Cops: No Shutterbugs Involved in Madonna Mishap

Was Madonna just horsing around?

Despite her rep's claim that a pesky paparazzo was to blame for Madonna's weekend fall from a horse in the Hamptons, the officers who responded to the scene said the Material One made no mention of any shutterbug involvement.

"She was a victim of a fall from a horse. We have no mention of the paparazzi," Officer Chris Brenner, a spokesman for the Southampton Village Police Department, tells E! News. "We got a call that the subject fell off the horse and treated it as an aided case.

The call came in at 4:24 p.m. Saturday and, per standard operating procedure, Southampton's finest showed up to assist emergency medical personnel.

"Above complainant was a victim of fall from horse. Unknown injury. Bridgehampton Fire Department/ambulance responded and transported to Southampton Hospital," said Brenner, quoting the police report.

That directly contradicts the statement to E! News from longtime Madonna spinmeister Liz Rosenberg, who said a photographer "jumped out of the bushes to photograph the singer," spooking the horse and causing the spill.

Madonna was treated for "minor injuries and bruises" at the hospital and released later Saturday, the publicist added.

Rosenberg did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment on the contradiction between her account and the official record.

Also begging to differ with Rosenberg is the freelance photographer who was snapping the scene. Thomas Hinton told the New York Daily News, "I arrived more than 10 minutes after she fell, and I was shooting from the street," he said. "I don't know what [her rep] is talking about."

And according to the New York Post, which published exclusive photos of the immediate aftermath, the 50-year-old Madonna was jumping hurdles prior to the fall.

Perhaps Rosenberg was just trying to cover for Madonna's questionable equestrian skills. After all, the entertainer fell from her mount on her 47th birthday in 2005 and wound up breaking her collarbone, cracking three ribs and fracturing her wrist—and nary a photog in sight.

Sigma introduces the APO 200-500mm F2.8 lens

Sigma introduces the new APO 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG super telezoom lens for Nikon. The lens has already been available for Canon. Though a weapon permit is not required, it could easily become a lethal weapon in the hands of over-anxious paparazzi. Even more impressive is the lens' specification, it covers the 200 to 500mm range and maintains its fast F2.8 aperture. The length of the lens is 726mm, the diameter is 236.5mm and the weight is 15.7 kg. The lens will be available next week and sells for about 90. Per kilogram that is...

The original Sigma APO 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG press release

The world's first Ultra-Telephoto Zoom Lens that offers a fast aperture of F2.8 at 500mm Focal length

The APO 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG is the world's first Ultra-Telephoto Zoom Lens that offers a fast aperture of F2.8 at 500mm focal length. It covers the widely used 200 to 500mm focal length range, and maintains its fast F2.8 aperture over the entire zoom range. Four SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements provide excellent correction for all types of aberrations and produce a high level of optical performance throughout the entire zoom range.

Shooting distance and focal length can be viewed on the lens' LCD panel, which is an additional convenience for the photographer.

A filter can be inserted towards the rear of the lens, and a Circular polarizing filter can be used with its ingenious rotation mechanism.

A dedicated APO TELE CONVERTER 2x EX DG II is supplied as a standard accessory with the APO 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG.

Its exclusive design minimises image degradation usually associated with teleconverters. When this dedicated teleconverter is used with the APO 200-500mm F2.8 EX DG lens, it becomes a large aperture 400-1000mm F5.6 AF Ultra-Telephoto Zoom lens.

Suri Cruise’s Birthday Party Crashed by The Paparazzi

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes were forced to call the cops last night — after the paparazzi crashed their daughter Suri’s third birthday party.

Cruise, 46, called the Beverly Hills police around 3:00 PM yesterday to complain about the airborne snappers, who were in a helicopter overhead. The LAPD did flyby, but the helicopter was gone by the time they arrived.

Britney Spears' Trespasser Was Playing Paparazzi

Miranda Tozier-Robbins, the woman arrested on Thursday after allegedly peeping in the windows of singer Britney Spears' Calabasas, California, home, tells the Associated Press that she was attempting to make a paparazzi documentary.

Tozier-Robbins, a former American Idol hopeful who sang Spears' "Everytime" during her audition, was wearing camouflage fatigues and carrying a backpack and a camera at the time of her alleged trespassing incident.

The Fitchburg, Massachusetts native, 26, says that she wanted to document the efforts that paparazzi go through to obtain their photos, and picked Spears as her target because it "might as well be someone I'm interested in."

She goes on to claim that she didn't expect the "Womanizer" songstress to be home at the time—and it's believed that she wasn't—but if she had snapped photos of Spears she would have sold them.

Tozier-Robbins is due in court on June 16 to face trespassing and disorderly conduct charges.

The PAPARAZZI Reform Initiative

http://www.paparazzi-reform.org/

Mission Statement

A safer environment for the public and the restoration of the right to privacy and a more hospitable environment worldwide for celebrities (artists, sports figures and corporate leaders) and others in the spotlight through education, legal action, lobbying and other effective methods.

Kanye West's Arraignment In Paparazzi Case Delayed

Lawyers for Kanye West and his road manager will have another month to prepare for the rapper's arraignment on misdemeanor assault charges after a Los Angeles judge granted a delay in the case. During a hearing on Monday, West's attorney, Blair Berk, obtained a delay in entering a plea in the case until May 20, according to The Associated Press.

West was charged with misdemeanor counts of vandalism, battery and grand theft stemming from the September 11, 2008, incident at Los Angeles International Airport, in which video shot by TMZ appears to show both West and road manager Don "Don C." Crowley grabbing TMZ employees' cameras and throwing them. In video posted on TMZ, West is shown smashing a photographer's flash on the ground. Crowley has been charged with two counts of vandalism, two counts of grand theft and two counts of battery. If convicted on all counts, West could face up to two years and six months in jail, while Crowley could face up to five years in jail.

Both men were free to go without bond until the next court date because they do not have prior criminal records and promised to appear for their arraignments, according to TMZ. West was not required to appear in court for Monday's hearing.

West's lawyer reportedly told a court commissioner that Monday was the first time she had been allowed to review the police report and that she is waiting for prosecutors to turn over any additional evidence they have.

Tom Brady And Gisele Bundchen's Bodyguards Fire Guns At Paparazzi!!!!

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen's armed bodyguards opened fire on paparazzi at the couple's nuptials in Costa Rica, blasting out the windows of a pho tographer's SUV, and just missing the shaken lensmen, the fotogs said yesterday.

Just moments after they talked their way out of an argument with Brady's irate buddies and hired goons, a bul let smashed through the rear window of the SUV and then through the front windshield, just missing the heads of the two fleeing photo journalists on Saturday night, they said.

"Thank God I'm all right. At that moment, I thought I was going to die," lensman Rolando Aviles told The Post.

"The bullet went between us, missing our heads," Aviles said. "If the bullet been a little more to the left or right, it would have killed one of us.

"I said, 'They're going to kill us,' and that's when I hunched down to cover myself."

"When the glass broke, that's when my friend started driving really fast."

Aviles said he and colleague Yuri Cortez, both veteran photographers hired by the INF photo agency, had permission from Gisele's neighbor in Santa Teresa to shoot the wedding ceremony from a vista about 300 feet away from the ceremony.

Brady and Gisele were married in Los Angeles County in February, and were renewing their vows on Saturday. Just as the photographers started snapping, the couple's bodyguards spotted them and chased them, according to Aviles.

The pair ran back to Cortez's Suzuki SUV, parked about 500 feet away in dense brush.

They split up as they ran away, and by the time Aviles said he reached the SUV, his colleague was already there speaking to a Brady bodyguard.

Aviles quoted the guard as saying, "Tom Brady just wants to talk to you. It's OK, nothing's going to happen.

But when the photographers accepted the guard's invitation back to Gisele's house, they were swarmed by three members of the wedding party and five hired goons dressed all in black.

The New England Patriot quarterback's best man berated the photographers and wanted to provoke a brawl, the lensmen said.

"Take a picture of me now, you f- - -er! F- - - you," Brady's righthand man, whose name was not immediately known, screamed, according to Aviles.

"He was very angry. It looked like he wanted to attack us," Aviles said. The photographers lied their way out of the tight spot -- saying they hadn't taken a single frame.

The QB's reps said Gisele had an exclusive picture deal with a Brazilian magazine.

As the lensman drove away, Aviles said he spotted one of Brady's men pull a pistol.

Seconds later, a bullet shattered the back of Cortez's SUV, struck a front windshield wiper and then bounced back into the cabin, landing in between the terrified shutterbugs.

"I thought this was going to be my last job," Aviles said.

The fotogs said they found a .38-caliber slug in their SUV's front cabin.

Both cameramen were still in disbelief yesterday that they almost died for snapping wedding photographs.

"I couldn't believe it when I realized what they had done," Cortez told the photo agency's Web site, INF Daily.

"I could have lost my life for the sale of some pictures that Gisele didn't want published. Are they insane?"

Reps for Brady and Bundchen did not immediately return calls for comment.

Motorcyclists come to the rescue of Lindsay Lohan

Before recent reports started burning through the gossip world, not many would mention bikers and Lindsay Lohan in the same sentence, but it appears a group of motorcycle enthusiasts recently came to the starlets rescue.

According to various news sources, the actress and her entourage were calling it an early night after being denied entry into the popular Hollywood nightclub Villa when they were suddenly surrounded by a swarm of photographers. After catching sight of a group of bikers, Lohan's bodyguard called them over to help with the paparazzi.

The more colorful reports of the incident are describing the riders as 'a gang of leather-clad motorcyclists' and a 'biker gang'. Regardless, the motorcycle enthusiasts intimidated the paparazzi enough for the frightened photographers to call the police.

However, when the police arrived at the scene, no arrests were made.

"There's not much I can do about the fact that I've become a kind of obsession,' Lindsay Lohan told reporters afterwards, "I can't change that. And yes, all of that stuff has hurt my career, but I really don't feel like I should have to prove myself to anyone because of living out my college years in the public eye. I'm glad everything happened the way it did."

Photographers' access limited to Obama-Leno taping

President Barack Obama is hoping to use comedian Jay Leno's late-night show to add a light touch to his work getting the economy on track. But news photographers who cover the White House aren't laughing.

The pool of media that accompanies the president wherever he goes won't be allowed into the NBC studio during Thursday's taping of that night's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." That pool of about 14 journalists, made up of print and radio reporters, one TV camera crew and a few still photographers, will instead be held in a separate room where a live feed from the studio will be shown.

NBC has said its set is too small to accommodate the photographers and it will release a photo of its own afterward for the media to use.

The White House compromised Wednesday evening, saying photographers would be allowed to take pictures during a commercial break.

Photographers argued for the right to independently document the taping, a rare -- and perhaps unprecedented -- appearance by a sitting president on a late-night comedy show and an event billed primarily as a news event, not entertainment.

The three news agencies with photographers in the pool, The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse, have in the past refused to distribute some White House-provided photos of Obama.

Kanye West Charged with Three Misdemeanors in Paparazzi Scuffle

This may be one rap he can't beat.

Kanye West has been formally charged with three misdemeanors stemming from a scuffle with paparazzi at Los Angeles International Airport on Sept. 11.

West, 31, was charged with misdemeanor vandalism, battery and grand theft, the L.A. City Attorney's office announced in a statement Wednesday. West's road manager, Don Crawley, 33, has been charged with the same counts, but two of each.

If convicted of all charges, West could face up to two years and six months in jail and Crawley could face up to five years in jail, according to the statement.

Six months ago, the pair was arrested at the airport while attempting to catch a flight to Honolulu. Video of the incident showed both men wresting a camera away from a photographer, and both smashing parts of it into the ground. Crawley also allegedly smashed a second photographer's camera. The incident resulted in minor injuries to one of the photographers, prosecutors say.

"I'm cool with the paparazzi," the rapper wrote on his blog the following day. "This guy wasn't cool. I gotta work now ... I'll rant later!"

On Nov. 14, West was arrested in Newcastle, England, after another run-in with a photographer, but West was released without charge.

West's lawyer, Blair Berk, wasn't immediately available for comment. A rep for Kanye West could not be reached. An arraignment is set for April 14.

Paparazzi Switch Focus from Britney to Bankers

Tabloids and TV shows best known for hounding Hollywood stars are turning their cameras to bankers and captains of industry, the New York Times reports.

Paparazzi now track corporate jets and snoop on lavish parties held by execs at bailed-out banks, tapping into a deep vein of public anger at the state of the economy and the billions of dollars spent bailing out corporate America.

Watchdog shows capturing corporate excess resonate strongly with viewers, producers say, and can even put pressure on Congress to demand accountability. After gossip site TMZ broke a story on Northern Trust—recipient of a $1.6 billion bailout—paying millions to put on corporate concerts, the bank received an angry letter from lawmakers and agreed to repay the costs.

Bad Girl Brit Lily Allen Beats Up the Paparazzi...Again!

British bad girl and occasional songstress Lily Allen beat a paparazzo to a pulp in London Thursday.

The "Smile" singer certainly wasn't sporting one when she opened the door of her London home to a barrage of photographers. As she attempted to get into her car, one photog shoved another into her car, enraging her and causing her to start cussing at the crowd, according to TMZ.

She got into her car and arrived at her recording studio only to find another gang of paparazzi waiting there to snap away. That's when she unleashed on them, allegedly throwing a water bottle at one.

But it didn't end there. She began to punch and kick another one of the camera-clad crew until security broke it up.

Allen has a history battling the paparazzi. She was arrested two years ago for attacking a photographer.

Jennifer Love Hewitt Pays Magazine $2.2 Million To Run Photos Of Her Baby

Jennifer Love Hewitt Pays Magazine $2.2 Million To Run Photos Of Her Baby

Chris Brown tips off paparazzi to show patch-up with Rihanna

Chris Brown was alleged to have tipped off the paparazzi to show his patch-up with R&B princess Rihanna.

The Umbrella girl had suffered a bloody nose, swollen lip and facial bruising in an alleged bust-up with beau Brown the night before the Grammy Awards on February 8.

The incident was said to have witnessed the couple going their own separate ways for a while.

However, the couple reunited in Miami last weekend to allegedly sort out things and spend time together at Sean “Diddy” Combs Miami Mansion.

And now, it has emerged that Brown may have been desperate to prove their reconciliation after allegedly tipping the news that they were heading out to the Setai together.

Everybody makes mistakes, Fox News quoted a source as saying, dropping hints that the two might officially be back together

Largest US camera store seeks bankruptcy protection

Ritz Camera, the largest dedicated camera retailer in the US has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company, which owns over 800 stores across the country, under a series of names, including Wolf Camera, has proposed a restructuring plan that will aim to see the chain continue in some form. As part of this, the company has applied to the bankruptcy court for permission to continue to honor its customer loyalty and rebate schemes.

In an affidavit to the court Marc Weinsweig, appointed as Chief Restructuring Officer and COO as part of the Chapter 11 process, describes his actions as being aimed at 'maintaining the day-to-day operations of the company's business with minimal disruption' in what he characterizes as 'daunting economic times.'

Court papers suggest that Ritz Cameras owes over $40 million to its two largest creditors: Nikon's US subsidiary Nikon Inc. and Canon USA, with a further $8.4 million owed to Fujifilm USA, a subsidiary of which owns around a third of the company. To put the $26.6 million owed to Nikon Inc. into perspective, it would represent somewhere in the region of 20% of Nikon Inc's expected annual operating income.

Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code provides companies with protection from their creditors while they attempt to restructure. However, US retailer Circuit City, which filed for bankruptcy protection in November 2008 announced the closure of all its stores and the liquidation of its assets on January 16th.

Officials: Pentagon OKs media photos of war dead

Defense and congressional officials say news organizations will be allowed to photograph the homecomings of America's war dead under a new Pentagon policy.

The officials say Defense Secretary Robert Gates has decided to allow photos of flag-draped caskets at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, if the families of casualties agree.

Gates planned to announce his decision later Thursday. The current ban was put in place by President George H.W. Bush.

Photographer Annie Leibovitz pawns her life's work for a £10m loan to pay her mortgage

Photographer Annie Leibovitz has borrowed £10million against some of her most famous pictures to pay the mortgages on all her homes.

The artist, 59, has become so concerned with her mounting debt, accumulated on properties she inherited in 2004 after the death of her lover Susan Sontag, she has turned to a company that lends money with fine art as collateral.

Documents seen by the New York Times reveal she secured the funds by giving the company, Art Capital, ownership of all her work - past and future - until the loan is repaid.

Victim of the credit crunch? Annie Leibovitz with her famous portrait of a pregnant Demi Moore

The images include those taken for the 1981 Rolling Stone front cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono shot on the day of Lennon's death, the photograph of a naked and pregnant Demi Moore, images of Michelle Obama for Vanity fair and of a semi-nude singer and actress Miley Cyrus taken for the same magazine.

Ian Peck, a co-owner of Art Capital, said Leibovitz was not alone in choosing to use her work to raise money at a time when share portfolios are plunging and homes have no equity left to borrow against.

One of Leibovitz's photographs for the Walt Disney Year of a Million Dreams campaign shows actress Scarlett Johansson, depicting Cinderella

'What's amazing is that individuals and institutions who previously we thought were untouchable are being deeply affected.

Leibovitz has shot Michelle Obama for this month's cover of U.S. Vogue magazine

'People who were truly enormous financially are now scrambling,' he said.

But he said many people found it very difficult to part with art work during times of hardship: 'It's akin to giving up your home, particularly for people who have built up collections over many years. People don't feel emotionally about stocks and bonds, but they certainly do over art.'

His company, dubbed an art pawn shop, issues loans of $500,000 (£350,000) or more at interest rates from 6 per cent to 16 per cent. Art becomes subject to sale if owners default.

The company has recently taken in - and put into secure and climate-controlled specialist art warehouses for safekeeping - pieces by Willem de Kooning, Mark Rothko, Andy Warhol, Henry Moore and Picasso.

Clients have also borrowed against vintage film posters, antique teddy bears and valuable scientific instruments.

Mr Peck said only about one in ten of the deals end in default: 'Our aim is to avoid defaulting at all costs. Given the trouble involved in a default, it's better karma and business not to.'

OSCARS 2009: Red carpet no-shows irk photogs

Among those less than enthused with the changes to this year's Oscarcast were the red carpet photographers.

There was much grumbling among the shutterbugs over the Academy's new policy of having some stars (Jennifer Aniston, Kristen Stewart, Katherine Heigl and Jessica Alba) enter through an off-camera back entrance. This way, their stylish couture was revealed for the first time when they came onstage to present or with key money shots during the telecast.

While this may have been an attempt to buck up the ratings, the photogs didn't see it as benefiting their finances.

"Magazines want photos from the red carpet -- the stars have spent hours getting ready and they're prepared to pose," said one. "We sell these photos all year. This is a disaster both for us and for the designers who want their dresses seen at the Oscars."

There were a few presenters on the red carpet who definitely expressed the feeling -- either verbally or with eye rolls -- that if they were coming to the Oscars, they were coming through the front door.

"We refused," said Phoebe Cates with husband Kevin Kline about going through the back entry. Sarah Jessica Parker laughed and said "We've been advised not to answer that question" when asked if she was nudged to skip the red carpet. And Miley Cyrus was clear she wanted to show off her gown.

"I didn't just walk into a store and just find this," said the young singer-thesp of her Zuhair Murad gown. "This is not a place to be toned down."

But even without some of the presenters, the scene on the carpet seemed active enough. Maybe down a bit from last year, but not by much.

"It a circus," said "The Reader" helmer Stephen Daldry, "but I like coming to a circus."

There were many facets to the fashion circus. Philip Seymour Hoffman wore a black wool watchman's cap. And Mickey Rourke was in a white suit, open at the collar with a picture of this recently deceased Chihuahua in a pendant around his neck.

Rourke noted that it's been 15 years since he's been invited to the Oscars. "You pay a price when you do things your way," said the best actor nominee.

And while the overwhelming feeling was joy at attending, Frank Marshall spoke for more than himself when he said: "I feel great but I'm glad we're at the end of the season."

Still, as in years past, being on the red carpet offered a consistent joy in show business -- relative unknowns relishing the recognition of an Oscar nomination.

"This is like a Cinderella story for me," said supporting nominee Taraji P. Henson. "Designers are throwing clothes and jewels at me -- it's an incredible ride."

Richard Jenkins who was nommed as actor for "The Visitor" said the experience "is amazing. And I'm eligible for Social Security next year."

"This is the epicenter of the glamour bomb," said thesp Michael Sheen, who was with the "Frost/Nixon" team. "When you're here, you know no other place on Earth is more glamorous."

Dev Patel, star of the multi-nominee "Slumdog Millionaire," still had his watch set to Bombay time. He said what he wanted most from Oscar night was a chance to meet Jim Carrey. "He's my idol," said the Indian thesp.

And on the less glamorous end of the film business, Irene Taylor Brodsky, whose docu on India's battle with polio "The Final Inch" copped a short documentary nod said: "This is the Holy Grail for documentary makers. This brings up a world of recognition we'd never get without the Oscars."

And then there's always Judd Apatow, who's more accustomed to big box office than awards accolades. Up for a short film nom, Apatow surveyed the scene and said, "I feel like a parasite on the back of the Oscar."

TMZ posts photo it claims is a beaten Rihanna

A photo that appears to be Rihanna's face with bruises, scratches and swelling from an attack allegedly at the hands of boyfriend Chris Brown was posted Thursday night by the celebrity Web site TMZ.

The close-up image shows a welt above each of the woman's eyebrows, marks on her cheek and around her lips, and general swelling. TMZ did not say how it obtained the photo, when it was taken or by whom.

Hours after the photo was posted, the Los Angeles Police Department launched an internal investigation and asked for the public's help in finding the person who leaked it. A police news release said the image "has the appearance" of one taken during a domestic violence investigation, and classified its release as a case of serious misconduct that could result in termination.

Asked earlier Thursday whether he could confirm the photo's origin, LAPD Officer Jason Lee said only that the department had not released images of the woman who accused Brown, and would not release evidence photos. A spokeswoman for the district attorney said all evidence related to the case was still with police.

Brown was arrested Feb. 8 and booked on suspicion of making felony criminal threats to a woman that authorities have not publicly identified. A person familiar with the situation, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the matter and requested anonymity, confirmed that the woman was Rihanna, whose real name is Robyn Fenty.

The person said some of the injuries shown in the photo - specifically the marks on the woman's forehead - were consistent with the injuries Rihanna sustained.

Prosecutors have asked police to provide more information before deciding what charges, if any, to pursue against Brown. Police have said the 19-year-old singer could face domestic violence charges if prosecutors think they are appropriate.

An Associated Press photo of Rihanna, taken before the party on the night of the incident, shows her with a tattoo of Roman numerals on her left shoulder; the TMZ photo shows the same numerals on the same shoulder. TMZ had previously used its site to debunk a manipulated image that depicted Rihanna with a black eye.

No public statement has been issued on behalf of Rihanna, who turns 21 on Friday. Email and telephone messages left late Thursday with representatives for both Brown and Rihanna were not immediately returned.

Brown released a statement on Sunday, which read in part, "Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired." The statement, which did not mention Rihanna, said Brown was consulting with loved ones, his mother and pastor.

Brown's arrest came roughly 18 hours after he and Rihanna left a pre-Grammy party honoring music mogul Clive Davis. According to police, Brown and a woman were involved in an altercation in a car traveling through the upscale Hancock Park neighborhood shortly after midnight. Police have said the woman had visible injuries, and that Brown was gone from the scene when they arrived.

The LAPD has just released this statement.

Roberts slams 'bloodthirsty' paparazzi

Julia Roberts has branded the paparazzi's practice of photographing celebrity children as a "bloodythirsty child hunt".

The actress, who has three young children with husband Danny Moder, has slammed star snappers for their desperation to catch famous kids on camera.

"I don't know what is going on...Honestly, I think it should be against the law to take a picture of a celebrity's child," she told Allure.

The Duplicity star added that she is "sickened" by online commentators who spend time discussing and comparing the appearance of celebrity offspring.

"I had to reinstate my faith in people when, one night, I was on the computer, and I ended up stumbling upon some pictures I had never seen of my children playing at a park," she explained.

"What upset me was all these comments like, 'One is cute; that other one sure is ugly.' Even commenting nicely, what are you doing critiquing a child? It sickened me. Fortunately, it's a rare occurrence for us."