Stage-Door Johnnies, with an Agenda- Page 2

[Belleof14thStreet]

Posted: 1/18/08 at 10:23pm

Ugghhh! I work at a Broadway house and see these people that you are talking about ALL THE TIME. What really bugs me about them is that they have NO clue as to who is involved in the production. They stand outside of the stagedoor and ask EVERY person going in if they are in the show. It's insulting! I've even had them tap me on the shoulder, if I am wearing my headphones, as I'm waiting to be buzzed in - just to ask me, "Are you in the show?" while thrusting their sharpie at me. Truth be told I have signed a few playbills just out of pure frustration, but that's what gets me. They just show up and bug EVERYONE. Oh - and I saw one of them grab Joel Grey, who was attending an opening next door, on his way past our stage door. The guy had photos of just about everyone in his bag of memorabillia! It was insane!

[Eris0303]

Posted: 1/18/08 at 10:27pm

Last night was the first time I'd ever staged doored at a show that I didn't, personally, know anyone in. I saw Chicago and wanted to meet John Schneider because he's been part of my TV life since I was born. I was standing having a very nice conversation with some other people who were waiting when someone asked me for my autograph. I was really shocked because I don't think I, even remotely, look like someone who could appear on stage. I politely told them I wasn't in the show.

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 1/19/08 at 9:53pm

aww krysta is one of my close friends!! And I agree I mean there's not much you can do about it but it's too bad people don't have more integrity.

[tgn915]

Posted: 1/19/08 at 10:08pm

I totally know these guys.

We can't really classify them as people who have lots of things for the actor's to sign because, being the fanboy I am, the last time I met Kevin Cahoon, I had two playbills, a poster, and a CD slip for him to sign, haha. (And when I met Anthony Rapp, I'm sure he was annoyed by the four items I had for him to sign, and I still feel bad about that but..)

I've encountered some really nasty guys who do this. Outside the Wedding Singer SD, there was always this man who'd be smoking a cigar with three Wedding Singer posters with him. He'd shove the marker in everyone's face and not even say one word to them.

The worst pair I saw, though, were two huge Asian men. It was outside Mary Poppins, and they creeped me out badly. They stood there with there posters, and shoved the marker in the two young kid's faces! After they practically forced these kids to sign their posters, they said "picture!" and just stood next to them with blank expressions on their faces. I guess this was proof that they had it signed if they wanted to sell it on ebay.

REALLY creepy.

[nealb1]

Posted: 1/19/08 at 10:42pm

what's even creepier is when the same people go to the stage door over and over and over again......and get their picture taken with a performer.....over and over and over again. I guess they think that they are "friends" with them if they do it long enough. Very, very sick!

[Eris0303]

Posted: 1/19/08 at 11:55pm

"and get their picture taken with a performer.....over and over and over again. I guess they think that they are "friends" with them if they do it long enough. Very, very sick!"

Yeah, I've seen stuff like that myself. Unless it's someone I know the only reason I ask someone for a picture more than once is if, for some reason, the first picture didn't come out (or I just plain old didn't like it).

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 1/19/08 at 11:59pm

its even creepier when they then get those pictures turned into mugs and tshirts. very very creepy.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 12:00am

I turned my picture of me and Cheyenne Jackson into a life-sized wall mural.

I've never actually had my picture taken with him but that should be on my "things to do" list.

[DaneSaw]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 10:23am

No, what's even creepier is when people start making birthday cards, posters, etc. for actors. I think I mentioned somewhere before, I saw someone give Johnny Gallagher a pillow with a photo of his face embroidered on it...

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 11:18am

I have to agree - it's creepier for people who hang out there all the time and have multiple pics taken, etc., than for people who actually have a financial reason for it (not that I'm condoning that either, but at least they're not looking for some emotional payoff from a stranger). Recently I met my friend for dinner after a matinee and watched bemused as she stood against the wall of the theater, behind barricades, and fans took picture after picture of her. Standing against a wall. I just don't get the point.

Updated On: 1/20/08 at 11:18 AM

[Mealz1042]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 2:24pm

well the people who are doing it for the money aren't creepy, I think rude or selfish might be the right word.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 2:26pm

No, they are also totally creepy.

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 2:29pm

Updated On: 5/8/09 at 02:29 PM

[misschung]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 2:30pm

Are you serious? At least fans who did are doing it because they're fans of the performer. Doing it for money is just...transparent and tacky, I think.

PalJoey, I just rewatched that movie this weekend, hehe.

I have a hard enough time as a fan trying to handle small-talk with actors without sounding like a completely nervous fanboy toolshed.

I am so with you.

[MaronaDavies]

Posted: 1/20/08 at 6:21pm

The professional autograph people really are creepy, just in a different way than the obsessed fans. Rude and nasty, too.

I went to a book signing a few weeks ago and they were out in full force there. They sat there in the front row READING during the author's presentation, and then went up to the autograph table with armloads of books to be signed--without any personalization, of course. It really was rude.

[winter_sky]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 11:41am

Someone made Gallagher a birthday cake with his face on it.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 1/21/08 at 1:15pm

The only time I ever asked a performer to have my picture taken with him a second time was Cheyenne. The week before, someone took the picture of me with him -- when it was developed, the whole upper half of Cheyenne's face was missing. I debated with myself as to ask him again, but figured that he's such a nice guy he might not mind. I took the original with me, showed it to Cheyenne, who said "Oh, no, that will never do" and he insisted that several pictures of me taken with him be taken to insure that at least one of them came out. They did and now I have several pictures of me with him. But I would never think of asking him again.