Eliza Dushku tells the Daily Mail to suck it after they question Hayden Panettiere

Hayden Panettiere is apparently making appearances at conventions and charging fans $30 a pop for her autograph and $45 to take a picture. I guess this is standard procedure at this kind of event, but the Daily Mail went after her for it and questioned whether she needed the money and if this signified that her career is in the sh*tter. It wasn’t a bad question given the circumstances, and I’ve rarely heard a good word about Hayden or her attitude so she’s fair game in my book. Eliza Dushku penned an open letter to the Mail on her official blog in response to the article, slamming them for questioning Hayden but not signing their full name to the story or something. It didn’t make sense to me, because that was one of the milder editorials I’ve seen in that rag. Here’s Eliza’s letter:

Dear Sir,

I write to you because the piece of your paper that concerns me was anonymous. The piece was 27th August titled “Are times that tough Hayden?” ridiculing and attacking the actor Hayden Panettiere for participating in a Toronto Expo fan gathering where fans are charged money (Oh shock! Oh shame!) in exchange for autographs, signed pictures, and the chance for a bit of face time with their favorite celebrity.

My dear editor, how does Hayden’s action differ from what you do for much of the content of your “news” paper? There we have celebrities exchanging their name (sometimes willy-nilly, no permission asked), their time, and their pictures in exchange for a bit of publicity for their work. At least the fan shows (such as the current Toronto Expo one) are honest and up front about the exchange. In addition, at these shows both fans and celebrities get some precious small contact with each other as real people. Your paper does not provide that value.

Yes, you will have to tell me where you think you get off attempting to diminish a young actor who is attempting to reach out to fans in one of the only practical ways provided by the entertainment industry, an industry your paper is a part of and largely dependent on.

It is particularly shoddy that the author scoffs at Hayden’s lack of “Harry Potter” or “Spiderman” fame while leaving himself unnamed as “Daily Mail Reporter.” Talk about being a parasite! Does Daily Mail Reporter want to shoot down Hayden’s career, just at it’s beginning, and then take a salary for doing so. Seriously, Sir, for shame.

[From Eliza Dushku’s blog via SFX, ONTD]

Yes the Daily Mail sucks, but it does seem ridiculous to charge $30 to $45 just to meet a minor celebrity from a television show. I think I know why Eliza is defending Hayden so staunchly. Eliza was at that exact same Fan Expo in Toronto signing for cash. I can’t verify how much she charged there, but she was charging $50 for fans to take a photo with her at a convention last year. So she’s all “this is common practice and you’re just as bad” while never admitting that she does the exact same thing and that’s why she’s taking this article so personally. I guess you have to do what you have to do when you’ve got a mortgage and car payments and your last steady television gig was canceled over a year ago.

Photo credit: WENN.com

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