Things are muddy and getting muddier in our society, and there are times when lines should be drawn in the sand and kept there. Here's one of them.
Earlier this week, TMZ not only reported on the alleged sexual relationship between a female adult, age 22, and a 14 year old boy - they posted his name and published his photograph.
What was the big draw for TMZ? The boy's father is a famous Academy-Award winning movie star, with an even-more-famous ex-wife (with her own Oscar, by the way).
What does TMZ's Harvey Levin say about this? According to AP, Levin's response is: "[t]he story speaks for itself."
Well, Mr. Levin - that's not passing muster - in fact, your response seems a tad smug to me. Shame on you.
Minor children need to be protected, and I for one, predict that TMZ (along with its owner, TimeWarner) gets sued by the parents of this boy, on his behalf. In fact, I would applaud the filing of such a lawsuit.
Why? It seems apparent that having to pay big bucks seems extremely appropriate here as a way of communicating that it's just plain wrong to reveal the names of minor children who have been victims of sex crimes. This is the very essence of allowing punitive damages in our judicial system, by the way.
While things are pretty murky in our country these days, there are still some bright lines on what we'll tolerate - and what we won't. Protecting children seems a no-brainer, even if there's a celebrity factor and even if it's a teenage boy - presumably a 9th grader - who may think it's cool to have a 22-year-old girlfriend.
How long will this boy be used before someone stands up for him?
Showing posts with label paparazzi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paparazzi. Show all posts
11/30/2007
Prediction: The Paparazzi Push-Back 2
Earlier this month, I predicted that celebrities would start pushing back against paparazzis themselves. I used the recent activities of Britney Spears as an example (driving over paparazzi if they refuse to get out of her way, etc.) as well as Nicole Kidman's recent trial testimony on how terrifying the paparazzi can be.
Today, I read that Julia Roberts is pushing back at the paparazzi -- and it's caught on video (see it here).
Seems paparazzi were filming Julia at a school in Los Angeles (presumably, her kids' school, but I don't have confirmation of that). Seeing this, Julia follows them in her Mercedes SUV, honking the horn and waving until they pull over. Then she gets out, and confronts the paparazzi (quoting Breitbart.Com) as they are videotaping her:
"Turn it [the video camera] off," Roberts tells the photographers. "I want to talk to you about the fact that you're at a school where children go. Turn it off."
My prediction: it's one thing when Britney Spears starts to push back, it's another when it's Julia Roberts. Having Julia Roberts do this will, I predict, empower other celebrities to confront the paparazzi, as well.
I also predict that these confrontations are going to get nasty, and physical, as tensions mount. I believe someone is going to get hurt, maybe seriously hurt, in LA before anything is done to deal with these guys.
And, I predict that this victim is going to be a celebrity and it will only be after this tragic circumstance that something will be done about the paparazzi. Princess Di wasn't enough -- she was an icon, and she was across the waters. It's going to be someone close to home, doing something like Julia - protecting kids - who gets really hurt.
And, we'll know about it because the paparazzi will sell that story and those photos, too.
11/19/2007
Prediction: The Paparazzi Push-Back Begins
Nicole Kidman testified today in Australia about being hounded by paparazzi in her homeland and especially about one, specific harrowing event where she feared that she was about to be in a car accident. From the Australian Herald Sun, her testimony:
'"I was frightened and I was worried, I was worried about a car accident," she said.
'Her driver, John Manning, sounded "pretty panicked" as he told her about Mr Fawcett's "crazy" driving.
'"I was really frightened and I was in tears, and distressed," she said.
'Kidman said she no longer drove herself because she did not "feel equipped to handle being pursued" by photographers.'
Meanwhile, Britney Spears has begun dealing with the media mob by continuing to slowly drive her car through the crowd -- and two paparazzi have already had their feet run over by her tires. One paparazzi says this isn't her fault, that the paps are getting too close to the car and not moving away in time.
The inquest into Princess Diana's death continues, and while there were predictions then of an increase in paparazzi-induced fatalities, it didn't happen. Times have changed, though, and I predict that celebrities are getting more frazzled and fearful as pararazzi continue to become more brazen and forceful.
My prediction: celebrities are going to start pushing back, like Britney.
And, given the rest of Nicole Kidman's testimony -- bugs found where she was honeymooning with Kevin Urban, for example -- looks like lines are being crossed that should be respected.
No one has much sympathy for the star, and nothing has been done since Diana to stop this mess. Britney's slow-moving, foot-smashing car may be just the beginning of celebrities trying to define a privacy line for themselves. At least, that's what I'm seeing.
'"I was frightened and I was worried, I was worried about a car accident," she said.
'Her driver, John Manning, sounded "pretty panicked" as he told her about Mr Fawcett's "crazy" driving.
'"I was really frightened and I was in tears, and distressed," she said.
'Kidman said she no longer drove herself because she did not "feel equipped to handle being pursued" by photographers.'
Meanwhile, Britney Spears has begun dealing with the media mob by continuing to slowly drive her car through the crowd -- and two paparazzi have already had their feet run over by her tires. One paparazzi says this isn't her fault, that the paps are getting too close to the car and not moving away in time.
The inquest into Princess Diana's death continues, and while there were predictions then of an increase in paparazzi-induced fatalities, it didn't happen. Times have changed, though, and I predict that celebrities are getting more frazzled and fearful as pararazzi continue to become more brazen and forceful.
My prediction: celebrities are going to start pushing back, like Britney.
And, given the rest of Nicole Kidman's testimony -- bugs found where she was honeymooning with Kevin Urban, for example -- looks like lines are being crossed that should be respected.
No one has much sympathy for the star, and nothing has been done since Diana to stop this mess. Britney's slow-moving, foot-smashing car may be just the beginning of celebrities trying to define a privacy line for themselves. At least, that's what I'm seeing.
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