Your thoughts on Celebrity Fee's for Sigs

[Psithyrus]

Karen Gillan was charging around $75 at ECCC and the line was INSANE. She could have easily charged more.

 

I have absolutely no idea who that is and ditto for a couple other names mentioned on this thread (Nathan somebody?) but I think it's neat that there can be little pocket universes where people are genuine celebrities even if the rest of the world doesn't know them. Those social spaces fascinate me and I think they're great for the people involved.

 

Hey, what can I say? "Castle" on ABC (he's the star) just went into syndication and has over 10 million viewers every week (the first time my dad watched this show, he laughed. . . he's known for sleeping through everything). "Firefly" lasted one season about a decade ago (with the "Serenity" movie following a few years later), and still managed to pack 5000 people into a room at a mid-sized con for a panel. "Saving Private Ryan" won 5 Academy Awards (he was one of the Private Ryans). "Dr. Horrible" won numerous creative awards.

 

If you and "the rest of the world" don't know the guy, then you're missing out on some entertaining works. I'd recommend ANY of that.

 

[Psithyrus]

But if the price was too low....There are A LOT of people who are VERY VERY good at their jobs, (maybe you or I included), but would NOT enjoy spending 8 hrs meeting fans (of my accounting, teaching, mechanic, carpentry, business, or cooking skills) and signing my autograph on pictures of my head. BUT if someone was paying me enough (and the price would be very much subject to how much I think my time was worth AND how much I need the money), I would show up, smile, and shake a million hands to help make sure my grandkids can go to any college they want to. I don't think that means a celebrity is being mean, or unfair, or a bad person, same with the promoter for trying to make a buck.

 

Of course, people should be upfront with costs and stick to their word.

 

I'll sign any slide I cut of a person's colon polyp or prostate core that they want.

[dupont2005]

But if the price was too low....There are A LOT of people who are VERY VERY good at their jobs, (maybe you or I included), but would NOT enjoy spending 8 hrs meeting fans (of my accounting, teaching, mechanic, carpentry, business, or cooking skills) and signing my autograph on pictures of my head. BUT if someone was paying me enough (and the price would be very much subject to how much I think my time was worth AND how much I need the money), I would show up, smile, and shake a million hands to help make sure my grandkids can go to any college they want to. I don't think that means a celebrity is being mean, or unfair, or a bad person, same with the promoter for trying to make a buck.

 

Of course, people should be upfront with costs and stick to their word.

 

I'll sign any slide I cut of a person's colon polyp or prostate core that they want.

Personalized or plain?

[Psithyrus]

But if the price was too low....There are A LOT of people who are VERY VERY good at their jobs, (maybe you or I included), but would NOT enjoy spending 8 hrs meeting fans (of my accounting, teaching, mechanic, carpentry, business, or cooking skills) and signing my autograph on pictures of my head. BUT if someone was paying me enough (and the price would be very much subject to how much I think my time was worth AND how much I need the money), I would show up, smile, and shake a million hands to help make sure my grandkids can go to any college they want to. I don't think that means a celebrity is being mean, or unfair, or a bad person, same with the promoter for trying to make a buck.

 

Of course, people should be upfront with costs and stick to their word.

 

I'll sign any slide I cut of a person's colon polyp or prostate core that they want.

Personalized or plain?

 

It's already personalized. . . it came from your body.

[dupont2005]

who technically already "paid" them by seeing their movies, etc, which made these actors relevant in the first place.

I can't even begin to describe how much I dislike that line of thought, and I imagine the convention guests feel exactly the same way.

 

"I saw your movie on TNT one night, now dance for me FOOL!"

[dupont2005]

But if the price was too low....There are A LOT of people who are VERY VERY good at their jobs, (maybe you or I included), but would NOT enjoy spending 8 hrs meeting fans (of my accounting, teaching, mechanic, carpentry, business, or cooking skills) and signing my autograph on pictures of my head. BUT if someone was paying me enough (and the price would be very much subject to how much I think my time was worth AND how much I need the money), I would show up, smile, and shake a million hands to help make sure my grandkids can go to any college they want to. I don't think that means a celebrity is being mean, or unfair, or a bad person, same with the promoter for trying to make a buck.

 

Of course, people should be upfront with costs and stick to their word.

 

I'll sign any slide I cut of a person's colon polyp or prostate core that they want.

Personalized or plain?

 

It's already personalized. . . it came from your body.

I want a celeb prostate core

[stanley1883]

I agree prices are high, but if West is charging $85 then it should be personalization free, but to charge $100 for no personalization is not reasonable.

 

I think he was joking... but I can't be sure.

 

 

 

-slym

 

I know for a fact that his rate is listed as $85. I've only heard that he charges extra for a blank sig. There's your culprit for enemy of Free Enterprise SeanFingh. West will make $ off his name, but doesn't want others to profit from it. That doesn't align with thoughts on capitalism and free enterprise. If I'm paying you for a service, I'm technically your "boss" so what I do with said product is of no concern, at least it shouldnt be.

 

Average fans always get caught in the middle. We are faced with some jerk celebs who have un reasonable prices and some jerk resellers who are a contributing factor for the high prices

 

 

Sometimes this is a difficult hobby to enjoy if your an honest reseller or simply a fan/collector.

You're still free to sell the personalized sig. Have it made out to "Winning bidder" or "Dumb speculator" or "eBay user mad4comics98" or whatever you want. Or pay the extra fifteen dollars flipper surcharge and increase your profits! See, he is providing a service.

 

And no, you're not the boss just because you paid for the minimum service. If I go to Subway and order a five dollar footlong, I can't make them triple the meat without paying. I paid for what's on the menu, and Subway is the boss of their menu. I can choose to buy or I can move along to the next fast food joint.

 

And if a pay for 1 signature I should be able to have that one signature how I want it. I'm not asking for "extra." To use your analogy, if I order my subway sandwich, I can say no tomatoes, or no onions, or whatever. I'm not asking him to sign 3 other things, or to write a funny anecdote, or a catchphrase, Im asking him to omit something, so the triple meat analogy is flawed in that sense.

[revat]

I agree prices are high, but if West is charging $85 then it should be personalization free, but to charge $100 for no personalization is not reasonable.

 

I think he was joking... but I can't be sure.

 

 

 

-slym

 

I know for a fact that his rate is listed as $85. I've only heard that he charges extra for a blank sig. There's your culprit for enemy of Free Enterprise SeanFingh. West will make $ off his name, but doesn't want others to profit from it. That doesn't align with thoughts on capitalism and free enterprise. If I'm paying you for a service, I'm technically your "boss" so what I do with said product is of no concern, at least it shouldnt be.

 

Average fans always get caught in the middle. We are faced with some jerk celebs who have un reasonable prices and some jerk resellers who are a contributing factor for the high prices

 

 

Sometimes this is a difficult hobby to enjoy if your an honest reseller or simply a fan/collector.

You're still free to sell the personalized sig. Have it made out to "Winning bidder" or "Dumb speculator" or "eBay user mad4comics98" or whatever you want. Or pay the extra fifteen dollars flipper surcharge and increase your profits! See, he is providing a service.

 

And no, you're not the boss just because you paid for the minimum service. If I go to Subway and order a five dollar footlong, I can't make them triple the meat without paying. I paid for what's on the menu, and Subway is the boss of their menu. I can choose to buy or I can move along to the next fast food joint.

 

And if a pay for 1 signature I should be able to have that one signature how I want it. I'm not asking for "extra." To use your analogy, if I order my subway sandwich, I can say no tomatoes, or no onions, or whatever. I'm not asking him to sign 3 other things, or to write a funny anecdote, or a catchphrase, Im asking him to omit something, so the triple meat analogy is flawed in that sense.

 

ok think of it like a locked iphone. It takes more labor to 'lock' it. But they do it, because they don't want people selling secondhand new iphones for profit and using other phone plans. They choose to do it, they think it benefits 'true iphone fans' and not dealers who are out to make a profit on resale of iphones. If they try to completely eliminate profits on the secondary market, they would have to unlock ALL phones and charge more for each which would actually exclude more personal buyers, but as it were, they just charge a premium on the unlocked phones.

 

There is a logic behind it, but yes it does hurt the people WHO LOVE IPHONES but desperately want to use tmobile, but they've decided not to cater to that segment of the market.

[dupont2005]

I agree prices are high, but if West is charging $85 then it should be personalization free, but to charge $100 for no personalization is not reasonable.

 

I think he was joking... but I can't be sure.

 

 

 

-slym

 

I know for a fact that his rate is listed as $85. I've only heard that he charges extra for a blank sig. There's your culprit for enemy of Free Enterprise SeanFingh. West will make $ off his name, but doesn't want others to profit from it. That doesn't align with thoughts on capitalism and free enterprise. If I'm paying you for a service, I'm technically your "boss" so what I do with said product is of no concern, at least it shouldnt be.

 

Average fans always get caught in the middle. We are faced with some jerk celebs who have un reasonable prices and some jerk resellers who are a contributing factor for the high prices

 

 

Sometimes this is a difficult hobby to enjoy if your an honest reseller or simply a fan/collector.

You're still free to sell the personalized sig. Have it made out to "Winning bidder" or "Dumb speculator" or "eBay user mad4comics98" or whatever you want. Or pay the extra fifteen dollars flipper surcharge and increase your profits! See, he is providing a service.

 

And no, you're not the boss just because you paid for the minimum service. If I go to Subway and order a five dollar footlong, I can't make them triple the meat without paying. I paid for what's on the menu, and Subway is the boss of their menu. I can choose to buy or I can move along to the next fast food joint.

 

And if a pay for 1 signature I should be able to have that one signature how I want it. I'm not asking for "extra." To use your analogy, if I order my subway sandwich, I can say no tomatoes, or no onions, or whatever. I'm not asking him to sign 3 other things, or to write a funny anecdote, or a catchphrase, Im asking him to omit something, so the triple meat analogy is flawed in that sense.

No, you're ordering what's on his menu, and he's in charge of what's on his menu. His menu has a personalized sig and a plain sig. You don't order a plain sig for the personalized sig price. Just like you don't order an $8 sub for the $5 sub price. It is what it is. You can take it or leave it. You're not his boss, he doesn't owe you, and he's not in the business of creating commodities for you.

[Psithyrus]

But if the price was too low....There are A LOT of people who are VERY VERY good at their jobs, (maybe you or I included), but would NOT enjoy spending 8 hrs meeting fans (of my accounting, teaching, mechanic, carpentry, business, or cooking skills) and signing my autograph on pictures of my head. BUT if someone was paying me enough (and the price would be very much subject to how much I think my time was worth AND how much I need the money), I would show up, smile, and shake a million hands to help make sure my grandkids can go to any college they want to. I don't think that means a celebrity is being mean, or unfair, or a bad person, same with the promoter for trying to make a buck.

 

Of course, people should be upfront with costs and stick to their word.

 

I'll sign any slide I cut of a person's colon polyp or prostate core that they want.

Personalized or plain?

 

It's already personalized. . . it came from your body.

I want a celeb prostate core

 

No can do. HIPAA and all that.

[stanley1883]

who technically already "paid" them by seeing their movies, etc, which made these actors relevant in the first place.

I can't even begin to describe how much I dislike that line of thought, and I imagine the convention guests feel exactly the same way.

 

"I saw your movie on TNT one night, now dance for me FOOL!"

 

 

I was referring to movie theater movies not something on basic cable.

 

Don't know what point your trying to make? Paying for their autograph is tantamount to sayin "Dance fool?" I can't begin to describe how incredibly inaccurate that is.

 

Fact remains that the fans make or break the star, numbers don't lie and the box office numbers more or less dictate a career. So again, while it's not as obviously, technically speaking, fans make the actor popular, we are the ones that buy the movie tickett, merchandise, whatever. Does that entitle us to anything? Not a damn thing. Yet, I would think there are people who may feel entitled so I guess those are the one's that want these actors to "dance?" :shrug:

[aggr1103]

The day I ask you for money to take a picture with me with your own camera is the day I give you all permission to put your boots all up in my *SPOON* - Sid "Captain Spaulding" Haig

 

I'm not a huge fan of A list celebs, I usually prefer the lower tier guys because most of them seem genuinely appreciative of the fans. Sid Haig has promised never to raise his con prices and to my knowledge has not changed that stance.

[stanley1883]

I agree prices are high, but if West is charging $85 then it should be personalization free, but to charge $100 for no personalization is not reasonable.

 

I think he was joking... but I can't be sure.

 

 

 

-slym

 

I know for a fact that his rate is listed as $85. I've only heard that he charges extra for a blank sig. There's your culprit for enemy of Free Enterprise SeanFingh. West will make $ off his name, but doesn't want others to profit from it. That doesn't align with thoughts on capitalism and free enterprise. If I'm paying you for a service, I'm technically your "boss" so what I do with said product is of no concern, at least it shouldnt be.

 

Average fans always get caught in the middle. We are faced with some jerk celebs who have un reasonable prices and some jerk resellers who are a contributing factor for the high prices

 

 

Sometimes this is a difficult hobby to enjoy if your an honest reseller or simply a fan/collector.

You're still free to sell the personalized sig. Have it made out to "Winning bidder" or "Dumb speculator" or "eBay user mad4comics98" or whatever you want. Or pay the extra fifteen dollars flipper surcharge and increase your profits! See, he is providing a service.

 

And no, you're not the boss just because you paid for the minimum service. If I go to Subway and order a five dollar footlong, I can't make them triple the meat without paying. I paid for what's on the menu, and Subway is the boss of their menu. I can choose to buy or I can move along to the next fast food joint.

 

And if a pay for 1 signature I should be able to have that one signature how I want it. I'm not asking for "extra." To use your analogy, if I order my subway sandwich, I can say no tomatoes, or no onions, or whatever. I'm not asking him to sign 3 other things, or to write a funny anecdote, or a catchphrase, Im asking him to omit something, so the triple meat analogy is flawed in that sense.

No, you're ordering what's on his menu, and he's in charge of what's on his menu. His menu has a personalized sig and a plain sig. You don't order a plain sig for the personalized sig price. Just like you don't order an $8 sub for the $5 sub price. It is what it is. You can take it or leave it. You're not his boss, he doesn't owe you, and he's not in the business of creating commodities for you.

 

 

The flaw is his menu says "Autograph-$85" Therefore if he does not make a distinction on the menu the consumer should be able to determine what kind of autograph he wants as long as it's not excessive. "For Rick", "For John", or nothing is not an excessive request.

If he had the 2 "types" of autographs, then yes, you would be correct.

Lastly, he's explicitly in the business of creating commodities, thats exactly why he charges for his autograph

 

 

Look we 're arguing moot points. I'm not trying to convince you of my view nor would I want to, nor be able to by the sounds of it, and vice versa. West can charge what he wants, and sign how he wants. I will continue to not get his autograph and consider how he handles this situation to be hypocritical at best. You consider it his choice, it is what it is. Different strokes and all that.

[stanley1883]

The day I ask you for money to take a picture with me with your own camera is the day I give you all permission to put your boots all up in my *SPOON* - Sid "Captain Spaulding" Haig

 

I'm not a huge fan of A list celebs, I usually prefer the lower tier guys because most of them seem genuinely appreciative of the fans. Sid Haig has promised never to raise his con prices and to my knowledge has not changed that stance.

 

Well said, I'm with you. If they genuinely care, I really don't have an issue with paying.

[dupont2005]

Lastly, he's explicitly in the business of creating commodities, thats exactly why he charges for his autograph

No, he's in the business of creating souvenirs.

[dupont2005]

who technically already "paid" them by seeing their movies, etc, which made these actors relevant in the first place.

I can't even begin to describe how much I dislike that line of thought, and I imagine the convention guests feel exactly the same way.

 

"I saw your movie on TNT one night, now dance for me FOOL!"

 

 

I was referring to movie theater movies not something on basic cable.

Doesn't matter. You bought admission to see a movie, you didn't buy a share in his free time. You don't own his free time, and he doesn't have to give you any for free. He might choose to, if he's cool, and you're not a jerk. He may choose not to, and that doesn't make him a jerk either. It kind of does make someone a jerk to think anyone owes them anything because they paid admission to see a movie though.

[dupont2005]

Paying for their autograph is tantamount to sayin "Dance fool?" I can't begin to describe how incredibly inaccurate that is.

You're right, that is incredibly inaccurate.

 

 

Thinking he owes you a free autograph because you paid to see his movie is the same as saying "Dance, fool!"

 

He's not your personal entertainer, and he doesn't have to lift a finger for you, no matter how many movies you've seen.

[slym2none]

 

 

 

-slym

[General Zod]

Sometimes this is a difficult hobby to enjoy if your an honest reseller or simply a fan/collector.

 

I'm going to add "plus we now live in a TMZ world" to this. I choose to simply ignore paying for autographs and buying SS books. Once you get past the whole hero worship and entitlement thing, it's easier to see creators and celebrities as real people.

[Prince Namor]

The actor does a 'job' (movie) and gets paid for it.

 

You pay to see the movie, you get to see a movie.

 

End of transaction.