Question for the group

Hi everyone,
I just wanted to throw out this question and see how you guys feel about
it. I've been collecting autographs since i was about 8, I'm 31 now. For about
a year, i've been working as a sports/celebrity reporter and have gotten the
chance to meet and hang out with a lot of famous people. Some of which I've had
autographs from, but a lot of which i would love to add to my collection.
However, as a reporter, it is completely against the code to ask for an
autograph or even take a picture with a celebrity unless they of coarse offer
it first, or you may lose your credentials...and your job. But at the same
time, I find myself standing right next to these people and having
conversations with them, while at the same time watching all the autograph
seekers yelling from behind the ropes. I've been told not to sweat it, cause in
time, the more they get to know and trust you, the easier it would be to bring
it up in conversation and not get in trouble over it. But for now, I'm still
just using snail mail like most of you. So My question is, which side of the
rope would you rather be in? The one that holds you back but ultimately might
get you the autograph(s), or on the side where you can wander anywhere where
you want, meet and talk with the celebrities, but not getting any autographs
out of it?

Personally, if you are getting paid to do what you are doing, I wouldn't
worry about the autographs. It's not worth losing your career over it.

"Mauricio Segura" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to throw out this question and see how you guys feel
about
it. I've been collecting autographs since i was about 8, I'm 31 now. For
about
a year, i've been working as a sports/celebrity reporter and have gotten
the
chance to meet and hang out with a lot of famous people. Some of which
I've had
autographs from, but a lot of which i would love to add to my collection.
However, as a reporter, it is completely against the code to ask for an
autograph or even take a picture with a celebrity unless they of coarse
offer
it first, or you may lose your credentials...and your job. But at the same
time, I find myself standing right next to these people and having
conversations with them, while at the same time watching all the autograph
seekers yelling from behind the ropes. I've been told not to sweat it,
cause in
time, the more they get to know and trust you, the easier it would be to
bring
it up in conversation and not get in trouble over it. But for now, I'm
still
just using snail mail like most of you. So My question is, which side of
the
rope would you rather be in? The one that holds you back but ultimately
might
get you the autograph(s), or on the side where you can wander anywhere
where
you want, meet and talk with the celebrities, but not getting any
autographs
out of it?

Personally, if you are getting paid to do what you are doing, I wouldn't
worry about the autographs. It's not worth losing your career over it.

Yeah i realize that. I love my job and wouldn't do anything to jeapordize it.
But at the same time, as an autograph collector, i get somewhat frustrated when
i get home and say to myself, "Damn, I just spoke one on one with Arnold for
ten minutes, or I just hung out with Barry Bonds, but wasn't able to get a
signature". In the long run, I prefer being in the position I'm in. but being
a collector for about 20 years, the tendancy is there to ask, but I can't act
on it. It's kinda weird, but maybe someone out there knows where I'm coming
from.

I work for a local newspaper in the Chicago area. While we are not one of the
big 2 in Chicago, we quasi-cover the Cubs. I know our sports guys get pics and
some autographs. They aren't constantly doing it, but I know they have done
it. They build up enough of a relationship with the various athletes and then
they just casually ask if it would be okay. I have even been the recipient of
some autographs when I worked some ad deals for them.

Agreed. The reporting side is much more cool and you may one day get
lucky and be invited to something that is "off the record" and also,
what is in the rules about after you wrap it up? I mean, you
interview them say going into an event and that's all your boss
wanted... so you interview, wrap it up and are done. Now are you off
the record and maybe can ask for one after the event?

But agreed, cool job and not worth losing your job over


On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 00:34:40 -0400, "EvilN8"
wrote:

Personally, if you are getting paid to do what you are doing, I wouldn't
worry about the autographs. It's not worth losing your career over it.

"Mauricio Segura" wrote in message
...
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to throw out this question and see how you guys feel
about
it. I've been collecting autographs since i was about 8, I'm 31 now. For
about
a year, i've been working as a sports/celebrity reporter and have gotten
the
chance to meet and hang out with a lot of famous people. Some of which
I've had
autographs from, but a lot of which i would love to add to my collection.
However, as a reporter, it is completely against the code to ask for an
autograph or even take a picture with a celebrity unless they of coarse
offer
it first, or you may lose your credentials...and your job. But at the same
time, I find myself standing right next to these people and having
conversations with them, while at the same time watching all the autograph
seekers yelling from behind the ropes. I've been told not to sweat it,
cause in
time, the more they get to know and trust you, the easier it would be to
bring
it up in conversation and not get in trouble over it. But for now, I'm
still
just using snail mail like most of you. So My question is, which side of
the
rope would you rather be in? The one that holds you back but ultimately
might
get you the autograph(s), or on the side where you can wander anywhere
where
you want, meet and talk with the celebrities, but not getting any
autographs
out of it?

Here's something to he could do... he could tell a friend casually
where he's gonna be interviewing and have the fried try... or he could
have the friend just take a photo of him interviewing the celeb and
then try that snail mail and get that signed. It might be a good "in"
for him and better his chances of getting a sig.


On 12 Oct 2003 13:10:30 GMT, (JOHNGY1) wrote:

I work for a local newspaper in the Chicago area. While we are not one of the
big 2 in Chicago, we quasi-cover the Cubs. I know our sports guys get pics and
some autographs. They aren't constantly doing it, but I know they have done
it. They build up enough of a relationship with the various athletes and then
they just casually ask if it would be okay. I have even been the recipient of
some autographs when I worked some ad deals for them.

Hey Mauricio-

I have been rather lucky in the fact that I have met many of my favorite
celebrities 1 on 1, without being held back, including people such as Dan
Marino, and the late Dale Earnhardt.

One great experience without getting any autographs, and just talking with
the celebrity, was meeting Doug Flutie. I got a chance to just say hi, get a
hand shake, and talk to him about that famous "hail mary" pass you see on
the football highlights all the time.

he wouldn't sign, and I didn't dare ask for an autograph, because we were
both at a celebrity auction in which high price pieces were being sold, and
both of us wanted to go "by the rules". It was neat meeting him-and i might
add, he's only 5'-10" for a quarterback!