Can I Have Your Autograph?

So...

John and I went to a baseball game last night (got rained out, boo hiss!), and the big deal was that a Pittsburgh Steeler (locally raised guy) was going to be there, signing autographs, and just basically hanging out.  Great, right?  Yeah, not so much.  Since my pro-football pick is, and always will be, the Steelers (despite Ben's ass hat tendencies), I've been revved about this since the beginning of the season.  Did I honestly know who he was, and had I even heard of him?  Nope, but I don't follow players in pro like I might in college ball.  And I'm definitely not a statistician like Wendy...heh.  But he was a Pitt. Steeler, and I *heart* the Steelers. 

That said, if the organization (no matter how small-town it is) has been advertising and bragging about a local sports hero being at this particular game, and the area has dedicated fans like crazy (seriously, you'd think we live in the heart of Steeler Nation down here), then said person should carry himself like the quasi-celebrity he is and remember the manners I'm sure his mama taught him; or am I just thinking crazy here?  The dude could not be bothered to get off of his cellphone to have pictures taken, excused himself from the autograph table to go God knows where, and basically acted as if he was doing this smalltown baseball team a huge favor by gracing them with his presence.  He just acted...indifferent.  I should've realized what a small-time celebrity he was when even the kids with Steelers jerseys on weren't flocking around him.

Am I being bitchy here?  Or am I just miffed that he did all of this in front of me when I'd finally sucked it in enough to go up to him and ask for a pic to be taken with me so I could show my mom?  Well...yeah.  But it just rankled that, no matter how politely he excused himself, he couldn't get off the damned phone long enough for the 5 seconds necessary to snap a photo.  He actually asked, "you don't have anything for me to sign?".  Dude...c'mon.

It got me thinking, during my one exposure to a mega booksigning last year at RWA, if any of the authors whom I consider my own personal celebrities had acted like that, I would've been crushed.  I'm not saying that these people, whether they're sports celebrities, actors, authors, or whatever, have to bow down and act like we fans are the only reason they are where they're at, but does it hurt to show a little bit more interest in talking to your fans, taking a picture, or shaking a hand?  Last year I was humbled at the honesty and heartfelt realness that a lot of the people (many of them were authors I've coveted for years) I'd traveled eight hours to see and have sign a book, or just be around.

Last night, a celebrity was literally right down the road from me, and he just couldn't be bothered...