# Refusal to give autographs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 11, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021 "2014-10-11T02:56:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/21 "2014-10-11T14:51:08Z")
Mark Twain used to (facetiously?) claim he refused to give autographs because writing was his trade, and he thought it rude for a stranger to ask for a sample of it. “To ask a doctor or builder or sculptor for his autograph would be in no way rude. To ask one of those for a specimen of his work, however, is quite another thing, and the request might be justifiably refused. It would never be fair to ask a doctor for one of his corpses to remember him by.” ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/22 "2014-10-11T15:02:09Z")
Makes me wonder if a celebrity’s autograph, once collected, could be misused or imitated by a forger to write bogus checks. Maybe celebrities create and use two distinctly different signatures, one for banking, one for autographs. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/23 "2014-10-11T15:51:01Z")
Rosie O’Donnel (listed above) once said that she’d give autographs to kids, especially right after _The Flintstones_ was released, because it was from “Betty Rubble”. But she gave the impression that she thought adults asking for her autograph were sorta pathetic, ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/24 "2014-10-11T15:52:40Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Makes me wonder if a celebrity’s autograph, once collected, could be misused or imitated by a forger to write bogus checks. Maybe celebrities create and use two distinctly different signatures, one for banking, one for autographs. You’re making the unwarranted assumption that anyone anywhere validates the signatures on checks. Nothing in the US banking system routinely validates sigs. At least not until the account owner claims that a check drawn on them is a forgery. Then, and only then, does anyone or anything look at the sig. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/25 "2014-10-11T16:03:17Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Have there been any who’ve never given out autographs, even before they became famous? There have been a few “stars” that were pretty full of themselves even with very modest success, but the example that stands out in my mind is a more typical opposite: Tobey Maguire was accommodating to fans until he got the Spiderman role, at which point he turned (so I have been told) into a rude, obnoxious “star” who didn’t have time for all those little people and became known for badmouthing people who asked for an autograph. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/26 "2014-10-11T16:42:10Z")
> [@Loopus](#): > > “It would never be fair to ask a doctor for one of his corpses to remember him by.” Hell, if they were mine to give you could have all of them. > [@CalMeacham](#): > > Rosie O’Donnel… gave the impression that she thought adults asking for her autograph were sorta pathetic It’s beyond pathetic that anyone would value Rosie O’Donnell’s autograph. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/27 "2014-10-11T17:26:17Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Makes me wonder if a celebrity’s autograph, once collected, could be misused or imitated by a forger to write bogus checks. Maybe celebrities create and use two distinctly different signatures, one for banking, one for autographs. I have a dim memory that this was used in an episode of Hawaii 5-0 in the 1970s - a kid asked for McGarrett’s autograph, and forgeries of McGarrett’s signature turned up on fake documents later on. ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/28 "2014-10-11T22:25:43Z")
I read once that Paul Newman stopped giving autographs when a fan approached him at a urinal and asked for his autograph. Not sure how true that is, though. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/29 "2014-10-12T00:33:05Z")
Wilt Chamberlain in his book “Wilt: Just like any 7 Foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door” talks about his reluctance to sign autographs. He would on occasion but generally considered them dehumanizing. ---
**Author:** ![ALOHA\_HATER](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/76d3ee/32.png) [@ALOHA\_HATER](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ALOHA_HATER)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/30 "2014-10-12T02:23:51Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > You’re making the unwarranted assumption that anyone anywhere validates the signatures on checks. Nothing in the US banking system routinely validates sigs. At least not until the account owner claims that a check drawn on them is a forgery. Then, and only then, does anyone or anything look at the sig. A recent episode of Planet Money agrees with you but at my bank at least signatures are very very important and checked both manually and by computers countless times every day. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/31 "2014-10-12T02:45:12Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > You’re making the unwarranted assumption that anyone anywhere validates the signatures on checks. Nothing in the US banking system routinely validates sigs. At least not until the account owner claims that a check drawn on them is a forgery. Then, and only then, does anyone or anything look at the sig. This is why it is important to immediately cancel lost or stolen credit cards. Those card scanners in stores, where you sign your name on the screen and wait a few seconds while the machine pretends it is verifying, well they are not verifying anything. You can make an X, scribble, or sign Mickey Mouse, and after a brief pause of “verifying”, your purchase will be approved. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/32 "2014-10-12T03:39:43Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I doubt anyone would seek an autograph from someone who wasn’t already famous. I’m not famous at all, yet cashiers and bank tellers routinely ask for my signature 🙂 OK seriously, it’s not uncommon for people to ask athletes for their autograph even if they are not famous at all. Minor league basebal players (including ones who are not named Jordan) and junior hockey players, for example. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/33 "2014-10-12T03:42:25Z")
I had no idea about this. Ignorance fought! I do know that every time I’ve written to an author, I’ve gotten a reply. I assume that the signature was real, but it could have been from someone else. The reply was always personalized and referred to things I’d mentioned about their book. Snail mail takes longer than email, but they always respond. Now I’m going to send Chris Farnsworth another email…he’s been too long with his latest book. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2014, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/34 "2014-10-12T07:57:32Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > I do know that every time I’ve written to an author, I’ve gotten a reply. I assume that the signature was real, but it could have been from someone else. Could also come from an [autopen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autopen). ---
**Author:** ![DrForrester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DrForrester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrForrester)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/35 "2014-10-13T13:08:44Z")
The drummer from Rush will not engage with fans in any way, let alone give an autograph. The other members are only too happy to socialize & sign things. I didn’t know about Ringo. Maybe it’s just drummers, generally? ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/36 "2014-10-13T13:26:08Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Rosie O’Donnel (listed above) once said that she’d give autographs to kids, especially right after _The Flintstones_ was released, because it was from “Betty Rubble”. But she gave the impression that she thought adults asking for her autograph were sorta pathetic, This must be one of the few times I have cheered at something Rosie O’Donnel reportedly said. It really must be tiresome to sign autographs while going about your daily life. I admire this understated “fuck you” attitude by some celebrities. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/37 "2014-10-13T16:01:48Z")
The real “insult to injury” aspect is the autograph-sellers, who basically ask for something for free which they then proceed to make pure profit off of. And, of course, it’s next to impossible to tell a genuinely enthusiastic fan from an autograph-seller based on 30 seconds of conversation. ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021/38 "2014-10-13T17:41:24Z")
Bill Russell was (in)famous for refusing to sign autographs. I believe he has loosened up a bit. From [http://www.psacard.com/AutographFacts/AutographDetail/58/bill-russell](http://www.psacard.com/AutographFacts/AutographDetail/58/bill-russell) > [@](#): > > During his playing years and post-career, Bill Russell was a very private man and remains that way to this day. He would rather shake someone’s hand than sign an autograph. For years, Russell was notorious for not signing autographs at all. Until very recently, he started to sign his name for a fee, doing several in-person shows, but most of the signings are done in private. In addition, his signature is very legible. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refusal-to-give-autographs/701021.md?page=1)