Stage-Door Johnnies, with an Agenda

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 9:10am

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/nyregion/thecity/06ebay.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[dramaparoxysm23]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 9:19am

People who do that ruin it for the rest of us.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 9:27am

I agree.

But, like the article said, it's pretty easy to tell the difference between the real theatre fans and the autograph hounds.

If you're asking the actors to sign a Playbill, that's one thing. But the guys who show up with the portfolio folders with the front covers of DVDs spread out inside, ready to be signed, are the ones to stay away from.

And it sounds like the Backstage Doormen are doing the weeding out beforehand, to make it less awkward for the actors.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 9:35am

In buying IN THE HEIGHTS tickets yesterday, I noticed my two favorites of all the autograph collectors (sarcasm) waiting, presumably, for Jennifer Garner and Kevin Kline, prior to the show starting.

Perhaps you've seen them:
The first guy looks like Eliot Gould, glasses at the brim of his nose, wearing headphones (I assume listening to some kind of walkman).

The second guy wears huge glasses, has a cherry red nose, a long black trenchcoat, and Santa Claus flannels. Yesterday, he topped it off with a bright, neon orange hat with ear flaps. Updated On: 1/6/08 at 09:35 AM

[GHOSTLIGHT2]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 9:50am

That is really sad,if I were an Actor I would never give an Autograph to one of those creeps.
Where I am from if anyone was being a Rotten Apple who would ruin it for every one else He would probably have His stock confiscated by the crowd and probably be beaten.
What I am saying is Never EVER give Bottom-Feeders like that what They want.
Shure They may say it is to make Money but in its own way it is as intrusive as a paparazzo jamming a camera at someone who is simply trying to go to His or Her car.
If I were in such a crowd I would probably try to push one back so someone who really cared could have His place,would that make Me as wrong as Him? yes it would but sometimes You have to take stands.

[dramaparoxysm23]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 10:25am

Yankee, does the one who looks like Elliot Gould have a large book of blank pages?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 1:02pm

Wouldn't surprise me.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 1:40pm

Yes, it ruins it for everybody else. My favorite story about this comes from about six years ago, when Gale Harold was in Uncle Bob. I saw it several times and got to be on speaking terms with some of the theatre personnel. At the beginnng of the run, Gale was totaly amenable to posing for pictures with fans and signing programs, posters, etc., etc. HOWEVER, there was one partcularly obnoxious woman who would be armed with at least 20 programs for him to sign -- every time. Theatre personnel told me that she did that at ALL performances and, to top it all off, had NEVER seen the play once. When someone reprimanded her for this unreasonable demand, her comment was "It's a free country and I can do whatever I want." Towards the end, someone put a cap on the number of times he could sign (once). Needless the say, they showed up an ebay all the time.

[ljay889]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 1:50pm

I see it all the time. They always have their briefcase. They are just plain creepy, and you can tell the actors are uncomfortable interacting with them.

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 1:58pm

Back in the late 70's and very early 80's I would stagedoor. Didn't go to New York for most of the 80's and moved to Denver in 91. Went back in 2004 for the 1st time in years to take in a number of shows. Didn't stagedoor until the evening I saw Wicked. I got to t he stagedoor and could only take about 10 minutes of the madness and left. I haven't stagedoored since. And I go twice a year. And I would never buy a signed playbill, poster, etc. from a show unless it was at the theatre for BCEFA (I have one for COMPANY). I want to meet the performer when they are signing or in the case of BCEFA, give for a good cause.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/6/08 at 2:49pm

I saw them all the time on tour.

Ans when we got back to LA, there is one guy I know, and he was sending all sorts of gifts backstage.

I took them all, dumped them in a trash can, took pictures of the trash can and printed it out. Then I walked outside after the show and handed him the picture. I then turned to security, and at the top of my voice, I pointed him out and said, "Please keep him away from the performers."

The guy never got an autograph.

[StarUsher]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 1:16pm

Geez. When I was working off broadway I primarily house managed but often I helped with security. We had to deal with these kinds all the time. Expecially when we had multiple people of note doing shows with us. The main security team (which I was part of when I did do security)had code words we used to identify them and we all knew what the game plan was to keep them from harrassing the actors. I agree with the person who said it ruins it for others. It really does.

[hellzapoppin2000]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 1:33pm

Oh come on. These guys need to make a living, too. At least its clear what they are doing -- enhancing the value of a signature via exposure on ebay. Do you honestly think there would be Ashley Brown items on e-bay without these guys? Frankly, the people who stage door constantly and bring presents to such stars as Chrissie Whithead or Norm Lewis are far creepier than people who are trying to make a living. When I was on Broadway, we had cast members who were followed home by these stalkers. This is precisely the kind of adulation that allows a weak-sister like James Barbour to take the girl's hand . . .

[worrell4077]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 1:34pm

These people are like the ticket scalpers that were at Jersey Boys buying up as many of the student rush tickets as they could. They ruin it for everyone.

When I go see a show, the typical thing for me to have out to get sign is probably a playbill or if the show's cast album is out in stores and I have a copy of it, I'll bring it with me to get signed as well or maybe a poster, but once in awhile if the show has someone in it who was in a movie that I own, then I might bring the dvd case and ask for it to be signed for me. Like for example, I brought my cover of the Van Helsing game and Hugh Jackman signed it for me and I still have it and it's one of three games of mine that I can't sell to videogame stores.

So in all honesty someone like me who has a bookbag with him just to carry things like water, camera, markers, or anything else with him and has in addition to a playbill like a game cover or a dvd cover or something like that, I would think that I wouldn't be mistaken for one of these guys who has a ton of photos and wants each of them signed for Ebay.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 1:54pm

MARGO: Autograph fiends! They're not people--they're little beasts who run in packs...like coyotes!

KAREN: They're your fans, your audience...

MARGO: They're NOBODY'S fans! They're juvenile delinquents! Mental defectives! They're nobody's audience. They never see a play or a movie, even--they're never INDOORS long enough!

--from ALL ABOUT EVE

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 2:16pm

"Oh come on. These guys need to make a living, too. "

Then they should go out and find a job.

What they have done is take autograph collecting and crapped all over it by trying to make a living off of OTHER PEOPLES HARD WORK.

They are bottom feeders.

[Gingersnap2]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 3:20pm

"They are just plain creepy, and you can tell the actors are uncomfortable interacting with them."

Creepy IS the word for them. When I first encountered them...even before I realized what they were up to, the ones I saw just gave off a bad vibe.

I used to see two guys walking around West 45th Street. They had folders full of headshots. Once, I saw them approach Greg Jbara outside the Imperial. Never mind that he was talking to someone on his cell phone.

Another time, I was talking to Hugh Panaro by the Majestic stage door alley and these same two men walked up to us. They glanced in their folders, then at some master list one had, and then asked Hugh to sign...after giving me a cursory glance to make sure I wasn't on their list, too. They actually cut right into our conversation. Hugh said he was busy and declined and I lost sight of them heading across the street towards the Imperial again.

Posted: 1/7/08 at 3:27pm

I used to work for Tower Records and did hundreds of signings- ranging from nobodie to superstars. It was interesting to see how various people handled it. Liza was a pro- she'd sign anything, as long as you bought it for her to sign- no pictures, no ashtrays, no posters. But she'd sign DVDs of Cabaret or Arthur or even Lucky Lady.

David Cassidy was very good- he'd examine an item and even quiz the owner. "Wow, a Partridge Family board game- THESE are RARE. What's your favorite song I sing? When's my Birthday? Do I have any kids? Hmmmm I don't think you are really a fan. You're going to sell this. Next!"

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 3:33pm

Hot.

[EdmundOG]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 3:47pm

"At least its clear what they are doing -- enhancing the value of a signature via exposure on ebay."

Actually, throwing 20 signatures up for sale makes them LESS valuable. Supply and demand, don't you know.

[DaneSaw]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 3:58pm

That whole thing just seems tacky and really creepy and awkward to me.

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 can't imagine trying to get something signed or a photo and not even knowing or caring about the show that the actor just appeared in. Part of the reason people stagedoor is to commend and thank the performer for a great show. I don't know how someone can be comfrotable running up with a pile of memorobilia crap and saying "Hey, can you sign this? And this? And this? And this?", and then running off to the next theatre. Skeezy.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 4:12pm

I never had any strong feelings about David Cassidy one way or the other, but the way he handled that was priceless!!! Another item for my cocktail party repertoire.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 1/7/08 at 4:48pm

I've only staged doored at shows where I knew people in the cast and the first time I did was quite pleasantly surprised. No one was rude, there was no shoving. I've spent quite a lot of time at players' parking lots after MLB games. You want a bad crowd go there. Stage doors have nothing on professional sports. Nothing. I truly hope stage doors don't go the way of the parking lots because once it starts to get THAT bad no one will be allowed to stage door anymore.

[Fiyero13]

Posted: 1/18/08 at 3:31pm

what's the scene like at MLB games?

[Eris0303]

Posted: 1/18/08 at 5:35pm

Screaming, insulting the players and then demanding to get autographs. I've seen people THROW items at players. "Here, sign this". There have been times it's been so bad I wanted to cry. I don't do it much these days. I only go if there's a player on the team I know. People think they're owed autographs from the players and they complain while the player is still in earshot if he walks by without signing. Like that's going to make them sign. The players sign less and less because so many people treat them poorly.

Once at Yankee Stadium a player got into his car and with wife without signing. The fans literally surrounded his car as he tried to drive out and climbed all over it. Shaking it and pushing it. I wasn't there but there was an article about it. That's an extreme example but it just goes to show how rude they can be.