By Steve Kabelowsky Contributing Columnist Published Oct 27, 2014 at 4:37 PM

Many times those who work inside a business, they are fans of it as well. For actors, it happens quite often, as they can appreciate the approach used by one for their peers to portray a character.

Chad Rook, who plays the "Weather Wizard" on CW’s "The Flash," was one of the special guests at Fantasticon, Milwaukee’s first comic con that took place last weekend at the Ramada and Crowne Plaza near Mitchell Field.

On Sunday, he shared a story about visiting conventions.

"A couple of years ago, I would travel to get different autographs from the cast of "The Walking Dead." Now a couple of weeks ago I was sitting with them in the green room at a comic con in Austin," Rook said.

He said, that because he remembers what it is like to be on the other side, that he will continue to do cons and do whatever he can to help the fans have an enjoyable time at events like Fantasticon.

"I sometimes even give these away," Rook said pointing to the photographs available for autographs. "What, if someone finds someone on TV they really like, that they feel that they can’t come up to me because they don’t have the money? That’s why I do this (talk with everyone if they approach me at the table)."

Rook has been a recent staple for the CW network, appearing in guest spots on a number of shows, including playing different characters on "Supernatural" over the years.

For the role on "The Flash," Rook said he went through seven auditions.

"It was one of the longest auditions I had ever done," the Alberta, Canada, native said.
First they had me read for the Flash, and then for Eddie (Thawne) and then for this."

The "this" is Clyde Mardon, better known as the "Weather Wizard."

Rook has appeared in one episode so far this season, but he is a main part of the series over-arching plot that will run longer than the one-off, episode-driven plot that wraps up each week. So, we will see much more of Rook on the small screen in this primetime show based on DC comic book characters.

"The Flash" can be seen locally Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. on WVTV-TV CW 18.

It is refreshing to find someone like Rook at a convention, who is genuine in his appreciation for the fans, and goes out of his way to interact with others.

"I’ve been there," he said. "I know what it is like."

ELECTION OPINION: Fox Business Network’s Stuart Varney will interview former governor of Alaska Sarah Palin live at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. The interview will focus on the upcoming midterm elections and current events.

UMM … OK THEN: Animal Planet’s "Finding Bigfoot" returns for a new season starting in November. "(The) ‘Finding Bigfoot’ team leaves no stone unturned this season with eight new episodes. The team that has combed 37 states and seven countries to prove the existence of bigfoots, is now hot on the trail of what they believe to be the world’s largest sasquatch."

At 8 p.m. on Nov. 9, the two-hour episode takes Bigfoot Field Research Organization (BFRO) president Matt Moneymaker, researchers James "Bobo" Fay and Cliff Barackman and skeptical scientist Ranae Holland to Alaska. According to the press release, eyewitnesses claim to have seen a bigfoot taller than 12 feet, one of the largest reported sasquatch ever.

Steve Kabelowsky Contributing Columnist

Media is bombarding us everywhere.

Instead of sheltering his brain from the onslaught, Steve embraces the news stories, entertainment, billboards, blogs, talk shows and everything in between.

The former writer, editor and producer in TV, radio, Web and newspapers, will be talking about what media does in our community and how it shapes who we are and what we do.