Woody Harrelson was involved in several altercations with a persistent paparazzo at La Guardia airport earlier this week. While I remembered Harrelson attacking the photographer twice in the longer video initially posted by TMZ (It’s since been removed and replaced by two shorter videos which don’t show the extent of the harassment inflicted on Harrelson), Liz Kelly at The Washington Post’s Celebritology says there were three incidents. She made a good point that I didn’t consider, though. Kelly snotes that from the perspective the photographer films the attacks we didn’t see what happened and can only take the guy’s word for it. The photographer is annoying to say the least. He follows Harrelson and repeatedly shouts his name and asks obnoxious questions even after Harrelson breaks his camera and scuffles with him. It’s clear the photographer is deliberately trying to provoke Harrelson, although this is a common tactic of paparazzi and Harrelson could have chosen to ignore it or alert the Port Authority police instead of resorting to violence.
In response to the incident, Harrelson has issued a creative statement that doesn’t deny his part in the incident while making his feelings about the photographer known. He says he had just wrapped a zombie movie and mistook the guy for a zombie:
The TMZ photographer filed a complaint with police claiming the actor damaged his camera and pushed him in the face at La Guardia Airport, according to an airport spokesman.
“We’re looking into this allegation and if it’s warranted, we’ll turn it over to the proper authorities,” said Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Ron Marsico.
The photographer, who was not identified, captured the encounter on a small camera after his larger one was broken.
Harrelson, who is being sued by another TMZ photographer for an alleged assault in 2006, did not deny his involvement.
“I wrapped a movie called ‘Zombieland,’ in which I was constantly under assault by zombies, then flew to New York, still very much in character,” Harrelson said in a statement issued Friday by his publicist.
“With my daughter at the airport I was startled by a paparazzo, who I quite understandably mistook for a zombie,” he said.
[From CNN]
Many of you defended Harrelson’s actions by saying he was provoked. It’s true that he was provoked and that the paparazzo was in the wrong, but so was Harrelson. We don’t know exactly what he did to the photographer but the guy claimed that Harrelson punched him in the eye and we did see him break a camera. Celebrities have to deal with ridiculous paparazzi all the time and most of them chose to ignore it. I’m not saying this type of harassment is justified, but neither is violence. The guy certainly acted like a zombie by not giving up once he was attacked. Those zombies just keep on going until they get to the brains.
Woody Harrelson is shown at the Semi-Pro premiere on 2/16/08. Credit: PRPhotos
He is stoned out of his mind in that picture. Tee hee. Gorgeous blue eyes, though.
lol…I love me a good zombie story.
Can’t stand Harrelson even a little bit. He is truly a jerk of the highest order.
That being said, he should be able to go about his ordinary business without being provoked by the paps. And this guy genuinely provoked him; it wasn’t like he just saw WH and snapped a couple pics. He harrassed him and tried his best to elicit an angry response.
I hope it does go to trial, and that the judge throws that pap in jail for inciting this who situation.
I think celebs do have to put up with a certain level of papparazzo due to the nature of their business. But there is a line that should not be crossed, and this guy did cross it.
lol he does get high a lot as you all know, so maybe he’s not lying about the zombies… loool
funny excuse! but this scandal isn’t as big as Christian Bale rant or Bjork scandal. the One hit paps(normal and give idiot excuse),the other lost his cool on set(horror and damnation!)
One problem – zombies are after brains. Woody clearly doesn’t have any. Thus, he wouldn’t be a zombie target.
harrelson is reknowned for attacking paps,bouncers,etc. he has a reputation,so naturally the photog here woudl go for the jugular.
it’s a ‘no brainer’….zombie or not.
he got the response he wanted.
harrelson seems to enjoy the whole thing…
and what cracks me up about WH,is how he is a raw foodist,does tons of yoga,and otherwise purports his spiritual and healthy lifestyle,but apparently sees no contradiction in being a pot addict.
yes,a little pot,same as a drink now and then-but when you are a daily user,from a health standpoint,he may as well not do his oxygen therapy,or double up on it,b/c pot dries out the connective tissue and the fluids. so he’ll need his yoga and raw food just to balance that out.
no wonder he is balding and aging rapidly. i personally had wondered why,when,given his supposed lifestyle,he would actually look quite a bit younger.
Same with Sting,but then you find the truth lies somewhere in the middle,as with most things.
Sting is more into the sleeping around tantra,not the self-awakening kind. And,while it may be fun,and more power to him,it does age one.
I am really just talking strictly about aging vs. anti aging and alternative lifestyle approaches;i’m not speaking morally or subjectively abut their choices in that regard.