Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard Fight to Protect Kids from Paparazzi... And Us
Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard, new parents of a baby girl, are leading a fight to protect the children of celebrities against photographers who ambush them in quiet family moments the rest of us take for granted. They're calling this group "pedorazzi," which specifically targets paparazzi who sell unauthorized photos of children.
In order to spread the word, they've teamed up with Entertainment Tonight, and Bell has been very vocal about which outlets she'll refuse to work with from now on should they buy unauthorized photos (versus pictures taken of celebrities who attend premieres with their children or schedule photo shoots with a magazine). As it turns out, her campaign is paying off: People Magazine has joined the cause, and with the threat of a boycott, E! Online has just issued a letter saying they will adopt a "no kids" policy on unsanctioned photos as well.
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I have to applaud Kristen and Dax, and many other celebrity moms, who are standing up for their children. It's true, being a celebrity comes with so many amazing benefits that I can only dream about, and some will say that being photographed is just part of the deal. But, I don't think anyone can say it's fair to their children, who have nothing to do with their parents' celebrity stature. I would never in a million years want to be hunted down by a bunch of aggressive photographers as I take my girls for an ice cream or a trip to the playground. I really can't imagine what that experience would be like, nor do I want to.
I have to admit something, though. I'm worried that I am part of the problem. While I rarely buy a magazine, I do like to look at photos on E! Online of celebrities, which often include photos of their children. I like to see what Suri Cruise is up to and I often think "how sweet!" when I see pictures of Ben Affleck picking up his daughters from soccer practice. So I suppose that, in addition to magazines and news outlets, part of the responsibility is up to us, too. We need to take a step back and think about how close these photographers are getting, and why the look on these children's faces is often one of fear. To put ourselves in the position of being threatened day in and day out. To remember that, as parents, we will protect our children at all costs.
Well done, Kristen.
For 7 do's and don'ts of sharing other people's babies on social media, visit BabyZone!
-By Ellen Schmidt
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