Rapper Kanye West stopped and posed for the French paparazzi in Paris, showering them with praises similar to those given them by Halle Berry, even as she seeks passage of an anti-paparazzi bill in the U.S.
While people have been accusing Kanye of hating the paparazzi, it seems he really just hates American paparazzi – like many other celebrities.
Kanye and Kim Kardashian have been spending quite a bit of time out and about in Paris and when the photographers were ready to snap pictures of Kanye, he took to the time to tell them that he’s perfectly OK with it.
“Don’t ask questions, just take the video,” he said. “Don’t do like the LA [paparazzi]. I like how you guys move out here. You got total respect for yourself. You have respect for the people that you’re photographing.”
Of course, he also mentioned that the French paparazzi haven’t followed him around at ungodly hours of the night.
“You also take time off at eight o’clock,” he said. “You’re not around people’s houses. I just really appreciate and respect that, and I understand you have to make a living. Let me shake your hand.”
That’s right ladies and gentlemen, Kanye actually asked to shake hands with the photographers after his short rant about the paparazzi in Los Angeles.
Quite frankly, it does show that there might be sane side to Kanye after all; however, it’s going to take much more than shaking a French photographer’s hand to convince anyone that he doesn’t have one of the biggest egos in the entertainment industry.
This unusual moment – Kanye’s polite response and acceptance of photographers – really should send a message to the paparazzi back in LA.
Showing respect for the people they are filming may cause the celebrities to be more cooperative, and they might even be willing to answer more questions from the cameramen.
Showing up at their home at 4 a.m., on the other hand, will only fill them with the resentment that Mr. West already has toward American media.
The lack of boundaries of the paparazzi in America is precisely why Halle Berry is taking on a massive project of her own, trying to pass an anti-paparazzi bill through Congress for the sake of her children.
Earlier this year Berry wanted to move to France and take her daughter Nahla with her, but since Nahla’s father is still living in the states, she wasn’t allowed to do so.
Her desire to move came after she became fed up with paparazzi showing up at Nahla’s school, day care and even birthday parties that she went to with friends.
Berry made it clear that when it comes to being a public figure, France apparently is the place to be.
Then again, there were those topless photos of Kate Middleton, the dutchess of cambridge, published in the French Closure Magazine.
Maybe the French publications respect American celebrities more simply because they aren’t nearly as obsessed with them as Americans are.
Even at the end of the video clip of Kanye in Paris, a woman approaches the cameramen and asks them who is the man they’re photographing.
Stunned, a cameraman looks at Kanye and asks him if he has permission to tell the woman who he is.
Surprisingly enough, Kanye simply introduces himself and shakes the woman’s hand.
