PopSugar

America's Most Famous Family Keeps Paparazzi at Bay

TresSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:30:00 -0700

Photos of the Obama family are often too cute to handle.

Other than a few grainy images, like the paparazzi shots of Obama shirtless in Hawaii, almost every picture we see coming from the first family has a photo-shoot finish. That's on purpose.

The LA Times points out that the glimpses into the Obamas' everyday life are not spontaneous. It's all strategic.

Think of it as Operation Access Hollywood - the Obamas figure that if they willingly give the public a peek inside their world, they'll get popularity and privacy in return.

Releasing exclusive and "private" photos diminishes the value of a paparazzi shot, and lets the Obamas manage their image. And if the Obamas grant exclusive interviews to gossip magazines, outlets will avoid publishing unauthorized images, lest they be cut off!

While critics might think the president is exploiting his family for popularity, I can't argue with the plan if it helps keep Sasha and Malia's lives free from too much disruption. And like I said - the pics are cute, people!

To see some more well-coordinated pics of the Obamas, read more.

View 10 Photos ›

Source

Harry Potter Author's Son Granted Privacy

LilSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 08:00:41 -0700

J.K. Rowling won a small victory against a photo agency that published a long lens photo of her son, but it may prove to be a big win for celebrities trying to protect their wee ones from the paparazzi.

According to a Reuters report, the Harry Potter author and her husband, Dr Neil Murray sued Express Newspapers and Big Pictures agency over a photo taken of their son, David in 2004.

To see what happened, read more.

The picture of the young child, not yet two, was shot while he rode in a stroller pushed by his parents and ran in a Sunday Express magazine.

And, after the case being thrown out of court initially, the appeal was victorious.

A judge said:

If a child of parents who are not in the public eye could reasonably expect not to have photographs of him published in the media, so too should the child of a famous parent," he said in the judgment.

The couple who has tried to give their children a normal life despite J.K.'s fame, was thrilled by the verdict and issued a statement that said:

"We are immensely grateful to the court for giving our children protection from covert, unauthorized photography; this ruling will make an immediate and material difference to their lives."

What are your thoughts on the ruling?
Source

Dear Poll: Do Celebs Have a Right to Fight Back?

DearSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:00:00 -0700

We hear about celebrities yelling at the paparazzi all the time. Just this week it was Seal giving them a piece of his mind, but Cameron Diaz has done it and Justin Timberlake has too. Even Hugh Grant has made his opinion known, loud and clear. Whenever I see the shutterbugs swarming celebrities, I always feel badly for them. Sure, paparazzi comes with the territory, but when is enough, enough? Famous faces can't even grab a bite to eat without flashes practically blinding them!

I may sound like a softy, but I feel like everyone has a right to privacy. What's your take on this touchy subject? It seems that most people have no sympathy for celebrities, so do you think they have a right to fight back at the media, call them names, even let matters get physical every once in a while to protect themselves?

Source

Britney Spears on the Cover of The Atlantic?

LibertySugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:12:50 -0800

So Citizen and I just got our copy of The Atlantic delivered to Sugar HQ. But before we could crack it open, Pop stole it from our confused hands. I can see why they were so desperate to get at it. What in the world is Britney Spears doing on the cover of The Atlantic?!

The cover is to allegedly support a piece on paparazzi agency X17, but with the accompanying cover stories being "The Case For Polarization," and "Calcutta Rising," and "A Uranium Smuggler's Story" one has to wonder if including the former Mouseketeer's image in lieu of their usual map-collage-of-countries-in-strife pic, they might be branching out, ahem, content-wise? Or maybe it's just a very skillful parody? One wonders.

Now of course the question begs to be asked: Is Andrew Sullivan behind this somehow?

What do you think? Hottest selling issue of The Atlantic ever, or biggest sellout of the century?

Animal Planet: When Paparazzi Attack!

GiggleSugar — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 02:00:00 -0800

In the Hollywood jungle, Britney Spears is king. Photos of her and her brood are worth enough to keep all them scavengers of fame - the paparazzi - alive and well-fed. A few disreputable photos are all it takes to achieve the ultimate kill. . .

Dear Poll: Would Put Your Baby on Display?

DearSugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 08:00:00 -0800

There's always been some sort of weird fascination with celebrity babies. Since we most likely won't be receiving their baby announcement, the paparazzi will do almost anything to fulfill the public's curiosity surrounding what they look like. But could you imagine having to deal with all that hoopla right after giving birth? In my opinion, it makes much more sense to grant photo ops on your own terms - Remember Sarah Jessica Parker and Mathew Broderick being calmly photographed on the steps of their New York hospital after she gave birth to James Wilke?

Ladies, if you were a pregnant celebrity or a new mom like Halle, Jennifer, Christina, or Nicole, would you put your baby on display and let the paparazzi get their million-dollar shot ala SJP or would you try to keep your baby away from the spotlight for as long as possible?

Source

Catching Up With Jamie Lynn Spears...

GiggleSugar — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 10:00:00 -0800

Jamie Lynn shocked the world with her recent pregnancy announcement and now everyone wants a word with her. Is she going to keep the baby? Were drugs and alcohol involved? Is a shotgun wedding in her future? What will she tell all her young fans? Well, wonder no more. . .

Paris Thinks The Bible Is A Hot Read

GiggleSugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 04:00:00 -0700

In a last ditch attempt to make herself seem worthy of our pity and a judge's leniency, Paris bought some- "What do you call them?" - books. And not just any old books, she bought self-help books. Yep, she even broke down and bought the Bible (pronounced "Beeble"). Although she's still trying to make Hooked On Phonics work for her, this is NOT a publicity stunt. Paris is, like, totally serious about this reading trend.

Paris Pumps Gas...Without Lifting A Finger

GiggleSugar — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 14:00:00 -0800

Poor Paris. A car can't run on good looks alone, so she ran out of fuel. Too bad she's never pumped gas in her life. But to spare Paris the trouble and broken bones that this woman encountered at the pump, her neighborhood paparazzi came to the rescue. She coughed up the cash, they fetched the gas, and they even returned her change...WTF?!

Fit Travel Tip: Running From the Paparazzi

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:00:00 -0700

Traveling to LA anytime soon? Then you can head for the Hollywood Hills and still keep your body red carpet ready.

Running from the Paparazzi is a 4-mile running tour that goes from Wilshire Boulevard to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, then through Hollywood and past eclectic shops on Robertson Boulevard. You'll be able to do some quick window shopping, celeb watching, and calorie burning all at the same time.

The cost for this 4-mile tour is $60 per person, which includes an exclusively designed Running From the Paparazzi T-Shirt, bottled water, fresh fruit, and ends with a sweet reward: A frosted cupcake!

Source