On the Trail of the Paparazzi

Oct. 31, 2003 — -- They hide out in SUVs stocked with satellite navigation maps and sophisticated two-way radios, waiting for their prey. They'll spend hours on a single stakeout, knowing that just one glimpse of their target could net them a sizeable payout.

2020 produced this segment in collaboration with the cable channel AMC. This spectacular footage of the paparazzi in action is from AMC's new series, The Hollywood Hunt Club.

These aren't undercover spies on a covert mission. These stealthy prowlers are the paparazzi. Armed with nothing more than cameras, they go to extraordinary lengths to catch unsuspecting celebrities in a candid moment.

From spotting Ben and J.Lo fast-fooding at McDonald's, to eying Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher sneaking a smooch, to spying Pamela Anderson at the grocery store, or following Winona Ryder on a shopping spree, the paparazzi are cashing in on our seemingly endless appetite for celebrities.

"People are fascinated by these icons. They're fascinated by the glamour, by the beauty and also by the normality of their lives," says Bonnie Fuller, chief editorial director of Star, the popular supermarket tabloid whose pages are filled with candid shots of stars. Star pays paparazzi thousands of dollars for the candid shots and its investment pays off: The tabloid sells more than a million copies a week.

On the Other Side of the Camera Lens

Cable channel AMC turns its cameras on the paparazzi in a new series, The Hollywood Hunt Club, following the photographers as they pursue the stars.

Ben, who asked that his last name not be used, is one of the photographers featured in the Hunt Club. At 24, he's already a successful celebrity stalker, pulling in a nearly six-figure salary as a paparazzo. He works with a team of 10 photographers for Bauer Griffin, one of the more successful paparazzi operations in the country.

One of the operation's owners, Frank Griffin, a veteran photographer from England, directs Ben and other shutterbugs in the field.