Opinion Piece

CHASE YOU DOWN UNTIL YOU LOVE ME

“Stand by your man, don’t fuck with the Brands.”  Katy Perry resorts to Twitter after paparazzi enrage Russell Brand, who now faces court and a possible jail sentence. 

Recently, Russell Brand joined the ever popular celebrity club ‘I punched a paparazzi’.   Whilst he was with fiancée, Katy Perry, at Los Angeles International airport, one photographer crossed the line by sticking his camera up Katy’s dress in hope of getting a tacky crotch shot.  Most women would expect their other half to stand up for them in this incidence, and Miss Perry was no different.  She later posted on her Twitter page "If you cross the line & try and put a lens up my dress, my fiancé will do his job & protect me.”  Simply because the pair are famous, it does not make it acceptable to invade their privacy, and so why on earth does the world enter a state of shock if they react in a perfectly typical manner when provoked?    

Following the incident, Russell was charged with misdemeanour battery, later having to pay US $20,000 to be released on bail.  The most comical part of Brand’s citizen’s arrest was that it was made by Marcello Volpe, the loathsome paparazzi himself.  The comedian will now attend a court hearing on October 15^th, facing six months in jail as well as the possibility of a ban from entering the USA; both of which could devastate his upcoming nuptials and cinema release.  All because of one rotten paparazzi.  It brings to mind the classic Shakespeare quote, “If you prick us, do we not bleed?  If you tickle us, do we not laugh?  If you poison us, do we not die?  And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?”  Whilst William was indeed writing about Anti-Semitism, the same principle stands for today’s celebrities.  The paparazzi may defend themselves by proclaiming that they are ‘just doing their job’ and whilst celebrities recognise the insatiable appetite the public has for the inside scoop, we must not forget that underneath the charismatic camouflage of fame they too have their own boiling point.  

Intolerance of the paparazzi is flourishing.  Since the incident, usually sugary sweet Perry was filmed shouting at photographers who barricaded her car, blinding her with flashes.  Mel Gibson, Hugh Grant and Jay Kay are notorious for their distaste of these lowlifes, and Ewan McGregor was even quoted saying “I think we should encourage people to beat up paparazzi”.  Celebrities remain hungry for a solution following the proposal of a ‘Britney Law’, specifying that photographers retain a safe distance away from their victims at all times.  

It is vital to question what demand there was for this photograph of Katy Perry.  Surely it could only be for Volpe’s personal collection as the singer is hugely successful and conducts herself tastefully in public.  Yes, she may have been snapped having a cheeky ciggie, but as a rule Katy is seen as a scrumptious cupcake of a pop star that nobody wants to see shamed and disgraced.    When finally a songstress appears with a combination of genuine talent and a fabulously quirky fashion sense, she deserves to be presented with a generous portion of respect.