Colin Perkins
Steve Martin’s Response to Fan Mail
by Colin Perkins - June 29, 2010 - 3:37 PM

I’m sure most celebrities have wondered at one time or another whether they should really attempt to reply to each fan letter they receive with a personalized, hand-written response – or just have their assistant send out a cold, impersonal form letter. Steve Martin found a happy medium with this 1980’s-era fan response letter that leaves just enough room for customization.

The warm, personal memory shared in the postscript is an especially nice touch.

And while we’re on the subject, let’s review Ringo Starr’s stance on fan mail:

[via Letters of Note]

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Comments (16)

  1. That’s hilarious! Steve Martin just got bonus points in my book.
    When I was younger and Michelle Branch was a big deal, her dad wrote a personal letter back…which I thought was pretty cool at the time. Aim low enough though, and you’ll get more personalized stuff, haha…I had no hobbies as a child. I wrote C-listers and they all wrote personalized messages on their 8x10s…one even called!

    posted by Nicole on 6-29-2010 at 3:52 pm

  2. What is Ringo too busy DOING that he can’t sign autographs? Sheesh.

    posted by Rachel on 6-29-2010 at 4:13 pm

  3. Well, he *does* turn 70 in another week or so (July 7th).

    He’s just getting old and turning into Andy Rooney.
    -”BB”-

    posted by Bicycle Bill on 6-29-2010 at 4:19 pm

  4. I’m with Rachel. It’s not like he’s Paul or something…

    posted by Steve on 6-29-2010 at 4:21 pm

  5. Ringo is busy saying “peace and Love” over and over as fast as he can.

    posted by Justine on 6-29-2010 at 4:35 pm

  6. Steve Martin. Jerk. Heh, I get it.

    posted by Mark on 6-29-2010 at 4:36 pm

  7. Rocks! Ahahahahahah

    posted by Will on 6-29-2010 at 4:39 pm

  8. Come on, you guys should know it takes Ringo circa 30 years to reply to his fan mail – even if the fan sends a hand-painted portrait!

    posted by Bert on 6-29-2010 at 4:43 pm

  9. @Bert – A+ on the Simpsons reference.

    posted by Elissa on 6-29-2010 at 5:02 pm

  10. Ringo doesn’t want to sign things that are sent to him anymore because of the people who are putting stuff up on Ebay and selling it, when he signed it the week before after getting a letter saying how much it meant to the person writing. He doesn’t want to take the time, so someone else can take advantage of his fans.

    He gave a few interviews after this video was released saying that. But of course that isn’t mentioned here.

    Also, the man has been signing things for people for AT LEAST 50 years. I think he can decide to stop signing things that are sent to him if he wants to.

    So back off with the Ringo hate!

    posted by Kristine on 6-29-2010 at 6:29 pm

  11. I sometimes get baseball autographs through the mail. Last week I got a card back unsigned with a personalized letter signed by the guy saying if I wanted my card signed give him $8. He spent more time writing the letter and giving me his autograph than just signing the card.

    posted by Ben on 6-29-2010 at 7:50 pm

  12. Frame the letter with the baseball card, and display it at work to show what a jerk he is!

    posted by Ben on 6-30-2010 at 7:54 am

  13. Awww Ringo was always my fav Beatle… He just took his money, invested wisely (including some nice cars, beautiful private home and a Bond-girl wife) and stayed out of the spotlight. Not like Paul…

    In an unrelated note: Steve Martin is awesome.

    posted by fifty-percent on 6-30-2010 at 10:58 am

  14. what i am most struck by is the sincerity in Ringo’s “peace and love” proclamations. you can tell he really means it. i hope he and joe walsh will be very happy together.

    posted by patrick on 7-5-2010 at 4:12 pm

  15. My little brother wrote to Michael Jackson back in like 1990. He got a letter back from LaToya. I forget if we thought that was lame at the time (probably)- I would have been 9 and my brother 5- but our mom tried to make it seem exciting.

    posted by erica on 7-5-2010 at 7:22 pm

  16. I was watching BBC America at Christmas for the Dr. Who episode and Matt Smith was on Graham Norton and he was telling him how the people who answers the fan mail is his Mom. One day she enlisted his Grandfather to help her and the first letter he got was from a woman telling Matt what she wanted to do to him! Granddad wrote back ‘Matt’s not available but I might be.’

    I can’t remember the ball player for the Cardinals but a friend wrote to him to get an autograph for her son. I don’t know if they ever got it. I think it’s Pujols (sp?) but he does great stuff for the Down Syndrome community.

    posted by Melissa 'Ziggy' Cook on 8-14-2011 at 9:48 am

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