In the year 2004, a movie called Paparazzi was released. Cole Hauser played a good looking and popular celebrity with a wife and a young child. This movie portrayed a harassed and stressed man who only wanted to be an actor and be left alone in his private life.
The paparazzi that harassed him created lies about his wife popping pills while he was having an affair, when in reality he was faithful and the wife was taking legitimate pain pills.
this movie is reality for some. Im not going to give away the ending, but after something tragic happens to his wife and child caused by the paparazzi following them, the celbrity takes serious actions. Its a realistic portrayal of what people in the lime light go through every day.

Photographers gone wrong

"The worldwide obsession with celebrities spawns on of the most fascinating and feared by-products of pop-culture...paparazzi." The opening line of an article written facing the epidemic of dangerous pictures.

http://people.howstuffworks.com/paparazzi.htm

This article is based on our cultures "voracious hunger for celebrity snap shots."

Exploring the hunt of the common paparazzi as well as the legal implications of public vs. private places. The more intrusive they are, the more money they will receive for their immoral photographs.

Paparazzi have even begun employing private detectives, some even have a network of modified stalkers or informers who site celebrities and are given compensation for tipping off the paparazzi. These informants can work in popular restaurants or salons, leading to mistrust and loss of business. Also, paparazzi are said to work along side autographers, a new breed of stalkers that ask for an autograph and sell it on eBay for money.

Tactics are also getting more extreme. Paparazzi have been known to rent helicopters or station themselves on rooftops to get a good shot, and if the event is held indoors, they will stage fake fire alarms or bomb threats. The methods being put into action are extremely illegal but these people are rewarded with big checks and front page pictures.

The article gives examples of crossing the line of legal vs. illegal
Intentional car accident with Catherine Zeta Jones to force her out of her vehicle.
Sean Penn has repeatedly been provoked for being known for his short temper and limited patience.
Susan Sarandon found a paparazzi camp stationed on her private property.

These are just a few examples of serious invasions of privacy.

Many celebrities are attempting to be proactive and release photos to the media before the paparazzi have the chance. Russel Crow and Heidi Klum have both practiced this action.

Celebrities should not have their privacy forced out of them, but it all comes with the job.

Too Far

The following link is to a website that has a Q&A with Ken Sunshine, a hollywood publicist, about the negative impact paparazzi have on celebrity lives.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/05/09/sunshine.access/index.html

Ken Sunshine makes valid points with the difference between celebrities who put themselves out there and those who are just trying to live everyday lives.

Calling the Paparazzi "Stalkerazzi" clearly states his point of view on what these people call a full time job. They are dangerous and pose a threat to the celebrities they chase and the innocent people around them. In high speed car chases, anyone on the road is at risk.

Paparazzi can invade privacy to an extreme, even by photographing innocent children. Ken Sunshine thinks that this is going too far.

Q&A

When asked to interview a professional about either being the paparazzi or being effected by the paparazzi, no one came to mind. However, since my interests are in the feild of public relations, and publicity from photographs are a big part of PR, I decided to talk to a Public Relations professional about positive and negative effects of the paparazzi on celebrities and how it effects the public's view of both parties.

Denise, a professional in the Public Relations feild, was gracious enough to grant me this Q&A

Q: Do the paparazzi play a big role in celebrities fame? How?

A: The saying all publicity is good publicity is true in this case. The more a celebrity's picture is wanted, the more a publication will pay. If you are in the public eye, and wish to stay there, in general a person must preform dramatic, attention grabbing, charitable, or even borderline crazy actions. Take Britney Spears for example, her actions are the only thing keeping her in the public eye.

Q: In todays society where lines are crossed every day, do you think the paparazzi take it to far at times?

A: When privacy is stripped from a person, that seems to cross a line. Being unable to walk your dog, or take out the trash without looking over your shoulder seems un necessary. However people enjoy knowing that celebrities are human. The only line a paparazzi crosses at times is the legal line, where they have tresspassed onto private property or attained a picture that was not taken from plain sight in a public venue.

Q: As a PR professional, do you find paparazzi to be a hassle or a help?

A: In general, paparazzi pictures focus on mug shots, underage drinking, or the all too famous cellulite shots. These pictures will not destroy a career but is ultimately embarrassing for the celebrity. Whether I think it helps? It depends on the severity or the picture.

Thank you Denise for you professional point of view.

Paparazzi Overview

Celebrity gossip magazines are a facinating trend. People all over the world can't get enough of celebrities failed marriages, difficult break ups, pregnancies, and weight issues. The people that are supporting these obsessions with celebrities are the paparazzi. Privacy is no longer an option for the stars of Hollywood, paparazzi will do whatever it takes to get the picture that will sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some cross the line of personal space while others will break the law with high speed car chases or trespassing on private property.

The following article http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9709/01/diana.paparazzi/index.html was written back in 1997 after the death of Princess Diana. Debates on whether the death of the Princess was due to being chased by photographers is still up in the air, but ten years later the issue of paparazzi has not improved. Sylvester Stalone has said the paparazzi are "stalkers, legalized stalkers."

There are two types of photographers, those who are hired by a publication to take specific pictures for real news material, and those who take their own pictures and auction them off for the highest price. The uncontrolled photographers are the most dangerous. But as long as people keep buying the US Weekly's and Okay Magazine's, the business of inappropriate photography will continue to strive.