Heenan Incident at FanFest

[dmtdj]

I may be alone on this, but I think that it is completely wrong to go to one of these FanFests for the sole purpose of selling what you get signed (on Ebay or elsewhere). Unless you are the promoter and already have a deal worked out with the wrestlers, I believe that it is wrong to make a quick buck off of someone else's name without them getting a cut. That said, here is a funny story about something that happened in Charlotte and then continued at WrestleReunion 2 in Valley Forge, PA...

While waiting in line for the final session of NWA weekend, my friend said to me "did you hear what Bobby [Heenan] just told that guy?" He proceeded to inform me that Bobby had just told that guy that he "wasn't signing anything for him!" The guy informed Bobby that he was required to sign at least two and Bobby refused. Turns out, this guy had a STACK of the same photo for Bobby to sign. Coincidentally, on Friday night, he placed a stack of the same photo (the Midnight Express that Greg had printed up especially for that weekend) in front of Jim Cornette and Jim snapped "what the hell are you gonna do, put these on Ebay?!"

When my friend pointed him out to me, I realized who he was. He was a guy who sometimes sets up a vendor table at different conventions (he was in the small room in Fayetteville in the back corner). He takes original promo photos and makes CHEAP copies and tries to get the copies signed in order to turn a profit elsewhere. I chose to put the incident out of my mind because it was just serving to irritate me. Before I left for the weekend I decided to make one last run through the vendor room. As I exited by Tony Hunter's booth, I noticed one of this guy's CHEAP copies of a Bobby Heenan WWF Promo Photo. The "Brain" part of Bobby's name was crossed out and in its place read...Bobby "The A**hole" Heenan. I took the photo and set it face down on the table and left. Fast forward to this past weekend in Valley Forge, PA for WrestleReunion 2...

When it was announced at WR2 that Bobby would be available for polaroids, I immediately went to claim my place in line. Since there were no more fans behind me waiting for a picture, and since I knew that Bobby was going to be there for a few minutes, I took the liberty of chatting with him for a little while. I told him that I missed my opportunity for a polaroid with him in Charlotte so when I found out that he was doing them again this weekend, I wasn't going to pass it up. He said "oh man, Charlotte was great, wasn't it?!" I agreed.

I told him that I had heard that someone had had the nerve to expect him to sign a stack of photos. Here's where it got funny. Here's what Bobby said..."oh yeah, he came up to me with a bunch of the same photo and I told him 'you're gonna sell these' and when I said that, he put all but two away. Then he came through the line again with more of the same photos. I told him 'you're gonna sell these' and he said 'no, they're for my personal collection.' "I asked him if he had a girlfriend and he said yes. Then I said 'do you have a picture of her' and he said yes. I said 'well, do you take that picture and make 17 copies of it and put them all over your wall?' and he said 'well, you have to sign two because I bought the VIP' and I said 'I already signed for you and I'm not signing anything else!'

Bobby also said some other things about this encounter that I am choosing not to post because they are rather explicit. Apparently this embarassed the guy and he went about his business. I assume that it was then when he reconfigured his copy of Bobby's promo photo for everyone to see.

Sunday, at WR2, Bobby was scheduled to do a Q&A session. I was NOT going to miss that. I took my seat in the second row and was ready to be entertained. The first few questions were the usual "thanks for all you've done" "what was it like with Andre" "we miss Gorilla too." But then someone else came to the mic to ask a question. Since this person was behind me in the center aisle, I couldn't see who it was. I heard the question being asked and I COULD NOT believe it! Here was the SAME GUY asking Bobby..."um, Bobby, how does it make you feel, when you're doing an autograph signing and you are contracted to provide each fan with two autographs and you refuse to sign ANYTHING and lose the respect of that fan...blah blah blah..."

Halfway through this question I looked at another one of my friends (one that was NOT in Charlotte, but that I had explained earlier what had happened) and we both had the look of "oh my god, I can't believe what this idiot is doing!" After he had finished with his idiotic question, Bobby winked at Bill Apter and casually said "next question." "This is for adults only-no children." The crowd laughed as this loser left as quickly as he arrived.

You mean to tell me that this guy traveled all that way just to confront Bobby in a public place? I am sure that his plan was to make Bobby look bad, but he turned out making himself look like an ass.

In a truly classy move, Bobby told everyone that he would be glad to stick around and sign for anyone that wanted an autograph seeing as how he wasn't actually on the list of wrestlers for autograph sessions. I went about my business after that and had a good laugh at the expense of that idiot. Later, after Bobby finished signing, he was standing at the entrance of the convention area and I proceeded to have another chat with him. He informed me that even after all that had happened the week before in Charlotte and this weekend in PA, this guy had the nerve to come up to Bobby after the Q&A and put the SAME stack of photos in front of him to sign AGAIN! Once again, Bobby refused saying "you're selling these and I'm not getting anything." Two words from me...GO BOBBY!!! I had already had a great deal of respect for Bobby, but after the past two weekends, words cannot describe the amount of respect that I now have for him. He is truly a legend and does not allow himself to be a doormat.

Here is my advice for this "fan" who can't keep his autograph urges under control...

1. Get a REAL job!
2. If you already have a real job, get another job to supplement your income instead of trying to make a quick buck off of guys who do these conventions for the true, die-hard fans. It is people like you that leave a bad taste in the wrestlers' mouths and keeps them from doing future conventions. As Bobby said before we parted company for the final time in Valley Forge, PA...you are nothing but a "jock sniffer."

[bluedevil71]

I'd love to know who this guy was. Did he have a table at Charlotte?

[dmtdj]

Blue,

No, he didn't have a table in Charlotte. He DID have a table in Fayetteville in the small, vendor room. I hope that he reads this and knows that what he does is not appreciated.

[stompingground]

I must be missing something. Dusty Rhodes says he doesn't want to sign something because somebody will sell it and he's a bad guy. Heenan does the same thing and he is a hero. So what if the guy makes some money selling autographs?

[dmtdj]

Well, I said that I might be alone in my thinking. However, you asked 'so what if a guy makes some money selling autographs?' Don't you think that out of respect for the wrestler/celebrity, they should have the right to refuse (above and beyond what they are contractually obligated to provide) if they know what the person is planning on doing or to be able to get a cut?

Personally, I don't think that Dusty is a bad guy for refusing and/or asking for money for a signature. However, it is because of guys like this that he is the way he is.

If someone is planning on selling what they get signed, do they have to be so blatant about it? Come on now, 17 of the same photo?! Settle for one or two and don't make a fool out of yourself.

[legendarygm]

I don't know if it were the same guys or not but when Terry Funk was selling and signing his book and shirts after his Q+A 2 guys placed a stack of Terry Funk photos, numerous copies of i think 2 diff photos for him to sign. They then left and came back with a stack of terry funk action figures for him to sign. They are now up for sale on ebay. It ticks me off to have people holding up line just so they can make do this. Terry didn't say anything about it, but he had been drinking, and was signing everything including the table cloth. I just wish people would come to these Fanfests as Fans not Moneymakers. If want to sell what you get signed thats your business just dont bring stacks of the same merchandise to get signed and hold everybody else up!

[heavyb]

Yeah I saw that jerk with the stack of Terry Funk figures, I jokingly said "I guess I'll see those on ebay" he got very mad and cussed at me and said these were for his personal collection and cussed me again. I had been drinking and didnt think I could defend my self otherwise he would have found his autographed Terry Funk figures protruding from every orifice of his body !

[dmtdj]

I don't believe it was the same guy but unfortunate nonetheless.

[ssteward]

I don't sell mine, but if that's what people want to do, I think they should be entitled to sell what they get. Was Bobby right for not signing more than 2 for him? Yes he was. Hopefully the guy learned his lesson.

[bluedevil71]

Here's a question: If it were for your personal collection, why would you need more than 1 or 2 autographs anyway?

The reason Bobby Heenan gets kudos and Dusty Rhodes doesn't, is because Bobby did what he was contractually obligated for. He gave his 2 autographs. Dusty did the same when he was a guest of Fanfest. But Dusty had the rights, as Bobby would too, to charge for the autographs at his own table if he wasn't a guest of the Fanfest.

I don't blame these guys for doing this. What did the dealers do to make money off of somebody else's name, autograph? Nothing but make cheap copies of a picture.

[ssteward]

I've gotten well more than 1 or 2 autos of RNR at Fanfest and haven't sold them

[bigguns1]

i understand selling pics and shirts but its always seemed a little strange to me for folks to sell their autograph. i mean you meet cindy crawford, jeff gordan, or terell owens....those folks dont charge for an auto graph.
what you mention though goes on alot. i have been at many shows and guys sell t-shirts and pics of wrestlers that the wrestlers dont get anything off of. speaking of which i got this really cool photo of rhodes & funk for sell....jk

[pinkandblack]

Personally, I would've LOVED to get more than two things signed by Bret Hart, but not to sell on eBay or elsewhere. I just happen to be a big fan, and thus, have tons of Bret Hart stuff.

As for bringing stacks / boxes of stuff for the guys to sign, that is just ridiculous!

[kyle]

As far as autographs go, you should be able to do whatever you want with them, especially if you paid for them. That being said, my wife comes with me so I actually get 4 autographs and haven't gotten rid of or sold any of them. Sometimes I even get a few extras if I had something good to get signed, but I don't appreciate the guys that get tons of things autographed just to sell. They hold the lines up and are usually pushy. One guy that I see at other conventions will actually knock you down and never even acknowledge it if you are in "his way". I realize that he has paid more than the rest of us for these extra autographs but his attitude doesn't excuse him. When these guys complain about the autographs showing up on ebay, I really don't pay much attention. Most of the items usually don't bring much. Who really trusts anybody on ebay to have an actual autograph anyway?

[simm]

If someone paid for the autos they should be able to sell them or do whatever they want with them. That would be like Ford or Chevy telling you you can't re-sell their vehicles unless you give them a cut when you do. Now, if you're getting them for free, I could see the point. But, when you fork over $100 for autos, I have no problem with someone selling them if that's what you want to do. Buying and selling is all apart of capitalism folks. People buy forclosures from down and out individuals and turn them around for a quick profit everyday.