BAD: People as Paparazzi

Hi,

I have been very very bad.  I was afraid to look at the exact date of the last time I updated this page, and I loathe making these statements, so let me apologize.  I won’t go into it, but I have been busy interning, working and putting together a portfolio.

And speaking of interning… On Monday while I was putting in my time at Cynthia Rowley the salesman in the boutique downstairs called up to my boss to say that there was a commotion in the store because of the presence of a certain celebrity scientologist mommy.  Katie Holmes (and I assume Suri, but I couldn’t see out the upstairs window) were browsing at my place of employment.

I’ve never seen paparazzi at work before; it was a very bizarre scene.  I saw only a glimpse of Katie’s helmet hair because she was flanked by a tight huddle of photographers.  They were surprising close to her.  It was actually kind of outrageous that it is allowed.  The little swarm moved slowly up the street, half blocks at a time, surrounded by the unassuming sunlight and bare streets.

Bare streets that is except for the part of the street directly across from the moths and the shiny star.   What I really saw first when I peeked out the cutting room window was about 25 people, mouths gaping, stopped in their tracks in the middle of the side walk.  They stood still like that, rubbernecking and craning, for at least 10 minutes.  It was so frustrating to me.  Why and how could people have nothing better to do than be nosy?

That was possibly more troubling than the paparazzi.  I assume the people passing by actually had work and lives and schedules and they just shut down to stare at people staring at somebody else.  Why? Why is the general public so obsessed with being spectators instead of actually doing? How will it change your life if you see Katie Holmes for a New York minute?  We have enough slow-walking tourists as it is… This is the city that never sleeps, so go do something.

 

Katie, Suri and Friends

M