Paul McCartney is No Longer Signing Autographs

Whenever you’re fortunate enough to meet a famous person on the street, your first instinct is probably to ask for their autograph, right? It’s a tangible proof that you met this cool person for you to keep on your shelf as a fond memory (or flip on eBay for a few hundred bucks). When it comes to famous musicians, there are few as famous as Sir Paul McCartney, former bassist of the Beatles. If you ask McCartney, though, the whole practice of asking for autographs is a bit played out.

In an interview with Reader’s Digest, picked up by Contact Music, McCartney announced that he will no longer be signing autographs for fans because he doesn’t see the point in it. “It always struck me as a bit strange,” he said, “‘here, can I write your name down on the back of this till receipt please?’ Why? We both know who I am.”

He also added that he’s not especially fond of taking selfies with fans, and that he would rather get to know them individually and swap stories. “What you’ve usually got is a ropey photo with a poor backdrop and me looking a bit miserable. Let’s chat, let’s exchange stories.”

Paul McCartney will no longer be signing autographs: “We both know who I am” https://t.co/rGMXIIL4w3

— Classic Rock Magazine (@ClassicRockMag) October 25, 2021

McCartney isn’t the first former Beatle to shut the door on autographs. Back in 2008, in a now internet-famous monologue, the Beatles’ former drummer, Ringo Starr, announced he would stop signing autographs due to the number of his signatures he was seeing on internet auction sites. “I’m warning you with peace and love I have too much to do. So no more fan mail, thank you, thank you, and no objects to be signed, nothing.”