# Celebrity book signing at a trade show=asshole magnet **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 1, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206 "2010-02-01T04:22:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/61 "2010-02-04T10:12:16Z")
I’m sure that if Tolkien does attend a con or show, it will make headlines around the world, him being dead for so many years now. I chose him as an example because I was glancing around the room, and thinking that it’s about time to read the Hobbit/LotR again. My point was that a guest of a show/con is quite likely to want to wander around and see the other exhibits. Vendors also like to wander around and take in the activities. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/62 "2010-02-04T13:36:30Z")
Well, shucks, I guess that means that I’ve got to cross him off the list of people I’ve been waiting to get signatures from. ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/63 "2010-02-05T08:00:17Z")
1. **Lynn Bodoni** writes a book on how to hold book signing events; 2. **Shakespearo** organizes a book signing event where **Lynn** will sign her book on book signing events; 3. \*\* Profit!!!\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/64 "2010-02-05T22:07:42Z")
Hey, where did **Shakespearo** go? We didn’t drive him off, did we? I can’t imagine that would happen. ---
**Author:** ![Shakespearo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Shakespearo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakespearo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/65 "2010-02-06T03:14:43Z")
Sorry. Didn’t realize I was required to check in every 24 hours!😃 BTW, what in this thread could possibly “drive” me off? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/66 "2010-02-06T10:31:41Z")
Probably because you don’t value this message board more than your family or job. I mean, if you don’t, why shouldn’t we just kick you out, like you did the guy who ran late? You are pretentious little shit if you think that only people who value getting a book signed more than their family, job, etc should possibly get one. I’m going to expect you to hold yourself to that standard from now on. Heck, you have nor right complain here since you apparently valued doing your job more than not getting pissed off. If that mattered to you so much, you should have given up everything not to get mad. As for the rest, why the hell are you arguing about how this thing was set up? You admit in your OP that it was crappily done. Newsflash: if something goes poorly, you don’t just sit around and complain about it. You try to fix it. Unless you want your little company to go under. Then again, as poorly as you think of your customers, maybe you do. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/67 "2010-02-06T15:32:34Z")
Wait, never mind working, how do we know that the late arrival wasn’t at a funeral? _Jeez_ Shakespearo, would it have killed you to put leg shackles on the celebrity for a few hours? ---
**Author:** ![Shakespearo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Shakespearo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakespearo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/68 "2010-02-06T15:36:15Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Probably because you don’t value this message board more than your family or job. I mean, if you don’t, why shouldn’t we just kick you out, like you did the guy who ran late? > > You are pretentious little shit if you think that only people who value getting a book signed more than their family, job, etc should possibly get one. I’m going to expect you to hold yourself to that standard from now on. Heck, you have nor right complain here since you apparently valued doing your job more than not getting pissed off. If that mattered to you so much, you should have given up everything not to get mad. > > As for the rest, why the hell are you arguing about how this thing was set up? You admit in your OP that it was crappily done. Newsflash: if something goes poorly, you don’t just sit around and complain about it. You try to fix it. Unless you want your little company to go under. > > Then again, as poorly as you think of your customers, maybe you do. I’m being asked to stick around on this thread for THIS? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/69 "2010-02-06T16:18:35Z")
> [@dba\_Fred](#): > > 1. **Lynn Bodoni** writes a book on how to hold book signing events; > > 2. **Shakespearo** organizes a book signing event where **Lynn** will sign her book on book signing events; > > 3. \*\* Profit!!!\*\* I’ve spent many years in marketing (well, I should specify- I’ve gone to markets all over the country [especially in Alabama] for many years) and I think you’re missing a golden opportunity if Lynn doesn’t wear a Straight Dope shirt at the signing that will be in every photograph, or better yet go topless but have a huge Straight Dope sign behind her so that people will instinctively when trying to be polite by not noticing she’s topless position their eyes to look at the backdrop behind her. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/70 "2010-02-06T22:15:27Z")
> [@Shakespearo](#): > > Sorry. > > Didn’t realize I was required to check in every 24 hours!😃 > > BTW, what in this thread could possibly “drive” me off? You think you’re allowed to go a full 24 hours without checking in? ---
**Author:** ![Shakespearo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Shakespearo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakespearo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/71 "2010-02-07T01:21:24Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > You think you’re allowed to go a full 24 hours without checking in? Shakespearo!!! Yoo-hooooo!!! . . . . . . YO, SHAKESPEARO! Get in here for your daily ass whoopin’! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![spinky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@spinky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spinky)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/72 "2010-02-07T06:49:21Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > You are pretentious little shit if you think that only people who value getting a book signed more than their family, job, etc should possibly get one. Amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/73 "2010-02-07T09:25:05Z")
> [@Shakespearo](#): > > Duke makes a good point, we probably could have squeezed another few sheckels out of the marks, but this was a correct response. > > The purpose behind the signing was to not really raise a huge amount of money for charity, that was an idea bolted on months after this was set up, with the celebrity’s consent. The book itself is a few years old, so charging full list probably would not be fair. And the celebrity was well paid for this appearance, so there was no further incentive to put money in their pocket. > > Figuring that the fans already paid their ticket to the trade show, and the purpose of this event was to publicize our booth and our product, it made no sense to try and gouge people, even for a charity. > > I was at a book signing featuring a hall of fame pro athlete at a local casino this past Fall. He was signing his new book, and I was anxious to meet him, and was prepared to pay full price for the new book and have it signed. > > When I got there, not only did I have to pay for the book, which was fine, but also an additional $25 to have it signed. I figured I was there anyway, so I splurged, and got my book signed, and I also asked the athlete if he could sign an item I brought with me, but his handler said he did not have permission to do so because of his contract. > > I didn’t raise a fuss, but deep down I thought, jeez, I just shelled out something like $60, for all that money you cant hook me up with one more signature, huh. But from what I understand, thats how sports signings go and I was just happy to have landed a signature. > > I can only imagine what would have happened at this trade show if we pulled the same thing with these customers. It was Pete Rose, wasn’t it? Fucking guy… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/74 "2010-02-07T21:03:54Z")
I bet it was. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206/75 "2010-02-08T01:35:07Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I bet it was. “Hall of Fame” suggests not Pete Rose. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrity-book-signing-at-a-trade-show-asshole-magnet/527206.md?page=3)