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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that it must be possible for celebrities to disappear from the scrutiny of the press.

75 replies

InspMorse · 20/03/2018 11:41

AIBU to think that it is possible to avoid the press? That people who court the news are in the news?
For example, Peter Kay has disappeared off the face of the earth and there is little or no speculation as to why. He is not in the news at all since his cancelled tour announcement.
So many people just slip into the shadows so AIBU to think it's possible to avoid the gossip rags and their front page rubbish?

OP posts:
icelolly99 · 20/03/2018 14:06

So called tabloid celebrities create their own 'leaks' i used to work at a hotel which was popular with well known people on TV/film/music, (Chris and Gwyneth, Jude and Sienna and the like) most of them came and went without any hoohaa but those that needed to keep up their profile had 'people' with them that created gossip and photos especially for the press; ahem Kerry Katona, I'm talking about you...... Hmm

EweDoEwe · 20/03/2018 14:14

DH and I had this exact same conversation about Peter Kay last night.

I’d like to think there possibly is an unwritten ‘etiquette’ of sorts with the press, in that if you’ve never sold your wedding to a magazine, you don’t flaunt pics of your spouse and children and children constantly update social media with your daily comings and going’s, you don’t ask ‘friends’ i.e. your management to leak stories, pictures, etc, then you’re not considered fair game by the paparazzi and are left in relative peace.

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 20/03/2018 14:22

PK apparently has an injunction in place. Which is another way to keep your life private I guess

CuriousaboutSamphire · 20/03/2018 14:24

PK apparently has an injunction in place. Which is another way to keep your life private I guess Given the totally unnecessary nosiness and speculation here, can you blame him?

It's just sad that anyone has to go to those lengths to stop nosy buggers prying! His original statement should have been enough!

UterusUterusGhali · 20/03/2018 14:24

In the case of Peter Kay, I'm sure lots of people in the biz know what's up but are not speculating out of respect, or with the promise of an exclusive later.

Goeorge Michael's sexuality was well known, as was his boyfriend dying, but it was kept out of the press for years.

Most of the "friends" quoted in the gossip columns are the celeb's "people".

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 20/03/2018 14:25

No don’t blame him at all. Good for him

UterusUterusGhali · 20/03/2018 14:25

Oh of course an injunction. :)

LexieLulu · 20/03/2018 14:32

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ManicUnicorn · 20/03/2018 14:45

Peter Kay has always been very private. In fact very little is known about his personal life, and I think for that reason the press leave him alone. Adele is the same. Have you ever seen a photo of her children? I don't think their names were even revealed for a while.

The celebs that are always in the media are because they want to be. They can't have it all ways.

Sirzy · 20/03/2018 14:50

Rumours or not it is only his news to share if he wishes though lexie not yours.

It’s a sad world when people can’t need space for whatever reason without being subject to gossip

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 20/03/2018 14:54

It’s tough, because no celebrity or artist gets anywhere without the media or publicity. Adele and peter Kay have done their fair share. They’re also very talented, with good organisations and representation. Not all celebrities have that, and it’s easy to go the wrong way. I don’t think celebrities are in control as much as we think

LostInShoebiz · 20/03/2018 14:57

Some celebs aren't followed because they're monumentally dull and/or don't sell papers. Paul McCartney lives near me and we see him regularly but it's not even worth mentioning because a) he goes about his normal business like any other person b) is always polite and nice and c) has a reputation for a and b so it's completely in-newsworthy when a and b happen.

raisedbyguineapigs · 20/03/2018 15:02

I think famous people- the ones who are well known for their talent rather than the 'celebs' who are famous for their private lives can quite easily keep themselves and their families out of the press. Apparently if your children have a parent who is an EU citizen ( like all Brit famous people and people like Scarlett Johansen and Natalie Portman) you just have to get a lawyers letter saying you don't give permission for your childrens faces to be shown and the press cant use them. Its not difficult, which means that the people whose children are in the press all the time The Beckhams have made it known explicitly or implicitly that that's what they want. Plenty of actors etc don't use Instagram or twitter, or only use it to publicise their jobs. Its the z listers that ring the paps and its an easy life for them, rather than doorstepping someone for ages. Of course its much more difficult now that everyone with a cameraphone takes pictures of people and sticks them on Instagram or sends them to the Daily Mail but you can tell the professional pap shots from the pictures taken from the other side of the pub on a camera phone.

Perfectly1mperfect · 20/03/2018 15:09

There are many actors who do the interviews etc that they have to do to promote their films but other than that you don't see them. I saw an interview with the guy from Peaky Blinders and Jamie Dornan and they were asked about how they keep their privacy. They both said it's very easy, they live rurally, don't attend celeb parties etc and just spend time doing normal stuff with family and friends. I do think it's wrong that papers are able to take photos of them talking their kids to the park, going to the supermarket etc. Who interested anyway ?

LexieLulu I don't think you should be putting that on here. It's not your place to be spreading gossip and if true is very sad news.

FleurDelacoeur · 20/03/2018 15:11

I think it's got more to do with what the celeb's relationship with the press is.

Peter Kay is a really good example - he is obviously a private person and doesn't "court" being a celebrity. He doesn't do Hello/OK. Doesn't turn up to the opening of a tanning salon or other Z list event. He doesn't do celeb reality shows. He still lives in Lancashire and not in London. It's very rare to see him on telly. I have no idea what his wife looks like and what his children are called. He just actively avoids the celebrity circuit.

Other people are SO desperate to be famous that they whore themselves out to every reality show which will have them, whether it's skating, dancing, running a hotel, eating bugs, big brother, baking. They are out every night at parties where the paparazzi are taking photos. They have no problem with glossy spreads in magazines with their kids/partners.

So when something starts to go wrong for that sort of celeb, the paps know exactly where to find them.

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 20/03/2018 15:14

But at the same time PK is a comedian whose career started as a character. He as a person isn’t particularly relevant.

It’s a bit different to say, Kim Kardashian who simply wouldn’t exist as a celeb without publicity.

Blahblahdoll · 20/03/2018 15:29

Look how Kylie Jenner managed to hide her pregnancy. The Beckhams live did publicity!

Blahblahdoll · 20/03/2018 15:30

did=for

TalkinPeece · 20/03/2018 15:31

Look how Kylie Jenner managed to hide her pregnancy.
Sorry, what ?
It was in the press from day one and she made darned sure that pictures of her bump were in the tabloids every day.
THe whole Kardashian Jenner clan are media whores with not an iota of ability between them (since Bruce stopped swimming)

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 20/03/2018 15:36

I think that’s a bit unfair. The kardashians only exist for publicity BUT Kylie did “hide” (rumours aside) her pregnancy and there were no photos of her bump at all.

IvorHughJarrs · 20/03/2018 15:39

My DCs were at school with someone who is now a Z list celebrity and she works incredibly hard at trying to get stuff into the media and make it look spontaneous. She will often go somewhere, have pictures taken and sent in to a paper where they then appear with "X shows off her curves on beach holiday" or "X escapes after relationship worries".

TalkinPeece · 20/03/2018 15:40

If she truly wanted to "hide" she could have not posted pictures of herself on twitter and instagram every day and made sure that the tabloids knew where to find her. Hmm

Sprinklesinmyelbow · 20/03/2018 15:42

But she didn’t? There were barely any pictures of her, apart from early ones in very baggy clothes and later fuzzy poor quality ones of the back of her head

I’m no fan but I’ll give her credit for managing that in this day and age

raisedbyguineapigs · 20/03/2018 15:56

I think now some of them realise the qudos they get from having a bit of 'mystery' about then. I doubt Kylie Jenner gave a stuff about protecting her child's privacy, otherwise she wouldn't have posted pictures of her all over the place the minute she was born. She got more publicity for the 'is she/isn't she?' than she would have otherwise. Cheryl Cole, otoh has kept her baby private even after his birth. I'm no fan of hers but I do respect her for that.

Lollypop27 · 20/03/2018 15:57

Sprinkles I’m with you on the Kylie thing. I am not a Kardashian fan but she managed to keep it quiet. She is one of the most photographed women in the world at the moment and I quite admire her for keeping it a secret.