English/Nat
Paparazzi refused to shoot pictures of George Clooney at Monday's New York opening of his new movie: "The Peacemaker".
They stood together quietly to protest against the actor's criticism of photographers who chase stars. Some also booed.
Only a few flashbulbs - mostly belonging to fans - went off as the "E-R"
and "Batman and Robin" star arrived.
Boos broke out when George Clooney appeared at the Manhattan premiere of his latest action drama, "The Peacemaker."
After Clooney's bitter protest of the press role in Princess Diana's death last month, many photographers showed up specifically not to photograph the actor.
At Monday's opening of "The Peacemaker," only a few flashbulbs - mostly belonging to fans - went off as the "E-R" hunk and "Batman and Robin" star passed in front of about 60 photographers at Ziegfield theater
They were protesting against the actor's criticism of photographers who chase stars.
Clooney denied that he had any grudge against the press.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
''I haven't had any problem with the press. I believe in the press and I've always believed in the press. And I've never softened.''
SUPER CAPTION: George Clooney. actor
Members of the press stood idly by as Clooney did interviews along the red carpet, mainly defending his position towards the paparazzi rather than about his new movie.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I don't stand up for people who create the news. People who cause accidents. People who cause situations that would never have existed if they weren't there to cause it and take pictures."
SUPER CAPTION: George Clooney, actor
Clooney was defending the position he took in the wake of the death of Princess Diana, when the role of the paparazzi in her death was raised as a possibility.
He had blasted tabloid journalists and newspapers who ran such paparazzi photos in a news conference after her death.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Legitimate news sources like the Los Angeles Times and network news should draw a clear line in the sand. Do not purchase your news. Do not use tabloids as a source. You define the difference between tabloids and legitimate news. Do your job. Inform responsibly. As for you Mr. Coz and your colleagues, the Princess of Wales is dead and you have gone on television and you have washed your hands and you have placed blame and you have deflected responsibility and I wonder how you sleep at night. You should be ashamed."
SUPER CAPTION: George Clooney, actor
The press photographers who showed up at the New York premier only to shun the actor had little sympathy for his position.
VOX POP: (English)
"We just showed our displeasure with a person who's got a big mouth that doesn't know what he's talking about. He's made his reputation through the photographers that diligently try to help and now he turns against them because of well, what happened with Diana. And it's not proven that the photographers were responsible - the guy was drunk. So I caused the accident."
SUPER CAPTION: Rick Maiman, photographer
VOX POP: (English)
"George Clooney spoke prematurely. He bit the hand that's been feeding him. He needs the likes of us. If we don't want to take his picture on any given occasion we ultimately feel he suffers. I will go on and I will live tomorrow without having taken his picture tonight. And so will he and he's, you know he'll go on to do "ER" and maybe this movie will or will not be a success. But let's face it - the whole premise of us and you being at this event tonight was for the God all mighty bottom line. It was for the sake of hyping a movie so that it does OK at the box office."
SUPER CAPTION: P.J., photographer
Clooney is at least the third star to be boycotted after attacking the paparazzi.
Sylvester Stallone was also snubbed at the September 8 opening of his Planet Hollywood restaurant in Rome.
