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CNN ran a fairly disturbing story about a trespassing incident that occurred at Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s home in France on Friday. Two paparazzi dressed in camouflage and somehow managed to sneak onto the grounds surrounding the Jolie-Pitt chateau. There is nothing officially stated yet as to how long they were on the grounds or how many – if any – pictures had been taken by the time they were found.
However, when four of the guards at the chateau discovered the intruders, a physical fight broke out from both sides. Apparently no one was seriously hurt although both the guards and the paparazzi chose to file assault charges. The spokesperson for the police, Capt. Olivia Poupot, implied that it’s easy to imagine that it’s not unusual for people to come to blows if they discover someone illegally on their property, taking pictures.
A judge will still need to make a formal ruling as to whether or not further charges will be pressed against anyone. This comes right on the heels of Brad threatening legal action for photos that were taken of the family in their yard the other day. We can only imagine how angry he must be over the trespassing and how scary it must be for the family in general.
What is perhaps even more disturbing is this further statement made by Capt. Poupot that they aren’t overly concerned by or interested in this break-in.
“There are, [...] more important things than paparazzi taking photos of a glamor couple.”
I don’t understand this attitude at all. This isn’t “paparazzi taking photos of a glamor couple” at all. You could call it that if they were walking down the street and someone took pictures of them from the end of the block. This is two people who invaded Brad and Angelina’s privacy by trespassing on their private property, disguising themselves to be as inconspicuous as possible, and traipsing around their home. I would hope that everyone could take legal action against such a thing; being a celebrity should not matter. On top of that, there are children involved. Will it be serious enough if one of the Jolie-Pitt kids gets hurt? Will it be serious enough if they break right into the house itself and take pictures inside?
I think the police should be taking it more seriously than they are, especially if they want to promote their supposed anti-paparazzi laws that prevent these types of incidents from happening at all. I don’t care how badly someone wants to sneak the first pictures of Knox and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt – breaking into private property to do it is unacceptable and illegal and should be treated as such.
768 days ago
I wish JP’s would return to NOLA because when/if you think on it, it seems the only place where we’ve really never heard of them being put in a situation like they have here. France was supposed to be that place were the laws would allow for more freedom from this kind of thing, and now this. Another thing about them living in NOLA is that it’s citizens seem very protective of them. I remember reading about a bar owner kicking a reporter out of their establishment for trying to take photos of the couple, and I’ve heard of people being asked in the neighborhood about them and been giving wrong info on purpose, or gotten the silent treatment.
I think they’re a great team, and it’s times like now when I know Angelina realizes the essence of this man. He’s going to protective his family, and those who don’t know better ask somebody lol.
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768 days ago
I dunno…I feel their pain (as does everyone else here obviously). I mean, the South of France is a pretty nice place to live. So I can see the attraction. And it is more low key than Hollywood or New York City, which are the other celeb hot spots. I think perhaps the problem is that Brad and Angie have attracted a level of media attention (and obsession) that is pretty much unprecedented. So I don’t think the French local police are used to having to worry about people going to extreme measures (once people have installed pretty tight security systems) to get into people’s property. France is just more low key in general. There is less crime (less poverty) so it’s not organized like a security state. Whereas there are parts of the U.S. and the third world that have wealthy high security zones, that are ultra (insanely so in my opinion) protected. So that it perhaps the problem. Yeah the laws are tighter, but I guess the enforcement is weaker because they are not used to this. This is just my hunch anyway, I could be wrong.
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768 days ago
Passerby, so happy you didn”t delete your thoughts. They are very well spoken and understandable. Welcome to all past JJ readers, this is a great place to come to each day.
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768 days ago
Is it any wonder they went to Africa for Shiloh’s birth…People there are to busy trying to feed their family and stay alive to give a shit what famous, beautiful people are in the hut next door. They just need to buy some little funky place in no where land (like Idaho or Montana)and not let the world know where the hell they are and maybe they could get some peace. France is full of rich beautiful people so there are tons of photogs and paps hanging around. Demi Moore and her family live in Ketchun,Id. and they seem to live pretty normal lives.
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768 days ago
Maybe Brad should use some of his “Fight Club “and “Snatch” fighting experience and kick some french ass!!!! GO BRAD!!!!!!!!!
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768 days ago
ligaya….I SO enjoy your posts. I’ve been a silent fan since you started posting. I cannot get over you saying that not ONLY did they have camouflage clothes but a camouflage tent!! I also agree w/People being a legit magazine. AJ & BP seem to be very grasious to their fans. I hope this doesn’t stop them, but, I understand it.
Also, Sherry wanted to give a shout out and a big thank you for everything you post for us. I don’t know how you do with your family and all, but it is so appreciated.
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768 days ago
retuor wrote at jjb
It appears that “The Fighter” has not been greenlighted, and that RoboCop is next for Aronofsky.
So we may really see Brad in “Inglorious Bastards.
BMGM had been talking to several filmmakers about rebooting the franchise and started meeting with Aronofsky a month ago. At the time, Aronofsky, who is repped by CAA, was finishing up postproduction on “The Wrestler” and hoping to move forward with “The Fighter” at Paramount. But greenlight delays resulting from potential SAG labor strife and actor scheduling left him open to wooing.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ifcce08ba05c71072018830821bb10d71?imw=Y
Thanks retuor!
****
The Fighter can be after RoboCop. Aronofsky took the huge project for MGM.
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768 days ago
Thank you Sherry for this update. I was away last weekend and came back not feeling well so I am really behind here. When I read the other wonderful posts including familiar names from JJ’s site, I must agree that wearing a camouflage outfit and putting the same on someone’s camera has the “intent” of not only tresspassing, but to take long lens photos of someone’s children/property. Even if they are 500 yards away, it is still trespassing. They are money hungry. I actually saw those photos at Laineygossip.com the first time. Shiloh was sitting on Brad’s lap riding some type of motorcycle or golfcart. The caption says, what does Brad and Britney have in common? Of course the tabs will have “great” stories with that unfortunately. Also, thank you Sherry for the great video of “I am who I am.” I recognized the blogger who made it from JJ’s. I also think that the U.S. have wild paps but the laws are more strict.
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768 days ago
Balance
Jul 26, 2008 at 6:16 am
Miraval is not a private property there is no barrier all around it.
>>>>>>>>>>
Just wanna make it clear that I’m pretty damn sure that the pap was not on some public woodland but on private property. But no one here needs to take my word for it because this is how Chateau Miraval describes itself:
The estate, situated at an altitude of 350 meters (1150 ft.), extends to 400 HA (1000 acres) with 30 HA (75 acres) devoted to vines. The vineyards flourish on the valley floor, protected by the surrounding forest of evergreen and white oak, and parasol, aleppo and maritime pine.
http://www.miraval.com/en/domaine/index.html
Now, 1000 acres of which only 75 acres are devoted to vineyards leaves you 925 acres for other users include some housing, barns etc for the winery. The bulk of Chateau Miraval is WOODLANDS.
YOu may also recall that there was an article not long after the JP’s rented the place where the hunters said that they hoped they would be allowed into the woodland to hunt game during the season. I’m sure of course they will be because the hunting seasons is in the fall and the JP’s would already be back at work. Now I don’t know whether Chateau Miraval has any fences or not but really, why would the hunters say that they hoped to be able hunt there if it weren’t fenced off?
Several years ago, I visited France with friends and was taken to a lovely hunting lodge in France. The lodge was surrounded by woodlands which were private property and it was fenced off. The owner made most of his money during the hunting season when he licensed people to come to his property to hunt for wild boar, deer and other game and of course, stay on his property (we were there off season). To get to the lodge, you’d have to walk through acres of woodlands.
It seems that the pap KNEW that he was on Chateau Miraval land and not public land so he’s just a lying scum bag and in deed, what would you expect of a pap who has once been charged with stalking another celebrity?
Looking at Chateau Miraval’s website, it seems to me that it does not do door sales and sells only to known distributors or visitors by appointment. This means people like you and I can’t just walk into the winery and ask to sample their wines and buy a dozen bottles or so to take home.
This is the way with most prestigious wineries. AGain, during this visit to France with friends, our friends got appointments for us to go to some prestigious wineries. For these highly prestigious wineries, it’s not exactly like doing a tour of the Napa or the Hunter Valleys.
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768 days ago
Thanks for the words Ligaya, I could agree more. When I read Balances comments all I could think of was, “WHAT”!. Are you kidding! Man where did that come from? Not private property! What better way to draw attention away from yourself (Luc Goursolas & Marianne Saint-Arroman) than to cry foul when you are caught red-handed comminting a crime. To accuse the people who caught you of the very thing you did and then threatened to sue. Beautiful! Come to think of it, Unblanced, opps Balanced is really probably Goursolas, because no one in their right mind would make such unbelivalbe, unsubstantial & uneducated statements!!!
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767 days ago
“Another” Sherry, thanks so much for really nice feedback. I think one of the hallmarks of Pittwatch, besides respect and civility, is how knowledgeable and articulate people are. Lots of times I learn something new or a different way of looking at things. Plus I often get ideas of how to defend Angelina and her family’s honor in other blogs. ;-)
JJB, a popular bumper sticker around here is “How did *our* oil get under *their* sand?” Anyway, the Middle East is a very complicated issue, and we understand less about the Middle East than we do about Africa – which isn’t as much as we need to. Good grief, we don’t even know U.S. geography and civics. I just saw a great movie called Persepolis about a little girl (spunkier than Juno!) growing up in Iran during all the changes in the government. I learned more from watching that movie – the culture, history and relations with the U.S. – than from the lectures I’ve gone to or the little reading I’ve done.
Passerby, I was looking for your post late one night and couldn’t find it even though I went forward and backward on the thread. Found it. ;-)
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767 days ago
[...] paparazzi who had attempted to get sneaky photos of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at Miraval the other day. You have got to check it [...]
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767 days ago
@Elizabeth
*If they release the pic they are damned!
*If they DON’T they are damned!
Which is the better evil, you decide. Since you are so moralistically above everybody else, especially Brad and Angie and KNOW what’s best.
There is NO prove whatsoever that they sold the pics of the twins, just malicious gossip from the usual suspects: E!, Us Weekly etc. Gagle People Mag said they have NOT heard from B&A re selling the pics.
There’s nothing wrong with them selling. Better a charity get the money than a sleazy naked child picture taking pap!
Angie loves the attention…wth??? When was the last time you saw her go to a popular HW restaurant or nightclub or bar for pics to be taken. They rarely go out unless it’s work related.
**Sherry please delete this if you think it’s too rude, BUT I had to get that off my chest.
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767 days ago
Ok! now I can comment on the paps and the blows.
I also hope they sue the pap agency and IT for pics. the C&D letters went out but I think not quickly enuff to affect IT. But they should sue them for publishing pics of their kids naked.
The police woman obviously does NOT know her duties. And it’s shame that they hoped for peace and privacy post babs arrival but instead they get this hoopla.
Halle and Nicole said they won’t sell/release pics, Halle’s backyard was invaded by pap or two and they took pics. She’s SUEING them. Let’s see how Nicole is going to fair….
So why isn’t everyone up in her face, saying it’s all her fault and she brought on her self because she’s seeking attention by NOT releasing a pic of HER baby?
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766 days ago
@Bless
I like Halle Berry, but the double standard has me furious. It’s “oh, I really respect her” but when Brad and Angelina get upset it is because of the money they may or may not be receiving, not that they are having their privacy invaded. I would rather not see them for weeks than have them tortured by maniacs.
And this guy is really milking it in France. He is walking around with a huge bandage on his head and the paparazzi there are on his side. Funny, in the first photos, there is no blood, or injury. I hope we don’t get this in the states, but I am sure some sleazy tabloid will pay him for his “story”.
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766 days ago
I think police must protect betther them if papz disturb my favorite family.
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