Actor Richard Griffiths - Harry Potter - SUCCESS

[sabrinaalexandra]

Or send a one line letter saying 'Apparently your a good actor, can I have your autograph.' with bad grammar and punctuation. And no SASE or even SAE, just include your address at the bootom of your letter.

I would like to do this to see what happens, but don't want to be responsible for his heart attack.

Lmao! It's been a long time since something on the internet has made me laugh, this has literally put tears in my eyes.
I'm considering doing it.

Or writing something like "Mr. Griffiths, is it true, you allegedly write angry letters to your fans when upset? What is the actual tone of these letters? Should they be read, indeed, as angry? Or as if you would like to take the initial letter writer on a sunny picnic?"


Ok, if I don't do it I hope someone does.

[Y2Joudrey]

I'll send him such a letter!

"Dear Ms. Griffiths,

Word on the internets is that you don't generally like your fans and when they write you letters like this one without stamps or an envelope, you send them an angry letter in response. Luckily for me, I am not a fan, but more so a curious observer who can not understand why YOU can not understand the value of such easy P.R. like signing autographs... making a personal connection with someone who will be immediately turned into a lifelong supporter of your with just a minute of your time. And even if that's not valuable to you, surely brightening someone's day would matter. Why else would you become an actor?

Actually... now that I read through you acting resume on IMDB.com, I realize that I AM a fan of yours... from your work in Naked Gun 2-1/2. Please kindly sign the photo I've enclosed and send it back to me.

Thanks,
Ryan"

[MW1221]

I'll send him such a letter!

"Dear Ms. Griffiths,

Word on the internets is that you don't generally like your fans and when they write you letters like this one without stamps or an envelope, you send them an angry letter in response. Luckily for me, I am not a fan, but more so a curious observer who can not understand why YOU can not understand the value of such easy P.R. like signing autographs... making a personal connection with someone who will be immediately turned into a lifelong supporter of your with just a minute of your time. And even if that's not valuable to you, surely brightening someone's day would matter. Why else would you become an actor?

Actually... now that I read through you acting resume on IMDB.com, I realize that I AM a fan of yours... from your work in Naked Gun 2-1/2. Please kindly sign the photo I've enclosed and send it back to me.

Thanks,
Ryan"

But regardless of SASE's or postage money in general, he does sign autographs, so your letter doesn't make sense.

If you're going to send that letter to anyone, I think it deserves to go to someone like Donald Trump who, at their own expense, will return your items unsigned with the request that you resend with a SASE.

Mr. Griffiths spends a ton of his own money to sign autographs for fans.

[Y2Joudrey]

I don't deny that he ultimately signs autographs and does so at his own expense... but to take the time to belittle his fans (most of whom are well-meaning and/or naive) and use time in interviews to talk about how he doesn't understand why anybody would want an autograph - doesn't make sense to me at all.

My "letter" is obviously a humorous exaggeration, but I would send it with a slight change about him not liking his fans. He may like them, but he sure doesn't understand them.

[MW1221]

I don't deny that he ultimately signs autographs and does so at his own expense... but to take the time to belittle his fans (most of whom are well-meaning and/or naive) and use time in interviews to talk about how he doesn't understand why anybody would want an autograph - doesn't make sense to me at all.

My "letter" is obviously a humorous exaggeration, but I would send it with a slight change about him not liking his fans. He may like them, but he sure doesn't understand them.

But again, he still does it. Cameron Diaz is said to lecture fans about how stupid autographs are. Richard Griffiths may do the same, but at the end, he'll still sign them.

He may not understand the fans, but unlike others in that same boat, he'll still give them what they want.

I guarantee you that those naive enough to expect him to supply the postage and take stuff to the post office to mail the stuff will not make the same mistake again after getting one of those letters.

He has every right to respond how he wants to. You're sending him unsolicited mail. By far, a majority of celebs ignore mail and requests like that, especially when return postage isn't provided. At the end of the day, he still signs. If he wants to cuss people out at the same time, again, his right. If he doesn't want to sign and just cuss you out, again, his right. He didn't ask you to write to him. He doesn't even know you.

[Y2Joudrey]

Now that we understand what freedom of expression is, that means I'm allowed to not like how he handles his fanmail and write posts accordingly.

I guess I'm more confused than anything. If it's such a waste of his time and money, why does he even bother? And while bothering, he wastes even more time lecturing fans on the proper etiquette of something he admittedly doesn't even understand.

With all that said, though, you are absolutely right. At the end of the day, he gives the fans what they originally asked for, which is increasingly rare, especially for those sending without any postage. I'll happily post my request and a copy of the text in my LOR if I get something back.

[MW1221]

Now that we understand what freedom of expression is, that means I'm allowed to not like how he handles his fanmail and write posts accordingly.

I guess I'm more confused than anything. If it's such a waste of his time and money, why does he even bother? And while bothering, he wastes even more time lecturing fans on the proper etiquette of something he admittedly doesn't even understand.

With all that said, though, you are absolutely right. At the end of the day, he gives the fans what they originally asked for, which is increasingly rare, especially for those sending without any postage. I'll happily post my request and a copy of the text in my LOR if I get something back.

Yes, you can not like how he handles his fanmail and write posts accordingly. And I can write posts against those. So what's your point?

And again, to answer your question, he does it because the fans asked him to. Yes, he very well may see it as a waste of his time and money, but he does it anyway. If you ask someone for something and they respond "I don't know why you want this, it makes no sense to me, but I'll give it to you anyway", do you reply with "Thank you" or "Don't bother"? Seems like an easy question to me..

He may do it with contempt, but HE DOES IT. Think about it.. The last time you thought something that you were asked to do by a complete stranger was a waste of your time and money, did you do it?

And he's not lecturing them on the etiquette of something he doesn't understand. Even people who don't know that this hobby is a thing understand that you don't ask a complete stranger to mail them something without supplying the means for them to do so, especially if it's a single person as opposed to an organization. It's why charities usually send solicitations with prepaid envelopes. His letters don't pertain to the hobby at all, but rather commonsense aspects of making requests through the mail.


But yes, by all means, if you want to send him a letter calling him a hypocrite that very well may stop him from signing for the rest of his life, feel free. Freedom of expression and all.

[Y2Joudrey]

What would a forum be without exaggeration and over-reaction?

The last time I did something I thought was a waste of time and money for a complete stranger? I do that almost every day at work for the people who make my organization possible - clients, walk-ins, etc. Since fans are pretty parallel on that one, I'd say that's a big part of where my confusion stems from. No fans, no ticket buyers, no acting career. Easy math.

He has said in several interviews that he does not understand why people want autographs. So he is lecturing on something he doesn't understand. Autograph collectors aren't registered charities. Also, we understand when people don't want to sign and either RTS the thing or simply never get anything back. If he understood solicitation, as you're arguing, he could easily do either of those things.

He has every right, like you keep saying, to respond how he likes. But by cancelling out the good will from signing the autograph, he's missing the point almost entirely.

I don't plan to call him a hypocrite at all in my letter... I'm always very respectful in my requests. I do plan to bring up the autograph thing, but in a more sympathetic way than anything to see how he'll respond. And I AM a fan of his work in Naked Gun 2-1/2... those movies are some of my all-time favourites.

I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize anyone else's chances of getting an autograph... I don't post e-mail addresses or successes I get from contacting peoples' management or anything like that. Everyone deserves a fair shake... I just wish Mr. Griffiths would either show he understands the value of providing autographs or simply not sign for those who don't include postage.

I highly doubt he would send an angry letter back to someone he didn't know at a cancer society or something of the like (even with an SASE)... and they're not just asking for his time, they want his money (and probably a signature if the donation is through the mail) - ha ha ha!

[MW1221]

What would a forum be without exaggeration and over-reaction?

The last time I did something I thought was a waste of time and money for a complete stranger? I do that almost every day at work for the people who make my organization possible - clients, walk-ins, etc. Since fans are pretty parallel on that one, I'd say that's a big part of where my confusion stems from. No fans, no ticket buyers, no acting career. Easy math.

He has said in several interviews that he does not understand why people want autographs. So he is lecturing on something he doesn't understand. Autograph collectors aren't registered charities. Also, we understand when people don't want to sign and either RTS the thing or simply never get anything back. If he understood solicitation, as you're arguing, he could easily do either of those things.

He has every right, like you keep saying, to respond how he likes. But by cancelling out the good will from signing the autograph, he's missing the point almost entirely.

I don't plan to call him a hypocrite at all in my letter... I'm always very respectful in my requests. I do plan to bring up the autograph thing, but in a more sympathetic way than anything to see how he'll respond. And I AM a fan of his work in Naked Gun 2-1/2... those movies are some of my all-time favourites.

I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize anyone else's chances of getting an autograph... I don't post e-mail addresses or successes I get from contacting peoples' management or anything like that. Everyone deserves a fair shake... I just wish Mr. Griffiths would either show he understands the value of providing autographs or simply not sign for those who don't include postage.

I highly doubt he would send an angry letter back to someone he didn't know at a cancer society or something of the like (even with an SASE)... and they're not just asking for his time, they want his money (and probably a signature if the donation is through the mail) - ha ha ha!

Where's the exaggeration?

So hang on.. You're asked to do things unrelated to your job for people who don't pay you at your own expense that you consider to be a waste of your time and money and you do them anyway? That makes no sense.

His job is to act. He gets paid to act. Not to mention, there's a flaw in your math. Who bought tickets to see the Harry Potter movies purely because they were fans of Richard Griffiths? And how much of that money did Richard Griffiths see? No fans=/=no ticket buyers. Not to mention, no ticket buyers=/=no acting career. Unless a sizable amount of people say they didn't see a project because Richard Griffiths is in it, a bunch of flops won't end his career. Studios would need to see him as a liability for him to no longer be able to find work.

Saying he doesn't understand it isn't a lecture. Telling collectors to send SASE's isn't a lecture about something he doesn't understand, as it doesn't pertain to autographs exclusively. And he could easily do any of those things you mentioned. But fans are asking him to sign. So he does.

What he's asking for in return is common courtesy. Once you have to request it a few hundred times, it gets annoying. That's where his anger is likely coming from. I know I'd be pissed. But he goes one step farther than I would. He actually fulfills the requests. That speaks for his true character, I think, more than anything.

I'm commenting based off the letter you posted. Pointing out his seemingly contradictory views as such is calling him a hypocrite, regardless of whether or not you actually use the word.

What shows that he understands the value of signing autographs more than him DOING IT AT HIS OWN EXPENSE EVEN THOUGH HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE? And, from my standpoint, pointing out that he doesn't understand them and asking why he still signs them could very well make him say "You know what? This guy is right. This costs me a ton of money and I don't agree with doing it anyway" and then never signing another one. Do you really not see that?

Lastly, there's a difference between personal solicitations and impersonal. If someone at a cancer society or something sent him a personal letter with a request and didn't include a SASE (this goes for charity autograph collectors as well), I could very easily see him berating the person. If it's impersonal, he'd probably just toss it like anyone else would.

[Y2Joudrey]

Our posts are getting longer and stupider... I'm ending this here. The introduction of a phrase in ALL CAPS is proof of that.

Sorry, everyone.