bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Autographs are dying out, in the view of leading German autograph hunter Christian Bach, 44, who has collected 10,000 signatures of the famous and not-so-famous.
“Of course it’s hurting, but I can’t stop the trend,” says Bach, the head of Germany’s autograph collectors club. Now, the zeitgeist is catching up with him as selfies take over.
Bach sees social media behind the change.
“Interest in the signature has been lost, I believe,” he said. Whereas many people used to leaf through their photo albums, “today, you look at your mobile every couple of minutes and see endless images”.

While Bach also collects photos of his meetings with stars, he prefers them to be taken by someone else, and not as a selfie.
“I don’t like it. You usually look stupid on a selfie,” he says.
Bach received his very first autograph by post in 1993 – from Pierre Littbarski, a German football player who was a member of the team that won the World Cup in 1990.
He was also on the team when they were runners-up in 1982 and 1986.


Netflix’s Beyond Goodbye stars Kasumi Arimura and Kentaro Sakaguchi on the Japanese drama

Who is Dana White’s ultra-private wife, Anna White? The UFC president – who celebrated with Donald Trump and Elon Musk on election night – met his future partner when they were both just 12-years-old

Why is Mariah Carey’s ‘ex-brother’ Morgan Carey suing her? The ‘Emotions’ singer will be questioned under oath over claims in her memoir of her sibling’s alleged violent behaviour – which he denies

Did you know Wallis Simpson stayed at this Hong Kong hotel?

Fame and celebrity

Why are autographs dying out? Man with 10,000 of them blames selfies

Tennis player Coco Gauff gives her autograph to fans at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing in 2024. An autograph hunter blames selfies and social media for declining interest in collecting autographs. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong actor Ben Wong Chi-yin (centre) taking a selfie with a fan in Hong Kong. Photo: Getty Images

Magnus Carlsen, at the top of the chess game, makes a chess app his next move

Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen ha released a new chess app Take Take Take, that helps fans better follow and understand games. Photo: AP

Norway’s Magnus Carlsen considers his next move as he plays against India’s Viswanathan Anand on the first day of the Global Chess League competition in London on October 3, 2024. Photo: AFP

The chess app Take Take Take was launched by Carlsen in October 2024. Photo: Fancy Chess

Carlsen during a game against Fabiano Caruana of the US, during the Norway Chess Open 2024, in Stavanger, Norway, on June 7, 2024. Photo: AP

Carlsen sits down to play against Viswanathan Anand in the first round of Global Chess League Season 2, in London. Photo: EPA-EFE

The Cure album Songs Of A Lost World puts them back at the top of UK charts after 32 years

Robert Smith, lead singer of British band The Cure, says it is “enormously uplifting” to be back at No 1 in the UK pop charts with new album Songs Of A Lost World. Photo: Reuters

Being John Malkovich director told Malkovich ‘John Malkovich wouldn’t do it that way’

John Malkovich, who has been reflecting on his role in 1999 film Being John Malkovich. Photo: Jerod Harris/Getty Images/TNS

Asked whether he ever asked Being John Malkovich’s creators, “Why me?”, the actor says: “I’m really not very curious about myself or my alleged self.” Photo: Instagram/@the_precious_films

Catherine Keener and John Cusack in a still from Being John Malkovich. Photo: Instagram/@brynmawrfilminstitute

From left: John Malkovich, actresses Cameron Diaz and Catherine Keener, and director Spike Jonze at the Venice Film Festival in 1999 where Being John Malkovich was screened. Photo: AP

Cameron Diaz and Catherine Keener arrive at the Venice Lido during the 1999 Venice Film Festival. Photo: Reuters

John Malkovich at the 1999 Venice Film Festival. Photo: AFP

John Malkovich in a still from Being John Malkovich. Photo: Universal Studios

John Malkovich in a scene from Being John Malkovich. Photo: AP/Universal Studios

Best apps for foreign visitors in China and which are useless – like Google Maps

WeChat and Alipay are the best apps for foreigners to download to use for payments in China since both began allowing users to link international cards to their payment systems. Photo: Getty Images

A customer makes an electronic Alipay payment on his smartphone to pay for his food at a restaurant in Beijing. Photo: AFP

An Alipay QR payment code (right, in blue) and a WeChat QR code (left, in green) are displayed at a street stall selling gadgets in Beijing for customers to scan to pay for items. Photo: AFP

A customer makes an electronic payment with Alipay on his smartphone for his food at a restaurant in Beijing. Photo: AFP

Lifestyle

Travel & Leisure

Autograph hunter Christian Bach may also take photos with celebrities now, but do not expect to see a selfie – ‘you usually look stupid’


Autograph hunter Christian Bach may also take photos with celebrities now, but do not expect to see a selfie – ‘you usually look stupid’.


Germany

Gen Z