Paparazzi
Paparazzi is a plural term (
paparazzo being the singular form) for
photographers who take candid
photographs of
celebrities, usually by relentlessly shadowing them in their public and
private activities. The term
paparazzi is often used in a
derogatory manner. Originally, it referred to Italian celebrity photographers who learned that a picture of a
movie star throwing a punch was more valuable than pictures of stars smiling (
celebrity tantrums are a common entertainment story in the
mass media). It is this antagonistic interaction that is the
hallmark of a true paparazzo; however, the term is often used more broadly to describe all photographers who take pictures of people of note.
Use of the term derives from "Paparazzo", the name of a freelance news photographer character in the
Federico Fellini-directed film
La Dolce Vita. In the film, Paparazzo discovers he can earn sixty times his usual fee for photographs where he has incited confrontation with celebrities.
Paparazzo is a real Italian surname
while the plural, "paparazzi", was formed following one of the word-formation rules in the Italian language (the
-o in singular nouns becomes
-i in the plural).
In
Hong Kong, paparazzi are sometimes called
puppy teams, either because they "dog" (closely follow) their subjects, or by analogy with the behavior of puppies around people.
Technological developments in
cameras (such as higher quality
telephoto lenss and high speed
films) enable paparazzi to "shoot" their prey from afar and remain unknown to their subjects. Miniaturization allows tiny palm-sized cameras that can effectively engage in
secret photography. Further,
digital cameras and transmission methods allow for rapid distribution of the pictures.
Due to the reputation of paparazzi as an annoyance, some states and countries (particularly within
Europe) restrict their activities by passing laws and
curfews, and by staging events in which paparazzi are specifically allowed to take photographs.
The presence of paparazzi is not always seen as annoying; the arranger of an event may, in order to make the guests feel important, hire a number of actors who
pretend they are paparazzi (so-called "faux-paparazzi"). This was, for instance, seen at extravaganza events during the
dot-com boom.
Paparazzi argue that they are not in the business of taking intrusive photographs for their own perverse pleasure; instead, they sell their work to dozens of magazines and newspapers that publish such photos for their readers and subscribers. It is this public thirst that drives editors to pay up to $50,000 (or more) for a single "scoop" photograph.
Many paparazzi feel that they are helping celebrities and public figures in general by increasing their publicity. Also, this is a lucrative business for both sides; not only can photographers earn large sums of
money for a high-demand picture, but celebrities may also make money because the media attention often bolstersâ€"or createsâ€"fan support.
In
1999, the
Oriental Daily News of Hong Kong was found guilty of "scandalizing the court", an extremely rare that the
newspaper's conduct would undermine confidence in the administration of justice [
1]. The charge was brought after the newspaper had
published abusive articles challenging the
judiciary's integrity and accusing it of bias in a
lawsuit the paper had instigated over a photo of a
pregnant Faye Wong. The paper had also arranged for a "puppy team" to track a
judge for 72 hours, to provide the judge with first-hand experience with what paparazzi do.
Some observers blamed paparazzi for the deaths of
Diana, Princess of Wales, and
Dodi Al-Fayed, who were killed in
1997 in a high-speed
automobile accident in
Paris,
France, while being pursued by paparazzi. Although several paparazzi were briefly taken into
custody, no one was ever
convicted, and the official French
investigation of the crash concluded that they had not caused the accident.
According to an article in
Time Magazine ,
Time Style and Design, Fall 2005, Mel Bouzad, one of the top paparazzi in
Los Angeles, is a twenty-six year old man who makes it his business to know where celebrities will be at any given time. Bouzad's job is to take marketable pictures of celebrities. The article continues to say that Bouzad (like many other photographers) moved to Los Angeles with only his camera and a change of clothes, only to become a very successful businessman, running his own company, MB Pictures. Bouzad told
Time how much money is involved in the business by claiming to have made $150,000 for a picture of
Ben Affleck and
Jennifer Lopez in Georgia after their breakup. He also claimed, "If I get [a picture of] Britney and her baby, I'll be able to buy a house in those hills," referring to the luxurious homes in the hills above
Sunset Boulevard. Also according to
Time, Peter Howe, the author of
Paparazzi, says, "celebrities need a higher level of exposure than the rest of us ... so it is a two-way street. The celebrities manipulate."
A new term for amateur photographers at major events was coined in February 2006 by
Orange (
UK).
Wrote
MediaGuardian, "fans armed with mobile phones were given their very own press pen outside the Odeon Leicester Square. And the name for this new breed of amateur snappers? Why, the waparazzi, of course."
(WAP is an abbreviation of
Wireless Application Protocol).
