Buyers of Liza Minnelli memoir claim it was not signed by hand

Liza Minnelli fans who bought signed copies of her memoir are seeking refunds because they believe her signature is fake. Copies of Kids, Wait Till You Hear This ! by the American 80-year-old singer were marketed around the world as “hand-signed collectibles”, with premium editions costing up to $250 (£185). However, some buyers have questioned the uniformity of the signatures and speculated that they were digitally signed by an autopen , a device that replicates handwriting. “When you see footage of Liza today in her own documentary, she is far too frail to have signed a handful of books this accurately, let alone hundreds,” said autograph collector Gareth Brown, who contacted the Guardian after paying £25 for a signed copy in a Kent bookshop. Copy of Liza Minelli’s memoir bought by Gareth Brown. Photograph: Gareth Brown He said he bought the hardback rather than waiting for the cheaper paperback edition because of the signature. “I started wondering how many books she must have signed for one to end up in an independent bookshop at an English seaside,” he said. “I found there was much online discussion about this and many photographs of the signature, all of which look the same.” Signature on the copy of Liza Minelli’s memoir bought by Gareth Brown. Photograph: Gareth Brown Fans, armed with tracing paper overlays, have turned sleuth and concluded that the signatures in their books are unnaturally identical. …