Rowan

Ermmm... I've heard Carrie tends to send secretarials by post. That means it might have been signed by someone else on her behalf. Might be signed by her, might not. Sorry Nice.. real sensitive post... what exaclty was the prupose of posting this? Just to make someone feel miserable? So you are the sort of person lets your mate walk around all night with toilet paper stuck to their butt and get laughed at, just in case telling them might 'embarras' them? I will remember that if you are potentially looking silly, or being fooled by someone, you prefer not to be told. I think it's up to salogel42 to say if they would rather have known or not. And please note I didn't say it wasn't Carrie's autograph, just that you have to be careful.

Ermmm... I've heard Carrie tends to send secretarials by post. That means it might have been signed by someone else on her behalf. Might be signed by her, might not. Sorry

It's true, what you actually pay for, at the moment, is the autograph. Therefore, at the moment, anything else is a bonus. And if stars sign head-down to get thousands of people through we don't really have a right to complain. What I'm saying is that most attendees actually pay IN THE HOPE OF getting a real meeting: eye contact, a hello, maybe a photo with the guest. What's actually being sold, and what the fans are hoping to get don't always fit. If I was organising an event, I'd want to make sure that attendees get what they actually want. And to be honest, if that means less attendees through, then so be it. I think my point is relevant whether you are talking about a full-weekend convention or a signing event. It does sound to me as if some of the guests (Carrie in particular) were being pushed to sign as many and as fast as possible. It sounds to me as if maybe they'd have been happier, and the fans they met happier, if they hadn't been put under that strain. Someone made the decision on how many tickets to sell IN ADVANCE. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't 1000 tickets (as we've heard for Carrie) a lot more than had been handed out for other guests in the past? If so, someone planned that Carrie would not have so much time with each person that met her... I do think money is a factor. I've heard SM's are paying 3 times the fee for some guest that other organisations have offered them. Just hearsay maybe, but if it's true SM's are paying high fees, then that has to be made back somehow...

I think you've just summed up why sometimes debates like this go round in circles. Thing is, while getting the autograph may be the main thing to you, to some of us it isn't. To some people meeting the guest is the main thing, and if they had to choose between eye contact, and getting to say hello or getting an autograph, they'd probably ditch the autograph. To me and many others the autograph isn't the point, it's just a momento of the meeting. If I was organising an event with Carrie in the future, I think I'd be tempted not to sell 1000 tickets, but to sell less, and make sure she was under less pressure to sign fast, and so could actually say hello to everyone. Because that's the way I'd prefer it. I've suggested this in another thread, so I'll bring it up here. I think maybe what we should do is have two types of session: one for those that want to say hi, and one for those that just want to get there stuff signed and get onto the next person. So, say start the day with the standard tickets. People get to say hi, maybe get a photo, but not chat for long (still not time for that) For part of the day (maybe a couple of hours at dinner) the session changes to an 'express' session. No talking to the guest (in fact you'd probably give your stuff to a helper and not be able to go right up yourself), as many items as you want, maybe slightly cheaper. But it would be the guest getting handed stuff to sign fast, no interaction, like a factory production line. Wonder if it would work?

My last comment: it sounds like SHE felt she was under pressure to get all 1000 done... Actually, don't know if it would work, but something I've thought of before is having 'fast sessions' and 'slow' sessions. Idea is some people don't want to chat to the guest, they just want autographs, so why not set it up so they can get through faster, and leave more time for those for whom the priority is to 'meet' the guest? So... you start off with ticketed people, going through and getting time to say hello and maybe a photo (but not letting them chat for ages of course... still can't do that). Every now and again you change to a 'fast' session. Maybe for a couple of hours in the middle of the day? People for that maybe pay a little less, but if they bring personal items they are just handed to the guest to sign in front of them, and maybe the guest is signing standard photos you can buy, but they are not doing them person by person. No talking to the attendees, helpers hand the items to the guest to sign, like a production line. Probably you don't even let the attendees go right up to the guest, so they can't talk. Wonder if it would work?

I don't know, if you sell 1000 tickets, maybe person 1001 travelled from Scotland and even driving over night didn't get there till 11 am because they got stuck behind a motorway pile-up... Isn't it better to have 600 happy customers than 1000 who are unhappy because they don't feel they even 'met' the star because there was no eye contact? Not blaming Carrie, but maybe if she can't sign at that speed and under that pressure without showing the strain, then maybe she shouldn't be put under that strain.

I guess the question is, is it really better to get 1000 people through, and those people maybe feel they didn't have a positive experience? Or get 600 or so through, and those folks have a good time, but 400 others be disapointed? From the financial point of view I guess the 1000 is better. But it's a more difficult question if you are looking at what's best for the attendees.

Actually I think you made a mistake there... those kids were crying because their eyes were watering at your smell. (I can't believe two people who don't know each other are being this rude to each other without it being nasty! LOL)

Well Noddy, I used a picture of your Mother. Guess it wasn't a good idea.

It's not a rumour, he's sleeping with me! And he's not just a big name!

LOL. I think if you read you'll find someone in the rumours thread made something up... That's my story, I'm sticking with it. Don't want everyone knowing about my torrid affiar with.... do I?

Ok, I was hoping someone else was going to ask, but... were the guests actually contracted to appear at the party? If yes, then it's fair to be pissed at Billy. If not then he was within his rights to decide he preferred a quiet evening, and it's SM's you should be annoyed at for advertising him.

I heard they are going to do a Tory party reunion at the next one. Maggie Thatcher and Norman Tebbit are supposed to be interested. It is ok to make up the rumour yourself isn't it?

OK, show me one star who has signed a contract that says 'I have no right to privacy, anyone who wants to can take a picture of me any time they want, I have no right to refuse an autograph or photo. I will put the demands of fans, however rude they are, before those of myself and my familly and friends at all times, 24/7 365 days a year' etc etc and maybe I'll believe that argument. But you can't can you? Their job is to act. They want to do a good job, give people pleasure and be admired for it. Their job does not include being hounded by oiks like you. (And you know it! You even said yourself Harrison changed hotel because he didn't want to be hounded!) You are just giving yourself an excuse to be selfish and rude.

Sounds like you may be right! It's not just security: if a guest themselves is a bit nervouse, they are not going to like the look of a dark, packed room. And if a guest is not actually contracted to attend, they are within their rights to turn round and leave. Yep. Like I say, I've been to a few. But do the math. You can't have 10 VIP's at a party with a thousand people and everyone get to talk to them for 20 minutes each. Either you organises it so the guests go round and spend a couple of minutes with each group (in which case it's not really mingling), or, if you keep it casual, some people are going to be disapointed.

What? You mean they didn't have a contract with the goody bags? Well, I would have liked to have gone, but I didn't have the money. Not too surprised at what people are saying. It was the first time SM's has done a party and it seems they found a few of the pitfalls! Hopefully they'll improve it next time. My experience with guests at a party... either you do it with limited attendees (maybe 200), and have the guests 'on duty'. Guests get escorted from group to group and takes a few minutes with each. Noboddy gets long, but everybody at least gets to say a few words. Or, you have the guests 'off-duty' like at this one. Then some decide they don't fancy coming on the night (jet lag is a killer, so have some sympathy...). Some turn up but find the crowds just too scary! The ones that remain either end up with everyone queuing to get a photo with them and no-one really gets to talk to them, or they get into real conversations, which means they spend ages talking to just a few people all night and most people don't get to say a word to them. I've had some great conversations with guests at the second type of party, but it's the luck of the draw.

Who are those scary looking guys behind him? (And no I don't mean Carrie and her helper *G*)

You're right! Where's the male babes on that list?!?

Some people have no taste. If you ask me mature women are way sexier. Like Gillian Anderson and Kate Mulgrew... who are included...

Erm, no Sigourney?

'Liasons'?!? LOL Nope, just have a tendency to go to their cons! I've also been known to go to cons run by people they don't especially get on with. (LOL means lots of laughs. I'm also partial to *EG* (evil grin) *BG* (big grin) and various other variants I can't think of right now!)

The other event is sold out, but they do have a waiting list. *G* I heard Ronny wasn't much interested in doing a con last time he came over: they only got him because they paid for his band to come too and do a concert! Sadly I missed a lot of the concert as I was on steward duty, but it was really good! I think they are doing that again, so if SM's want him they might have to do the same! Having said that, Ronny seemed to really enjoy himself, so maybe he'd be more willing now to attend something without the band! Not that getting the band as well is a bad thing... definitely a good thing! Other sad news: one of his band members was killed recently in a shooting. Not sure of the details but sad isn't it? Ronny's a great bloke. Did you know he was in Deliverance? Edited to add... he's doing events in Scotland and Germany that don't clash... you should already have the place to look *G*

You have zimmer races? Now you have me tempted!

Well from his statement Chris seems to think he'll be doing his own talks both days.

Some of us would like to know the answer to a more general question about contracts. Have they always had full, written, signed contracts when they announce guests? And yes, I know they are busy, and I am quite prepared to wait/and/or never get an answer. That's up to Showmasters, but I think it's fair to say that since the question has been raised, if they decline to answer it's going to look bad. Even if I believe them, how many lurkers are going to be wondering why they don't want to answer. Some of you seem to think that the 'end' of this is me saying I got it all wrong, Showmasters is perfect, etc etc. I think the only way this can ever be fully resolved is if SM and Wolf talk it out, come to agreement, become mates... Not going to happen. So sorry if I can't restore your cosy little world. Bad stuff happens. Showmasters will either answer this question or they won't. So why don't we leave it at that and turn our attention to more positive things now? Please stop looking to me for some kind of support for your own views. Make your own minds up and accept that we are not going to all agree.