Event Coverage Barris = Low Class

Naw but at least Sam had cl***.

 

I never understood why people want a celebrity's autograph to begin with. They are just people who were blessed with a little more talent, good at marketing themselves, or just plain lucky to be at the right place at the right time. Otherwise they are nothing special to me. I watched people wait in line for over an hour to get the autograph of Rich Christensen of Pinks all Out at a race and I couldn't figure out why in the hell they would do that.

 

Signatures never meant much to me so I don't totally understand, but it sure sound's selfish and arrogent.

 

I am ok with not getting the autograph because I didnt want to spend the $10 However, A little kid!!! That pissed me off...

 

Barris who? Don't get me wrong, I've heard of him. However, I also know personally several people that equal his talents; mechanical, design, and business. No, the people that I know ain't famous enough to get any kudos should I drop their name here, but then I've never asked them for an autograph either.
I wouldn't walk across the street to kiss somebody's *** because they happened to be famous. Having the autograph of a complete stranger isn't my bag. On the other hand if the man had been my personal friend for fifty years, I wouldn't see any point in obtaining his autograph either.

 

On another side note, Norm Grabowski was a very cool guy and talking with him was one of the highlights of my day.[/QUOTE]



Norm was amazing I talked to him for about 30 minutes...he is what I have heard about him all these years...

 

I got George Barris' autograph once for no charge at the World of Wheels in Boston, came back a few years later, he had that green thing from The Fast and The Furious, wanted $10 to autograph anything. I said forget it. I got Big Daddy Roth on 2 different books, hung out and chatted for about 10 mins, and Boyd Coddington for nothing. I actually did an impromptu interview with Gene Winfield for a public access TV show at Summernationals in Worcester MA a few years back, what an awesome guy, and Richard Petty actually mailed me his autograph.

 

I am not getting them for financial gain in this book...more like something to give my kids... this book in particular was given to me by a old timer who was a mentor to me in the car scene and when he died his wife gave me all his books, manuals and magazines...

 

It ****s that someone had a bad George Barris experience. But saying **** like "Sam was the only talented one" is ****ing stupid. Our whole hot rod world wouldn't be what it is without that guy. That's a fact.

 

About 6 years ago I was 17 and my younger brother was 8 or 9 and in love with the munsters. He had all the dvds and watched them nightly and collected all kinds of memorlibilia. When Barris came into town for the world of wheels I took him to get a miniture munstersmobile signed. We waited in line for 45 minutes and then he asked where we got it. He refused to sign it because it didn't come off his table (also there was no manager in sight) so I forked out my last 10 bucks from my job washing dishes to get him to sign a black and white of herman munster standing next to the munster mobile, and he spelled Stevie wrong on the dedication. On the way out my brother handed me the picture and and the toy and said he didn't think he wanted them any more.

 

He was at portlland some years ago and My friend Mark who had a car there by where he was setting with his books, A guy bought a book and asked Mr Barris to sign the book he explained he was new to customs and asked how long he had been doing this Barris looks at him and says have you been living under a coke bottle all your life I am Geo Barris ! Mark set the book down and walked away.

 

barris charges for signitures and so does hines,personally paying to write on something is ********,hines charges for pics as well,i had to pay at the GNRS in 08.Everyone is in it for the cash,what ya gonna do?Next time some pseudo pin up girl wants to lay on my tuck n roll or stand in front of my car,i am charging money...$10,you dont like it?,then beat it.

 

The whole "autograph" thing has always escaped me.

There are people I admire and wouldn't mind meeting, but getting their signature on something means less than nothing to me.

Just sayin'.

 

Okay...here is my spin.

If this $10 was going to charity...shame on you. Little kid should have gotten it for free, shame on him.

If this wasn't for charity...Damn, you spent your money on a book that he probably made a profit on. Shame on him. He should have signed it for free.

 

You are correct.
This must be one of those things 'ya either just get it or 'ya don't.

 

Not only was hines signing anything you would bring to him yesterday he was also giving away and signing stickers from his shop... they were pretty cool too...

 

I don't believe I would. Ya don't gotta stand tall in this life but ya gotta stand.

 

Don't even get me started on Barris. He was signing autographs at the Detroit Autorama last year and we were hanging out by the Kopper Kart. I made it a point to not speak to him. People like us are the reason he's still relevant. What an ungrateful douche. Meanwhile, Gene Winfield, Tim Strange, Brizio, Chip Foose... all the epitome of cl*** and super friendly and approachable. There's no excuse for being an ***hole.

 

celebs, and any famous person can keep their signature...dont mean nothin to me..we idolize them waaaay too much anyways, and thats how their heads get blown out of proportion.
now if they were signing my check..well than, I might care....might,, naa probably still wouldnt care, just cash it

no talent glory seekers < nice thread tag

 

Funny part was Barris was walking around with two girls taking pics in front of peoples cars....shouldnt those people charge him to take a pic of their car!!!! and no the money he was charging was not going to charity!!!

 

I'm waiting for someone to counter this post with pictures of that John Travolta Firebird from about 1978. And I'm not saying I disagree, just that would be an amusing response.


As for George, he is human after all, I'm sure he has good days, bad days, some things beyond his control at these events, and maybe even after being "the king of customizers" for so long his ego's a few sizes bigger than average.

I think the only car related autograph I have is Geoff Bodine, and then only because I happened to be in the right place at the right time at Watkins Glen one year. It's fun to get something signed that you can hang up, I have some album jackets signed by bands, but it's not a big deal if they don't want to sign stuff.

 

With the diametrically opposed observations presented here I really have to say it must be one of those deals like animals acting unusual during a full moon. Many different observations but no consistency.
I know; the ones that didn't have to pay accidentally found the outer-space alien clone or vice-versa... you decide....

 

I have met George a few times and he has always been very polite and professional. Obviously, the man possesses an ego and is very adept at marketing to which we all owe a great deal. As Dread so rightfully pointed out, the custom car hobby wouldn't be the same without George and I would bet that his brother would probably say the same if he were here. It is disappointing to hear that he wouldn't sign the youngster's item but then all the grown men would be handing their things to kids to have them signed. I will say this though, regardless of what you say about George, his late wife Shirley was one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure to meet. I showed her a picture of my Merc and she asked if she could have it. I gave it to her gladly and the next week I received an email of my photo posted on the wall of Barris's shop. I thought that was pretty cool.

 

I'll say on a personal note, if it wasn't for the Munsters Koach, and Dragula who knows if I would still be interested in cars.

as a kid they were some of my favorites!!!

 

The only signature I want is the guy I work for......I want it every week......

 

I was at "Oakland 's " 50 th years ago .My wife and I were visiting with ED Roth and
Jimmy Cleveland my son wanted to get Barris 's autograph so he left us and returned
a few minutes later . My wife asked to see it and my son said Barris won't sign unless he bought his book. Roth took my son back to Barris's booth and said what gives and he decided he would give the autograph to my son .My son said "No Thank You".
MY son was 11.
"If you put your pants on one leg at a time you are no better than anyone one else"

 

Damn, charging for three seconds of scribbling? No ****ing way, great way to loose fans, for charity or not.
Having said that I wish I had thought of it when I was in the Red Berets Army Parachute Display Team, would you believe people asked for our autographs after we jumped. Why in gods name would you want the signature of some bum soldier? Never worked that out but signed a **** load of RB photos.

So now he has his pic with a **** load of other peoples cars is he going to start claiming them as his work?
Doc.

 

I have direct deposit...I don't want any boss dude even havin' a chance to touch my miserable pittance of a paycheck...
BTW what's this got to do with trad hot-rods...I'm just sayin'"

 

Barris kicked his car??? WTF??
I've been called names by James Coburn and once John Wayne told me to "get the hell away from my boat" but I'd feel obligated to return THAT favor!!!

 

I've gotten Ed Roths, Gene's, and Barris autographs. i didnt pay for those. but i had to pay 5 bucks to get the autographs of Bo Hopkins, and Paul Lemat