Latest Battle in the Stars vs. Paparazzi War

Dec. 3, 2007 — -- The latest battle in the war between celebrities and paparazzi pits "America's sweetheart" Julia Roberts against a photographer she spotted videotaping kids near a Malibu, Calif., school attended by her 2-year-old twins.

Roberts chased the photographer and pulled him over. Then she insisted the photographer turn off the camera and gave him a piece of her mind, witnesses said.

"I am going to talk to you about the fact that you are at a school where children go," Roberts said sternly.

The shocking confrontation was the buzz of the entertainment shows. Roberts told "Access Hollywood" enough is enough.

"I just told him a school is not a place for a grown man to be crawling around trying to take pictures," the 40-year-old actress said. "I think there needs to be some kind of line. I don't think the magazines and the newspapers should show celebrities' children."

Roberts is not alone. Many celebrity parents have complained about paparazzi stalking their children.

"I get annoyed when my kids, you know, it's really hard to tell a 4-year-old why he's being, you know, a guy with a camera is running after him at the park," said actress Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Everyone Is Fair Game

Dealing with the paparazzi has always been a necessary evil for celebrity parents. Many remember an angry Princess Diana confronting an intrusive cameraman during a ski vacation with her young sons.

"As a parent I want to protect my children because I brought the children out here for a holiday and would really appreciate the space. We have had 15 cameras following us today," she was heard saying.

But in today's market the competition for pictures of famous children is even more intense, the gloves are off and kids are considered fair game.

"These stalkarazzis are trying to create incidents with kids to get a reaction from the famous parents or from the kids themselves," said publicist Ken Sunshine.

Under First Amendment protections, the photographers are usually on the right side of the law.

"What we find is as long as there is a market for these pictures, paparazzi are going to continue to do it," privacy expert Rick Avery said.

It's not just stars with children who have had it. George Clooney recently confronted a paparazzo when he was riding a motorcycle with girlfriend Sara Larson.

"How many people did you put in danger? Stop ignoring me," Clooney yelled at a photographer.

But will the celebrities ever win the war against paparazzi? Sunshine said that day might be coming soon.

"I think people at the highest level can't take it anymore and won't take it anymore," Sunshine said.