The Myth Of Celebrity

Joseph Gordon-Levitt looking chummy with the star of his popular anti-paparazzi film Pictures Of Assholes in 2005...over two years after it was originally shot in December of 2002.

Reading Towleroad on March 28, I saw a video billed as being made by actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It was beautifully grainy night-time footage of some ill-tempered paparazzi rudely taking his picture. How delicious! Paparazzi are the villains we all love to hate, almost as much as we hate to love the photos they supply to the tabloids we slavishly purchase week in and week out.

As I watched Pictures Of Assholes (not to be confused with a fabulous pre-condom William Higgins VHS classic), I was shocked to realize that I knew both of the photographers. I was so embarrassed for them! Blood-thirsty commenters were already branding them as vermin and scum, with one of Towleroad’s regular curmudgeons hoping that a paparazzo would become roadkill in the pursuit of a money shot just to wake the lot of them up to their wrongheaded career choice.

On his interesting and creative site Hit Record, Gordon-Levitt prefaces a free download of Pictures Of Assholes with the following:

“It doesn’t normally happen that paparazzi photographers pay me any attention when I’m not working. In fact, it only ever happened once (thank god) that I can think of. Luckily I had my video camera on me when it did. A friend and I were just walking down the street in Manhattan when we passed these two photographers who were sitting outside the entrance of some hotel, presumably waiting to photograph somebody who was staying there. I didn’t think much of them until, a block or so later, they came running up and started to take my picture. I tried to be nice and politely ask them not to. They were neither nice nor polite. And that’s when I remembered I had my camera in my bag. So that’s where the movie starts. The only other thing I’ll say is (and I had trouble deciding whether or not to be so blunt with my opinion, but here goes) I do believe that the myth of ‘Celebrity’ is not just innocently shallow entertainment, but a powerful and fundamental part of a larger movement revolving around greed, apathy and hierarchy that is currently dragging us down, down, down, lower and scarier, and perhaps weaker than we’ve ever, ever been. Smile!”

Strong words from a boy still living off of 3rd Rock From The Sun residuals, but nonetheless a provocative (and humorlessly leftist—which I do love) thesis worthy of consideration. It’s a bit like Madonna saying gossip is the evil tongue. You simultaneously know she’s right, roll your eyes at who’s saying it and wonder if she really fucked Sandra Bernhard or what was up with that whole thing.

Watching this video was surreal for me, not because I was faced with a video that was exposing people I thought I knew for the people they really are, but because I was watching a video that seemed perfectly real, and yet that I knew could not be the whole story. Think: Lonelygirl, the Canadian bridezilla and Donnie Davies.

Image of Joseph Gordon-Levitt taken in December of 2002 by the younger photographer in Pictures Of Assholes...the night that film was made. All smiles.

The men in Gordon-Levitt's mini-movie had always struck me as respectable, both personally and professionally. I knew for a fact that these were not aggressive paparazzi, of which there are so many in the industry, but professional event photographers. There are lots of differences between the two kinds of shutterbugs, but one difference that I’ve observed is that many paparazzi actively dislike and resent celebrities. They don’t care what celebrities think and don’t honor their requests to stop shooting because in the same way stars are not human to fans who look up to them, they’re not human to the stereotypical paparazzi, who know the best portraits are shot looking down. Typical paparazzi hate stars. In that way, they—not celebrities as ’bloids like In Touch are so fond of saying—are just like you! (Note: I also knew some real paparazzi who are sweet and polite.)

Far from being the mechanical image bandit he was portrayed as, I knew Matt (the younger man in the video, and arguably the star) as a person who actually likes celebrities and who cares a great deal what people think of him.

While I could not imagine either of my acquaintances snapping away in the face of a star during a private stroll as the video shows them doing to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “He’s not like that! I know him!” is always a lame argument. Less emotionally, I found it bizarre that Matt wouldn’t know who directed La Dolce Vita—he’s young, but Matt is about 80 in popular-culture years. And I had to wonder why he or any photographer would be that relentless with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. A respected thespian? Yes. Cute? Yes. Tabloid fodder whose images are worth their res in gold? Hardly. Flirting could not explain away their vigor.

So I contacted Matt and asked WTF? It turned out he was mortified by the appearance of the video, which had been released by Gordon-Levitt before, but which was now popping up all over the ’Net again. The story he told me—which follows—makes more sense to me than Gordon-Levitt’s admittedly persuasive short because of my past experience with Matt and because of my understanding of the difference between gotcha! and red-carpet photographers. I don’t know what happened because I wasn’t there, but I do know that Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s film—in light of Matt’s statement and photographs—is about as reliably "real" as the Hayden Christensen/Rachel Bilson romance.

Gordon-Levitt, who I think is so smart and talented, has a well-reviewed new movie to promote called The Lookout. I can’t help but wonder if his decision to post and publicize (via an interview with Salon and in an Interview Magazine profile, for starters) Pictures Of Assholes isn’t so much to decry the cult of celebrity as to capitalize on it to help bring attention to a film that is another step forward in a stellar acting career. If that’s so, I think it’s unfair for him to bemoan “the myth of ‘Celebrity’” while capitalizing on his own, using its power to frame this questionable encounter. At the moment, I'm left wondering if Pictures Of Assholes, a product of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s imagination, is the true myth of celebrity.

I hope the director will reply. I do know that Matt has asked Gordon-Levitt to remove the video, effectively saying, "No pictures please!"...something Gordon-Levitt has, ironically, refused.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, looking ready for his closeup, photographed by the young photographer in Pictures Of Assholes.

Statement by Matt (not me) after the jump...

"Statement regarding Joseph Gordon-Levitt

"I've always taken the high road and made it a point not to comment on the warped piece of 'reality' that actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt has posted on his Web site, an anti-paparazzi short film entitled Pictures of Assholes. But after reading some of the names I've been called in the comments sections of the blogs on which the video has appeared, I'm going to set the record straight.

"First and foremost, I want to stress that I think Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a top-notch actor. He has been choosing groundbreaking roles and I hope we see more of him for years to come. As for his directorial debut, it's a little more YouTube than Michael Moore.

"Contrary to what Joseph would like the viewer to believe, there was NO chase, there was NO ambush, there was NO harassment and there was NO animosity that night between him and me. I am not even a paparazzo; I am a professional event photographer.

The camera doesn't lie...but its fingers are crossed.

"On December 15, 2002, a colleague and I were waiting at the Metropolitan Club on Fifth Avenue for the afterparty for the The Hours to start. We were both credentialed. Joseph Gordon-Levitt walked by, so we approached him and asked for a posed picture. He asked us what for and after explaining that we were celebrity event photographers waiting for a premiere party to begin, he obliged. After we thanked him and were heading back to the entrance to the Metropolitan Club, he asked us if he could videotape us photographing him. We declined at first, but he persuaded us after he assured us the video was for his own personal use. He billed it as a celebrity vs. paparazzi video. We educated him on the difference between a working-press photographer and the paparazzi who chase, annoy and stalk celebrities during their everyday lives. Again, he guaranteed us the video was for his personal use.

"Cut to five minutes later, when Joseph came back to the Metropolitan Club and asked if he could do an impromptu interview with us. My colleague didn't want any part of it, but I'm always up for a conversation. Prior to his pushing the record button, we discussed what he was going to ask us. I'm sorry to disappoint all the viewers who enjoyed this video, but the dialogue was scripted, everything from talking about my deviated septum to the flirting (which was really directed at Joseph's friend Jared as we have mutual friends in the Broadway community) was planned.

The (true) object of his affection?

"In fact, there are so many cuts throughout video because he stopped filming to discuss with me other topics that could be included in the video. (And by the way, I know who Fellini was. In fact, I've had an original 1960 La Dolce Vita poster in my office since 2000.) After filming completed, we laughed about what was said, we shook hands, wished each other a good night and he went on his way.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt shot in January of 2005 by the same photographer he rails against with Pictures Of Assholes.

"I didn't see Joseph until the Sundance Film Festival over two years later in January 2005. If I am a horrible, bottom-feeding paparazzo, why did Joseph's agent and high-powered publicist set up an exclusive photo shoot with me to help promote his movie Brick? I'd appreciate it if all the viewers of this film would explain to me why he would give me the time of day at a party where we posed for pictures and drank cocktails together? Why did he and I sit at a lounge for 20 minutes and talk about film, fame, old movies, New York vs. L.A.? Why did he give me his Yahoo! e-mail address and tell me we should hang out when we got back to New York?

"Unfortunately, Joseph released his video some time after that on his site, billing it as a statement about 'the myth of "Celebrity"' at the expense of the truth.

"I'm not going to engage in a mud-slinging, name-calling, he said/he said war with Joseph Gordon-Levitt over four years after the video was staged. But I am sick of people asking me if that’s really me in the infamous video. I'm happy to say it's not. I'm the guy you won’t see standing outside The Ivy or Koi. I'm the guy you won’t see in a car chase following the Beckhams. I'm not the guy yelling rude things, provoking the stars, making the lives of actors and directors miserable on movie sets. I prefer to be invited to red-carpet events or inside parties photographing actors looking glamorous at movie premieres, awards shows, concerts and fashion shows. I have done so successfully and have built a good business and reputation for myself for the last 11 years. I'm proud to say that I've worked with private security firms to gather information about stalkerazzi agencies and photographers. In addition, I worked tirelessly, putting my name on the line, to get the photographer who infamously verbally berated Rebecca Romijn barred from attending red-carpet events.

"So for all those people who had a laugh while watching Pictures of Assholes, you've all been greatly deceived. Joseph should do us all a favor and stick to being in front of the camera.—Matt, photographer"

Comments

[Maximilliano]

I KNEW that video was fake. The photographers were obviously acting and it seems awfully coincidental that JGL would release that in conjunction with his movie opening. Celebrity photographers are a valuable part of the entertainment industry, a tradition dating as far back as the beginning of cinema itself; Chaplin, Ginger Rodgers, Judy Garland. Its unfortunate that many of today's aggressive "papparazzi" have tarnished the image of the entire profession but let's grow up. Just because someone's holding a camera doesn't make them a villain. Life isn't as black and white as we'd like to make it!

[Matthew Rettenmund]

Thanks. I think your "black-and-white" point is the real take-away from the story. I think celebrities, photographers and consumers are all flawed. It's just easier to dislike the paparazzi and, unfortunately, the less aggressive photographers for some reason.

[Brandon]

I happen to know Matt quite well. And he's a total asshole and is claiming that this was set up to save his reputation. I've been with him when he has chased celebrities all around NYC and LA tring to get a shot. It's all BS, all he cares about is not looking bad.

[Matthew Rettenmund]

I'm sorry that you are not a fan of Matt's. Are you a former friend or a fellow photographer? What do you make of the fact that he was at an event, not hanging out at a hotel waiting for stars to happen by, as JGL suggests? Do you have any examples of "please, no pictures!" type photos he's taken and sold. Asking just because all of his work that I've seen has been non-invasive. Thanks for commenting.

[Brandon]

Stalking Demi/Ashton in NYC is one great example. He claims that he doesn't do Papparazzi work, but it's all just to make him look more respectable. He's not a nice person, don't let him fool you. There is a reason he has been banned from several major events.

[Brandon]

Just FYI, he sells his Pap. style stuff under a different name, you will never see his name attached to it. He's a smart guy

[Matthew Rettenmund]

I know that's common, the pseudonyms. (Though usually it's to circumvent rights issues...photogs get hired by one mag and take extra stuff to sell under a different name.) I still find the jocular photos with JGL odd. Celebrities are not shy to say "NO!" to posed photos with people they dislike or who have been freshly rude to them. What about the other photog? Do you know him? I've only ever seen him be a prince.

[Edward Scissorhands]

Irony. The photographer is indignant about being portrayed as someone he claims he is not. Poor baby. Must be something like having your picture taken on a bad hair day and the next week it appears in a supermarket checkout rag with the headline "X Goes Into Rehab."

[Darren]

Why would he bother using a video like this to get publicity for his movie? That is ridiculous. He's not an actor who has ever tried to build up publicity around himself and his projects. His private life has been private, and he has not engaged in stunts or gossip or public spectacles. And if he was going to start that sort of thing this would be an incredibly weak, ineffective, foolish way to go about it. He could get more attention just by drinking a coffee standing beside whichever table Paris Hilton is dancing on tonight.

I don't see how pictures of him smiling is some sort of evidence, either. In the film Joseph is being pleasant and polite with them, appears to have decided to have fun with the whole thing, and leaves on good terms with the photographers. Why wouldn't they have some pictures of him smiling?

[Matthew Rettenmund]

Possibly that makes sense to explain the smiling shots from the night of the event. But that doesn't explain JGL being so amiable with the same photographer who he feels truly intruded on his space a couple of years later. I've never known public figures to be shy about saying, "No." And I disagree that his using this video is ridiculous; I would argue that rather than out and out using it to bolster The Lookout's b.o., it's more that he's using his mandated round of press interviews to draw attention to his videos (and vice versa)). His site and that video came up in a number of his The Lookout press Q&As, both online and in print. That is not a coincidence. Ultimately, if you think it's fair to question the reasonableness of his smiling/not smiling, what about the fact that this movie is 4.5 years old, that there is no good reason for one let alone two photographers to be so aggressive in shooting a minor star such as JGL? Like I said, I can't vouch for what happened, but whatever shortcomings the photographer may have, I don't know him as a stalkerazzo and I don't believe he didn't know Fellini directed La Dolce Vita. Also, while I feel photographers, the media, the publicists and the stars are all imperfect and worthy of criticism and praise, I can't quite swallow JGL's martyr complex about how corrosive "Celebrity" is. Thanks for reading & commenting.

[Darren]

I still don't see the smiling thing as weird. He was amiable in the video, so why wouldn't JGL also be amiable years later when the "offence" was long in the past? I'm not surprised if they had photos of him smiling on both occassions. He was busy charming them the first time, and later had the probably fond memory of having fun playing around with the guys and "getting one over" on them.

He's mentioned his website as something he likes to do. The website doesn't advertise his movies and he doesn't make money off it. Where's the grand scam here? The Lookout publicity has brought his profile up a bit and some bloggers have been discovering the video and circulating it around a bit as a result. The next time he has a movie out the same thing may happen. It's not going to make him money and it's highly unlikely to make any difference to his already long career. As I said before, he could get a lot more attention through much simpler means.

The aggressiveness/not a big star thing was addressed in the video itself.

I don't see how he's making himself a martyr, either. He explicitly said that he doesn't normally have any problems with the paps bothering him. His comments about celebrity were general criticism about preoccupation with famous people being hurtful to society, not hurtful to him personally or to actors.

Perhaps your friend is understandably embarrassed. If the video IS a set up like he claims maybe he should ask JGL to let him use it as an audition tape. He and the other photog are very convincing for non-actors who are supposed to have just been given their "lines" for a video that nobody would see anyway during what would have been a pretty strange interlude.

[Matthew Rettenmund]

I see your points, but I still feel if these guys were as "not nice" as he says on his site, not nice enough to warrant this video, with this title, it's weird to me that he'd be all smiley with them right after, and with one years later as if bygones are bygones, and then publicize this video as he has (it's not just out there, take it or leave it, it's something he's drawn attention to...for PR, for pride, whatever you like). And refuse to remove it once asked. I guess it's if you can't beat them join them. I still like JGL and really want to see The Lookout. I just think the incident is not black-and-white and I do find it hysterically hypocritical when so many people dump on photographers (even the non-pap kind...most people do not make that distinction, and even very smart stars sometimes forget that distinction) while buying the fruits of their labors. I think he's being a bit of a martyr with the statement about Celebrity dragging us all down but again, it's not like I'm excoriating JGL for it. Just questioning. He could erase any of the photog's claims by releasing the footage unedited.

[d.nied access]

hayden christensen and rachel bilson aren't REALLY DATING!?!?

[Merve Akay]

That paparazzi is fucking lying. That interview wasnt staged at all and its clearly noticable when Joseph sais fellini and he sais 'Who?' -without a doubt- with a blank face. He's probably lying about the coctails and giving out his email adress. He did that photoshoot because he was trying to be nice and took time to give something back to you since you couldnt get any shots of him... hell you didnt get shit from the amazing video he did either.
Hitrecord.org is a great site of Joe's and he explains all that happened, he also talks to us registered members in his forums. All the topics are layed out included this video and other independent videos he made which are all wonderful. His quote on celebrity myth is true but the paparazzi are the ones who put them down and make a mess out of a story that isn't even worth talking about. This fool matt even had the need to write a fucking statement about this because he got his 15 min of fame and try to expand that. You are pathetic, it's seriously not even worth mentoning I mean what are you even explaining there? Dumbass.

[Sarah]

Hmmm, it's hard who to believe here!