why do celebrities charge for autographs

I managed to get up the nerve to approach him and left with personalized autographs in my copies of Pebble in the Sky, I, Robot and The Foundation. And while there are certain contexts in which charging for autographs is unseemly (such as when walking off the practice field), the essence of a free market is freedom. So its not like these fans are going to sell these on ebay for very much. Buthow will you maintain your reputation as an ogre with a reasonable policy like that? Nearly three decades ago. r/AskReddit is the place to ask and answer thought-provoking questions. Back then, only one actor ever tried to charge for an autograph, and since it was so uncommon at the time, I balked and never even bothered to try getting it. Two teams from the South did make the playoffs and both were one and done. It would be ok in a charity event that athletes are asking for money for autograph and the collection goes to charity Through various partners, ACE Comic Con is offering a variety of prices for fans to choose from in order to get in on the unique opportunity. How Much Does Your Favorite Celebrity Charge for an Autograph? Taylor Swift Midnights: Moonstone Blue Edition with Hand Signed Photo, Taylor Swift Midnights: Moonstone Blue Edition Vinyl with Hand Signed Photo, Taylor Swift Autograph - Signed Evermore Sealed, Elizabeth Olsen Autograph - Hattie Harmony Signed Book by Elizabeth Olsen and Robbie Arnett, Nick Swardson & Kevin James Autograph - Signed "Grown Ups" 8x10" Photo with COA, Con Pollo: A Bilingual Playtime Adventure (Jimmy Fallon Signed Book). Randy Moss. Do that for one hour and they are making $36,000. Hmmmand to think I got Johnny Us autograph for free and he was even gracious enough to throw me a pass before he signed the football..SMH! : something written or made with one's own hand: a : an original manuscript or work of art. I guess with the invention of the smart phone, the convention took notice a ton of selfies being taken with celebs and figured one day, Next year, lets start charging for thatTOO!. Star Wars Autograph Quiz | Can You Tell Whats Real or Fake? Is it pretty messed up to do, especially to a 7 year old kid or a father of three making $50,000 a year? Or is you bank account nudging you towards Lindsay Lohan? 100$ is a good money for middle class ppl come on man! This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. If youre going to sell your autographs, youd better give Uncle Sam his cut. Selfies? #bluetooth #noisecancelling pic.twitter.com/0M79GjdsPZ, (Not that Im posting her tweet as a subtle hint.). Do I charge for my autographs? I lost the autograph a week later. Its an exchange, you get an autograph and keepsake, they get some cash. I remember seeing you once at SDCC in the mid-90s when they were cracking down on autographing at any location other than a booth. Most will run between $20 and $100 but we have found that many of our celebrities do not even set their price until they see what others are charging. All free. Click here to watch more NBC Sports videos. They didnt charge. First its getting paid for signatures, now its NBA players wanting to get paid for playing in the Olympics. The 10 Best And Most Controversial Hustler Magazine Covers Ever (NSFW). Most will run between $10 and $100 but we have found that many of our celebrities do not even set their price until they see what others are charging. (I think we have one in the program book). Priscilla Molina in Los Angeles does a minimum of 300 custom signatures a month, offering packages that include up to three ways to sign, limitless drafts or a new set of initials. Cool if thats how it isthen they can give us back the millions WE put in there pockets brother via supporting them buying there products/going to games etc! Its a tricky issue. But who needs gloss or matte when you have your own digital camera or smart phone? J g hertzler voice of #deathstroke says @manubennett "Deathstroke White hair man!" 6 Is it OK to ask a celebrity for a photo? Its their right. If people actually stopped paying these outrageous prices out of protest, these events would probably ease up on things, but I dont see that happening as the cycle has already been perpetuated per the aforementioned quote. I got his autograph. Despite looking like a trailer park that grew up in a Coors Lightfactory, Reedusnot only makes a Benjamin per autograph, he's also rumored to make$200,000 per convention appearance. Some things in life are special. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Big name celebrities like Robert Downey Jr., Natalie Portman, and Taylor Swift have all embraced the trend for either personal financial gain or to support their favorite charities. Houston's independent source of In recent years, Taylor Swift has made herself known as one of the biggest celebrities that have made their autograph available to her fans in mass quantities. For a number of them, this is a source of income. Visit us, have a discussion, vent away or just have some fun playing games or taking a quiz. Prices vary per celebrity guest. Cant wait!! What are they going to do next, start charging a per minute conversation rate with the celebrity?! Of course, that was the good old days when most actors didnt charge, either. I mean you cant be giving stuff away for free when you can make money off of it, right? In some cases, it is their only source of income for a show they did decades ago. Until Star Wars Autograph Universe announced their signing with Natalie Portman in 2021, a signing with the Star Wars-actor was thought to be impossible. Selfies? Give me a freaking break Florio. Photo: $445. And so nowadays many fans have been asking How much? when theyve had me sign stuff. It never occurred to me that theyd charge for them, and on reflection I suspect it never would have occurred to them. up to 16 by 20 inches; to $599 for autographed . Fan mail is simply a way for a fan to reach out to a public figure to express their admiration or share their thoughts. Perhaps they should contribute their portion to a charity of their choice. There actually are a few movie/TV people who wont charge. Dont forget to buy tickets to the games too because you dont know if it will sell out or not. She was also not willing to sign custom art or home-printed images. Sounds good. Freedom to charge. That price would have included the autograph as well as grading and encapsulation of their newly signed comic. People came to see the stars, and the stars would oblige their fans' reasonable requests. She FaceTimes with her fans, jumps in to sing karaoke with them, features their YouTube videos on her tour, and even brings them on stage during her performances. I agree, its completely fine that he charged. But a picture with Joe with no autograph?, Thats right, NO autograph. Why didnt we think of that?!. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Now, it's expected that each scrawl will be worth a set amount of money as a way to defray the cost of bringing the guests down. They always say they love the fans, and care for them, but have a God complex when their fans show support. It is unreasonable to ask someone, even someone well-known to sit for several hours for a couple of days meeting with people without any compensation. It was an expected part of celebrity and was included in the price of admission. Thats the value they have. At Arnold Schwarzeneggers first ever comic con appearance in San Antonio, fans had to shell out $1250 for a VIP package which included two autographs and a photo op. Thats just me, but the athlete does have the right to maximize profits in any way he/she can. 2 Do celebrities actually sign their own autographs? So that particular book is quite full of autographs! Labor for the event is $1,000. What has this kid done to make him worth a dime According to the Hollywood Reporter Smith brought in$250,000 a weekend while he was The Doctor. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The so-called fan was no fan, just an opportunist who wanted to get some free . MDS basically wrote this same post at 8:30 this morning. Others have me sign one comic and drop in ten bucks. Today you pay at the door, you pay for a picture and you pay for an autograph, and, it is getting worse. As movie and TV stars and B- and C-listers prices for autographs skyrocket at conventions, comic book writers and artists have been discussing whether or not they charge for scribbling their names on their work. This explains the silly a la carte pricing chart. The cost of celebrity appearances starts somewhere near five months of rent and only climbs from there, so think wisely about whom you want to show up at your birthday party. I can even recall a time where both an autograph and a picture with a celebrity at his/her table was all lumped into the charge of the autograph. 1 Paul McCartney. of course I will have only 1 or 2 items signed at a time. So no new books out until Secret Wars is over? Prove to THEM youre their fan. I would gladly tip you just for the laugh you gave me that day. For adults? Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Say what? It's not like the celebrities need it. Reunited and it feels so good. Remember? So a tip jar is a fine thing to have! Those will cost you though, sometimes upwards of hundreds of dollars depending on whose signature youre looking to collect. Hertzler, an actor known to have played multiple roles in the Star Trek franchise. Overall, however, Cam has the right to charge. It is very thoughtful of Harry Styles to do things this way because he knows that . I met you and your young daughter at c2e2 a couple of years ago. At photo ops, it's sometimes considered rude to try to talk to the celebrity for too long because other people are waiting to do the same thing. Of course, I then added that a house came with it . A photo with Carrie "General Leia" Fisher costs $90. Other than that though, I agree its not a big deal. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. I can even recall a time where both an autograph and a picture with a celebrity at his/her table was all lumped into the charge of the autograph. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. I dont understand the need to do it again. Personalize the autograph for kids To Bill, Good Luck, Cam. Those kinds of autographs arent worth squat. NC has one of the worst rates of folks out of work so if this money is not going to a food bank or other such group he should be run out of town on a rail. Use the My Signature tool to create your unique signature. Absolutely. If youfind a star in the wild and convince them to pose for a selfie, thats free. However, some cons wont even allow that according to a user on the Dragon Con Live Journal. In a sense I would be using ingenuity to make the price more worth it. It was just a nice personal memento to have of a brief interaction with the actors. Ive met you twice and had a couple items signed each time so it worked out well in my opinion. The price of an autograph ranges, generally, from about $30 to about $80 with most in the $30 to $60 range. No. amzn_assoc_bg_color = "FFFFFF"; Happy Birthday to my Husband Peter David 66 years old today, When people say its gotten too commercial, think about who saved us all. I'm not talking about buying signed headshots. How many here think that the price of photo ops and/or autographs from a favorite celebrity is really worth it? What a joke this is if he keeps finishing third he will not even be playing in a few years. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. If they shell out over $100 bucks to watch a game, then out of gratitude a player should be able to stop for a moment to sign some autographs. Additional add-ons included character name inscriptions for $75 and personalization (i.e. Mark Hamill's Autographs Prove He's The Best Actor A Fandom Could Ask For. To Your Name) for $75. The best thing to do is talk to other people who have attended previous conventions to get a sense of who charges for what, and how much. Though I can't complain, it's a little extra money in their pocket and I'm getting a change to chat with them a little bit and not hold up. The answer hit me like Lawrence Taylor spearing me in the back of my neck from the blind side as I dropped back to pass217 dollars. PAUSE. Dont care. They always say they love the fans, and care for them, but have a God complex when their fans show support. Why do celebrities charge for interviews, autographs, meet & greets, etc.? Alex Rodriguez. Tom Brady. How do you identify neurotypical disorders? The athletes demand an appearance fee for their time, which the promoters seek to recoup by charging for autographs. There is nothing on the horizon at this point, but the next time that a Hamill signing happens, its safe to assume that you will be paying well over $300 per signature. What do celebrities do with their fan mail? NOBODY charged for autographs at a Star Trek convention, EVER. Thank them. Just like its the owners right to charge whatever they want at stadiums. Why do they charge? My only problem with the tip jar approach is that I would not have the slightest idea what is a fair amount for the experience of meeting a favorite author. If the autographs were given for free, that could and quite possiblywould encourage resellers to get as many signatures as they could and thenresell them for large amounts of money. Although now, with the signatures being seen by many fans as a way to increase the value of their books, comics, posters, DVDs, etc. Its an exchange, you get an autograph and keepsake, they get some cash. This way, if someone really feels the need to pay, the money goes to a great cause. When they asked me how much the most expensive one cost, I told them $100,000! I just didnt agree with MDS assessment that he was only trying to share in the profits of people whod flip his autograph for cash. The earliest "Mickey Mantle" autographs looked. Now, even more sadly, they are charging for . Pro Reason #2 - Resellers. In 2019, Keaton did his first ever autograph signing at Alamo City Comic Con. This is what I mean by out of hand., The problem is now a days in America, that kids are getting autos from players, then selling them on ebay for profit also. Me, I had a good time playing father-daughter geek reporter team, though I did manage to get in a few of our typical con activities in between, Become a member to support the independent voice of Houston Our most frequent question is one we can't answer! less people will ask the more they have to pay.its simple supply and demand to help work yourself alittle less.it also helps sort the fans who are more dedicated to the person. When I couldnt show it to them, they called me a liar. UNCENSORED COMMUNITY, Off-topic forum, confessions, chat, blog, casino, gallery, links, quiz, anonymous posting, uncensored discussion, surveys, tournaments. It's a trade: you get an autograph and a memento, and they get money. Some celebrities may allow the fan to take a picture, using the fans camera, of the celebrity signing the particular item the fan is purchasing. That kind of payment, the thank you is mandatory I think. I meanreally? Im noticing that quite a few writers are still not charging, but are selling samples of written work at their table. The main reason, because they can. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The nicest ones will spend time talking with the fans and making it a very personal experience. This kid has been blessed with talent and being at the right place at the right time. In the past, the only way to get an autograph from an A-list celebrity was to meet them in person at an event or on the street. I realized that there exist unwritten rules to getting an item signed for fun and profit. Therefore, your chances of getting an autograph or a picture are quite low if a celebrity is with their family. I occasionally talk with actors who refuse to do comic book conventions because they are required to charge. This can be very helpful and fruitful but it can also be frustrating and lead nowhere, it all depends on how the celebrity bought their houseand also how dedicated you are you sifting through data. Yeah, I got them autographed by Peter David. I didnt mention the precise mechanics of how that came about. As of today, its completely legal to sell a celebrity autograph and claim its the real deal even if its forged but come January that will all change, thanks to a law signed by Governor Brown. Hot off the release of the Disney+ series Hawkeye in late 2021, Official Pix announced a signing with Steinfeld. (Maybe it was two books for free?) But my money was tight so I bought just a bit of all the things I liked, including your book. Celebrities want to be able to spend quality time with their families. Could you imagine being a fly on the wall of that meeting? And Id say there was no charge. Is there Delhi quota in Lady Hardinge Medical College? Its work, after all. Was he in the playoffs? Did I mention even a Star Trek actor took notice of this autograph absurdity? Most, however, appear to conclude that acknowledging correspondence from fans is part of the cost of fame. Would you show up to your job and expect to work for free? While items sent in by customers started at $560, the cost of add-ons, like character names, started at an additional $300. When I got Alan Tudyks autograph, he was donating all his fees to a charity. Some may perceive it as a tactic to keep the mob at bay. But for the one-time highest paid actor in Hollywood and Governor of California, what else would you expect from a super-star of his caliber? Same here. What do all of the acronyms and terms associated with . I ran several conventions back in the 90s, and, things where much different then. If you saw Sylvester Stallone at New York Comic-Con in 2013 then there's a good chance you paid close to $1,000. People came to see the stars, and the stars would oblige their fans' reasonable requests. Many older athletes didnt earn the same kinds of salaries that they do today, and they actually need the money. Of course, I dont know how many people/fans have looked at the autograph prices and thought F that! Mantle, whose autograph has sold for as much as $30, earned more than $150,000 last year signing on occasional weekends--more than he ever . Most celebrities use either rubber stamps or autopen for autographs by the way, and those who sign use a few simple strokes rather than real signatures. I did and so did everyone I talked to about it. Autographs have become a multi-billion dollar industry. The prices just keep going up and I fear it will hit a tipping point when the fans wont/cant pay it anymore, then what? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Now, dont get me wrong, Ive paid the price myself as this is an individual choice. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; Letting him carry you around the convention on his shoulders? This video is no longer available. I think one could argue that in giving the public whatever they've become famous for (like great movies) they've already made a significant cultural contribution and don't "owe" us anything further. The main reason, because they can. It does not store any personal data. Now, it's expected that each scrawl will be worth a set amount of money as a way to defray the cost of bringing the guests down. Open up the template and make edits using the Tools list. Most of the celebrity guests charge for autographs, and depending on the celebrity, they may also charge to take photos with them. And should I ever get the chance to meet PAD again (I live in NC, which is hardly a big draw for comic book professionals), Ill gladly donate to his tip jar while getting another book autographed. As folks were still settling down in the smallish auditorium I noticed him come in and sit down in the first row. Im told some other creators also have tip jars and they seem to take great pains to explain that its for charity, becauseI dunno. Press J to jump to the feed. Through the mail (TTM) autograph collecting is where fan mail meets autograph collecting. 1. It depends on whom youre trying to rent and for how long, but the short answer is a lot. You will all laugh because, I am sure everyone and their mother has his autograph I failed at getting Henry "The Fonz" Winkler No photos could perfectly capture the moment. It was very nice of you. Sometimes a speaker will advertise a large fee for speakinglike a couple of hundred thousand dollarsnot because they necessarily need the money, but because it both enhances their stature and keeps them from being overwhelmed with requests. It was an expected part of celebrity and was included in the price of admission. Do you really think this world is heading in the right direction? As of 2022, the going rate for Michael J. Foxs autograph is $245. I rarely draw attention to it, unless someone brings me something like 50 comics to sign. I studied these interactions and talked with some of the celebrities' con support staff to get an education on the fan-celebrity experience. That's A Spicy Spring Movie Preview! Taylor Swift & Arnold Schwarzenegger Are Pioneering Digital Signatures; Whos Doing it Right, Whos Doing it Wrong? So I thought I would make my own position clear. Why do athletes charge for autographs? Further, pro athletes paid millions per year in addition to that money. What is the value of autograph? Turn the document into a dynamic PDF with fillable fields.