PluggedIn: Memorabilia site lowers velvet rope, fights fraudMay 22 2008
By Sue Zeidler
LOS ANGELES, May 22 (Reuters) - Trekkies can boldly go online to get a personalized message from Captain Kirk himself via a Web site that puts a new twist on the global $4 billion memorabilia market often beset by fraud.
Actor William Shatner, beloved by legions as Captain James T. Kirk in the cult "Star Trek" series and a member of the "Boston Legal" cast, joins celebrity wrestlers, rockers, sports stars and an astronaut on
www.liveautographs.com, which claims to lower the velvet rope between fans and their heroes.
"When you're dealing with an autograph, it's hard to tell if it's real or not. At the end of the day, you're putting your trust in the company. We're removing the middle person so the fan can see the star sign the item," Dwek said.
Customers of LiveAutographs see stars sign their items and can ask them questions. In addition to signing the memorabilia on camera, the celebrity answers in a personalized video, which LiveAutographs sends via download, or a DVD that's mailed with the merchandise.
Dwek said LiveAutographs authenticates items in three ways: by letting customers witness the signing via video, providing matching bar codes on the DVD and merchandise and issuing a PIN on each purchase creating a chain of title for each item.
In addition to Shatner, wrestlers Hulk Hogan and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, tennis star Serena Williams, actress Carmen Electra, and Raven Symone of Disney's "That's So Raven," rocker Dave Navarro, Slash of Guns 'N' Roses! and astronaut Buzz Aldrin have signed on. Dwek said each celebrity commits to a minimum 90 minutes of their time to answer fans' questions, but can stay longer if necessary.
"Celebrities will appear about three or four times a year and we begin selling their items about six weeks prior to their appearances," he said.
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