The Great SASE Debate

[plhepner2]

I have started using the following technique. I think once I actually got my own SASE back but, more times than not, it has been the studio/celeb rep envelope. Part of the debate I hear that the celeb/studio/rep can afford the stamp/envelope because they're prepared for that kind of thing as a publicist. Another part of the debate is imagine if they receive 1000 requests a week, are they going to spent $630 per week/over $30,000 per year just to send photos? Yet another part of the debate states that we, as fans, placed the celebrity where they are and we are the ones that, in turn, provide their income (so to speak) by buying their records, seeing their movies, etc. So, what I did is just tape a stamp to the actual letter. In nearly all cases, and I think most folks would agree, celebs use their own envelope. So, if my favorite star's publicist wants to use my stamp, that makes it a lot easier on the turnaround time if he or she chooses to send a picture. Then, I'm out just the stamp rather than my envelope to go along with it. What does everyone out there think?

[Joey]

Hey plhepner2 ,

You've got some good points. However, I have actually found the opposite of what you said about envelopes

In nearly all cases, and I think most folks would agree, celebs use their own envelope.

I've actually never received an envelope from a celebrity that wasn't my SASE! (Unless of course I emailed them.) However, I think it really varies from celebrity to celebrity; some like to send their own envelopes, and some don't. Some don't mind paying the postage, and some do.

But I think your technique is a good one; celebrities do seem more likely to be willing to buy their own envelopes and use them than to use their own stamps.

Again, though, I really think everything varies from celebrity to celebrity!

Best of luck with your collecting I'd like to hear what others have to say about this!


Joey

[towanda]

plhepner2, sometimes I just send a couple of stamps, and a self addressed mailing label. I haven't gotten much back yet as i just started this three weeks ago, but I'll post here again to let everyone know how that works out.

[plhepner2]

Wow! My own mailing label - why didn't I think of that? That seems like it would make it totally easy for the publicist to respond.

[starreyes]

[quote="RentRocks314"]
I've actually never received an envelope from a celebrity that wasn't my SASE! (Unless of course I emailed them.)
quote]

Really? I hardly ever get my own envelopes! It's starting to get so I am seeing more and more of mine, but for a while there I didn't see any of them back.

I tried doing the mailing lables once, but I didn't really get anything back. That's ok with me! Really the closest thing I have gotten to a self adressed mailing lable was when someone cut my address off of the SASE I sent and taped it onto their envelope. I think the mailing lables are a good idea though! I probably just haven't given mine enough time.

[Joey]

I've actually never received an envelope from a celebrity that wasn't my SASE! (Unless of course I emailed them.)

Really? I hardly ever get my own envelopes! It's starting to get so I am seeing more and more of mine, but for a while there I didn't see any of them back.

Yes, it's actually kind of weird I see a lot of people getting envelopes from the celebrities they sent to, but aside from email successes, I have never received one.

[Piper]

It's an interesting conversation! I have had success with and without SASEs (and failures as well), but lately I prefer to send a SASE, so if the celeb doesn't have time to be reading each letter and addressing each envelope, they can just slip it in and have someone mail it. I figure if they wait too long to respond they'll forget, or lose my letter and address.

[chriscc17]

That's an easy answer for me. I personally know several celebrities that won't sign autographs if a SASE is not included for the reasons mentioned above. They also mention it sets a bad precedent if they did if someone post feedback saying they got the autograph with no SASE. Pretty soon many people will read the post and the celebrity starts getting a lot of request without a SASE.

I believe all celebrities should try as best as possible to honor autograph request. Without us there would be no celebrities. However, we as collectors need to make that process as easy as possible by including a SASE. Face it, signing autographs at first maybe very flattering but eventually that gets old. It's like getting in trouble in school and having to write your name on the bulletin board a hundred times. Writing out the person's address even multiplies the burden. Eventually it could get to a point where the celebrities says the heck with this and stops sending out autographs all together and at that point we all lose out.

Wendell