h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

And there I was thinking that if a celeb were to be met by a chance fan wh politely requests an autograph as proof of their having met, the actor/celeb should be so pleased for the opportunity to have their ego stroked that they should consent to give the autograph for nothing...

what's next?

If I go to a book-signing at my local Borderstones, will I be charged £12.99 for the book and another £20 for the autograph in the front page, on the grounds that practice at science-fiction conventions have established the market principle that the celebrity's signature is worth money?

I've also seen people at book-signings pay for the new book, go up to get it signed, and then ask, politely, if you wouldn't mind putting your name on these earlier books of yours that I've brought from home... I've never seen an author refuse to do this, which is either taking the "p" or a fair request, depending on your school of thought. (Fair request, because these earlier books were still bought in this shop, and you still got the royalties off them, mr Author person)

Try that at a a sci-fi convention, and will some big Klingon bouncer lay hands on your shoulder, hiss that "You are not being a person of HONOR to mr Zedlist" (including that peculiar way StarTrek people have of pronouncing the word "honour" as "ho-NORR") and then give you a duffing over in the carpark?

And once a celeb starts charging for autographs, do they extend this to those chance encounters in the street or outside hotels?

"Sorry, kid, no $20 dollars, no autograph. Time is business!"

And are sci-fi fans of the sort who attend conventions just unworldly geeks for accepting this?

As you say, you still have to pay for the book at Waterstones, so nothings for free... and in any case, to many of these people, 'mr Zedlist' is probably a person they've wanted to meet for a long time and in many cases they can be their hero, so I think the charge is irrelevant. I recently got to meet a personal favourite of mine, Louis Gossett Jr. and payed £15 for his autograph, I personally wouldn't consider him as 'Mr Zedlist'.

Others include
Micheal Shanks (Stargate SG1)
Robert Englund (Freddy - Nightmare on Elm Street)
David Prowse (Darth Vader)
Sean Astin (Lord of the Rings)
Honor Blackman (Pussy Galore)
Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings)
Carrie Fisher (Star Wars)
Brent Spiner (Star Trek)
Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek)

A-list'ers, no, I would not pretend to say they are, but they hardly come under the guise of Zedlist'ers, and in the world of cult/sci-fi, they are the A-list.

http://www.collectormania.com/previousguests/previousguests.html
http://www.londonfilmandcomiccon.com/previousguests/previousguests.html

Well, I'm quite shocked that they charge you for an autograph. I can understand that they charge for a photo session, but everything else is not correct.
When I go to a reading, I pay a fee for the reading (as you usually pay a fee for the convention), I pay for the book, and if the author would requitre money for his autograph in my book, sod him, I'd rather do without.

No disrespect intended, but if I went to a book reading and paid a fee to get in and bought the book and then was charged for an autograph, I'd be annoyed. However, the conventions linked above (Collectormania and London Film and Comic Con) are free entry and all you pay is for the autograph, on a picture of your choice, plus you might get the chance of having your picture taken with the star, I think that's worth every penny.

SP

But you mentioned some conventions which are quite pricey, and don't necessarily include the autograph/photo? Mabye I got that wrong, it's very late here, and I'm on my way to
Nice entry anyway, it's not your fault they charge fees.
Goodnight.

Yes I did. Those conventions are more specific, like Star Trek or Stargate, and yes they can be expensive, but there is alot of activities and they are usually hald over a couple of days. They work out more epxensive, but that is just the power of franchising, and as they are specific, you will only get fans of the show going who are more than happy to spend the money.

Maybe there's a particular show or star that you like. Ask yourself, how much would you be prepared to spend to meet them?

SP

Who cares


I'm gonna go to the quadrophenia Reunion Convention www.quadrophenia.biz