My brush with the Paparazzi

One of my goals in coming to LA was to see paparazzi in action, I’m intrigued by them and their business.  When I moved here I thought I’d see them everywhere, just lurking.  Contrary to popular opinion they’re not.  Much to my disgust.  We’d go to cool restaurants, I was shopping at the right supermarkets but it took me ages to see a pap in action.

You see, a lot of the time they’re hiding somewhere and you might not know they’re around.  We even had paps up the road from us when we first moved in and I didn’t see them.

But I’m more tuned in now.  The other week I was showing a guest around The Grove and we saw two guys working together trying to pap someone.  We watched them in action for a while but couldn’t see who they were following.  A big part of my problem is that I don’t recognise people unless they’re George. Or Leo. Or JLo.  Or Joan Collins!

I’ve had a few brushes with paps now.  All at my favourite restaurant in fact.  The first time was Golden Globes weekend which I wrote about.  It was so exciting; I was beside myself as the flashes went off all night.

On one of our subsequent visits to this same restaurant I hopped out of the car as usual and there were two paps waiting.  One of them came up to me saying like I looked like one of the past winners (or runners-up) on The Voice or American Idol.  I was this close to being papped (a bee’s dick!) for real.

Fast forward to last Saturday night and there were more paps here again–more than Golden Globes weekend for Joshua Jackson and Diane Kruger.  Inside JLo and Mary J Blige were having dinner.  I was seeing off a friend visiting from Australia and as we walked outside there they all were.  So I thought I’d pose for the cameras, take it all in and enjoy it.  I’ve got pics here on my Facebook page.  It was so fun I tried it five times.  I got to try out my pap reactions a number of different times:

1. a look of surprise, oh are you here to see me?
2. acknowledge, be cool, wave hello, keep walking
3. a different angle
4. the hand over the face, please don’t pap me look
5. you really should pap me because I’m incredibly famous in Australia you know.  I’m on Neighbours.

You got to have a bit of fun don’t you?  In fact I should have offered JLo my services in entertaining them for her while she escaped.  I sort of did.  As she was leaving via a back door I shook her hand to thank her for all the paps I got to see in action–the most I’ve ever seen in one night.  Poor JLo didn’t know what hit her.

It turns out our driver helped with the deflection–to make out he was JLo’s driver and I was JLo for the second time that night.  There weren’t as many there when we left so there might’ve been a tip-off that she wasn’t coming out the front door.

The next night we were at our favourite local Deli having home-cooked roasts and Jon Voight was there having dinner.  It’s not the first time we’ve seen him there, he’s a bit of a regular.  But alas no paps for him.  I don’t suppose he sells mags.

It got me thinking: what gets pap out to catch “that” shot.  Rather who.  It has to be someone that magazine editors will buy because that’s how they make their money.  I’ve even seen paps at our local getting pics of Gene Simmons so what makes him more pap-worthy than the extremely talented Jon Voight?

I was hoping to get some insights from someone who works in the industry but sadly I don’t have anything to share.  If I find out more I’ll be sure to update and share it with you.

Meanwhile I’ll keep my eyes peeled for the paps and keep reporting back on what I see.  When Harry moves in down the road I dare say we’ll see a few around our street so that’ll be fun.  Wouldn’t it be great to go out with one for the day and document their day?  There’s an idea.  I’ll get to work on that for you dear readers!

Meanwhile … enjoy your week.  The weather here in LA is divine as Spring is in the air and feeling generally warmer.  Always puts a Spring in my step. LOL.

Keep smiling.

xx It Started in LA xx