Wow, this thread really touched several nerves.
The photo shoot is a service. I have no gripe with anyone who wants to pay for a service offered. I personally think the 'grip and grin' costs too much for what it is.
I have never believed that the autograph guests distract collectors, though if the show is badly laid out the lines can be troublesome for dealers whose tables are blocked. With all due respect to the collectors who buy mass-produced signatures at these shows, they really aren't the customer base of vintage dealers. If I am after a Lefty O'Doul signed photo I am not going to substitute a Randy Johnson for it. Apples and oranges...
I do not have an issue with asking a celebrity for a signature in a chance encounter. One of my favorite autographs came from just such a meeting:
There are any number of people who I'd ask for a signature. That said, I appreciate the chance to get a signature for certain in return for a reasonable fee. Again, it is a service I am willing to pay for. Interestingly, the collectors of Star Trek, movie and comic memorabilia have a longer tradition of fee for service signings and they seem to have a better perspective on it. I've been to a number of Hollywood shows here in L.A. and the focus of many of them are the actors who are signing. I've rarely been interested in getting autographs at them but I am now regretting not getting some of the more interesting old character actors who have since passed away, like Woody Strode or Slim Pickens.
Speaking of reasonable fees, again, that is something that is a personal choice. I would like to get Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard to sign a ticket from their first fight at the National this year. Not gonna do it given the costs involved, which would kill the fun for me. That said, I have a great Tommy Hearns press kit cover that I will probably pony up and have Hearns sign while I am there.