USA: PAPARAZZI SHUN GEORGE CLOONEY AT THE PREMIERE OF HIS NEW FILM "THE PEACEMAKER" AFTER THE STAR CONDEMNS PHOTOGRAPHERS' TACTICS

Record ID: 387232

  • Title: USA: PAPARAZZI SHUN GEORGE CLOONEY AT THE PREMIERE OF HIS NEW FILM "THE PEACEMAKER" AFTER THE STAR CONDEMNS PHOTOGRAPHERS' TACTICS
  • Date: 22nd September 1997
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 22, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) EXTERIOR OF ZIEGFIELD THEATRE PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PHOTOS OF STARS ARRIVING ACTRESS NICOLE KIDMAN POSING ACTOR GEORGE CLOONEY ARRIVING AT PREMIERE PAPARAZZI REFUSING TO PHOTOGRAPH CLOONEY PHOTOGRAPHER WITH "GO HOME CLOONEY" SIGN PHOTOGRAPHER HOLDING LENS FROM HIS CAMERA IN HIS HAND GEORGE CLOONEY TALKING TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) CLOONEY SAYING, "MY STANDING IS WHAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT FROM THE BEGINNING, IT'S ABOUT TABLOID JOURNALISM, THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AND THAT'S WHAT I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT WHICH IS PEOPLE WHO WILL PAY A LOT OF MONEY TO CREATE THE NEWS. WHICH IS THE DANGER. IF I DO SOMETHING STUPID AND YOU GET A PICTURE OF IT, I DESERVE IT. I AM A PUBLIC FIGURE BUT IF YOU MAKE IT UP OR IF YOU CAUSE THE PROBLEM, OR IF I'M WALKING DOWN THIS WITH MY MOM AND SOME GUY YELLS OUT SOMETHING TO MY MOTHER, THEN YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO GET A PICTURE OF ME WALKING DOING SOMETHING STUPID, YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE ME ACT, YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE ME DO SOMETHING AND THAT'S A PROBLEM." PAPARAZZI (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) PHOTOGRAPHER WALTER WEISMAN SAYING, "THE WORD PAPARAZZI IT'S A GREAT SOUNDING WORD. BUT WE'RE PHOTOGRAPHERS, WE'RE PHOTO JOURNALISTS. WE DO A JOB. BUT GEORGE IN THE PAST ONE OR TWO YEARS ABOVE AND BEYOND ANY OTHER CELEBRITY HAS CONCERTEDLY MADE AN EFFORT TO COME AFTER US. WE HAVE MADE A STATEMENT TONIGHT."
  • Embargoed: 7th October 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAD18JXHOGU6OWJFZYW0JDRPMDI
  • Story Text: The paparazzi flashbulbs fell silent in New York on Monday (September 22) when film star George Clooney arrived for the premiere of his new film "The Peacemaker." The otherwise smoothly-run premiere was marred when the local paparazzi refused to shoot the arrival of the film star.

    Clooney has long objected to the methods used by the paparazzi to get their pictures and earlier this year boycotted them to prove his point.

    Shortly after the death of Britain's Princess Diana, Clooney went before television cameras again to denounce the photographers.

    The star-studded event at the Ziegfield Theatre proceeded normally with celebrities, including film co-star Nicole Kidman, posing for the assembled press.

    When Clooney arrived by limousine, however, the paparazzi dropped their cameras and began to boo. One photographer took his lens off his camera in silent protest.

    Clooney appeared unfazed by the boycott, making his way to a previously scheduled interview. Later, he stood his ground and spoke out against the photographers.

    "My stand in what I talked about from the very beginning is about tabloid journalism, that's what I believe needs to be looked at and that's what I will continue to fight," he said.

    Walter Weisman, one of the protesting paparazzi, said: "The word 'paparazzi', it's a great sounding word but we're photographers. We're photojournalists. We do a job. But George, in the past one or two years, above and beyond any other celebrity, has made a concerted effort to come after us. We have made a statement tonight."
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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