Are Athletic and Movie Stars the New Lords of the Serfs?

[Cancel 2018. 3]

Getting Derek Jeter’s autograph can be humiliating

Autograph-seeking fans of Derek Jeter and the lengths to which they'll wait for him during the offseason are the focus of a remarkable story by Scott Cacciola in the Friday edition of the New York Times. Like serfs seeking scraps from the lord of the manor, signature-starved adults line up, typically starting about 3 a.m. every morning, outside of the New York Yankees complex in Tampa. They're anticipating the arrival of Jeter, who is rehabbing his broken ankle.

Sometimes all they get is a glimpse of Jeter driving in and out of the complex in his Mercedes-Benz with glinting mirrored windows. No autographs. On Tuesday, he signed 10 autographs for perhaps 40 hopefuls who repeatedly were reminded of their place by a Yankees employee named John Johnson. Because spring training hasn't started yet, there are different expectations for Jeter when it comes to autographs. And dehumanizing rules:

With the glowering demeanor of a drill sergeant, Johnson delivered a series of instructions that several members of his audience could recite from memory: “Single file! No chitchat! He doesn’t want to hear about your personal life, so don’t ask him about his!”

----> Some of the fans in the Times story simply humiliate themselves rather than having John Johnson do it. And yet, that's not the most riveting part of the Times story. Instead, it's the virgin attitude of 21-year-old Yankees prospect Tyler Austin that stands out. He always makes himself available to sign, the Times writes. And it's an easy decision for him:

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...2801--mlb.html

i've ran into 3 movie stars and one sports star in my life and never once asked for an autograph. granted, i was star struck (8th grade) by whoopi goldberg, but didn't need her autograph when she nearly hit me with her shopping cart at the grocery store. i simply was astonished when i pulled my cart my back in the produce aisle and realized the lady apologizing was whoopi. i was so star struck, i didn't even say, no problem, i just gawked at her and she gave me her award winning smile. then i ran and told my dad who thought it was hilarious and something i would likely not forget.

but why demean yourselves trying to getting an autograph?

[/MSG/]

I run into a lot of famous people (mostly Red Wings). Nice guys. Kid Rock apparently has work done at our shop from time to time but I've never met him personally. Everyone who has says he's pretty fucking chill and a very respectful person overall.

[Minister of Truth]

I hate waiting in line, and always have. I'm a Star Wars nut, but I would never camp out for a premiere, nor will I likely go to see Episode VII during it's opening night, whenever Disney gets it into theatres. When I was 8, back during that accursed 1994 strike, I went to see a minor league baseball game in Everett (back then, the team was called the Giants, but they are now the Aquasox, and are a farm team for the Mariners). Local legendary right fielder (he was never quite Cooperstown material, but we loved him anyway) Jay Buhner was at the game to watch his younger brother Sean play for the opposing team. My uncle and sister assumed I would be interested in getting Jay's autograph, but I took one look at that line and sat back down. Sean wound up hitting a homerun, and we all cheered for him, even though we were rooting against him.