Handling the 'stalkerazzi'

By SAMANTHA ETTUS
Scripps Howard News Service
02-DEC-04

Though today's celebrities enjoy luxuries that most of us covet, one luxury remains hopelessly beyond their reach: privacy. The war for celebrity footage is perpetually escalating, and running errands sans makeup can land a celebrity's picture on the cover of Star Magazine under a caption reading "What They Really Look Like." So it's no surprise that celebrities and photographers frequently clash.

But in their quest for normalcy, the manner in which celebrities manage aggressive photographers impacts their personal brands.

Let's take a peek this week at how Cameron Diaz, Sean Penn, and Jessica Simpson manage the paparazzi.

Sean Penn

Sean has always loathed the celebrity that accompanies his career, and his "bad boy" antics used to raise eyebrows around Hollywood. Yet despite his frequent public battles with the paparazzi at the beginning of his career, he has managed to incorporate the tough image into his brand rather than letting it overshadow his on-screen performances. More importantly, his obvious talent has gradually pushed such issues aside, with his acting proving far more intriguing than his off-camera scuttles.

What we at Celebrity Assets admire most about Sean Penn is that he puts his money where his mouth is. Whereas some celebrities cry wolf, deriding the constant press presence in their midst while silently courting it as they live in the heart of Hollywood, Sean proactively eluded the paparazzi by moving to tranquil Marin County with his wife, Robin Wright Penn, and their two children.

Other actors who genuinely abhor the constant media attention would be wise to follow Sean's lead. They might also want to emulate Sean by taking self-imposed breaks from the big screen. Sean's multi-year hiatuses from the Hollywood scene have repeatedly been followed by stunning award-winning performances, yet another sign of his own style of successful brand management.

Sean Penn's Celebrity A$$$$ets

Cameron Diaz

Most recently, Cameron attracted attention for her scuttle with paparazzi following dinner with beau Justin Timberlake, and she and Justin have been served with legal papers stemming from the fracas. Though Cameron is rumored to have been the instigator, the incident is potentially far more damaging to Justin, whose clean image is essential to attracting the teens and parents comprising his fan base. After his involvement in the Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident, Justin cannot afford to continue marring his boy next door appeal.

While Cameron's star is likely too bright to be dimmed by this episode, she must avoid being branded as the one who shattered Justin's image. She'd be better off accepting the stalkerazzi as a necessary evil and leaving it to the suits to try to protect her. In any case, hand-to-hand combat, especially from a leading lady, is no way to win fans or influence people.

Cameron Diaz' Celebrity A$$ets

Jessica Simpson

Viewers of MTV's reality series "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica" were privy to the pop star couple's first dinner in front of the cameras. Seemingly overnight the duo went from relative obscurity to a life totally absent of privacy, and now every trip Jessica takes to the mall has become a photo opportunity. Yet she has handled the transition with grace and style. By greeting the cameras with smiles and waves, she has befriended rather than offended her stalkerazzi. Rumor has it that she is taking a page from Sean Penn's book, eying property in Santa Barbara so that she and Nick can resume some semblance of normal family life.

Nonetheless, she has publicly recognized that this is her moment in the spotlight, and that she will welcome the cameras until her fame inevitably dwindles. We hope Jessica's attitude proves to be contagious.

Jessica Simpson's Celebrity A$$$$ets

Remember: the most dependable road to the top is to treat your brand as your greatest asset.

(Samantha Ettus is the author of "The Experts' Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do" (Random House). Contact her at Samantha(at)celebrityassets.com.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.shns.com)