Friday, September 14, 2012

Paparazzi!


Yesterday evening I was lucky enough to go to a fantastic exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo (and drink a glass of Roederer Champagne!). What was it about? Stolen photos, taken by two famous French paparazzi: Bruno Mouron and Pascal Rostain who met and worked at Paris Match magazine for a long time, before creating their own agency. In France - and probably everywhere - stolen photos of famous people ("Les Pipoles", as some people call them here!) - are highly controversial. But when you look at them at an exhibit, years after they were taken, they have a different flavor. I could not help, but being inspired by the theme of the evening... so I took a "paparazzi" photo to! If my French visitors look carefully, they will see a... "pipole" in this photo!

21 comments:

  1. I don't recognize any of the real people in this shot of yours, though that does look like Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin (my friends and neighbors à l'époque) in the photo. You are a kind of paparazzo yourself—but only in a good way!















































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  2. Well, the old guy on the left in half profile is Albert Einstein, and then the next face we see is Bill Murry, but that is all I recognize .

    OK ERIC, who is really there?

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  3. Paparazzi almost got me fired from my first job, such a nightmare!

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  4. My guess : this may be the French director (and actor) Guillaume Canet, seen behind the camera, on the right of the photo...? I believe he is also the companion of Marion Cotillard, the actress who was awarded by an Oscar. They both are parents of a son named Marcel. But uh no I do not read the tabloids ... The strength of paparazzi uh, ...!
    And a question : is it really 'Jane and Serge' or rather Gainsbourg's last 'partner' (wife) called Bamboo, that we can see with him in the photo at the background?

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  5. Curiouser and curiouser. Are you going to let your "non-French" friends into the secret?

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  6. We'd love to meet you, Eric. We'll be in Paris from the 18th thru the 22nd. Let me know when and where. We're staying on Rue D'Aboukir.

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  7. I can see a "nipole" but alas, no "pipole"

    On this very subject, it would appear that some 'stolen photos' of royal pipole nipoles can be viewed today by the readers of a certain French magazine.

    You are soooo topical today Eric!

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  8. @Alexa What happened, did you fall asleep on the Space key? LOL!

    @Drummond "Yes, I know, it seems to be pretty badly accepted in Britain... I'm sorry! (Even though I'm not responsible this time!)

    @CN "And a question : is it really 'Jane and Serge' or rather Gainsbourg's last 'partner' (wife) called Bamboo, that we can see with him in the photo at the background?" Yes, you're right, it's NOT Jane Birkin, but Bamboo!

    And finally... The answer! You won't know him if you're not French I'm sure: he is Christophe de Margerie, the head of Total, the big French oil company. You can see him right between Serge and Bamboo!

    @Bradcatt Excellent, I live not far from there, email me when you're here and we'll have a coffee of something.

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  9. Eric -- Actually, that's a distinct possibility. Oops.

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  10. Le suspense est intense... Eric !
    @ Drummond ... soooo topical, today ->>>> lol !!
    Did you mean in the magazine Paris Match ? I'll buy one as quick as possible ! Matching pipole is great !!


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  11. Ooops y a plus de suspense alors ... ;)

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  12. Alexa!!! do tell us SOMETHING good about being friends with Jane and Serge!!!!!!!!!
    BTW I thought it was Jane, also.

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  13. Christophe de Margerie, aaaahh oui. Pas sûre que j'aurais mis un nom sur son visage à premier vue mais c'est vrai, il est connu. Bon, je suis meilleur pour les photos que pour reconnaître un big big boss! :0)

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  14. Is taking photos of naked people without their knowledge legal in France?!

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  15. LOL !

    @Jeff. No it's illegal, but... it's a matter of money before all (like everything!!) : magazines who publish stolen photos get sued (like for example tonight we heard that the Kate and William said they would sue French magazine Closer for publishing photos of Kate top less).

    But in the end, if the money you have to pay is less important than the money you make with the photos, well, it's worth it!

    Also, there is a blurry line, between the right of information and violation of privacy. So in the end you never know what's going to happen.

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  16. Yep, that's capitalism, for better or for worse. If the legal punishment is less than the profit from breaking the law, then the money will rule. People who make money at it think it's great. Others may differ. Oh, it's all so confusing!

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  17. French paparazzi not too popular in the UK at present. (exposing our Kate's breasts)

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