped dead in his slippers to ask if it was alright with Improv Pittsburgh management to have Howard Kernats click a few pictures during the evening. Luckily, management obliged the 3-time WWE heavyweight champion.

Foley, 49, sold out his first Improv appearance in May. In seeing the support for his showing, Foley quickly booked a return engagement at the Homestead hot spot. That event sold out swiftly as well.

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After the opener primed the audience by comedian and wrestling fan Jeff Konkel, Foley was introduced. As he approached the stage, Foley spotted Kernats—who was seated with his son Jason as well as about 20 friends—in the crowd. The two shook hands and Foley quickly asked about Kernats retrieving his camera for posterity.

Kernats obliged and waited for a key moment in the evening.

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Foley talked extensively about his career, which began about 20 miles north of Pittsburgh in Beaver County at Dominic DeNucci’s gym. Foley trained to wrestle along with Shane Douglas, Mark Hildebrand, and Mark Keenan. In addition to Foley, Douglas developed into an important championship wrestler; Hildebrand was an outstanding referee before his untimely death from cancer at 37 in 1999; and Keenan (also known as Cody Michaels) became a behind-the-scenes producer for ECW and other ventures.

Best known early on as Cactus Jack, Foley portrayed a crazed character that ultimately caught on with wrestling fans. Throughout his blossoming career, Foley continued to wrestle in and around the Pittsburgh area.

On many of those shows, Kernats would be ringside, lens in hand. For more than 20 years, Kernats has been one of professional sports’ leading shutterbugs. By day Kernats owns Hair Fashions by Howard in downtown Pittsburgh. At a spry and athletic 73, he also manages a group of residential properties. On evenings and weekends, he has shot countless photographs of professional wrestlers. His work has been featured in hundreds of publications, including wrestling-specific magazines, as well as recent inclusion in the New Pittsburgh Courier, and Wall Street Journal.

In 2012, Kernats was honored by the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance (KSWA), Pittsburgh’s professional wrestling organization, when he was inducted as the first non-wrestler inducted into the promotion’s Hall of Fame. His plaque is situated in his hair studio, right next to one of Pittsburgh Pirates Neil Walker’s awards, on loan from the Walker family.

Foley told stories about working with DeNucci and how he recently observed the 16th anniversary of falling off of a 20-foot-high steel cage at Pittsburgh’s Mellon Arena, only to be tossed through it moments later. The expansive crowd enjoyed the routine, which was far more storytelling than traditional stand-up joke telling.

Near the conclusion of the evening, Foley hailed for DeNucci and Keenan. As is usually the case, Kernats jumped to his feet, adjusted his camera and took some pictures of the trio in front of the famed Improv brick wall. Foley and his guests talked among themselves before taking pointed questions from the crowd.

As is customary for Foley, he stayed after the event to sign “every slip of paper” put in front of him. He took pictures, sold “vintage” Cactus Jack t-shirts and visited with fans until everyone was satisfied. “He stayed for two hours,” said David Fedor, who attended both recent Foley shows. “He’s a class act.”

The Pittsburgh stop was the last of a 15-show trip, said Foley. The night before he performed before a crowded Insane Clown Posse "Jugalow" crowd.

“That was a lot of fun,” added Kernats, in between shots.

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