Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker has announced he will no longer sign autographs, citing \u201caggressive\u201d professional collectors who he claimed had used children in order to get his signature.<\/p>\n
The 40-year-old Australian musician, who is currently on tour in North America, shared a series of Instagram Stories on Monday to explain the decision.<\/p>\n
\u201cHey guys quick PSA to say due to the rise of aggressive autograph hounds I won\u2019t be signing anything or doing photos out the front of hotels or at airports at all anymore, so if you happen to catch me please don\u2019t be offended if I say no,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t that passionate about it before but they\u2019ve started using kids which I think is all kinds of wrong. Love you guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
Parker also said he would no longer meet with fans in the parking lot after shows \u201cfor the time being\u201d after being warned of \u201cthe obvious security risk\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said that while he had previously met with fans in Europe after his shows, \u201cthe numbers were getting out of control and we don\u2019t have the security to manage it \u2026 so my team has asked me not to. So please have the best time at the shows and get home safe!\u201d<\/p>\n
Parker is not the only celebrity to institute a rule against signing autographs. Beatles drummer Ringo Starr announced in 2008 that he would no longer accept fan mail or sign any items, citing his frustration at seeing the items ending up for sale online.<\/p>\n
Singer Billie Eilish similarly stopped signing autographs in 2019 after she \u201crealized all anyone did was sell everything that I signed, so I stopped doing that\u201d. She said fans would get angry: \u201cThey wait outside for you and then immediately they don\u2019t get what they want and they boo you, and fucking curse at you. I\u2019m like, \u2018Bro, I\u2019m 17\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Comedian and actor Steve Martin has long handed out a business card that reads: \u201cThis certifies that you have had a personal encounter with me and you found me warm, polite, intelligent, and funny.\u201d<\/p>\n
Star Trek actor William Shatner will not sign an autograph or take a picture in public and reserves signatures for convention appearances and charitable organisations, writing on social media in 2018<\/a>: \u201cI sign autographs constantly for charities and other organizations. I\u2019m just not going to take autograph or photo requests in public because one leads to 50 which leads to hundreds which I don\u2019t have time for.\u201d<\/p>\n