To assure the recipients that I was serious and not just some drooling stalker, I sought to placate any potential worries by including in my mailings a fresh piece of gum (usually Wrigley's Doublemint) still in its wrapper and a self-sealing baggie. I also provided a self-addressed stamped envelope and a blank sticker, which I asked them to sign and which would then be applied to the outside of the bag. Short of giving them a writing implement or chewing the gum for them, I couldn't have made things any easier for the celebrities.

The letter I enclosed in the package briefly explained my project, and provided a revolving-door list of fellow celebrities also solicited for the project. The eclectic array of members of this exclusive club, who seemed to have been selected at random, might not have reassured the recipients any, but it sure did amuse me.

-- Phil Milstein

* already been chewed