Why I don’t (usually) ask celebrities for autographs or photographs

[almostwitty]

Ever since I started working properly in the media business, well-meaning friends and family will often ponder if I can get them an autograph for someone. This is a little tricky because:

• I don’t generally meet celebrities any more in my line of work anyway!
• Even if I did, it’d be very hard to interrupt an interview or a meeting with a “Oh by the way, can you sign this for my grandma?” or “Can we just pose for a photograph?”
• I’m terrible at asking anything of strangers. Unless I have to.
• How many journalists do you know who interrupt press conferences to ask for an autograph? It’s just not done.
• Most importantly, I’m usually the only Chinese person in the room. Which means:
  • They’re far more likely to notice me – I tend to stick out like a sore form even when I don’t say anything – and thus, form an opinion, good or bad.
  • The last thing I want to do is enhance the racist assumption that Japanese/foreign journalists are idiotic and don’t know the ‘rules’

Having said all that, outside of work, it seems to be OK. During one birthday celebration in a Soho pub, June Whitfield came into the pub. Before you know it, my then evil scum of workmates had corralled her into posing for a pic next to me – I’m not too sure where that picture has gone, but it’s around here somewhere, with the odd sock. And somewhere in my archives, I also have Woody Allen’s autograph.

Of course, it seems to be just me who has a problem with asking celebrities for autographs where I work. My friend Shari in New York, who’s a radio engineer, had her pic taken with Hugh Jackman and was very proud of it. Stephen Fry, as ever, is the realist and has the do’s and don’ts of approaching a celebrity.

Do you work in the biz, as pretentious people like to call it? Do you collect autographs or photographs, or just get on with it and work with them as colleagues?

Mirrored from almost witty.

Comments

[actionreplay.livejournal.com]

With each passing year I think I admire Stephen Fry more and more. Not because he's bipolar. Because he's just GREAT.

[almostwitty]

He is.

If it wasn't for him, I'd have gotten a third in my degree...

[actionreplay.livejournal.com]

There's a story there. Want to share?

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

I mostly don't see the point in autographs. I say mostly because I've had e.g. Judy Dench sign the cover of an RSC prog from a play she was in, but that was because I intended to frame the prog - wouldn't be much interested in a piece of paper with a scrawl on it.

[chiller.livejournal.com]

How utterly weird. I was just on a website buying some steel boning, and at the top of the list of things they had, they had "aglets" listed. So of course I went to have a look because I didn't know what they are.

Literally two minutes later you post this, and I follow the link to Stephen Fry's blog, and on page one, what does he mention but an "aglet"?

Huh.

[almostwitty]

Steel boning? Are you making a corset?

[almostwitty]

I do keep meaning to write it up...

[chiller.livejournal.com]

Yes. No. I do make corsets, but I'm actually making a rather unusual belt for a kimono, that mimics the obi without actually being an obi.

[almostwitty]

There is no end to your talents.

[travelsintown.livejournal.com]

We get the odd celeb come to the gardens as visitors and occasionally as guests for some event of other. I once elbowed members of the public out of the way at work once when Paul McCartney was here to get his autograph for my mum.

General rule is at work don't ask, it's just not cool and anyway is not especially professional.

[acrylic-after.livejournal.com]

I'm always far too shy to just approach someone cold, because I don't want to be a pest. I'm not saying it's the same as being famous, but strangers often approach me and try to strike up a conversation because they notice my accent, and while most of the time I'm happy to chat to folks and big up Canada, sometimes that gets rather irritating, so it must be many times worse to deal with that all the time. Maybe if I was sat next to someone I was an admirer of somewhere, or brushed shoulders through a job or something I would tell them I liked their work, but asking for autographs and photos seems mega uncool in most circumstances. Besides, everyone's a fucking celebrity these days, and I don't think famous people sightings are as rare as perhaps they once were.

I did once walk past Jarvis Cocker (who is surely in at least my top 10 favorite famous folks) in the crowd at a festival, and I do kind of wish I'd told him that I think he's ace, or at least flashed him a smile or something, but I was way too shy.

[almostwitty]

But if the general rule is not to ask, why did you elbow people to get Macca's signature? ;)

[britgeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

During my very brief indie-film "career", I ended up in the proximity of some moderately-to-significantly well-known folks.

I was, of course, terrified that I would be a complete goober in their vicinity.

Fortunately, it was just another day on the set, y'know? We had too much going on to boggle at famous folk. Granted, *everyone* was a little star-struck when Penn Gilette showed up for a cameo one day, but even then, the gang played it cool and only (politely) approached him during the crew dinner break.

Granted, this was very much the indie/non-union scene. I suspect that in a union/pro-industry ditto, Mr. G would have been left the hell alone. ;)

All that glitz is lost on me.

[kiri-l.livejournal.com]

Never quite gotten the signature or photo thing. What on earth are you going to do with it then? It doesn't have a load of special meaning really. I can understand if you know them - or have done something with them but otherwise it seems a bit weird. They're just folks (usually*) trying to do their job, have some fun, and then go home to family and friends like the rest of us. (variation on the they put their pants on one leg at a time too)

[almostwitty]

Well, you had a job to do :)

In this case, I didn't have a job at all... I just abused my staff privileges for the first, and perhaps only time.

Oh, and there was photocopying RTD's initial proposal... but that's another story...

Re: All that glitz is lost on me.

[kiri-l.livejournal.com]

Well since you didn't tattoo yourself onto Mr Fry... did you do something to David Tennant?

[travelsintown.livejournal.com]

Because I was young and naive and not very important at work (was about 8 years ago) I should have explained that bit!

[scarlet-missive.livejournal.com]

I've done it twice and in both instances I only felt comfortable asking them because other reporters had done so before me thus giving out a big green light :)

I also once had to speak to an enormous hero and crush on the phone but fortunately managed to sound professional despite shaking like nobodies business!

[hellmutt.livejournal.com]

I work in a building that does "the biz", even though I'm a mere website-minion. Even though there are Named Persons in the building quite frequently, I just don't really do the celebrity thing.

I once passed Johnny Vegas in the corridor, gave him a bright smile and kept walking, more or less what I do to anybody I pass.

Role models, that's the word. I don't have celebrity role models. The closest to one might be Terry Pratchett. I probably got the shakes each time I met him at a signing. But there, of course, I was a fan and not a Meeja Person doing my Meeja Job.