Imagine making your daily trip to the grocery store when all of a sudden, fifteen random strangers begin taking close up shots of your frazzled and distraught face. Not only is there a chance you do not feel or look photograph ready when you’re casually walking into a store or buying an ice cream cone, but why do people feel the need to know what kind of flavor Pinkberry a celebrity bought Tuesday afternoon with their “alleged” boyfriend?

    Some of the tabloids that infatuate the American Public include People, Star, Life & Style, OK! and US Weekly, but what would these scandalous gossip articles be without the pictures that create them? The paparazzi’s job is to stalk a celebrity’s whereabouts in hopes that they find themselves face to face with the A-lister so that they can snap a picture and later sell it to the tabloids. Unless you’re dressed to the nines and ready for your close up, you probably wouldn’t enjoy a group of grown adults congregating outside of your location, getting in your, your friends and your family’s faces and hounding you with questions about your personal lives.

    In many instances, the persistence and rudeness of the paparazzi have led to outbreaks of violence and frustration from these celebrities who are simply trying to live the most normal life possible while being in the spotlight. Yes, most celebrities are in a position where the public watches and judges them, but for many celebrities, the paparazzi are a nuisance that not only distract them from completing simple daily tasks but ultimately lead to more false accusations about their personal lives.

     Junior Caroline Hall said, “sometimes the paparazzi provoke the celebrities to get the reaction they want.”

    Classic paparazzi inspired accidents include the Britney Spears umbrella vs. car attack and the several Justin Bieber’s vs. paparazzi scuffles that have ended in fights, cursing and even death. Also, who could forget Adam Lambert’s act of assault on a lingering paparazzi who allegedly interrupted his peaceful beach day in Miami. Sure, these celebrities may have lost their cool, but it’s hard to blame them for acting out when they are being blinded by flashing lights nearly everywhere they go.

    The paparazzi help give the everyday celebrity fangirl/boy an inside look on their idol’s life and does in fact lead to a form of entertainment for many, but the lengths that the paparazzi go just to catch a glimpse of a celebrity walking down a sidewalk, or inside of a McDonalds with their friends is simply ridiculous.

    Junior Aaron Lopes said, “I think the paparazzi is an invasion of privacy because it could be distracting, look at what happened to Princess Diana, it could cause death.” Death by the paparazzi is a rare occasion, but the fact that it has occurred in the past indicates how many problems this profession causes in the lives of not only the celebrities, but the people behind the lenses. In January of 2013, a 29 year old photographer was racing to get a picture of Justin Bieber’s white Ferrari when he was struck and killed on impact by another vehicle. Though it may seem like a freak accident, the paparazzi put themselves in the threat of danger and violence every time they take out their camera.

     In October of 2009, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed an anti-paparazzi bill for the state of California making it easier to sue members of the media who in fact provide false publicity and invade celebrity’s privacy. Though it may not seem like it, celebrities are humans too, and like most people in the world, would prefer not to be hounded by strangers everywhere they go.