This is psycho behavior.
There’s a massive market for celebrity autographs out there, which means there are plenty of people who make it their business to collect and sell signatures. But Livvy has had enough of them and their harassing tactics.
Olivia Dunne, the former LSU gymnastics star, took to social media yesterday with a desperate plea to these professional autograph seekers after a disturbing encounter at an airport recently while she was returning home from family vacation:
“To the people still selling my flight information, stalking me at the airports, and buying refundable plane tickets to go through security to meet me at my gate: Can you please stop?”
Dunne assured that she didn’t want to get anyone in trouble, but then shared a video from her perspective showing a crowd of weirdos gathering around her with photos, magazine covers, and all sorts of memorabilia begging for an autograph.
And to be clear, these aren’t fans who just happened to be in the airport when they saw her getting off a plane. They had their multiple photos taped to cardboard to ensure they got a good autograph, and some were even recording on Meta glasses to be able to authenticate the signature when they went to sell it.
The leeches were asking if they could “line up” like it was some meet and greet and not a young woman getting back from a vacation with her family, and you could see that the whole scene clearly made her uncomfortable as she begged them to leave her alone.
But that’s not the worst part: According to Livvy, they even tried to follow her into the women’s restroom to get an autograph.
“You guys aren’t fans. You’re professionals. You’re recording me on Meta glasses, getting my autograph and you’re going to sell it, which is fine, but last night I didn’t feel safe at the airport. And if I wasn’t coming back from family vacation and my sister didn’t stop these people from coming into the women’s bathroom, then I don’t know what I would have done.”
Livvy acknowledges that she could fly private, and travel with security, but as she points out: She shouldn’t have to just to avoid this kind of pathetic behavior from grown men trying to use her to make a buck.
@livvy It just gets to a point😭 #fyp #airport #autograph #stalker
Of course these people are an embarrassment, but they also ruin things for real fans. There’s no doubt that Livvy, or pretty much any celebrity, would be happy to sign an autograph for a young fan who approached them in public and asked for their signature. But now, they all have to worry about these professionals who take advantage of celebrities for their own sick business. I mean, I can probably guess the kind of dudes who are buying signed Livvy Dunne photos…
Unfortunately there’s not a lot celebrities can do to avoid this kind of behavior, other than simply ignore them and refuse to sign autographs altogether – which is a shame for the actual fans.
