$200 for picture with Patrick Stewart?

[javasaurus]

I read a Sci-Fi convention group here on good'ol'LJ, and a recent post indicated that Patrick Stewart will be attending an upcoming con. If you want a picture with him, he'll charge you $200. WTH?

I have never understood the idea of charging for autographs. Maybe you could argue that it limits the length of the line, that only true fans would get the autograph if there was a fee involved, while those who only want to sell it on e-bay would abstain. So what you do is punish the loyal fanbase?

Feel free to ignore or discuss.

Comments

[thewhitedragon.livejournal.com]

A lot of celebs, Stewart aside, often only have income from charging for autographs -- especially when they are 'classic actors' and aren't currently engaged in projects. Even if that isn't the reason, a vast majority of items *do* hit ebay and the actors are just taking their 'cut' from that sale.

You don't want to know how much I normally pay for autographs at the horror movie convention, but I can assure you that it's nowhere near that much. I think I paid $50 for George Romero and I think that was the highest. Hey, I needed his signature on Night of the Living Dead, right?

The average cost at the con I attend is about 10-20 bucks per person -- and because of that cost it tends to get me to make a choice on who I'm getting to sign stuff. On rare occassions, I'll catch one of the celebs at a good moment and they won't charge anything but those cases are few and far between. Often if you buy a DVD or poster directly from them, autograph is included and the prices are similar to what you'd pay in a video store for things.

In defense of the con I attend, the admission price is extremely affordable... unlike some of the other cons where you need to ante up your first born child to get in. And if Jean Luc showed up and asked $200 a photo, he'd be standing there all alone I can assure you.