Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner testified in front of the California State Assembly Judiciary Committee yesterday on behalf of a proposed anti-paparazzi bill. We heard a few months ago that Berry was reaching out to Garner for help on this issue. A video clip of each of them speaking is above. The bill is specifically designed to protect children and would subject anyone who “Seriously alarms, annoys, torments or terrorizes a child” to fines and jail time. There’s already an anti-paparazzi law on the books in California, a 2010 amendment to a previous anti-stalking law. The law makes it illegal to attempt “to capture, in a manner that is offensive to a reasonable person, any type of visual image, sound recording, or other physical impression of the plaintiff engaging in a personal or familial activity under circumstances in which the plaintiff had a reasonable expectation of privacy.” There’s more to it which you can read here (under section 1708.8).
It’s clear from the many incidents we’ve seen in California that the paparazzi don’t give a whit and/or that existing law isn’t being enforced. Hence this new bill designed to shield children. The bill passed and is now headed to the Appropriations Committee.
Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner appeared at the California State Capitol today to testify before the Assembly Judiciary Committee in support of a new bill that would modify the definition of harassment and, they believe, better protect their children.
Berry, 46, has a 5-year-old daughter, Nahla, with her ex-boyfriend Gabriel Aubry and is expecting her first child with her new husband, French actor Olivier Martinez. The Oscar-winning actress said that during a custody battle over Nahla in which Aubry blocked her from moving to France with Martinez, paparazzi baited the child with taunting questions.“‘How do you feel, Nahla? You may not see your father again. How do you feel about that?’” Berry said they would ask her child, adding that she had hoped to move to Europe to escape the constant media glare. “They say curse words and call me names, all trying to provoke some sort of response to sell a photograph.”
Naturally, her daughter is confused by the attention, and “doesn’t want to go to preschool anymore” because she’s always trailed, Berry said.
She’d ask, “‘Why did they say that to me, mommy? What does that mean? Who are these men and why are they following us?’” Berry said, before introducing fellow celeb mom Jennifer Garner. “We aren’t just whiny celebrities. … We’re moms who are just trying to protect our children.”Garner, who said that a threatening stalker once trailed her with a crowd of photographers and hid behind her daughter’s school, cried when discussing the treatment of her family.
“I chose a public life … [but] my three children are private citizens,” she said. “I love my kids. They’re beautiful and sweet and innocent, and I don’t want a gang of shouting, arguing, lawbreaking photographers who camp out everywhere we are all day every day to continue traumatizing my kids.”
After a lengthy debate, the bill passed.
“I hope this is a nice gift to you from this committee,” Bob Wieckowski, California State Assembly member and chairman of the committee that passed the bill, told Berry, acknowledging her birthday on Wednesday.
In the video clip from ABC News, above, Berry added that “We aren’t just whiny celebrities that many times people think we are. We’re moms here who are just trying to protect our children.” Garner said “The price paid for pictures of celebrity children is now absurdly high. They have a price placed on their heads every day. Being stalked has been hard for me but it’s beyond what a child should have to endure.”
I love how Halle Berry specifically referenced the “whiny celebrities” impression that many people have of her. Garner has spoken out against the paparazzi in the past, but only occasionally. She almost always plays along and she’s used the situation to her advantage definitely, but it’s clearly advanced beyond her control. Halle Berry has made it abundantly clear that she hates the paparazzi, although she’s not above staging photos when it suits her either. Whatever the case with these particular celebrities, it’s unacceptable for the paparazzi to harass or intimidate anyone, especially children. That’s outrageous that a photographer told little Nahla she wasn’t going to see her dad again. That’s just evil and unconscionable.
As Kaiser wrote in our past coverage on this, there’s a huge industry around celebrity parenting. People like Garner, Jessica Alba, and especially lower-echelon celebrities like various Real Housewives, Victoria’s Secret model moms and even LeAnn Rimes try to take advantage of it. The public wants to know how these celebrity moms manage their families and see how their kids are growing up. It shouldn’t be at the expense of their children’s well being by any means. This law may offer some much-needed protection for them.
I’ve said before that I have a friend who has worked with Jennifer Garner and they once had a conversation about the paps. Jennifer said that it got so much that she ended up making deals with the paps – “you get these shots, you don’t yell at my kids, and that’s it. Then you leave us alone” She said it was like giving in, but it’s a part of her life that’s always there, but it could be less obtrusive.
This is always how I’ve viewed Garner’s relationship with the paps. It makes sense that the easiest way to comfort your children if they are afraid is to play nice and not to react they way you may want to – if they sense anxiety or anger in the parent it could make it even worse. So if I were in her position and felt powerless to make them disappear completely, I’d be willing to make deals with them to make it less scary for the kids.
I agree, but I think it’s kind of sad that they have to play nice at all. If it were any other circumstance, where someone was following you, stalking you, harassing you, etc, they would be arrested. People hiding behind your child’s school to get photos? That’s terrifying, but the paparazzi seem to be so protected and can get away with it.
I’m no celebrity, so I can’t imagine dealing with all of that, but I’d hate to have to compromise and let them win by getting the photos of my kids. Glad the law passed.
I believe there are two types of celeb-pap partnerships.
Th Leann deal: where the celeb instigates and tips for publicity reasons
The Halle deal: Where you give them a pic session every 4 months so that they can quit being so aggressive for the rest of the time.
Glad this legislation past. I like reading about celebs but I dont want to be the cause of another persons pain.
I totally feel for them! Its easy for us to piss and moan as “regular folks” do when we’re judging them and whatnot! But they’re people too and I think that celebs that call the paps and court them so agressively are partly to blame for their entitlement as well!
Please Halle Berry tried to sell the first pics of her baby but no one was interested, she is no better than Leann Rimes just less obvious.
True. To be honest, I don’t need to see them grocery shopping. They even dress worse than I do in most cases.
wonder will this law apply to the celebrities who sell photos of their children? when the celebrity is on the red carpet with their children do the paps suppose to not shot them?
if the children aren’t in the biz, they should be left alone. if they’re an actor or on a reality show, s*** happens; can’t have it both ways
This is what I’ve always thought. The paps follow because there is money to be made. There is money to be made because the interest is there.
Do pap pics create more interest? Probably. But in the case of these actors and others, the initial interest wasn’t something they created by calling the paps, and it wasn’t going to go away without significant compromises to their lifestyle, like giving up the the ability to walk around freely in their neighbourhood of choice.
It’s their lives and they have a right to try to control what is shared, or try to manage the attention in a way that is beneficial to them.
If anyone thinks celebs, or wannabe celebs, are acting like ‘famehos’ or whatever, then don’t buy or use the pics, or give them attention.
I really hope this bill passes. I realise it’s not the most important thing in the world because not many people.are stalked by paps, but I look forward to the day when children’s feelings are respected and they’re not allowed to be abused, stalked, or exploited by anyone.
Where are the tears when she marches those kids around town so ske can be papd with them? Where was the concern when she and Ben were campaigning for his little statue? And didnt she desperately need the paps to help her convince us that Ben was not a gambling addict chasing anything in a Hooters t-shirt? With her career held hostage in a minivan diesnt she need a reason to shill crap to soccer moms? Doesnt everyone know that Matt Damon is very political, Clooney is political and Affleck is flirting with the idea of running – sponsoring a bit of legislation fits right in. I am so over this. This doesnt benefit the average American mom she is supposed to identify with. What about a fair living wage or wage equality based on gender? Puh-lease.
There’s no doubt in my mind that she calls them, though. If we never saw pictures of her with her kids we would never see or hear from her.
I think it’s easy to think that every celeb must call the paparazzi on themselves, but I don’t buy that Jennifer does it all that much. If you pay attention to her photos, there’s a routine to them. It would be easy enough for photographers to sit on her house for a couple days and have that routine down pat.
Annabelle: Do you remember Ben & Jennifer’s Oscar campaign and how many pics we had of them daily – everywhere, not just doing their routine?!? Maybe that was more Ben than Jennifer but she obviously went along with it, which is why I’m sort of rolling my eyes about her testifying. She can’t have it both ways.
But Kudos to Halle for getting Jennifer on her side because I have sympathy for Jennifer but none for Halle.
No way. There are places she goes (like the Natural History museum) where there are just not going to be papps and she and her kids get photographed. I don’t believe for a moment that she doesn’t call them.
Ben totally used the paps to his advantage during his neverending Oscar campaign, though. Took the girls to a cake baking class, out with the baby, etc etc– anything to make him look like Mr. Family Man and not the drunk alcoholic he is.
There is a difference between being photographed with your kids, even courting a bit of publicity, and having your kids screamed at, insulted, and harassed. Like the one pap who called Suri Cruise a “little bitch.” This legislation is not to prevent paps from taking pics of the kids, but making it illegal to harass and torment a child.
@paranormalgirl So, is it illegal for parents to yell and curse at their own kids? Because that happens every day in this country. It will never be “illegal” to scream at a kid.
ALG, this is harassment and stalking of children, plain and simple. It should be clear cut with our existing laws, but for some reason, paps get a free pass to harass and stalk.
ALG- yes, it’s illegal to abuse one’s own children as well. But seriously, do you see no difference between me scolding my child and a random stranger scolding my child? Even if we use the exact same words- and I’d never curse at my child- you must admit that I have the right and the stranger does not
Not really wanting to defend paps here, but it wasn’t a paparazzo who called her the name. It was a guy trying to get an autograph.
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/suri-cruise-7-called-a-little-brat-by-autograph-seeker-while-out-with-mom-katie-holmes-2013127
see comment below. Didn’t mean to reply to this thread only.
I think it’s disingenuous to assume that Jennifer Garner calls the paps simply because she is photographed at places that are out of normal routine for the kids. In his recent comments, Matt Damon said expressly that the paparazzi are actually camped out at the gates to the Affleck/now Damon community every morning, waiting for Jennifer to come out with the kids. It doesn’t take much imagination to see that they follow her vehicle wherever she goes for the day and get pictures of her out and about. Living in LA, I’ve witnessed firsthand the paparazzi chase down someone in a pack of cars and motorcycles.
I only wish everyone could see paps operate in person. You you might feel differently- not only do they have complete disregard for their targets- but for the public who happen to be in their way. They drive in and out of traffic chasing these celebs- they run into the streets to get their shots and scream all sorts of things to get a reaction. It is SHOCKING this happens particularly around kids. We need tougher laws like they have in Europe.
The argument that celebs need to alter their daily routines and where they shop to merely avoid their children being harassed and yelled at shocks me, as a mother.
It’s akin to blaming a woman for being raped because of what she is wearing.
“well she asked for it”. When kids are around- what they do AND HOW THEY DO IT is NEVER acceptable.
I am glad they passed the bill but can only hope it will be enforced.
They once showed a video from the star’s perspective and that gang of or small pack of paps coming after them. It was horrible and they are much closer than you realize and yelling out.
Both these women stage photo ops. If they didn’t use pap photos for their personal gain, I could get behind this. But c’mon.
I agree, I would have more sympathy if they didn’t use the paps at all.
Yep, I agree. If this was Meryl Streep or Jodie Foster, it’d be more believable. Paps are often rude and outraegous and I’m all for better laws, but when you call them and use them you just can’t complain. I can’t take Berry and Garner serious.
I agree with all you ladies that these two at times call the papas when it’s beneficial to them. Now if this was Angelina I would believe her. Also Angie and Brad are more popular than Halle and Jen combined; why is it that they are not paped as much? Seriously why would anyone care about Jen Garner, she’s no great actress. She just married a good director and ok actor. Halle; please don’t get me started on her.
One thing I can say when their fame dies down and no one is checking for them, they will be begging to be notice.
I’m not sure Brad and Angie are a fair comparison. They move all over the world and don’t have a home base for more than a few months at a time. They also take a lot of measures to ensure privacy that most people don’t have the time or money to do. Certainly the Afflecks don’t have as much money as the Jolie-Pitts.
Because the Afflecks live in LA year ’round, they probably don’t have to call the paps at all. I’m quite sure the paps know their routine and have tipsters to let them know when the routine deviates which is why we get pics of them at places like the museum. Did Ben take advantage of that by showing up during the Oscar campaigns? Sure. But it isn’t a stretch to believe that’s all he did.
I think Garner has tried to make the best of a bad situation for years while giving her kids a normal routine. Sometimes you make a deal with the devil because that’s the best option you have out of a lot of bad options.
I have no respect for Berry and I think Garner’s association with her only reflects poorly on Garner but I also think that sometimes it takes a crazy person to get the ball rolling on something that needs to be done. Sadly, at the end of the day, I don’t think this legislation will make any difference since CA has shown they are unwilling to enforce existing laws.
the laws regarding children and paparazzi are MUCh stricter than they are here. And they actually enforce those laws. In LA, it’s the wild west.
@Lucinda your comment still doesn’t chnage that Jen, like Halle use the paps for her benefits. As for Jolie-Pitts. It is a fair comparison; most professional paps worldwide knows where the Pitts are. If they didn’t we wouldn’t have photos of them in this city or country, or airport. It has nothing to do with The Pitts having more money to afford better secrecy, (Ben’s & Jen pockets are not empty) it has to do with Jolie not alerting the paps to her whereabouts when she needs to put on a show for the cameras. Out of all the celebs that are more popular than Jen, why are the paps so interested in photographing her. It makes more sense if it was Ben since he is the bigger draw than his mediocre actress wife.
It wouldn’t surprise me if this is just a ploy from Halle and Jen to gain more attention. Halle of course is probably still trying to use the this is why I need to move to Paris gimmick. They are both becoming insufferable especially Jen with her fake ass tears.
Also, Angelina is well known for staging pap opportunities. She’s a master at it.
@metallicwow
really….
How’s that ? Where ? When ?
They stage photo ops so they can do it on their own terms, without the paparazzi harassing them and yelling abusive things. Did you not hear about the pap who once called Suri Cruise a “little b***h” because she yelled at them?
“They stage photo ops so they can do it on their own terms, without the paparazzi harassing them and yelling abusive things.”
You just basically agreed with what we all said. They do it when it’s beneficial for them. By staging, it gives them a chance to leave their house looking their best, not being caught off guard and basically faking it. If you want paps gone you should want the whole lot of them to disappaear not just the ones you didn’t cut a deal with.
It wasn’t a pap who called her a name. It was a fan.
Exactly. If I had to deal with paps, I would be sorely tempted to go this route just to avoid being stalked or surprised, or even being used as fodder for negative tabloid stories.
The paps aren’t just going to disappear as long as there is money to be made. Just because they’re not Brangelina doesn’t mean their pics don’t bring in the money for the paps.
That’s like saying if a woman chooses to flirt with a man, she should be okay with being sexually harassed. And papparrazzi do very often sexually harass women and girls. I don’t care how rich and/or famous and/or unlikeable their targets are. There is no excuse for the way the paps behave whatsoever.
@Emily oh just stop it. Why must people who disagree with other posters always have to use the sexual comparisons to make their points seem valid? These are two completely different things. Come on, you can do better than that.
Or nothing like that at all. These two women call and beg for the attention, ask why we never see Tom hanks’ family or Denzel’s or Matt Damon’s all bigger stars then either of these women. Could it be because they don’t court it and beg for it? They live there lives and don’t seek it out? If any of those people or others who don’t stage photos testified people would be all over it.
No one thinks these people especially their innocent children deserve to be stalked or harassed its just hard to feel sorry or jennifer or Halle when they seek it out and love it!
Debbie, I don’t think your comparisons are valid.
Tom Hanks – older wife, older kids (some if not all grown, or at least all teenagers or older, which means less cute and interesting)
Denzel Washington – non-celebrity wife
Matt Damon – non-celebrity wife, has lived outside of LA where there are less paparazzi
I don’t agree Lauara, grante these are the first group of celebrities I thought of but I still say and am backed up by a list actors with the execption of a few brangelina you can avoid being papped if you want. We have never seen Tom hanks or Denzel and we rarely see jlo or her kids they live in la. Also look how much suri’s pictures have gone down. Oh and toms older kids never saw them growing up and Nicole Kidman was always a bigger star then jennifer!
I think there should be laws I think these children have a right to privacy and to be treated with respect. I support that I just need Jennifer to stfu with her fake tears. She loves being papped she seeks it out especially with her kids!! Her entire brand is about being the ultimate mom so sorry I don’t buy it from her.
Again I support the law and the rights of these kids I just can’t stomach the hypocricy of these two. If jlo has been doing this, and trust not a fan, I wouldn’t have the same reaction.
@V4Real: I don’t think any is saying pap-harassment is on the same level as sexual harassment, just that the two have a common root: regardless of what went on beforehand, everyone should have the right to withdraw their consent.
If the sexual comparisons bother you, I feel the same about plenty of other situations. Tickle fights: I don’t care if I started it, I still have the right to call stop when it’s too much. Those mail-order outlets that send you stuff (and if you don’t want it you return it): great, but when you don’t want any more deliveries, there’s got to be a way to tell them to stop.
I would totally agree with you Samtha, if the paps were only taking pictures of her. But when innocent children are involved, I really do think we need laws to protect them. I get what you’re saying about lack of sympathy for the parents, though.
Protect the children! I’m team Garner. She may have business as “celebrity mom”, but what the paps yell at kids these days to get reactions worth of pictures is unacceptable, and it’s great she’s doing something about it.
As for Berry, I feel she is there mostly to support the claim that she wanted to move her daughter to France for security reasons.
I’m team celebrity-mom-who-never-called-the-paps-herself!
I doubt Jennifer Garner has ever called the paps to let them know where she is. What would be the point? Seeing they camp outside her home 24/7, they know exactly where she is at all times anyway. Same with Halle.
I just hope these celebs get some protection for their children. The law needs to be enforced a few times and then the paps will get the idea. Extra security is not the answer, like putting a bandaid on a tsunami.
What would be the point to call the paps? To promote a movie and win an Oscar campaign. She did it for her husband. But now she wants it to go away.
No one is saying they want it to go away. They are saying they don’t want their children screamed at, yelled at, called names, and tormented. There IS a difference.
Halle, don’t fight your bitter custody battle through leaks to the tabloids and then there’ll be no market for pictures of your daughter, mkay?
While I wholeheartedly agree with the principle they’re argueing for, having 2 women who deliberately use their kids as PR tools testifying seems a little hypocritical.
So with all the problems in the world they want to use taxpayer dollars to prevent pictures. How about they hire extra security if they are concerned? Or stop trying to use the press when it suits them and then cry victim.
OMG, no one is saying to stop the pictures. Read the article fully. It’s to stop paparazzi from tormenting and saying horrible things to their children. Christ on a bike, that’s not too much to ask.
While there is a symbiotic relationship between the paps and the stars, I agree that it has definitely crossed the line. The sort of things they say to Halle’s kids are terrible. I’ve also heard that they say terrible sexual things to female stars all the time to get a reaction. I think Charlize mentioned it in an interview once.
There was a fascinating article in the New Yorker or New York Magazine several years ago about the paparazzi. The gist of it was that the advent of the “Stars are just like us” section in tabs, full of stars dropping their kids off at school or pumping gas, was when the paps started to cross the line. This was coined in the mid 1990s, and they said before that the paps weren’t nearly as bad.
I have a personal aversion to paps ever since two ran directly in front of my car on Fairfax. It was horrible and they were lucky they didn’t get run over or cause a car accident. I literally had to pull over into a fast food joint’s parking lot and decompress because it startled me so badly. I do think there should be some major reform, even if it is a bit hypocritical to be spearheaded by women who call them occasionally.
They definitely do say horrendous things to provoke a reaction. Like the one who called Suri a little bitch, or whatever it was.
I told this story here before, but I saw some paps harassing Keanu Reeves once, years ago, and it turned my stomach. They were shouting things about his girlfriend who’d recently died, and about his daughter who was stillborn. Just ugly, ugly stuff.
But I can’t get past the fact that it’s Garner and Berry up there, two women who so regularly stage photo ops for their own gain.
I used to see it all the time when I lived in LA, and lesser when I lived in Manhattan. I’ve been on film sets visiting my friend where the paps have disrupted filming with their taunts and horrible innuendos. And because filming was being done on a public street, they had every right to congregate just beyond the barrier. I remember seeing a “pap swarm” once over Angelina Jolie in NYC. It was horrible to witness and she had security with her. The horrible comments and the things shouted about her, her family, her children… if I EVER wanted to be famous (which I didn’t), that would have made me change my mind in a hurry.
I agree that there should be more done to protect kids in these situations but the hypocrisy astounds me. Paps are always the bad guy but as soon as it’s advantageous to them, they’re setting up photo ops. I honestly don’t buy the argument that it’s something they can’t avoid. How often did we see Johnny Depp’s kids when they were younger even now when they live in LA? I wouldn’t recognize Julia Roberts’s kids and even the Brange can keep their kids from being photographed every day. Those are just examples but they are 4 of the biggest stars in the world and they seem to manage to live a fairly private life. Don’t like the paps leave LA or don’t go where you know they’re going to be. It’s not rocket science.
Johnny Depp’s kids lived in France. Even if they did visit LA, someone who is visiting and doesn’t have a defined routine is less of an easy target than someone who is established and has a relatively consistent pattern.
I feel sorry for every celebrity child who gets stalked and abused by the razzi as they did not choose that life but as for celebrity parents like Jennifer Garner, cry me a river. There is interest in Garner and her kids because she and her management team have spent years creating that interest by promoting her as the normal mom next door. She is a hypocrite, during Ben’s Oscar campaign those kids were papped every single day with mommy and daddy at paparazzi HQ, the brentwood country mart. Now that the oscar campaign is over she’s suddenly concerned about the paparazzi traumatizing her children. Julia Roberts and many other Hollywood celebrities prove you can live in ho town and give your kids a relatively pap free life if you want to.
they ALL use the paps…but if someone hires any service they are still obligated NOT to then harass you and cross the line in to the private space/yell obscene comments etc.
I agree. Calling the paps is lame, but i can actually understand caling them so that you can control the situation. Like, come get a pic of my kid grocery shopping so they get their shot and go away, clearing the way so that they won’t harass them while they’re on the way to the doctor’s office. Or maybe it is a way to keep friendly with a couple so that they will be nice. But either way, I feel like this is victim blaming. Calling paps on occassion doesn’t give anyone a free pass to be dangerous and cruel, especially to children who didn’t choose this life, as well as endangering other civilians because those stupid kid shots sell.
+1
It is totally victim-blaming. There is a tone of “they asked for it”. That someone chooses to have photos taken at certain times does not give other people the right to take photos of them whenever they please, and it certainly does not give them the right to sexually and otherwise harass people.
Ben explained it once in an interview. They made a deal. Keep a safe distance. Don’t scream and yell and scare them, and we won’t hide their faces and run into the dumpster. They were being badly harassed, and it was the only happy agreement they could come to. I think it’s a misconception they want their kids photographed. I think they want their kids to have a normal life with a normal schedule, and they can’t make their kids caged rats and drive them around in blacked out vehicles with 24/7 supervision. They have chosen to proceed with this deal. I think the kids are to an age now, especially Violet, where she’s self aware and probably doesn’t want it AT ALL, and it’s making her upset. I think this past year it’s gotten nuts and Jen is ready to throw it in.
They used their kids for his Oscar campaign very obviously. You can be sure that they called the paps from time to time.
That’s no excuse for rude behavior, but it’s ridiculous when they say they just made deals with them to protect the kids. In my opinion Ben can thank his kids and his wife that he got the Oscar. Now they are paying the price.
I’m in agreement with everyone, but just had to say that if getting an Oscar is dependent on things like this, then the system is seriously skewed. Maybe that’s why I don’t give a rat’s ass about them any more.
How exactly, can we be SURE they called them? You may think so, but that does not make it a ‘sure’ thing.
Why is it that if a celeb chooses to try to have a reasonably normal life with their children… one that includes taking their kids to and from school and frequenting the same shops and parks in their neighborhood, why is it that they MUST be courting the press and calling the paps?? Can they try to avoid the press? Sure. Since the paps are camped outside their home early in the morning, then they could go on wild goose chases to try and lose them… and then they could go out of their way to go to different parks, coffee shops and markets. Of course they will be found, so they will have to keep mixing it up. They could also have nannies take the kids out and/or travel with an entourage of security people. Heck, they could go out in disguise or hire doubles to dupe the paps (temporarily, of course). But what if they don’t want to do these things, and just prefer to try to live life the way they want… with a routine that works for them? Routines are preferable for most children… and parents. So, they are celebs and know they can’t be quite ‘normal’. They make a deal with the main paps… tell them they can get their photos, etc., but they need to follow some basic, reasonable rules… staying back a certain distance and not shouting at the kids directly, etc. What in the world is wrong with this??
I know, some will say that they ‘use’ the press when they want. Of course they do! Who, in that situation wouldn’t, to a point? Even the beloved Brad and Angie do this to promote movies, etc., which is even more obvious since they are so wonderful, they manage such private lives… until they WANT the attention. Ben and Jennifer are usually doing the same things every day. If Ben is working, we see pics of Jennifer doing the same stuff… school, market, karate, dance, coffee, etc. If Ben has some down time, he is seen doing the same things. Around Oscar time, he dressed a bit nicer when he was out doing these things. So what? He knows the paps are going to take photos, and wants to look a bit more professional. Again, so what? Oh, and why in the world would they need to CALL the paps and STAGE photos for this, when they have photographers outside of their home every morning, ready to follow them?
All celebs have to deal with the paps, for the most part… some more than others. Most accept this, and deal with it however they choose… be it getting angry with them all of the time, trying to evade them all of the time, or accepting them and trying to make the best of it. Most also understand that not only does it come with the territory, but that it is also, at times, necessary for them to try to manage and/or take advantage of it.
For what it’s worth… most of those ‘staged photo ops’ Ben had (the ones that were apparently supposed to win him votes for awards) were done after most award voting was completed.
I don’t think anyone can possibly have an argument about shielding children, however isn’t the main reason laws like this mean nothing to the paps is because of the celebrities themselves? The paps think this is a game because the industry has made it a game. I think if these celebs want to place the blame somewhere, they might want to look a little closer at their own circles. Like the agents, managers, and publicist.
I know this won’t be a popular sentiment for some and you might just want to make the argument that the paps just need to stop taking pictures of these kids and then everything will be all good but I don’t think its that simple.
I don’t think anyone is trying to prevent the paps from taking photos of the kids, but to minimize the rude and potentially harmful behavior some display while trying to get their photos.
I shall weigh in agreeing with most of the comments so far. Yes, the paps go to far and are out of line. Yes, the celebs are hypocrites who often are not ashamed to use their kids to make money/get attention.
In the end though, you’d have to support any legislation that protected the children, even if their parents deserve a whole mountain’s worth of shade cast over them.
Yeah, I’m a first class cynic, but the kids did not call the paps. Leave them the f alone.
Regardless of any benefit to either party, paparazzi should have to obey laws like every other person. They may take pictures and celebrities may use them for their career purposes, but no other normal person on the street would be allowed to harass, follow, yell at, and publish pictures of people they dont know. “Just being a celebrity” is no reason to allow unusual and upsetting- and usually illegal- behavior of a photographer (such as causing accidents, getting into fights, taunting children, blocking pathways, trespassing, etc).
I am not against paps or pics, but I am against their ridiculous behavior and the total double standard when it comes to, say, me taking a picture or even just going on someones property, when compared to a pap doing the same thing. I am also against the suffering it causes many celebs and dont see it as purely a necessary cost to fame- at some point, a celeb must be able to have at least a CHANCE at having privacy, without an ultra zoom lens taking a pic from up in a tree!
+1000000000
^^ this ^^
I am totally against the stalking. It’s rude and dangerous, let alone the harassment. And it’s escalating by leaps and bounds to ridiculous extremes. I feel like this compromises all of our privacy because who knows who’s the next target from some news story or whatnot.
I think a blanket ban on publishing the faces of celebrity children in ‘candid’ mode under a certain age, say 13 might help. The public may get sick of seeing grey circles.
If the parents wanted their family pics they’d have to sit for an official photo shoot.
Of course enforcing the current law may have been helpful. The horrible comments are often recorded. Just a couple of “made an example of” cases.
I had the same thought, but i think that would have to become federal law, and good luck with that. The celeb mags could choose not to buy those photos, but they want them.
Good – the public should get tired of looking at “grey circles,” especially when it’s an attempt at protecting children. It’s creepy that complete strangers are obsessed with other people’s kids. And I’m directing that to every single person that has clicked on a link on gossip websites or bought gossip magazines to see pictures of celebrities’ kids.
The public wants to know how these celebrity moms manage their families? The public are morons. Once the photos of the housekeepers and nannies are openly published, then you are closer to the truth of it. Oh I’m sorry you don’t have a nanny, I meant mother’s helper! Silly me. Look talking to the kids is inexcusable as is saying horrid things to get a reaction, but the only way it’s going to stop is if stars start suing for harassment. The police will never be able to enforce these new laws on a regular basis and the paparazzi already break the old laws!. Now, will stars sue when they may later need paparazzi (oh say for an Oscar campaign?)? We will see.
Ill never understand the hate a woman gets for hiring a nanny
I think the poster is referring to the ones that act like they do it all on their own. I recall one poster on a thread from a very long time ago pointing out that January Jones had her nanny carrying her baby behind her (while she had nothing in her arms), and saying that some celebs push the nannies/care givers out of the pics….or something like that.
I wouldn’t doubt that it doesn’t happen.
@Coolio you’ve got it wrong, I’d like someone to explain it to me too. The whole “I’m just like you!” celebrity nonsense is founded on the lie the magazines love that these women “do it all!”. The obsession with photos of celebrity kids and their parents is rooted in that. That is the lie the target audience wants.
Why not a law that prohibits the selling of photos of kids? Dry up to market demand for them, and the paps will move onto something else. All they care about is the cash.
Plus that would stop people using their kids for attention, and force them actually do something worth reporting on if they want to be in the press.
I’m not a lawyer so i am kinda talking out of my butt here, but can they enforce that across states? What would stop a pap in CA from selling to a publishing house in NYC?
I’m thinking national, vs. state by state, but they could probably work it out to prevent that.
I agree. I’m surprised no one has mentioned this yet. If People magazine stops buying pap pics that will surely help as well.
They should put in the same sort of laws as in France. Make it illegal to publish pictures of celebs or their kids in the US without their consent.
jail time does’t seem like a feasible plan though to handle this, especially in California.
They should fine the magazines for buying the pics. (People Magazine would cry). If there is no demand, there is no money to be made, and no paparazzo will bother anymore.
lol at these two being the ones to whine about paparazzi. And here I thought Jennifer couldn’t act her way out of a paper bag.
So true. People would have forgotten her long ago if it weren’t for the paparazzi. I struggle to find sympathy for her. l
Without the paps 99% of these “stars” would go back to being part of the unwashed masses.
For these two in particular to sit there and whine about the press is the best acting either of them has ever done.
it does not matter if both of them call paps themselves or not. the children need to be protected anyway.
if you think they call the paps do you think they want them to scare the children and yell abuse at them? do you think the paps would screw up a good deal with a celeb by verbally abusing their children? that doesnt make any sense.
this whole baby industry must stop or at least protect the people who dont want their babies out there.
im from germany and we have laws that the well being of the child always outweighs the public interest, there is no way you could print a picture of a celeb kid without their parents approval and still people in online comments serioulsy get mad at people keeping their children out of the spotlight, they are personally offended when a celeb doenst reveal the gender and/or name of the kid…
its not only celebs who feel entitled its also us regular folks who think we have a right to see and know everything because we once bought a movie ticket.
I totally reject the “they’re hypocrits, because they sometimes call the paps themselves” argument.
It has a really nasty victim-blaming vibe to it. What you’re saying is “she said yes once, so she now has no right to say no”.
This, exactly.
There was a heated discussion above about that. Some people will take offense with the comparison, but there is a basic truth at the root of both situations: everyone should have the right to control what, or how much, they want to share.
There seems to be a real sense of entitlement by some of the media and public when it comes to the personal lives of celebrities.
Best performance Garner’s ever given.
Are you a parent? Because someone being cruel and exploitative of my children would make me very emotional.
I was also thinking that’s quite a performance.
Right? amazing performance
If they are so bothered and worried they should leave LA.
Nicole Kidman did this and we rarely see pictures of her kids, the same happens with the Jolie-Pitts kids and I think their main home is in Los Angeles but they still manage to not be bothered all the time, Madonna lives in NYC and the paparazzis don’t seem to bother her that much, we mostly see pics of her kids when they are on holiday or going to their weekly Kabbalah thing. The same happens with Kate Winslet who lived in NYC for 10 years and we rarely saw pictures of her kids and the list goes on and on…
I wonder why Garner and Berry can’t manage to do that with their own children
My cynical side is tingling here. No one’s going to argue against victimizing kids!
If the world’s most famous, powerful and recognised family like Brad and Angelina can avoid the paps then so can everyone else. The only time you get to see pictures of the Jolie-Pitts are at airports. They have been in la for almost a year now and we have only seen pictures of the children and the parents at airports and promotions.
The Jolie-Pitt don’t live normally. Their children are behind black van windows and are homeschooled as well as body guarded 24/7. When their son (the oldest) went to school briefly they were photographed EVERY SINGLE DAY taking him back and forth to school They gave that up. Not everyone agrees with the notion that because you are famous your children shouldn’t go to school or be on a sidewalk.
Well there is nothing normal about being photographed by paps every single day like Garner’s kids.
How in the world do you know they do the JPs do not live normally???
They look like normal kids and B&A have said they do activities like Karate, art etc.
They just know how to avoid paps and go to areas in LA where there are no paps. They do want want their kids photographed DAILY.
I have seen tons of tweets and twitter pics of them shopping in LA or out in LA. A few weeks ago Brad and Shiloh on a, GASP, SIDEWALK in LA without a pap in sight.
Just a few days ago Brad and Angelina on a SIDEWALK in LA without a pap in sight.
The Jolie Pitt attended private school for years,they started homeschooling in 2011.The kids attended Lycee Francais yet they still werent papd daily
I just can’t wait for all the crazy Affleck Garner haters who always comment on their posts on different sites to continue with the comments about how they call the paps and do nothing about it yet SHE TESTIFIED AT THE STATE CAPITAL TO TRY AND PASS A FREAKIN LAW. She’s done more than other celebrities yet people love to insist she calls the paps and IGNORE the fact that even Matt Damon has said the paps follow them from their house and knows their schedule for things like school and karate.
If it weren’t for the paps… no one would be interested in either of these wonen. Jen makes coffee runs several times a day? Make your own! Hallie does the same crap. They are only seen & photographed when they want to be.
Can we pass a law to protect children from famewhoring parents?
How would Jessica Alba and Tori Spelling make a living then, if not off of their kids?
Any proceeds from the sale of pics of children arranged by parents, or in conjunction with their publicists, should go directly into a trust fund for the children, imo. Cut the paps and parents out of the deal.
She’s an actress. Crying for effect is what they do. I believe the paps should not yell at, or get into the faces of, her children. However, when she and her husband are out alone, they are fair game. They put themselves out there via their profession, asking for attention and our money (at the box office), so photographers are part of the game.
Ok one as cray cray as she is Halle looks beautiful. Ok that is my nice comment. Jennifer Gardner can stfu! I don’t think there is an actor/actress i find more fake, or insufferable.
She pretends to be all sweet girl next door all the while trading in and up her men to keep relevant. She uses the paps and loves it, hence Matt Damon’s constant shaming her in the press. Now she complains! Seriously you wanted this you court it, you’re basically a kardashian!
Now that being said, I don’t think the paparazzi should take pictures of kids. I think they have a right to privacy and safety. I just think if they want support for their cause they should have picked more sympathetic celebrities
since they air things like that on cspan, maybe she thought she would be emmy eligible
Garner can’t complain when all through Oscar season they gladly went to the Brentwood country mart, pap central, to parade their kids daily when there is a coffee shop with zero paps just down the street.
She knows where paps are, yet keeps going to those places and makes zero effort to protect her kids.
She can choose to have them not photographed if she put in a little effort to go to the areas of LA that are pap free.
The paps also know exactly where the JP family lives, also sit outside their home, and they manage to leave their house just fine.
I Dint have sympathy for them. You can’t have it both ways. You want to use the paps when you need a good image of you as “happy families” but you want to complain about them? There are too many celebs who don’t get papped ask the time so this is bs too me.
Halle spent over a year actively using the paps to make sure her daughter never saw her father again. She staged photo ops, called them to her daughters school and leaked info to TMZ. That she would stand up and cry about them is b*lls*it. And Garner has NO problem with the paps when her husband needs a trophy or a “good family man” story. This whole thing smacks of nothing more then another publicity stunt for both ladies.
Since I see more pics of Aubry and Nahla I guess that jerk is calling paps also
There is nothing wrong with staging photo ops with paps if you are a celebrity, that is a part of the job and it goes way, waaaay back. Likewise, if A is hooking up with B, or there is this scandal between C and D, or a celeb is having a night out partying, fair game, that’s all part of the glitz and glamour and illusion. But their truly personal lives are where I would draw the line.
Because all of that IS fair game, but it doesn’t make it right for the paparazzi to have unlimited access to anyone’s private life and space or their families. It’s an important distinction readers of celebrity blogs and tabloids seem to fail in making, weirdly.
Just because one partakes in the pretty typical act of staging photo ops doesn’t justify what many of these parasitic, aggressive, pseudo-paparazzi do. They’re becoming something else all together, stalkers, really, and I think it’s time people start making the distinction and stop grouping them all together, because it validates these crazy assholes at the detriment of real, living people with right to some privacy. That’s just a basic human necessity, no matter who you are. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’d be perfectly happy getting my fix of celebrity gossip with the same old staged pics or photos from events. I don’t need up to the minute, real-time photos of them leaving their dentist appointment or their gym or picking their kids up from school, and I certainly don’t consider that noteworthy gossip. It cheapens the whole thing, imo.
Jen Garner, speaking of, mentioned mystery. Well, it isn’t just her and Ben, there is hardly any mystery to any of them anymore. The paps are supposed to be contributing to that, old Hollywood invented the paparazzi for that purpose and they made very concrete contracts, it was a beneficial give and take and the consumers had their fun as well without having to question whether this was wrong or right. Everybody wins. Now, they do the exact opposite, and pretend they have permission from these celebs, even though they do not, and they have totally perverted the business. And that’s a shame.
Furthermore, when someone, anyone, asks you to leave them alone, you leave them alone. Period. You do NOT see it as an opportunity to get under their skin, and become provocative and aggressive. Such a lack of boundaries is truly crazy! Getting papped is a part of their job when they’re out doing something of interest, or relevant to consumers of their movies, musics, image, etc. But camping out behind children’s schools and harassing parents out with their children? provoking them with hostility and low-blow taunting (verbal abuse) about their personal lives to get the coveted ‘rage shot’? Chasing cars, causing accidents, digging through trash, snapping shots through windows, taking upskirts and then selling them…?
Come on, now. That’s not right. Not one bit. These people are creeps and stalkers in paparazzi’s clothing, and the celebrities are victims who are essentially being told they asked for it.
To those of yu that are saying that what paps do is wrong, and they should leave children alone: at the end of the day, we the consumers are the ones ultimately responsible foe the paparazzi, because their photos are filling a need that WE have created. So you don’t like it when a celebrity’s kid is berated by a photographee? Then stop clicking on articles about celebrity chilren, stop buying the magazines, and stop reating the demand for those very photos.
Although I agree with you, I don’t see that happening. People will keep buying a magazine despite pictures of celeb kids in it.
The only way this will stop is when state or even federal laws are made and enforced, so that no picture of a minor is allowed to be used to make money.
It’s different with a child star, but celeb kids just happen to be born to famous parents and should be off limit unless the parents give consent.
I think they made a good start with this and hope they will take it even further. Nobody deserves to be harassed like that, just because they are known.
Yep its such a simple concept.
These laws don’t work in California because California is too broke to imprison anyone.
The paps would get Lohan-justice, i.e. twelve minutes in jail and friendly pat on the firecrotch.
How will this law fully work anyways? Are celebrities going to have LAPD tail them everywhere they go. If Jen and Halle are out and about in public places and the paps are there what’s to stop the paps from shouting and taking pics, then break out before the cops arrive?
On the one hand I feel for Garner but on the other so many celebrities, some more famous, walk their kids to school without the circus so what does that say?
Exactly! Who does she think she is kidding? Garner is constantly at known pap hangouts with her kids. And Halle isnt much better.
I cry foul! Garner takes her kids constantly to places where everyone knows the paparazzi will be. There are hundreds of celebs kids who live in LA and dont get papped because they dont go to Farmers Market, Brentwood Mart, etc etc (all very well known pap hangouts).
And Halle yes you are a whiny celebrity all the time as you have well proven time and time again.
Bob Wieckowski should be fired for bowing to celebs and actually knowing Berrys birthday and saying I hope this is a nice gift??! EWWWWW! That is far creepier than a pap photograph.
What a waste of taxpayer money these hearings were!
I love the Farmer’s Market. I would never stop going because some jerky paps try to claim it as their turf. They need to learn how to respect people’s space and leave their kids alone. If some stranger was stalking my family and trying to get pics, I’d call security and they would probably listen. Celebs are expected to be used to it, or travel with an entourage of their own security.
I don’t care if some celebrity mums call the paps or not. The law is there to protect the weakest. It’s unhealthy for kids to be subject to such constant harassement. If the law passes, they will be protected against the paps and against their own parents’s desire to sell them. So good and good.
P.S: telling a 5-years-old that she’s never going to see her father again, really? How much lower can you get?
I believe there should be laws against the paps bothering celebs kids. Have any of you watched some of the pap videos, the stuff they say to these people are horrible, the whole Suri Cruz thing a few weeks ago is crazy and I remember a few years ago when Tiger Woods and his wife were going through their divorce there’s a video of her with her children getting in a car and the paps are screaming out out questions about Tiger cheating on her right in front of the kids. One of the other bad videos I remember was several years ago when Naomi Watts was pregnant with her 2nd son and she was trying to leave a store in California and they were bumping into her, causing her to get angry and then they start pushing her more to get a reaction. There should be some laws.
They should not be allowed to take photos of children. Period.
So someone shouldnt be allowed to take a picture of someone else in a public place? Taking a photo, even yelling at someone on the street- does not violate any rights or laws. If you are worried about mean, inappropriate, cruel stuff being yelled at someone- then I wouldnt recommend going to high school.
Not “someone else”- Children. What I should say is “without their consent” or the “consent of his or her parent” particularly if the intended use is public or commercial.
Holy cowpats – she gives better bitch face than Berry ( first pic)
They choose to live there, and go to the places where they are most visable- ie- Brentwood country mart. They dont have to live there- they could easily be in town when physically required and live elsewhere during the rest of the year. Its a choice. “they should be able to live where they want, and go where they want”- since when does life work that way? I want to jog at night but dont because its dangerous. I dont go to stores where there thugs hang out. I want to live in Brentwood, but I cant because the quality of my life would suffer. In my case, its because I could only afford a crap condo in that area, in her case, it would be because she is stalked..If my children were harrassed every time I went to Target, I wouldnt go to Target.. and that would be my choice. Would it suck- yes, because I love Target, but..I love my kids more. They can choose to live somewhere else- just like Matt Damon did- even HE said he would leave if he was pap’d like JG.. No one would follow her to West Virgina.. Holy crap, if she made her own coffee she could seriously reduce the amount of photo ops.
Totally agree! I always liked Garner, but this made me roll my eyes. If one of the parents was on a television show, I might have an ounce of sympathy. But they’re not. Aside from that, Ben doesn’t usually shoot much of his movies in LA.
Bottom line: they have a lot of money and could easily keep a house in Brentwood, but primarily reside just outside of LA. This can be done. Michelle Pfeiffer comes to mind.
So does this mean Celebitchy will stop posting about celebs and their kids? You are part of the problem.
What’s the name of that blog that’s all about celebrity kids and parents? Celebrity Moms or something? Their bread and butter is those pap photos, same with many other sites and magazines. The myth of stars as not only beautiful and talented but also great parents is too pervasive to go away. I always laugh when I read comments like ‘so and so is such a great mom!’. I’m sure the same things were said about Joan Crawford and Bing Crosby back in the day too. Who knows what their parenting skills are but stars are narcissists for the most part so I don’t believe many of them are good parents. To me, Garner’s no make-up, minivan routine is just as calculated as a Kardashian and just as much of a product/career.
You had me up until “minivan” Neelyo!! Minivans are a major no-no in Hollywood, didn’t you know? Garner’s fleet of vehicles includes a Land Rover, Mercedes, a couple of Lexus vehicles and I’m sure there’s more. A minivan just wouldn’t cut it.
You wanted to be an actress…it comes with the territory – get over it or move.
it is never ok to harass a child because of the parent’s actions.
Furthermore, saying “yes” once is just once, it is not the same as saying “yes” always.
I am unsure how such laws could be enforced though. i do what I can and don’t stalk the kids of celebrities online. My pics are collected from the twitter feeds of the celebs themselves and from public events where such pics are supposed to be taken. i try to treat the celebs the way i’d want a stranger to treat me if i were a celeb.
I am still in favor of this law btw.. the kids are innocent. i just don’t know if it’s enforceable.
I don’t believe Halle or Jennifer “call” the paps. I don’t consider either of them really A lister in an uber way. But they are not low tier celebs that need the recognition. But I will say that either or both of them could do more to protect their kids being photographed daily. I mean I saw a comment on another site where someone said we should take up a collection to purchase Jennifer a coffee maker.
I think people need to understand that while Jennifer is photographed daily (and I will be honest, I saw a few post on JJ where there were pics of Jennifer every single day for over a week) Neither of them are making the cover of tabloids. I mean Halle only did because of that craziness with her ex. There are not stories about Jennifer’ kids. She doesn’t see headlines speculating on their health or how they choose to dress. She and Ben don’t have articles written about their child’s hair style or judging her and Ben as parents.
I know Brad/Angie were mentioned so I will say they have said they go through a lot to keep their kids’ life normal. Yes we see the kids occasionally. I did see that twit pic of Brad/Shiloh and Angie/Brad on a date. But those were fan pics; not paps. And the reality is everyone has a phone/camera now and they are snapping pics and posting them on social media. The JP kids are more lucrative. Their pictures don’t just sell here in the US but all over the world. And the “right shot” can bring a lot of cash.
I also think people need to realize that the paps follow social media too. Fans tweet sightings and the paps get on it. Yes they are outside the JP house daily too, but they (JPs) just seem to avoid them.
and I don’t get people assuming that their kids don’t go out or enjoy their lives. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it is not happening. It just means their parents are putting in more concentrated efforts in making sure you don’t see.
I don’t see this law changing.
” I don’t get people assuming that their kids don’t go out or enjoy their lives. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it is not happening. It just means their parents are putting in more concentrated efforts in making sure you don’t see.
I agree, Lisa. It is totally wrong to stalk children and call them horrible names, but can tell me why they are following Jennifer and Halle? When was the last time they have either done anything successful? Halle is dysfunctional in relationships and has too much drama surrounding her and Jennifer hasn’t had a career since Alias and now’s she has only advertisement commercial.
Why in the world do you think they need someone to be what you consider “successful” in order for the paps to want to follow them? It’s all about supply and demand. If people want to see a certain celebrity, whether they’ve been in a successful movie recently or not, their pics will sell. Paps go for the money, they aint stupid. Other, more “succesful” actors don’t sell. Meryl Streep, for one, has never had anyone care about her “real life” or family. Anyway, I think everyone is getting the real issue lost. The fact is, why should ANYONE be able to publish a picture of a minor child without the parent’s permission? I’m a teacher, and I need permission to put my student’s pictures on my website, in the hall, etc. It’s just common sense to give a celebrity’s child (who IS NOT A CELEBRITY!)the same rights.
I think its wrong for the paps to being hanging around the kids school or to be yelling out obscenities at them (does anyone remember that pap calling Suri a bitch?)but I don’t think theres much they can do if they are out and about on a public street.
I don’t understand why Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck don’t have a security team, specially after they had to go to court to get a restriction order against the stalker that was following Jennifer and her kids everywhere. In all the pictures I see of her and her kids, its just them, no bodyguards. They are multi millionaires, don’t be so thrifty and spend some money in scurity!!!!