Celebrity Autographs And Celebrity Addresses

Here's a tricky question: Should any kid under age 16 be allowed to fork over his or her allowance to buy an autograph from a professional athlete or celebrity?

Lawmakers in Rhode Island stepped up to the plate on this one last week. A Senate committee approved a bill that would prohibit athletes, entertainers and promoters from charging a fee for any autograph to a child under 16. The measure goes next to the full Senate for a vote.

Such a law sounds like a good idea, combining the elements of rich, spoiled celebrities and vulnerable children. Pending further review, however, the proposed law is out of bounds.

The concept of kids shelling out cash for some ballplayer's signature is hard to stomach. Who wants to defend the right of wealthy "heroes" getting richer off starry-eyed youths, especially as so many celebrities are revealed to have stature in talent, not character.

A ban on charging youths for autographs, however, has several flaws. For one, it creates a scenario of newly entitled kids going to an autograph show demanding their "free autograph." Worse, it's likely that unscrupulous collectors would learn to dangle a few bucks in front of those kids - buying those free signatures then selling them on the Internet. It's a fact that celebrity autographs are a big business.

No, the best route here is for parents to advise their children on the wisdom of paying good money for a piece of memorabilia. Have a conversation about it, and then, if that autograph still seems worthwhile, so be it.

A year later, that young teenager might be so much wiser when he or she does the fiscal math: Four hours of mowing lawns in exchange for five brusque seconds with a celebrity wielding a Sharpie marker?