New law hits aggressive paparazzi in the pocketbook

LOS ANGELES (AP) — They lurk in bushes, camp out in cars and hover in helicopters. Some are brazen enough to openly brandish their cameras, like old Western gunslingers.

They may be hated, but their work — candid pictures of celebs in unguarded moments — is coveted. They are the paparazzi, purveyors of pix that are the lifeblood of the weekly star-tracking mags and tabs. Their photos demand huge sums of money and are circulated worldwide. And as the public hunger for such glossy grist has grown they've become ever more relentless and ruthless. But starting Jan. 1, there'll be some new reins on the paparazzi parade.

That's when a new California law goes into effect that increases penalties against overly aggressive photographers — dubbed "stalkerazzi" — who forcefully thrust their cameras into famous faces or crash their car into a celebrity's vehicle. They'll now be liable for three times the damages they inflict, plus lose any payments their published photos might earn. Publishers can also be held liable.

Read the rest of the article on the USA TODAY WEBSITE.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!!

Strike Shuts Down NYC Transit System

It's official. Everyone goes nowhere!

Check the MTA website for contingency plans. Here's the link... MTA.

Due to a labor action by the Transport Workers Union, there is no MTA bus or subway service in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. In response, the City has implemented its strike contingency plan. Residents who rely on MTA bus and subway service to get around the City are urged to make alternate travel arrangements and familiarize themselves with driving restrictions. Traffic and roadway limitations, including HOV and commercial vehicle restrictions, are in effect from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m., weekdays. Alternate side of the street parking is suspended. NYC public schools will open two hours late and buses will be running on a two-hour delay.

Warrant issued for paparazzi

Man allegedly struck a 5-year-old while trying to photograph Reese Witherspoon
Associated Press


FULLERTON, Calif. -- An arrest warrant has been issued for a photographer who allegedly struck a 5-year-old child with his camera while trying to take pictures of Reese Witherspoon and her children at an amusement park.

An Orange County judge issued the warrant Friday after Todd Kevin Wallace, 44, failed to show up for a bail hearing.

Wallace had been free on his own recognizance while awaiting trial on six misdemeanor charges stemming from the Sept. 2 incident at Disney's California Adventure.

He allegedly became angry when Witherspoon and friends declined to be photographed and cursed them. Witherspoon's group was at the amusement park for a birthday party for her 6-year-old daughter.

Police said Wallace took photos from afar, but once he got close to the group, he became aggressive and scared some of the people, including some children, who were in tears.

The city attorney's office requested the bail hearing after learning Wallace had been arrested Dec. 5 on an initial charge of stealing from an electronics store in the San Fernando Valley.

Wallace had posted $20,000 bail and was freed after the arrest pending arraignment on a felony charge of petty theft with a prior conviction, said Nancy Lidamore of the Los Angeles County district attorney's office.

The photographer served more than four years in prison after a 1993 conviction for second-degree burglary and receiving goods by fraud, according to state corrections records.

BENDOVA CASANOVA

Casanova Premiere
Lowes Lincoln Center

Well...this premiere great... huh? Anyone with me? I didn't think so...

The set-up was less than desirable. The first group of shooters were to the immediate left of the limo arrivals. It was a very small pen and everyone was stacked 2-3 deep. They had one movie poster set up on an easel, and it was too close. Most of the talent posed in front of the poster and then ran into the tented area where the second set of shooters waited. The problem with this was the second half of the first press area missed out on shots.

The second pit 'seemed' a little better, but I’m sure someone will let me know how things went in that pen.

Not to mention uncooperative security, PR and talent. Heath and Michele looking all around EXCEPT forward, Sienna in black head to toe, no Jude.

Great way to screw up YET ANOTHER Sunday.

Rick making faces in the backround of everyone's shots: Priceless.

THE ANTI-PAPARAZZI FLASH

The anti-paparazzi flash: 1. The celebrity prey. 2. The lurking photographer. 3. The offending camera is detected and then bombed with a beam of light. 4. Voila! A blurry image of nothing much.

The New York Times

If you have ever felt sorry for celebrities hounded by cameras as they go about their daily business - be that pumping gas or entering a flashy nightclub - you can rest easy. A group of researchers at Georgia Tech has designed what could become an effective celebrity protection device: an instrument that detects the presence of a digital camera's lens and then shoots light directly at the camera when a photographer tries to take a picture. The result? A blurry picture of a beam of light. Try selling that to Us Weekly.

The Georgia Tech team was initially inspired by the campus visit of a Hewlett Packard representative, who spoke about the company's efforts to design cameras that can be turned off by remote control. Gregory Abowd, an associate professor, recalls that after the talk, the team members thought, There's got to be a better way to do that, a way that doesn't require the cooperation of the camera. The key was recognizing that most digital cameras contain a "retroreflective" surface behind the lens; when a light shines on this surface, it sends the light back to its source. The Georgia Tech lab prototype uses a modified video camera to detect the presence of the retroreflector and a projector to shoot out a targeted three-inch beam of light at the offending camera.

HARD TO FOCUS ON JOLIE

ANGELINA JOLIE

FOCUS FOR CHANGE GALA
THE SUPPER CLUB
December 5, 2005

This may have been one of the smallest arrival areas ever. It rivals the Sony 19th Street Theater premieres on the side entrance.

One stanchion was set up, with a small backdrop. Only 3-4 people could fit in front (with everyone else stacked as high as you could go.) PR informed us that Jolie would not be arriving thru the main entrance. While scouting out the other options, she arrived out of nowhere and went into the hotel lobby next door.... now the fun begins.

Everyone breaks rank and chases her into the lobby. Their is an entrance to the Supper Club via the lobby, but Jolie and her security couldn’t find it right away. Now she is roaming the lobby, looking for this door, as more and more fans, paparazzi and gawkers assemble.

They find the door, but by this time a mini riot has ensued. Jolie didn't go right into the door, in fact, she kept going back and forth in front of the elevators...which in turned created more insanity. Some security guard went after Video Dave, Dennis lost his footing, someone towards the back of the pack got in a shouting match, and it looked like Diane fell down in the front of the pack.

Believe it or not, we almost pulled off a shot. But a lot of people got too greedy. Angelina yelled for everyone to step back (to give us a shot). But every time the pack pushed back, some sneaky bastard ran around the side to the front. This happened about 3-4 times before Jolie (and us for that matter) just gave up. Jolie ran into the door flanked by 3 security guards.

I apologize to whomever I elbowed while I tried to move the pack back. But I was consistently getting screwed with people jumping in my way that I had to take matters into my own hands. I have no regrets, but I hope no one was hurt.

HERE'S UPI's REPORT ON THE INCIDENT:

Paparazzi swarm Jolie in New York

NEW YORK, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Angelina Jolie's human rights benefit was marred by a flood of paparazzi who accosted the actress outside the New York venue.

Jolie was on her way into the benefit Monday night for WITNESS, an international human rights group, when she stopped to sign autographs for fans waiting outside, TMZ.com reported Tuesday.

She was immediately swarmed by photographers and even pushed one camera out of her face, the Web site said.

As the crowd grew more unruly, she pleaded without success, asking the paparazzi to "just back up." Finally, her security guards were able to dislodge her from the mayhem and escort her into a back entrance.

The actress made national headlines this week when it was revealed Brad Pitt had filed papers in Los Angeles seeking to adopt her two children.

...and here's a link to the VIDEO.

APE SH*T FOR KING KONG

KING KONG PREMIERE
LOWES E-WALK
December 5, 2005

This premiere had bad written all over it.

It looked good in theory… a long arrival area, with sprawling backdrops depicting scenes from the movie. Ah...alas they figured out a way to mess it up.

Unfortunately, they didn't provide a separate entrance for the riff-raff, so we had to constantly shoot around the masses. And on top of that, nobody’s littered the background throughout.

Not to mention the fact that were on top of the backdrops (too close) and we were jammed into our side of the barricades like a bunch of bananas..(get it...King Kong...hehe...never mind). Shooters went three deep in places and there was no room to move because the side of the tent was right behind us.