Autograph after an interview?

It most certainly does not qualify you as a child molester.

It does not qualify you for Journalist of the Year, either.

If you're working, you're a fly on the wall. You should not be getting involved in things like raffles, 50-50 tickets, and the like. And let me emphasize ... Gale Sayers being one of your favorite players should have nothing to do with this.

P.S. If you did this as a 16-year-old, you get a bit of a pass. If you did it as a 26-year-old, I'd tend to look at it more severely.

 

There are three certain godlike figures in the world of soccer who I would honestly consider asking for an autograph if I ever interviewed them.

Cruyff, Pele, Maradona.

These are the only people who I would ever entertain the thought of asking.

 

I did it once. A long time ago. Because it was Gordie Howe. I thought I'd quit at the top.

 

No. It does not qualify you as a child molester if that was part of the agreement.

But you still could be a child molester anyway. So keep away from my kids.

 

The only thing that was kinda close in recent years was running into a pro wrestler at an event I was covering. He was there as a spectator and after the event was emptied out (I had just finished my story), I walked over and got a picture with him.

Broke my own rule, but the 'celeb' and the event were not directly related, and I grew up watching this guy as a kid, so it was cool to meet and get a photo, but no autograph, just something for the archives after all the work was done.

Thoughts on this?

 

If the guy was giving you a piledriver or something in the photo, you're good.

 

I'm still a teenager. If I ever met and interviewed one of my childhood heroes, like Tom Brady or Nomar Garciaparra, I'd be tempted to ask for a picture. But as a journalist, I probably wouldn't. Kind of foolish, considering it's your livelihood and an abuse of the access given.

Who am I kidding, I'd probably sneak a quick Polaroid at the end if it was one of a handful of athletes.

 

No, but I might have inhaled some steriods by standing next to him for all of five seconds. ...

I don't think I've gotten an autograph since like 2002 for anything.

 

It's still real to me, dammit...

 

It's not only lame, it's a misuse of your access. You have better access to these people than the general public because you have a job to do. Anything that goes beyond the interview and writing your story is wrong. You don't get special access to get autographs. You get special access because you are in a professional relationship.

 

I've never understood why an adult would care about an autograph. That seems like something that is huge for a kid, but most of us outgrow it. Even more amazing is that adults will play $30+ to get an autograph from an athlete. I just don't get it.

 

I think the fact that you interview someone famous and quote them in a story will be proof enough that you met that person. I don't even think it's okay to ask for an autograph for someone else or to use inside information you obtain on the job for gambling purposes, but yes both have been done. Seems the worst sinners are those who have the biggest names.
Just having the chance to shake the hands of Dr. J, Gale Sayers, and Joseph Wilson was enough for me.