-When a celebrity first achieves popularity, they are more likely to respond to autograph requests than when they've been in the business for a while. After receiving thousands of requests some may become immune. I'll use some personal experiences to elaborate on this: 1) in 1990-1991, I personally achieved my 15 minutes of 'fame' while I was in the military. I participated in Operation Desert Storm. While there, many people sent us care packages and mail. At first I was so appreciative that so many people were taking their time to write us and send us things that I responded to as many letters I could. But the letters continued to come in and we were receiving hundreds if not thousands a day, so I started to skim through them and respond to the more interesting ones. After awhile, it just got so over whelming that I ignored them altogether. 2) I used to work in an area where there were a lot of homeless people. Everyday, people would ask me for some change. At first I gladly gave it to them, but after constantly being asked, I eventually just started to walk by and 'tuning them out'. Well, these are my opinions. If anyone wants to add their 'two cents' or elaborate. Please feel welcome to. Again I ask that everyone respect each others' opinions and try not to talk down to or berate each other.

As I've read through some of the posts, I've seen people ask why one person received a success and another didnot when they sent the same celebrity a request at the same address, why some celebrities donot sign at all, while others send Pre-Prints, Auto Pens, have staff that sign for them, etc. The following are my opinions and strictly speculation. I wanted to hear what other people think about this subject. Please respect everyone's opinion without making them feel stupid or berating them.
- First and foremost, is the obvious: people are different and that goes for celebrities too. Some are nice and some are a--holes. So some just will not sign.
- As you see look around your friends,family, co-workers or other people you know, some are efficient and will take advantage of down time, road trips, airplane flights, etc. to read through their mail/respond, others are procrastinators or donot manage their time well.
-Some recognize the fact that they have to keep their public happy and hire outside agencies to send out pre-prints, sign with auto pens, or 'forge' their autographs.
-A lot of the above depends on the level of popularity a celebrity has achieved: a character actor like Hank Azaria may receive less mail then people like Elvis Presley, or Michael Jackson received. Azaria is more likely to provide personal autographs than Presley or Jackson would have, so both would probably have used agencies on their behalf.
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