The Top Ten Worst Autograph Signers And Least Fan Friendly Celebrities Of 2012! Natalie Portman! Molly Ringwald! Elizabeth Banks! And More! Doh!
Oh man… I know a lot of you were waiting for this one! We had the best and most fan friendly celebrities of 2012 and now… Well… We have the worst autograph signers and least fan friendly celebrities of 2012.
Now, there’s a big difference between not having the time to sign or greet fans and being downright nasty. It’s unfortunate in this day and age but you know… What can you do right?
Personally, if you are selling movies, a television series, magazines, etc… You have to be nice to the fans, we are the ones buying tickets, a book etc… So, come on guys, get it together!
Without further delay….
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The Mike The Fanboy Top 10 Worst Autograph Signers and Least Fan Friendly Celebrities of 2012!
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10. Molly Ringwald – Even though Molly has been slightly better this year, it’s her contempt for her fans that gives her a spot on this list. She practically has to be forced to sign any memorabilia and still thinks it’s 1985 and everyone wants to get a photo with her even when there’s only 20 people in her book signing line.
8. Leslie Bibb – Now, there are people who don’t like to sign autographs and then there are the celebrities who blast their fans on Twitter! I know right? After a recent talk show taping Leslie ignored the five people waiting and then when asked about it on Twitter called her fans douches. I can’t make this up people!
7. Tom Hanks – No longer a Bosom Buddy of fans or autograph seekers. In fact, Tom has resorted to taping fans yelling for him from his Iphone at premieres. Perhaps Tom needs a few more years out of the spotlight and he’ll have a change of heart but as of now, he’s downright rude, even telling one fan who asked for a photo, “You should have asked two seconds ago, I would have done it then!” That’s what I said when my friends asked me if I wanted to see Larry Crowne in theaters.
6. Jonah Hill – Wow, what an Academy Award does to one’s ego. My nemesis Mr. Jonah Hill thinks he’s pretty damn awesome. Not only will he rarely if ever sign, he now will make sure the camera catches him signing a check mark on people’s memorabilia which in actuality ruins the pieces. Any doubt over his douchebaggery? He even was rude to a journalist from CNN Jonah didn’t recognize. Jonah got called out on Twitter and got into a fight with the guy. This from the man who gave the world The Sitter.
5. Jessica Lange
– If you see Jessica’s name on a list or premiere’s forget it. Just go home as Jessica will not even look at fans let alone acknowledge their presence. The American Horror Story actress hasn’t picked up a pen in years and is known to hide her face so she doesn’t see the fans. The horror.. THE HORROR!
4. Joseph Gordon Levitt – I think in 2012 Joseph Gordon Levitt has signed one autograph on record. Even during Comic Con while he promoted Looper, he wouldn’t give fans the time of day even snubbing fans at a official autograph signing!
3. Elizabeth Banks – Oh man… This is someone I just don’t understand. Perhaps Elizabeth is bitter she hasn’t hit the A-List quit yet because she is just miserable to fans. The sad thing is, from what I understand there was a point where Elizabeth was nice. Now, if she makes eye contact with you, consider yourself blessed by the Banks!
2. Natalie Portman – I thought that Natalie Portman would have a permanent place at the top of my top 10 list of worst autograph signers but someone knocked her off this year. Hot damn! Natalie hasn’t been out much but she still has managed to make the top two! How you may ask? By this one interaction with a fan.
Fan: “Miss Portman, would you mind if I get a quick photo.”
Natalie Portman: “Do you really think THAT’S going to happen? THAT’S not going to happen.”
1. Keira Knightley – The reining queen of nasty!
Honorable Mentions
: Catherine O’Hara, Mel Gibson, Kristen Stewart, Jane Lynch, Winona Ryder, Ed O’Neal, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, John Goodman, Christopher Nolan, Emma Watson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Julie Andrews, Denzel Washington, Megan Fox, Sam Rockwell, Edie Falco, Laura Linney, Claire Danes, Damian Lewis, Charlize Theron,
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And let’s put out the warning signal to the celebrities who used to be super nice but are now turning towards the dark side… Come back to the light Carol Anne! Come Back to the Light!
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Channing Tatum – It’s not surprising considering what a banner year the sexy star had. He used to be over the top awesome and now… He’s getting burned out, still nice but just not as sweet. Doh!
Alexander Skarsgard – Say it ain’t so! I love me some True Blood and Alexander used to be hyper nice. Now, it’s just not the same even watching his interaction at the True Blood premiere, you can see Alexander is a tad over it for now. Sadness…
Robert Downey Jr. – You can get Robert to break down and sign but now, it’s like a hump and not even an “R” plus he only signs a few and runs off. Come on Iron Man!
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mike
Starting this website has been a labor of love. I love sharing my fandom experiences but more than that I love hearing everyone else’s stories. I love hearing about conventions, movie locations, meet celebrities good and bad, I love it all. I sincerely hope you enjoy my exploits, the adventures of everyone who submits an article, and all the members of the Fanboy Family! Without everyone who writes and reads MTF there wouldn’t be a site. This is truly for the fans, by the fans!
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Hell yes!
Vince Vaughn was great at last year’s Dilemma premiere — he was the only person that made sure he covered the entire fan area. But that premiere was in Chicago and maybe he’s nicer at home. I’ve also seen him sign and pose for picture at baseball games and such out here.
Jessica Lange hates to be photographed (even 15 years ago) so she stays away from fans.
As for Alexander, I think it’s definitely gotten old for him, but he does try to stop for fans (not pros). He still stopped each time I saw him last year — he just did a lot less than he used to.
I agree about Alexander. At the Dark Knight Rises premiere he passed all the autograph people by but was nice enough to stop for photos with those of us that asked. An this was just a few days after SDCC where I know he stopped a few times. *shrug* I can imagine its old for him.
I heard Vince Vaugh was decent while filming in NYC. I didn’t try so no first hand knowledge…
Great list and glad I got the Molly experience out of the way this year. She was polite though and even retweeted us after thanking her (yes could be fake). Thankfully the only one on this list I would want would be Tom….the others are nice to have, but not bucket list. Natalie would be more of a challenge like Kanye was this year so that would be a good one for a “hunt”.
Happy New Year and I thank this forum for providing their advice and tips.
Wait a minute… Sarah Michelle Gellar is off last year’s Top 10 and is part of the ‘Honorable Mentions’? Maybe having “Ringer” cancelled humbled her some…
Anyone actually met her and got her autograph or a photo with her?
Mikw,
You know this post is going to bring some heat. While I agree with you on the majority of your worst list. You can’t be at every event and the situation is always different with a celebrity. Maybe there’s that one event you couldn’t make that the celeb has signed. Or there’s a celebrity you don’t even care about that doesn’t sign. It’s all a matter of taste. I 100% agree with Molly, Jonah, Jessica,Joseph Gordon,Portman and Kiera ( though I would switch places with Portman being number #1 because at least Kiera does it once in a while). Natalie doesn’t even sign at all!
I guess Vince Vaughn and Leslie Bibb have changed. I haven’t been out for them this year but I remember that both were once good signers before. If you’ve read my past posts on MTFB you know my feelings on Mr.Hanks. I feel you’re being totaly unfair with Tom. AGAIN, the events you attended he didn’t sign. The one’s I went to he did. He signed at the set of Larry Crowne, a Shakespeer Reading Event, and at a recent benefit at the Acme Comedy Club. You know in this hobby Mike it’s sometimes a matter of luck. I just think there’s someone else out ther that’s much worst then Tom. As for Elizabeth Banks I know she doesn’t sign at the “Hollywood” type events but try going for her at the next Breeders Cup at Santa Anita. You’ll 100% get her there! She even told me at the last Breeders Cub she plans on attending.
Now……for your honerable mentions.
I don’t get it Mike! A lot of these names signed quite a bit for us this past year. In order, Ed O’Neil racked at his star ceremony. Ditto with Scarlett. Even going down the entire line at the Avengers premiere. Goodman and Christopher Nolan were tough BUT they always signed if you were up to them. Denzel Washington while doing the guild screenings always signed and did the photo opps. And Claire Danes is not that bad, signing at a couple of press events for Homeland.
Mike, I know this worst list is based on your experiences BUT you’ve gotten a lot of these celebs from your list this year. I would think a worst list would come from celebs that don’t sign at all or VERY rarely. Too bad the main blame for a celebrity “turning” bad comes from the dealers and ebayers.
Matt C. It’s been years but I have gotten graphs/opp with Gellar during a press junket for season one of Buffy! The last time she signed for me was at the premiere for Southland.
It’s my “emotions” running off again! I have to remember this is YOUR list and based on YOUR experiences, not mine. However,I’d like to think there has to be someone worst then Tom Hanks for you! LOL!
The list is based on all of the Fanboy Family’s experiences. Tom hanks is a douche and has been for years. We has not been nice to collectors or fans in quite some time.
Some of the honorable mentions are there because even though they signed once, there was still 364 other days when they were tough. Scarlett in particular was good at the Avengers premiere and her star, but every other time she was quite difficult which is why she and other get an honorable mention.
John,
Please use grammar check when you leave a comment. Regarding your comment about Tom Hanks, I should not have to stalk him on set or run to some quiet event that is not publicized for him to sign. When he is at a premiere promoting his new film, he should consider signing for fans instead of taunting them by waving and recording them with his iPhone. That is not a friendly thing to do to fans that spend their money to see his films. You always say that dealers are ruining the hobby, but there are also over zealous fans that are ruining it too. I have been pushed and shoved more lately by fans than the dealers.
I think a good measure of whether their a good signer or not, is how they act at places they should do it. Following someone around the race track and they do it….OK..But you’re bothering them during their personal time….. A premier is where the celebrity is supposed to be a celbrity and in my opinion where it’s appropriate to ask for the autograph. Any celebrity that does not sign at their premiers sans a death threat is a dick..IMO…
As far as Skarsgard goes I got 2 from him at the Spirit Awards, 1 at the True Blood Premier and 3 at 3 different times at SDCC12. He has always been nice to me. The only time I didn’t see him do it was at Avengers, but he was there for his Dad.
To John Strikes again, AKA Mike the Fanboy. When are you going to let it go that I tried knocking you over for Michell Pfeiffer. I couldn’t help myself, I just literally shat all over Hollywood Boulevard..
Ok! I hear what you all say! The bottom line is it’s all about luck when it comes to the graphing. What may be a bad signer to you may be a good signer for me. Three of the four times I got Hanks were at public events. Banks at the Breeders Cup was also a public event. So anyone could have gone and tried for them.
My bad call was treating Mike’s top 10 as my top ten. These were his graphing experience for 2012 and not mine.
My apoligies for “heating”up things again.
I didn’t write that comment! lol… If I write a comment it says Mike next to it. Dork Boy! HA!
I thought John Strikes again was a play on John’s name for his post.. Oops my bad…
There’s another John! Doh!!!
Since Tom Hanks has generated so much commotion in this thread, I’ll throw in my experiences with him this year. Here’s another vote for jerk. I saw him 4 times this year and he did nothing, no ops or autographs. I actually ran into him by chance at one event this year, one on one, and he wouldn’t do a photo op with me. One of the other events only had 6 people when Tom left and he wouldn’t sign for us.
As far as Keira, I wouldn’t classify her as friendly, but I know of several collectors, including myself, who got her at one of her Q&As. She signed at least at 3 of these Q&As.
I also got a photo op with Elizabeth Banks this year (didn’t have anything for her) and she was, like with John’s experience, very nice.
My turn (since everyone else is doing it) !!!! Let’s see, Molly (devil) check, Vince (really wanted to get him for my cousin that lives in Chicago) check, Jessica (stopped even trying) check, Leslie (thanks to Pinky, a funny) check, Tom (2 years in a row) check, Jonah (got once out of a bunch of times, or did someone drop a pen on my picture) check. J.G.L. (stop singing cute songs with Zooey, and sign for ONCE!) check, Ms Banks (I have seen her at least 7 times and still haven’t gotten her. But I love her work! grrrrr!) check, Natalie (never really saw her this year due to baby, so hard to judge) incomplete, Keira (now here’s what’s going to shock you, I’ve seen her twice, and she signed twice and should have gotten her twice if I was looking down at my phone when she came out the first time. But her signature sucks like she doesn’t even care) since attitude counts in my book. check. I would add Tobey and Winona (yes john I heard your story). Oh, and Ed O’neil’s star I think was last year. Didn’t pick up a pen this year. Good list Mike!
When did JGL turn to the ‘dark side’? I noticed he made both this year and 2011’s Worse list when it comes to signing, but I have seen him photo-ops with fans.
I don’t know if fame has gotten to a lot of these folks’ heads or whether the constant paparazzi/eBay dealers turned them off signing. I honestly don’t get Ms. Portman’s attitude to fans at all… she should be grateful that people are seeing her movies and essentially paying her bills. If not photo-ops, she ought to do more signings (there is a YT video of her racking up big time at the Toronto premiere of “Black Swan”).
JGL seems to have changed after his “500 Days” era with his big blockbuster films Inception and TDKR. He will be nice and friendly if you want to talk or handshake, but unless you’re a very cute girl…getting a photo can be tricky (it helps if there is a small crowd, but don’t hold your breath). I attended a release party for his Company Book (hitRECORD) and he decided he would not sign autographs (which pissed off fans and Amoeba staff) even though a few hundred fans spent the $30+ dollars. Instead he taped us with his camcorder and refused to interact with any of us. Not even a simple handshake or anything. That’s typical JGL behavior. He’s a nice person, but don’t expect any real fan mementos (photos or autographs- just keep low expectations).
Just because someone had success with a difficult star doesn’t mean “they are a good signer.” Christopher Nolan is an asshole and I have attempted to meet him in 4 low key situations (including 2 random bump ins). He has been a prick every time looking my friend and I “in the eyes” without acknowledging our existence even though we’re directly in front of him to just say we’re fans. Only once did I ask for his autograph and he just stared at me blankly (for 20 seconds)not saying a word with his car door open. Instead he turned and yelled at his publicist for “allowing people” to come near him. That’s an asshole and that’s not something “someone who is fan friendly” would act. Mind you this was after a Q&A which he promptly left and refused to even say “hello” to any of his fans in the theater. Instead he just sat in his car and ignored all requests driving off while the moderator, Guillermo Del Toro signed numerous autographs for everyone who approached him outside and even scolded security for trying to make him leave.
BEST OF/WORST OF Lists should take in consideration fan friendly indviduals ALL YEAR Round and this list is pretty accurate. These individuals are all nasty on a regular basis. With the exception of Lange, Hanks and Vaughn I can attest to everyone else being nasty to fans in low-key and “fan” events (premieres, Q&A’s, TV taping, etc.)
If you have to STALK them in their personal life to get their autographs, that’s not cool. Besides Jonah Hill’s current check mark (he used to sign his full name) or Keira Knightley’s “line,” why even bother? Honestly, some stars care more about the money than their fans and that’s a shame. When you won’t even sign at public events for YOUR movie, that’s messed up!
Hi, great read!, just found this while sitting here in the UK, it’s about 75 mins to new year!.
I have been dealing in graffs over here for a few years and some of your ‘worst signers’ ring true over here.
So if I may add my stories on a few of the names,
JGL, was at the TDKR London premiere, I was at the barrier about 20 feet away from the car drop off point, so you can’t even say he was ‘tired , dragged off, done enough’ . Now I did get him to sign his initials , but after he did about 10 more that was it, then he stepped back and just smirked at every one and even did a little bow while walking backwards, it’s hard to put into words but the look in his eyes was like he was looking at something he had just stepped in, there was a faint chant going round the crowd of ‘ what a knob!’ , a very unlikeable man!
Jonah hill, while standing out side a hotel in London , we got about a 10 second warning that Jonah was arriving, so the 10 or so people waiting just about got their photos ready, we REALLY shouldn’t have bothered, an almost flat line for every one while giving a stupid grin and laughing at every one, it didn’t matter what he was asked or what was shouted at him, he just grinned like a fool,.
Tom hanks, I’ve lost count of the times I’ve seen him just stand there in front of a crowd at a premiere and not sign, so it’s good to know he does the same thing every where!
Keira Knightley , while she may not be the friendliest of people I’ve always found her good at signing, her graff is bad but while in theatre over here she signed for the waiting crowds pretty much every night, she would have security come out and start her car (range rover) about 30 seconds before she come out with pen in hand, and she would be done , start to finish in 25 seconds no matter how many waiting!
So much has to do with luck, etc but would it hurt them to make an effort especially at a premiere?!
Moan over, happy new year every one!
Welcome Earl!
I love you comment! People are so different in terms of signing in other parts of the world. I find that so odd! I’m glad Keira at least does it somewhere!
God job in getting JGL though! #awesome!
Mike did you witness that Natalie Portman fan encounter? Just want confirmation. That is brutal. I get that nobody is entitled a picture/autograph, but the thing is, if someone politely asks you for one, you should politely decline, and treat them like a human being.
JGL actually signed autographs at the Toronto Film Festival this year, so I guess that is the place to go after tough signers.
Dork boy! (Stiffled laughter)
I agree with John A. Any further confirmation/elaboration on that brutal Natalie encounter? You’d figure she could show respect for genuine fans who approach her respectfully, not stalkerazzi/dealers. Maybe someone should call her out on her rude behavior (like that guy did for Elizabeth Banks at the Sundance Film Festival), and maybe that’ll hit her.
I mean, Jesus, these stars really need to take their heads out of their asses. Not signing autographs or doing photo-ops is one thing, but being actively nasty and rude is quite another.
John A/Matt–Natalie Portman is nasty. I used to live in a larger city that was on the premier circuit of a lot of big-budget films. While I don’t really do the fangirl thing, I had lots of friends who went to see premiers of NP movies. I have never heard any of them make any reference to a positive encounter with that woman. The negative encounters that they report left me picking my jaw off the floor. The things my friends tell me make it seem like she actively dreams up new ways to be nasty to plebeians, sort of in the way normal people think about the perfect way to tell a joke.
If I had just heard a bad story from one friend who went to one premier, I could assume my friend misinterpreted, or Natalie misspoke, or was sick/upset at that particular premier, or something. I am socially awkward, so I tend to give people credit and leeway before I make assumptions or generalizations about their personality. But after being floored, by more than one personal friend, by tales of her feats of sheer rudeness…I can only conclude that Miss Portman/Mrs Centipede or whatever is a high-and-mighty bitch to the nth degree.
It’s even more astonishing when you think about how patient/zealously devoted her fans must be with her. I mean, for every movie featuring her that is remotely watchable, she’s been in ten crappers. And she usually isn’t the watchable part of the handful of decent movies she was in (Closer and the Professional being exceptions). They sort of remind me of Redskins fans in football…if the Redskins were also notorious for being douches.
what about bill murray and steve carroll??
Kristen Stewart got an honorable mention…she’s my absolute favorite celebrity, so I was just wondering if she’s on the list for being rude to fans, or just for not signing? I ask because, even though I’ve never met her, she constantly humbles herself (if that makes sense), and is kind of known for saying things like how she doesn’t understand why some actors see their job as saving lives when it’s not, and how she doesn’t do what she does for the fame or money or glory or to be a celebrity, but rather just for the love of acting.
Everyone is getting harder & harder to get, due to freakin dealers! EBay guys..ect. This is really upsetting for us “Non selling” true fan collectors. The blame is on you guys.. Period!-T.L.
Well, I can vouch for Jessica Lange. Just tried to meet her at the stage door here in NYC. She did say “sorry she cant'” and she wasn’t nasty about it, but you could tell she didn’t want to be bothered.
These celebrities would be NOTHING without the fans to support them through their careers. If I was a celebrity, I would be enjoying the attention. Because I am a very social person, just that atm I am a bit shy, and non famous. But if I had fans, I would love to spend as much time with them as possible.