If you notice, since Britney started wearing clothes and behaving; Paris is out of town not bothering anybody anymore, thank God, and evidently, Lindsay Lohan has gone gay, we don't seem to have much of an issue.
-Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton, on his city's recently mitigated paparazzi problem
GOOD LUCK WITH THAT "Weary of the scrums of photographers chasing celebs at the airport, on the beach and through the streets, some Los Angeles-area leaders are contemplating tougher regulations against the people who make their living by catching celebrities off-guard."
We can't help but wonder why the paparazzi even bother following around Bruce Willis, as he has become incredibly uninteresting in the wake of Crazy Britney and Winehouse – but he seems to be stepping up his game lately by lashing out at photographers. Although he should probably use something other than water next time he gets angry. Otherwise it's just too predictable.
[Source]
One of the most annoying things about TMZ is that the Web site regularly posts the most insignificant and mundane videos of all time. Seriously, nobody cares to see Britney Spears' lawyer driving down the street for 30 seconds. But this video is one we did enjoy, thanks to John Mayer and his self-deprecating humor — and the fact that he makes fun of TMZ throughout the clip just makes it that much more watchable. CONTINUED »
• The latest D-list feud: Kim Kardashian vs. Shanna Moakler. Choose your side. [Yeeeah]
• Tila Tequila: "I'm shooting a commercial for safe sex. How ironic. Because I don't have that." [CityRag]
• Brooke Hogan claimed her dad was abusive, but now that she's mad at her mom she says she made it all up. Oooookay. [ICYDK]
• A fight broke out at Brad and Angelina's residence. [DListed]
• Mischa Barton was dropped by her agency. Wait, she had agents? [INO]
• This is quite possibly the ugliest dress we've seen in a while. [PS]
Brad Pitt’s loudmouthed attorneys at Lavely & Singer are, preemptively, trying to clamp down on a series of photos that “were surreptitiously taken of Mr. Pitt and his family as they engaged in familial activities on private property, namely, in the privacy of the estate in which they are presently residing in France and where they had a reasonable expectation of privacy.” Not content with issuing a cease and desist letter after the pictures’ publication, L&S want to make sure these photos never make it into the public eye. (Too late, as you’ll see.)
Supposedly, the publication of these photos — showing Pitt and wife Angelina Jolie with the kids — infringe not just on Pitt’s privacy rights in the State of California, but also in France!
Except, according to one understanding of the law, this is wrong. Oh, and also? In Touch already published the pics.
Heidi Montag, one of the only members of Young Hollywood brave — or foolish — enough to publicly support John McCain, is quickly inserting herself into the GOP. She and Spencer Pratt dined with (in the vicinity of) George Bush at this year’s White House Correspondents Dinner, and yesterday she grabbed lunch with McCain’s daughter Meghan, who runs that blog. They ate at The Ivy, a spot where many famous people go to avoid being photographed by the paparazzi. Except, egads, the paps found ‘em! And they were tres interested in what they were up to! Well, not so much Meghan, because they didn’t have a clue who she was.
It's no secret that the paparazzi are annoying, and last night the photogs finally got to Tobey Maguire. Spidey snapped, causing a scene much like Britney Spears circa 2007. We have a little more sympathy for him than, say, Lindsay Lohan, because, although his photog group is significantly smaller than that of LiLo's, he doesn't necessarily beg for all the attention.
Mel Gibson isn't the only person interested in Britney Spears' love life as of late: TMZ has been keeping tabs on the pop star and her secret rendezvous with a mystery man. Sadly, that mystery man is all too recognizable — it's Adnan Ghalib, former paparazzo and Spears hanger-on.
TMZ's "sources" have reported that over the last few months Adnan has been entering the gated community where Brit and father Jamie live, but no one can say exactly what's going on. But we can! Adnan missed the spotlight, Britney missed her enabler, and it was time for a special reunion. And yes, there are text messages involved.
We know they have been texting back and forth, at times complaining that Daddy Jamie is too 'controlling' by trying to put the kibosh on the relationship.
But here's the deal. Daddy Jamie's job is to be controlling — that's what a conservator does. And, sources tell us, Jamie's concern over his daughter seeing Adnan is not just his opinion — the doctors who are treating Brit have told him it would be a bad thing for Brit to hook up with the dude.
Well, duh. If any doctor in America were to recommend that Britney associate with Adnan, someone needs to look into revoking that medical license.
[Source]
Beach blanket belligerence!
A group of paparazzi and the Malibu surfers who attacked them last weekend – to protect the privacy of Matthew McConaughey, say the surfers – have taken to Web site comment boards to taunt and threaten one another with promises of future attacks. What began as just standard American race-bating has become promises of a photographer vs surfer beach rumble, set to go down this Saturday. Unfortunately, we don't think there's enough time between then and now to come up with a way to knock Southern California into the briny depths, so, if you're in the area, go and watch these idiots smash each other's hollow heads like so many tan jack-o'-lanterns. And take pictures!
After the jump, some of the really witty verbal jabs.
CONTINUED »
FUNNY, BECAUSE WE ALL CONSIDER MILEY TO BE THE NEXT TRAIN WRECK "Billy Ray Cyrus says his family considers famed Vanity Fair photographer Annie Leibovitz — who famously shot Miley semi-topless — to be a paparazzi."
Mary-Kate Olsen either had a little too much to drink last night or was blinded by the paparazzi lights while out in LA. Considering she should be used to the cameras by now, we're going to go with the first option.
• This is Christina Aguilera's idea of "mommy-daddy" time. [DListed]
• A member of the paparazzi has been arrested for stalking Jamie Lynn Spears. Um, isn't that his job? [ICYDK]
• "ABC breaks obvious, rude news." [QT]
• The Sex and the City women have competing Marie Claire covers. We smell yet another catfight. [PS]
• Pete Wentz says he felt "content" once he heard the heartbeat of Ashlee and Joe Simpson's unborn child. [Us]
Good morning to you! Jump start your day with this clip of squat TV Hero Hayden Pannettiere getting laid out by overeager photographers at LAX. Remember, don't try to get famous today.
Happy birthday to Shiloh Jolie-Pitt — may you have many more years full of tabloid covers and paparazzi stalkers.
Britney Spears returned to Los Angeles yesterday after having embarked on a vision quest to Costa Rica with crackpot holy man Mel Gibson. Immediately upon exiting the plane, the relaxed, invigorated Spears was greeted by bloodthirsty paparazzi screaming her name and calling her "baby," thereby erasing a week's worth of personal healing.
A boring but sad video after the jump.
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IT'S HARD OUT HERE FOR A PAP "A photographer for a Florida newspaper claims he was pummeled and robbed [Tuesday] night by R&B singer Chis Brown's bodyguards. … He claims when he snapped Chris Brown in an SUV, Brown's bodyguards chased him and forced him to the ground. One guard put his knee on [the photographer]'s jaw and took his $3,000 camera."
You can be sure it's a huge day in the TMZ newsroom: Britney and K-Fed are back in court today for their child custody hearing. And Brit even showed up, looking like she had bathed and put some effort into her clothing (no grease stains!). It's a huge turnaround after the last time she attempted to go to court with Sam Lutfi and Adnan Ghalib in tow; one thing that hasn't changed, however, is good ol' TMZ, who is streaming live outside the courthouse. It's fascinating, if you like staring at a horde of desperate photographers and random cars.
Editor
