Manifesto

Celebrities’ first ever public declaration of principles and intentions.

The Paparazzi have built a BARRIER between us and our fans

We’re Actors. Singers. Musicians. Directors. Models. Comedians. Athletes. Performers. Often we are what people call “celebrities.” But we’re just people, after all, with a career that keeps us in the public eye. We’re a product of the nature of our work, and the fame that sometimes comes with it.

Celebrity comes from the word “celebrate,” but it’s not much of a party if you, the people that make our careers possible, the fans, can’t get close to us… because we’re forced to dodge or hide from incessant Paparazzi.

The tornado of flashing lights and aggressive behavior forces us to flee from their grasp. This separation results in a massive casualty: a wall is now up… that yes, protects us from the paps, but also keeps us away from you, the fans… which is not what we want!  This is a call to action.  A call for the end of the Paparazzi-built barrier between celebrities and fans!

The Paparazzi abuse has been taken way too far

Too many Paparazzi treat us like we aren’t human, with normal boundaries. We are tired of abusive greed, the ‘invasiveness’ that borders on stalking, the aggressive voyeurism, the trespassing, the scavenging, and the often pushy, dangerous methods that Paparazzi practice to sensationalize stories and snag lucrative pictures.

Again, we’re just like you: we want real people who treat us as you’d treat your own friends, with respect, decency and humanity.

You do not have to look far to find numerous examples of over-the-top tactics by some aggressive Paparazzi. Just so you get the picture, here’s a sampling:

  • Reese Witherspoon: A Paparazzo assaults employees at Disneyland to get a picture
  • Scarlett Johansson: Pursued by Paparazzi for 45 minutes, her car finally hits another
  • Nicole Richie: Chased by a Paparazzo, rear-ended in her car and taken to the hospital
  • Nicole Kidman: A Paparazzo determined to “wreak havoc” on her private life, reduces Nicole to tears after years of stalking
  • Princess Diana: A coroner’s jury rules her death caused by a reckless driver and pursuing Paparazzi
  • and that is just the beginning, there are innumerable examples

There is a CIVIL way to engage us that will benefit us all

We agree with Dr. P.M. Forni, author of Choosing Civility, founder of the Civility Initiative and an award-winning professor of Italian Literature at Johns Hopkins University, that thoughtful behavior and common decency are in shorter supply, or simply forgotten, in the modern era. It would be hard to find a stronger example of disrespect for decent boundaries than among some Paparazzi.

We love our fans. We are flattered when you want to take our picture or talk with us. We know we have become “celebrities” because you like our work–you support us, and without you, we’ve no careers at all. We want to meet you, we want to get to know you through real encounters, but too many Paparazzi are going about it the wrong way. Please take a stance and bring back common civility.

Rest assured, if you are civil towards us we will be civil towards you. When civil, we adore you just as much as you adore us.

Join the REVOLUTION to end Paparazzi-fueled abuse

Enough is enough.

Nobody deserves this, celebrity or not. Our hope is that this manifesto will spur the Anti-Paps movement and bring civility and consequently more real fan encounters. Let it be clear, we are NOT against photographers taking pictures. What we are against is UNCIVIL treatment.

If you are a fan, by signing this first-ever Celebrity Manifesto you agree with the Anti-Paps movement that enough is enough. You, the fans, won’t provide the Paparazzi a market for their invasions, their trespasses. You will not be a consumer of material obtained through violations of our rights to privacy. You promise to adhere to civility.

If you are a real celebrity, by signing this first-ever Celebrity Manifesto you agree that enough is enough and you are calling upon fans across the globe to sign this manifesto to stand against abusive behavior and mistreatment. In return, you promise to give your real fans the real attention they deserve.

Finally, if you are a Paparazzo, by signing this first-ever Celebrity Manifesto you agree that there is a more respectful time and place to take a picture. You are demanding your peers to adhere to civility, thereby bringing respect back to the celebrity photographer trade. You promise to stop invasive tactics.

Sincerely,
Your Celebrities