Whether you’re a relentless paparazzi or just some guy with a camera on the street, grabbing a shot of a famous person can be exciting. Unfortunately, it can also be kind of hazardous. For proof, check out our list of celebrity encounters that left the photographers wishing they had kept the lens cap on.
1.) Sean Penn dangled a photographer from a hotel balcony
After a long day of shooting Shanghai Surprise in 1986, Sean Penn must have been a little…upset when he found a photographer camped out in his hotel room. The Penn reacted by dangling the photographer over his ninth-floor balcony, holding the photographer by only his ankles.
2.) Woody Harrelson assaulted a photographer and destroyed his gear
Actor, Woody Harrelson must have been having a bad day when he ran into a photographer from TMZ. Instead of striking a pose for the camera, Harrelson strangled the photographer and completely demolished the camera. Harrelson’s defense: he thought the photographer was a zombie.
3.) Hugh Grant threw a tub of baked beans at a photographer
After being asked to smile for the camera, lovable Brit, became very angry and threw a container of baked beans at the photographer. He followed up his bean attack by attempting a few kicks.
4.) Egyptian police broke a photographer’s arm after he tried to photograph French President Nicolas Sarkozy
During a chance encounter, an AFP photographer tried to photograph the French President Nicolas Sarkoza and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner while they were out for a jog. An Egyptian policeman running with the group, tripped, shoved and forced the photographer to the ground. During the incident, the photographer’s elbow was broken and his camera was shattered.
5.) Chris Martin vandalized a photographer’s vehicle
After a day of surfing in Australia, Cold Play front man, Chris Martin became irritated with a persistent photographer. Martin allegedly smashed the windshield of the photographer’s vehicle and let the air out of the tires.
6.) Golfer John Daly threw a fan’s camera at a tree
In 2007, a distracting shutter click in the middle of Daly’s monstrous backswing caused him to tear a muscle in his abdomen. The injury caused him a lot of career problems, so it wasn’t all that much of a surprise when big John fended off an over-eager Aussie fan by throwing his compact camera into a tree.
7.) Britney Spears attacked a photographer’s vehicle with an umbrella during a fit of rage
In probably one of the most televised photographer/celebrity incidents, pop star Britney Spears, attacked a photographer’s vehicle with her umbrella. She later apologized and said she was preparing for an acting role and got carried away.
8.) Bjork attacked a photojournalist in New Zealand
Pop singer, Bjork has a bad case of jet-lag when she ran into a photographer at Auckland airport in New Zealand. After her plane landed, she attacked and ripped the shirt of a photographer who snapped a few photos of the singer. This wasn’t even her first offense. A few years earlier she went after a photog in Thailand.
9.) Kanye West attacked a photographer in LAX Airport
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Award-winning rapper, Kanye West, was arrested after he allegedly smashed a photographer’s equipment at Los Angeles International Airport. West and his bodyguard were arrested as a result of the incident.
10.) Cameron Diaz grabs a paparazzo’s camera and runs
Back in 2004, Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake were the hot couple to photograph. At some point, they got so fed up with hearing the clicking of shutters that Cameron grabbed a camera from a paparazzo and ran off with it.
11.) Photographer sues Keanu Reeves for a wrist injury
Keanu Reeves allegedly pulled a Hollywood-movie-style stunt by driving into a photographer with his Porsche. The injured paparazzo was suing for over $700,000 in damages from loss wages, medical bills and punitive damages.
12.) Brad Garrett smacked a photographer’s camera
The comedian/actor, Brad Garret, did not find the taunting from photographers very funny. After repeatedly being called a racist, Garret lost his cool and smacked the camera of a TMZ photographer.
13.) David Beckham and his bodyguards sued for assaulting a paparazzo
David Beckham allegedly reached into a paparazzo’s vehicle and attempted to grab his camera. Beckham was unsuccessful and according to the paparazzo, Beckham’s bodyguards physically assaulted him and threw his camera into a garbage can.
14.) Avril Lavigne spit on photographers
After celebrating her 22nd birthday, singer Avril Lavigne, spit at a photographer as he tried to capture a photo of her with her husband, Deryck Whibley.