Photo courtesy of: rollingstone.com
Most of us are familiar with the paparrazi. Surely, we have seen online photos or videos of prominent people at special events or just going about their daily lives.
These visuals were recorded by the paparazzi. The paparazzi are freelance photographers whose work entails obtaining visual elements of public figures, such as celebrities, politicians, athletes, etc. Paparrazi has a long and intriguing history in our world.
History of Paparazzi
The term paparazzi derives from the character, Paparazzo in the 1960 film titled, "La Dolce Vita," which was directed by Federico Fellini. In the movie, Paparazzo was a photographer who was willing to acquire impecable images by any means necessary.
Photo courtesy of: imdb.com
The paparazzi was first established in Rome during the 1950s, when photographers began snapping random photos of actors and actresses. There were even instances when paparazzi went so far as to follow stars back to their private residences, which sometimes resulted in them either being threatened or physically assaulted by celebrities.
Photo courtesy of: anothermag.com
However, media agencies enticed paparazzi to provoke violent or scandalous reactions from celebrities, as it attracted larger audiences and consumers.
Arguments opposing Paparazzi
There are various arguments against paparazzi activity. Some people say that the paparazzi violates the privacy of celebrities, politicians, and other public figures.
Although they might be famous individuals, they are nevertheless entitled to go about their private lives without having to worry about being harassed by the paparrazi. Therefore, a fine line needs to be drawn their between professional and private lives.
Secondly, there have been occasions when paparrazi activity has caused fatal repercussions. For example, in the infamous death of Princess Diana in 1997, she was killed in a car accident as the paparazzi were trailing her in their vehicles.
Photo courtesy of: nytimes.com
Although opposing sides have attributed her death to the fact that her chauffeur was inebriated at the time of the crash, many are still convinced that the paparazzi chasing her down ultimately caused her demise.
Arguments in favor of the Paparazzi
In contrast to the opposing arguments, there are others who support paparazzi. First of all, the Freedom of the Press clause under the first amendment protects the rights of the press to obtain newsworthy information.
If the paparazzi deem certain activities involving public figures as newsworthy, then they have a right to capture them through photos or videos. Secondly, people in the limelight are expected to know that the paparazzi comes with the territory of being famous.
The amount of privacy they receive is less than that of private citizens because their titles and/or positions automatically make them subjects of public interest. It relates to the principle of educating one's self on a specific profession and all the elements that comes with it before agreeing to pursue the position.
Third, being a paparazzo at one point was a useful way to accumulate wealth. Paparrazi who gathered captivating footage of public figures could earn thousands or even millions of dollars depending on the publishing agency they submitted them to.
Photo courtesy of: bbc.com
Lastly, paparazzi are helpful in ensuring that public figures are living up to society's moral codes. A lot of us idolize celebrities, athletes, politicians and religious leaders based on their public personas.
While it may be easy to form opinions of people solely based on how they come across on television or online, we do not necessarily know their true character off camera. By that standard, paparazzi is beneficial in capturing public figures in their personal lives, as it provides us with a more accurate assessment of how they truly are.
From there, we can then determine whether they are decent role models.
Actions taken to combat paparazzi
There are circumstances when paparazzi can and cannot obtain visuals, such as at a crime scene, inside public restrooms, or when they are infringing upon the rights of others. California has implemented strict laws against the paparazzi.
For example, former Governor Arnold Schwarznegger signed a privacy law ordering the paparazzi not to violate the privacy of others. If caught in violation of the law, they could be fined thousands of dollars.
My commentary
I have moderate views on the paparazzi. On one hand, I think it is cool to explore the lives of my favorite public figures and see what they do on their spare time.
Since I also intend to become a public figure someday, I know that I am going to have to get used to the paparazzi following me around. I don't think I'll mind up to a certain point, and I will just smile, wave and possibly strike up a brief conversation if I have the time.
On the contrary, their constantly following me around will most likely get on my nerves after a while. As much as I am a people's person and I love people, there are moments when I just like to be to myself.
If they happen to catch me during one of those moments, I will probably be like, "God bless ya'll, but leave me alone."
Plus, I remember reading a 2007 article of when Reese Witherspoon got annoyed with the paparazzi following her and her children around while they were out shopping. I do not blame her for reacting the way she did because she and her kids just wanted their privacy. It also looked as though her young children were overwhelmed by the paparazzi, which made me feel badly for them.
Photo courtesy of: zimbio.com
Now, I thought I would end my blog post on a lighter note. Studying this topic made me think of my favorite song by Josephine called, 15 Minutes of Fame. I think this song conveys the best way to handle the paparazzi when we can't seem to get rid of them.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIL1cYvmKQg
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