Everyone old enough remembers when they first saw The Empire Strikes Back and the shocking revelation from Darth Vader that he is Luke Skywalker's father. This was long before the Internet and social media, so nothing had leaked online. There were rumors, sure, but it was a genuinely horrifying moment, as was the scream from the younger Skywalker when he realized the truth: 'NOOOOOOOOO!'
We thought of that moment yesterday when we saw a tweet about Mark Hamill that might make Darth Vader the one who is ashamed. Ashamed that his Jedi son has turned into such a grifter.
This past weekend, Hamill participated in FAN EXPO in Chicago, an annual convention where fans get to meet the actors who played some of their favorite characters in science fiction, fantasy, and horror movies and television shows. They're usually harmless fun, and they also provide celebrities with a revenue stream by charging for autographs and photos.
It's not surprising that many Star Wars fans would want to meet Hamill, who famously played Luke Skywalker, at this expo.
What was a little more surprising was how much the Star Wars actor -- whose far-left views we have lampooned at Twitchy more times than we can count -- was charging for that 'privilege.'
There is no actor who has ever lived, no matter how famous, and no matter what picture(s) he's been in, who can justify reaming the fans like this. Anyone charging these prices ought to be colossally embarrassed. And any fan paying these prices? Getting massively suckered. pic.twitter.com/fHdlgFnZOR
— Brad R. Torgersen (@BradRTorgersen) August 18, 2024
No, those prices are not a misprint. And it gets even worse, if you can believe it.
For $400, Hamill will sign your 8x10 photo, but YOU have to supply the photo (sold separately, of course, also at exorbitant prices). For $500 or $700, he will sign something like a DVD, trading card, or boxed action figure, again that YOU must supply.
The full slate of Hamill's price gouging opportunities is available on his page on the FAN EXPO website. Ooh, for $400, you can also get a picture with him (limit two fans), and for a mere $1,000 you can get the 'Ultimate Mark Hamill Experience,' which includes a pre-signed poster. We're honestly a little shocked he didn't try to charge extra for that too.
What a great friend of the working man Hamill turns out to be.
Price-gouger @MarkHamill wants you to vote for @KamalaHarris so she can stop him. https://t.co/V5oFWaTCWq
— Nick Searcy, INSURRECTIONAL FILM & TELEVISION STAR (@yesnicksearcy) August 18, 2024
HA.
Funny how the politicians on the left who complain about mythical 'price gouging' (because it couldn't be the inflation they caused) never include their celebrity buddies who charge exorbitant fees in their criticisms.
Gotta make table money at these conventions… https://t.co/iwm0kYNN5b
— Vincent Charles: Roi De Tout, (Ret.) (@YesThatVCharles) August 18, 2024
Just makes me think he hasn’t managed his finances well.
— Jason (@JasonWilsonFL) August 18, 2024
Right? Did Luke Skywalker go broke gambling on that weird (but cool) holographic chess game against Chewbacca or something?
Now, it is a fair point to ask the question, 'But don't all celebrities charge for this type of thing? Why are you singling out Hamill?'
Yes, most celebrities do. But everyone else who was at FAN EXPO didn't charge anything close to Hamill's fees. Here are some other celebrity guests from the FAN EXPO website: Hayden Christiansen (Anakin Skywalker), Charlie Cox (the very popular Daredevil), Marisa Tomei (Aunt May in the Marvel Spider-Man movies), Gina Carano (Cara Dune from The Mandalorian ... until Disney disgracefully fired her for which she is suing them), Alan Tudyk (Firefly), Morena Baccarin (Firefly and Deadpool), Linda Hamilton (Sarah Connor from the Terminator movies), and none other than Star Trek's Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner.
None of them charged more than even a quarter of what Hamill charged for autographs and photos with the star.
Not even flippin' James Tiberius Kirk, a far more legendary sci-fi character -- and overall accomplished actor -- than Skywalker/Hamill could ever dream of being.
Stop the price gouging, right? @MarkHamill https://t.co/skuL5A9XqQ
— Common Sense (@MichaelC0717) August 18, 2024
Good liberal @MarkHamill really rips off his fans. This is common among leftist actors, their sense of entitlement has a gravitational pull. Anyone willing to pay this deserves to be ripped off. You can buy things he's already signed for much, much cheaper, if you care. https://t.co/5TVg24T1BR
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) August 18, 2024
Remember, for the leftist elite, it's not hypocrisy. It's hierarchy. They honestly believe they are better than you.
I don't care how much you liked Corvette Summer -- it does not justify these prices! https://t.co/NXRRELSJq4
— Curtis Johnson (@cjohnson999) August 19, 2024
LOL. It's funny because, other than some decent voice acting, Hamill really hasn't done much in his career outside of Star Wars.
Now irrelevant #ChildActor @MarkHamill always has been a schmuck, and always will be a schmuck. https://t.co/QUb4eB9VX2
— mk77_williepete (@mk77_williepete) August 18, 2024
We're betting the only people who paid Hamill these prices were also on that recent cringy 'White Dudes for Harris' Zoom call.
Holy cow. That guy got famous for a sci-fi series did absolutely nothing else and his idiotic fans are shelling this out? https://t.co/NWLphBbSSq
— PizzaCzar (@PizzaWanchovies) August 18, 2024
We sure hope not. Sadly, there probably were at least a few who did.
Now it makes sense. You think he could charge these prices if people thought he supported Trump? https://t.co/KyDnIlYfB0
— axial age pervert (@hyonschu) August 18, 2024
Hmm, are you saying that Hamill's 'firm political principles' might just be financially motivated? We can get behind that particular theory.
Talk about inflation.
— Samuel Culper 722 (@politiwars) August 18, 2024
Of ego.
Even the notoriously arrogant scoundrel Han Solo never thought that highly of himself.
Not gonna pay $400 for a pic with man who whined his way through three movies.
— Wilson (@catechumen_13) August 18, 2024
This writer still loves the original Star Wars trilogy, but it is amazing to go back and watch them again and realize how much whining Luke does throughout all three movies.
He even whined incessantly to Yoda, who really never should have agreed to train him.
"Luke, I am your father and I only dared charge 20 bucks....".
— PissedOffPeasant (@mikepfingston2) August 18, 2024
Welcome to the Dark Side son
Like we said at the beginning, we think even Darth Vader would be embarrassed by his fictional son here.
Since we are not leftists, however, we won't say that Hamill doesn't have the right to charge these prices. Any fans stupid enough to pay them deserve what they get: something that will only be worth 1/10th as much if they try to sell it on eBay.
Just one of these days, though, we'd love for even one of these alleged anti-capitalists on the left to acknowledge that their actions never back up the political lectures they deliver to the rest of us.
There's about as much chance of that happening, though, as there is of Princess Leia wearing her bikini on the Ice Planet Hoth. So we're not holding our breath for Mark Hamill to apologize for gouging his fans.
We just hope those fans wake up to what type of person he truly is.
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