There’s been a debate online about fans who show up to places to get autographs from wrestlers. There have been videos online showing fans showing up at airports, restaurants and even bathrooms to get something signed by a wrestler.
In most cases, wrestlers will take the time to say hello but sometimes fans cross the line and push to get something signed when a wrestler is on their off time or when they might not be having a good day because of the rough travel or other things going on.
While speaking on the “Hall of Fame” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T talked about how he handles autograph seekers:
“Normally, people recognize me no matter if I got my hair tied up, if I got shades on, or whatever. They normally recognize me. I was in California one day and I was walking down the sidewalk and this truck all the way on the other side of the street, I had this thing on my head right now, had my shades on and this guy goes, ‘Booker T.’ I don’t know if I just got a recognizable face or what, but my thing is, if that does happen, it’s never my moment. It’s always their moment. I’m gonna make sure they have a hell of a moment. I don’t care how upset I am or what I’m going through, I’m never going to let them know it at that time, just because, like I say, it’s a moment for them that they’re going to remember perhaps for the rest of their lives.”
Booker added, “I remember, I was in Orlando, Florida, and I was stranded. It was spring break week and all the flights got canceled. My flight was canceled. I was going to stay in the airport until the next day if I was to get a flight out or go catch a hotel or whatever. I remember this group of kids, and I don’t know, it might have been 20 of them, and one of them recognized me. He was like, ‘Booker, T man, what’s going on?’ Everybody went crazy. All these kids came over and they wanted to take pictures with me. I swear. I smiled. I was high-fiving. We were doing everything. I finished taking photos with them, and I sat back in my seat, and I just sat there, and I’m thinking about not being able to get out. Then one of the ladies working at the desk came over, and she goes, ‘Mr. Huffman.’ I said, ‘Yes, ma’am.’ She goes, ‘The next flight, I got you out, and I put you in first class just because of what I just saw. After all you’ve been going through, you had the patience to deal with all of those kids and this stuff. Least I could do is get you out of here’, and bam. I was like, ‘Thank you so much.’”
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Hall of Fame with Booker T & Brad Gilmore with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
