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“The first Wednesday in February each year {which in 2007 falls on the first of the month} is becoming a more holiday-esque type day than ever before,” hypes RecruitLook.com. “It is National Signing Day in the College Recruiting World.”
It also follows on the ink stains of last week’s National Handwriting Day, celebrated annually on January 23rd …
… selected because it’s the birthday of the most famous signer of all time, John Hancock.
“National Handwriting Day was started to re-introduce one’s self to a pen and a piece of paper,” explains the National Day Calendar. “It is a chance for all to re-explore the purity and power of handwriting.”
Sleuth’s not so sure about purity … but there’s no denying the power of a beautiful woman having to bend at the waist to sign a fan’s photo!
And while concentrating on the task at hand, most are blissfully unaware of the taller paparazzi raising their lenses to look down on the act of the autographing.
Modern Family’s fully-grown daughter Ariel Winter … the current ‘top target’ of the paps whose ‘It Girl’ status fits her to a T-} …provides some perspective:
In the past—when the stars’ privacy was protected by studios—autograph opportunities were mostly carefully controlled events orchestrated by publicists and handlers.
In 1925, MGM publicity chief Pete Smith decided that starlet Lucille LaSueur’s last name reminded him “of a sewer,” so he organized a contest called “Name the Star” in the pages of the popular magazine Movie Weekly to “allow readers to write in to select her new stage name.”
The winning entry chosen was “Joan Arden,” but a bit player came forward to say she was already using it. Thus, Mrs. Marie M. Tisdale, a ‘crippled woman living in Albany, New York,’ won $500 for submitting the runner-up name, “Joan Crawford” (shown trying out her new signature in a swimsuit below}.
The actress later said she wanted her first name to be pronounced “Jo-Anne,” and that she hated the surname Crawford because it sounded like “craw fish.” But Joan—who preferred to be called “Billie” in private--also admitted she “liked the security” that went with having an established name.
As well as the security of having the studio arrange elaborate “autograph signing” sessions using hired extras on the set.
The publicity practice continued as long as the studio system did … as exemplified by actress Alexis Smith signing for a young girl with crutches and a leg brace in 1946 while the future “Miss Marple,” Angela Lansbury looks on over her shoulder.
It almost looks like the same girl from behind approaching rising starlet Marilyn Monroe six years later …
… while a group of boys just happened to greet this airport limo on the day after her 30th birthday on June 2, 1956:
So, the chances were slim to none that an autographing actress might be caught in a “wardrobe malfunction”—though the term wouldn’t be coined for nearly 50 years—making sexy signing sightings extremely rare.
All that changed … with the market for celebrity autographs exploding on eBay … as well as how lucrative snapping a signature slip-up has become for leering lensmen able to sell the same shot to numerous online outlets.
Which is why Sleuth has chosen to celebrate today’s National Signing Day—and last week’s Handwriting holiday—with his own version of The Sweet Sixteen … a ‘Signing Bonus’ that puts the ‘graphic’ in ‘autograph’!
And you can write it down: these Sharpie moments are presented in chronological order—from first to finest.
SOPHIA LOREN 1954 and 1984
WHITNEY HOUSTON 1988
STEFFI GRAF 1991 {at the Wimbledon Gala Tennis Ball}
JENNIFER LOPEZ 2002 and 2012
ELIZABETH HURLEY October 2003
AMANDA HOLDEN March 2004
ALYSSA MILANO July 2004
Signing for the troops in Iraq at the lowest point of the war
JESSICA SIMPSON August 2005
SCARLETT JOHANSSON September 2005
“Scarlett Johansson proved herself to be as beautiful as ever upon her arrival to the premiere of Under the Skin in a curve-enhancing off-the-shoulder black gown,” raved the Daily Mail in September 2013. “Scarlett looked refreshed and not overly done up for the special occasion, although she did draw attention to her décolletage, thanks to a colored diamond necklace that brought out the green color of her eyes.” Eyes suspect it wasn’t the jewelry that drew “attention” to the expanse below her neck …
PARIS HILTON June 2006
KATE BOSWORTH August 2006
MEGAN FOX December 2007
“If you’re depressed about the news that Jessica Alba is pregnant,” Egotastic encouraged the day after the film Transformers premiered, “hopefully, this little gem should help cheer you up a little bit. After all, if a Megan Fox nipple slip can’t make you feel better, nothing can.”
LADY GAGA March 2009
“Lady Gaga leaves a fan on The Edge of Glory as she signs her nipples,” The Sun tabloid reported in January 2013. “Gaga picked me out from the audience, calling me a ‘pink princess,’” exulted fan Jana Babez. “She grabbed my boobs and then looked at me shocked and asked, ‘Wait, how old are you!?’ When I said 22 she said, ‘Haha, that’s fine’ and continued groping me.”
“When I went backstage later,” thrilled Jana continued, “she pulled my top down and tweaked my nipples, before insisting on signing them. She wrote GA on one boob and GA on the other!”
KIM KARDASHIAN November 2011
THORA BIRCH October 2012
AMANDA SEYFRIED December 2012
Exulted The Nip Slip site: “Amanda Seyfried showed plenty of cleavage and a full nipple at the premiere of Les Miserables in London! I appreciate both.”
We appreciate you both signing on and making it to the END of this post.
Felt Tips and Nip Slips—a Classic Combination!
