Starr Addresses Autograph Ban

[yerblues1968]

STARR ADDRESSES AUTOGRAPH BAN


pr-inside.com

Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)


2008-10-15 23:18:02



LATEST: RINGO STARR is backtracking after upsetting fans with an online rant about the amount of items he's asked to autograph.

The former Beatle threatened to throw away requests he gets for his signature after 20 October (08) in a recent video message, claiming he hasn't got time to deal with the piles of letters he receives.

In a 40-second video posted on his website, Starr said, "I want to tell you after the 20th of October please do not send fan mail to any address you have. Nothing will be signed after the 20th of October. If that is the date on the envelope, it's gonna be tossed." But, after upsetting fans, Starr has chosen to back down.

www.ringostarr.com/home.php

In a new statement, the rocker insists the 'ban' on fanmail was “in direct response to an inordinate amount of items which have recently appeared for sale on (memorabilia auction website) eBay, and to those that repeatedly send cards and items to be signed.” He adds, “(It's) a waste of paper and we all should be mindful of our carbon footprint.”

Starr insists the video message wasn’t aimed at his “real fans” who have acknowledged that he “has always signed items and is in fact the only Beatle to have been doing so.” The drummer admits he was "amazed" by the public and media reaction to his video message, and urges fans to "read this in a mellow way."


www.pr-inside.com/starr-addresses-autograph-ban-r863226.htm

[yerblues1968]

It appears Ringo Starr has removed the autograph 'rant' video from his website, as it is nowhere to be found. Apparently, he has received much public upset about his message at his website that some people have taken steps to express their anger by uploading a copy of his video on YouTube. One fan went so far as to set up a petition for the public to sign to boycott Ringo Starr concerts and albums. If anyone would like to see a copy of the video, a link is here.

Here is a copy of Ringo Starr's autograph message to the public previously posted on his website:




Ringo Starr - No more signs (0:44 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=72tBP0Szs-8


The YouTube username goes by the name RINGOSTARR but am uncertain whether it is the actual former Beatle, even though the place of residence is listed in Monaco, Ringo Starr does have a home there. Also, the RINGOSTARR username does not provide a big library of videos that the official Ringo Starr YouTube channel RINGOSTARR88 had. Ringo Starr's official YouTube channel was closed last year.

[yerblues1968]

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS FRIENDS



Posted by Jude Kessler
Tuesday, 10/14/08 9:54 am


Dear Beatles Fans and Friends,


Most of you have already seen the video that Ringo sent out yesterday regarding a cut-off date of 20 October for autographed articles, photos, etc. After 20 October, Ringo will not be signing items mailed to him.

The video of Ringo explaining this to his fans comes across a little... abrupt. But after a great deal of investigation into why he released this video, I found that Ringo had been graciously offering to sign anything that people sent to him. And the overwhelming TON of things that he had received was mind-boggling.

On one fan site, there was a list of things that people had sent in and then a list of complaints. Here is a typical complaint, "I sent in two photos, one set of drumsticks, one t-shirt and one sweatshirt. The drumsticks were returned unsigned, and one photo was unsigned."

The complaints went on and on. No one said a word of thanks for the things that were signed. And my mind is spinning with the image of Ringo signing endless t-shirts, sweatshirts, drumsticks, and who knows what else.

It was extremely generous for Ringo to offer to sign so many items for his fans, but I imagine that when he offered to do this, he never dreamed that people would take advantage of him by sending so many things and expecting so much.

And it appears that he has reached his limit.

Bottom line... since August of 1962, Ringo has lived in a fishbowl. We've watched every little thing he's done... we've commented, critiqued, observed, and either cheered or booed. And now it's 2008... almost 2009. Enough already. Let the man have some well-deserved time to enjoy life. He had given us almost 50 years of smiles, songs, and shenanigans. Now let's be gracious and give him the rest of his life.

Before 20 October... instead of a "gimme, gimme, gimme" attitude (or as George would have phrased it, "I, me, me, mine!"), let's do something for Ringo. Let's all write to him at the address below ONLY TO SAY THANK YOU... thank you for the joy of your music, your positive attitude through the years, your love toward the fans, your Ringoisms, your headshakes and smiles, your humor, yourself. Let's send him a note to say we love you, and we support you.

If Ringo is feeling overwhelmed, taken advantage of, besieged... then let's give back to him some of the joy he has given us.

Please send a word of thanks or support (and NOTHING TO SIGN) to:

Ringo Starr
1st Floor
90 Jermyn Street
London SW1Y6JD
UK

And please pass the word on to everyone you know. I'd love to see his mailbox full of thanks and love, not requests and complaints.


Jude Kessler
author of Shoulda Been There

www.ontherockbooks.com/


www.whatgoeson.com/blog/the-beatles/200810140954/with-a-little-help-from-his-friends.html

[yerblues1968]

PAUL McCARTNEY DEFENDS RINGO STARR



starpulse.com

November 28th, 2008 8:00am EST


Paul McCartney has defended former band mate Ringo Starr's recent outburst against eager fans, insisting the Beatles drummer should be praised for his honesty.

Starr upset fans when he asked them to stop sending him requests for autographs, announcing he was too busy to scrawl his name on memorabilia.

He later backed down, insisting he was only addressing opportunists attempting to sell signed items online.

But McCartney claims Starr's only fault was his honesty.

The rocker says, "We love Ringo... In the world that we live in you're not supposed to say that, so he's always getting in trouble for speaking his mind... I think it's a good quality. It's called honesty, actually."


www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/11/28/paul_mccartney_defends_ringo_starr

[yerblues1968]

GOOD STARR SIGNS


thesun.co.uk


Published: 03 Jan 2009



PEACE and love, everyone. Could this year see a new respect between ex-BEATLE RINGO STARR and his fans?


In October the wrinkly rocker turned his back on his Mr Nice Guy persona to tell his followers all future autograph requests would be binned.

But it seems that, if you are polite and ask nicely, the moody ex- drummer will make exceptions.

A barmy US fan certainly seems to have had some luck, judging by an ecstatic video posted on YouTube.

The chap is heard singing about a special delivery that dropped through his letterbox in the run-up to Christmas.




A Letter To Ringo. So I made a video of my response to Ringo's big announcement in
mid-October regarding autographs and fan mail. THEN decided it was the best time to try
to obtain an autograph of my own. Will there be a conclusion? Let's hope so! (7:30 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiG1KaPZ3vE




A Response From Ringo. The Conclusion to my last vlog. Roughly two weeks after I sent a letter
and two items to get signed by the Beatles' drummer, I received THIS in the mail. (4:19 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUHtb3IaxbM


In it was a signed photo of grumpy old Ringo himself.

I felt Ringo’s attitude was out of order and out of character.

So I’m hoping he’s cheered up — and will stay that way.



www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/bizarre/article2091273.ece