Britney Spears is turning the tables on the league of paparazzi that haunt celebrities. Fed up with the increasingly aggressive tactics of the paparazzi who seem to dog her every step, the pop diva has started handing out weekly awards dubbed "Paparazzies" on her website Britneyspears.com. A clever play on the infamous Golden Raspberry Awards, or Razzies, awarded annually for the film industry's worst achievements, Spears' Paparazzies are aimed at calling attention to the most flagrant paparazzi excesses.
"Terrorizing Britney has unfortunately become a daily part of the paparazzi's lives," the site notes. "So we've decided to start calling these maniacs out each week." The first honor went to a photographer caught on video mooing Mary-Kate Olsen.
Like many celebrities, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have been relentlessly pursued by paparazzi, particularly since moving to New York City. Aggressive paparazzi are a constant source of anxiety. "Honestly, I'm a wreck," Ashley said. "Every time I see a camera, I'm a wreck." When surrounded by a mob of camera-flashing paparazzi, Ashley explained, "I don't tend to react as though 'I have to do this, it's my job.' I am reacting as a woman who is 5-foot-1 whose space is being invaded by a bunch of men whose aggression I can literally feel."
Overly-aggressive pursuit of celebrities can land paparazzi in jail. Supported by tough California laws, celebrities are fighting back against the invasion of their privacy. Under California law, paparazzi who abandon the ethical laws of journalism can be charged with felonies and misdemeanors, some of which can result in a jail sentence. Some examples of charges under California's paparazzi laws include:
- Criminal trespass, such as breaking into a celebrity's home, crashing a private party or taking telephoto pictures of a celebrity in his home.
- Assault, including using a camera as a "deadly weapon" to threaten a celebrity or putting a celebrity at risk by aggressively pursuing him in a vehicle.
- False imprisonment from interfering with a celebrity's freedom of movement.
- Stalking by repeatedly following and harassing a celebrity.
- Battery resulting from use of force or violence against a celebrity.
If you are charged with a paparazzi crime, do not attempt to talk your way out of the situation. Talking to law enforcement officers without first consulting an attorney is a mistake. Seek the immediate counsel of a skilled felony criminal defense attorney.
