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Tourists: Don’t Accept the Aspiring Big City Music Star’s “Free” CD (Even If They Offer to Autograph It For You)

Chris Carley by Chris Carley
April 6, 2024
in Travel Related
12
a person holding a cd in a square

Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.

I played tour guide for several family members who recently visited Los Angeles, where I’ve lived for 24 years and still love. (Well, except for the traffic, crime, homelessness, insane cost of living, and inept local officials.)

They wanted to visit Hollywood and Highland: the famous entertainment district (named after its cross streets) home to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Disney’s El Capitan Theatre, Dolby Theatre (home of the Oscars), Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Madame Tussaud’s, and several other spots. I rarely visit Hollywood and Hollywood, except for when I work an award show or movie premiere at one of the big venues. (I do recommend seeing a movie at the Chinese Theatre complex or El Capitan.)

Los Angeles, California, USA - April 26, 2023. Crowded Hollywood Walk of Fame. Stars, street performances, and tourists. (©iStock.com/Nature, food, landscape, travel)
(©iStock.com/Nature, food, landscape, travel)

We briefed the younger kids about street performers dressed as Disney, Marvel, DC, and whatever else characters: Don’t talk to them. They’ll want you to take a picture with them, and we’ll be on the hook for $5 or $10.

We were barely a step onto the Hollywood Blvd. sidewalk when a guy holding a fistful of compact discs approached one of my adult family members. (This was before I could intervene. I’ve seen this movie before. Heck, I starred it once about 20 years ago.)

A bunch of these folks stalk Hollywood Blvd. Stay away. Here’s why.

The conversation went like this:

Mr. Fistfull of Compact Discs: “Hey, dude, I’m an up-and-coming recording artist. Want a free CD of my new music?” He’s handing out his demo and hoping to be a big star—what’s more Hollywood than that?!

Family Member: “Yeah, of course. I’d love to hear your music.”

Mr. CDs hands my family member a slipcase containing a compact disc and then says, “Here, let me autograph it for you!”

Mr. CD starts scribbling his name. I make eye contact with the family member and make the “cut it out” gesture, indicating this isn’t good and we need to carry on.

Once the autograph is signed, Mr. CD hands the disc back to my family member and goes for the hard ask.

“Any chance you got a tip?” he says. “I mean, I autographed your CD and all. Whaddya say? Can you help me out?”

“I don’t have any cash on me, just cards,” my family member said.

Well, that didn’t make America’s next music superstar happy. I told my family member to hand back the CD and we were leaving.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA - 7 NOV 2019: Walk of fame promenade on Hollywood boulevard in LA. Pedastrians walking near celebrity stars on asphalt. Walkway floor near Dolby and TCL Chinese Theatre. (©iStock.com/DogoraSun)
Not creepy at all. (©iStock.com/DogoraSun)

I Hate This — for a Few Reasons

People are seduced by the “magic” of actually being in Hollywood.

This same CD trick was pulled on me more than twenty years ago. Unbeknownst to hip-hop’s next generational smash success who tried extorting me for a few bucks, I worked at a talent agency. I worked with people who legitimately booked major concert acts and hung out with some band managers. I knew people who decided which music they wanted in movies and TV shows. (Actually licensing that music is a whole ‘nother story.)

I was on board with accepting a CD and listening to it — until he pulled the cute “Don’t you think you should give me some money for it?” stunt. I told him he said it was free and that I accepted his offer — even with the fee autograph. I didn’t tell him what my job was and gave him back his CD — now in a slipcase ruined because the autograph was personalized to me.

Angering your potential fanbase is not a good idea.

Frankly, this reeks of a scam. These folks have pulled this crap since before YouTube and social media were invented — and still use the same “marketing” model. If they were serious about their music, they’d be on Twitter (or whatever), YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, and YouTube trying to get exposure. And if they love Hollywood Blvd. so much, why not perform there? (Because they’re also probably real estate agents — selling oceanfront property in Oklahoma.)

I’d be surprised if those CDs contained any original music by the next global sensations handing them out for “free.” The CDs might not even have anything on them.

(I’ve had my car and don’t think I’ve ever used the CD player.)

Why don’t they accept Venmo, Zelle, CashApp, or PayPal? you might ask — and it’s a good question. If you or I wanted tips in this going-cashless world, I’d adapt and have a QR code ready. I’ve heard of Sky Club bartenders accepting tips that way.

But because those transactions can be traced (right?), this opens these would-be entrepreneurs to being identified. Maybe there is music on the CDs that doesn’t belong to them. That’s big trouble if you’re caught selling bootleg music.

And here’s what really gets me mad: this can spoil tourists’ Los Angeles experience.

Look, if everyone knows the game, is on board, willingly participates, and no one else is affected, then why not? If you’re OK with getting your (or your child’s) picture with a knock-off Spider-Man, shelling out $5 or $10, and saying, “Hey, we met Spider-Man in Hollywood!” then rock on. The tourist has a good time and the street actor gets a few bucks.

But pressuring people for tips after you’ve fulfilled your upfront offer isn’t cool.

Final Approach

Music’s next stars aren’t handing out CDs in Hollywood or Times Square. I highly advise accepting their “demo” CDs — even if they promise to autograph them.

 

Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.

Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.

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Chris Carley

Chris Carley

Chris Carley is the owner, editor, and lead writer of Eye of the Flyer (formerly known as Rene's Points).

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Comments 12

  1. TravelWarr says:
    1 year ago

    Same thing happens in NYC all the time too. Especially in the big tourist areas: Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, etc.

    Reply
  2. Dave S says:
    1 year ago

    This led to quite a situation in Times Square in 2009. I had just gotten back to my office when all hell broke loose outside. Search for a CBS News story: Times Square Shooting: Peddler Sold CDs to Tourists While Carrying Loaded Machine Gun, Say Cops (spam rule is preventing the link from being pasted)

    Reply
    • Chris Carley says:
      1 year ago

      That escalated quickly.

      Reply
  3. NedsKid says:
    1 year ago

    Was watching a travel blogger’s video recently reviewing a hotel in LAS and they were standing outside filming the front of the building and pan around what’s nearby and some street scammers dressed as superheroes jumped in the frame and sort of followed it around then got really nasty demanding money, yelling to go away if you aren’t going to pay, etc.

    Wasn’t this a whole skit on Arrested Development about licensing and them getting served a lawsuit for using studio owned imaging?

    Reply
  4. BothofUs2 says:
    1 year ago

    Check your last “Final Approach” section – “I highly advise accepting” – you missed the word “not”

    Reply
    • Chris Carley says:
      1 year ago

      Thank you!

      Reply
  5. Cory Cesar says:
    1 year ago

    In addition to the questionable nature of this apparent scam, I would advise against accepting any item that contains files—whether they are related to music or otherwise. This situation is reminiscent of encountering a randomly found USB drive; one can never be certain of the contents stored within.

    Reply
  6. Kale Fithian says:
    1 year ago

    Steering clear is obviously the best approach. And it is very 2005 to still be pushing CDs to break instead of building a fanbase on TikTok, YouTube or wherever. But do these CDs even actually contain any music at all? I would tend to think not but do you know if they even put that minimal effort into the scam?

    Reply
  7. Brendan OConnor says:
    1 year ago

    Great advice and reminder. They do it in NYC too. Another version of the scam is that if you go to listen to the CD on your computer, it infects you with a virus, risking identity theft, etc.

    Reply
  8. beavis says:
    1 year ago

    Ask for details on “how to play a CD”. Be confused and ask him to repeat his instructions. More confusion. “Does it work on my cell phone as I don’t own a computer?”. “Can I get in on a regular album as my 1958 Grundig console has an absolutely fabulous turntable on it. I can tell you all about it!”. “Let me call my son as he understands all of this “new fangled” technology stuff. Did I tell you about my grand-kids?”.

    Reply
    • Chris Carley says:
      1 year ago

      I may go down to Hollywood today just to do this!

      Reply
  9. Selby says:
    6 months ago

    While recently on vacation, I fell for this con at the Santa Monica Pier.
    The con artist had a Jamaican accent (maybe fake), and he said his music sounded a lot like Bob Marley. He was super friendly, full of complements, and seemed so legit. Also, he wrote my name on the CD and scribbled an autograph.
    I was in a very good mood. I had some extra money, so handed him a fifty dollar bill for his CD! I really thought I was helping out an aspiring artist just trying to make it. I am an artist myself, so I know how difficult it can be financially when getting started.
    When I arrived back home and tried to play the CD, it was just a blank.
    It made me feel like such a gullible schmuck.

    Reply

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