I am sure that the story of our future British Queen being photographed topless has made its way around the world.
The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, was snapped by a Paparazzi with a long lens whilst on holiday at a private property in France.
The photos were sold to a French magazine that published them in France. Both photographer and magazine will profit substantially from these photographs.
I am interested in what peoples thoughts are on this matter. Paparazzi, in particular this one, do you love them or hate them? Do they feed the publics desire for celebrity photos and gossip, or would the public not be bothered if magazines like these didn't exist?
OK, I know that very few outside of the UK will understand the link between a jar of Marmite and the word Paparazzi.
Marmite is a British brand, similar to the Australian Vegemite brand. It is made as a by-product of the brewing industry. It is a strong tasting yeast extract that spreads on toast, primarily as a breakfast product. The Marmite advertising for many years has used the strapline, "Marmite, love it or hate it." Here is a link to an old TV ad. By the way, I love Marmite, I am the only person in my house that does.
I didn't realize Marmite and Vegemite were the same thing. We tried some Vegemite during "World Thinking Day" when I was a Girl Scout leader. I'm on the "hate it" side of the fence! As for the paparazzi, I think they're disgusting. Honestly, what they did in this situation is pretty extreme. Who would have ever thought we'd see two members of the Royal Family naked within a two week time span?
Well Sean, I like Marmite and Vegemite...I like the salty taste...thin layer over butter on toast. Yum.
Now about Kate. First of all, hate the Paparazzi and feel they played an integral role in Princess Diana's death...they are definitely out of control and cross too many boundaries...at the same time, like it or not, if you are a royal or celebrity you do indeed live in a fish bowl...and as much as I believe everyone has a right to privacy, I also think that one needs to use sound judgement and decision making...knowing that super zoom telephoto lenses are everywhere. But seriously, was it the best decision being a "royal" to go topless anywhere except in the privacy of your home...think through that one...not trying to blame the victim here but as the Dali Lama says when asked: "So, you are saying you wouldn't protect yourself if you were attacked by someone in a dark alley???" The Dali Lama repliec, "I would not walk down a dark alley." Simple. Don't set yourself up for trouble. Do you really need your boobs tan anyway???
Nice one Sean! The Great British Public (and the rest of the world's) obsession with the monarchy and celebrity is the problem. If they didn't buy it the papparazzi would be out of work. It;'s not Marmite's fault that it is loved or hated!
Great shot, Sean. Did not know what Marmite was until now! Here is my take on paparazzi and Kate - I hate paparazzi, they are vermin. I also think they were partially to blame for Diana's demise. Everyone I know in the States likes Kate - she is so classy. A real pity her privacy was invaded in this way.
This Aussie has awoken but cannot partake too much in the Marmite vs Vegemite debate because she's not tried Marmite. But I do LOVE my Vegemite and in fact had a Vegemite and cheese sandwich for lunch yesterday. For brekky, I love it on buttery toast, with a glass of fresh orange juice. The sweet with the salty... yum.
As for the beautiful Kate, well, she should always assume someone is watching, no matter how private she thinks her getaway is. I do feel sorry for her but unfortunately, the paparazzi thinks we want to know about those sorts of goings on. I don't. Good on her for being able to relax on holidays. But you can bet it's the last time she ever does.
I agree that it's a great product shot, haven't tried the stuff but have an employee who swears by it...and ditto to what everybody said. What a silly reason for such a flap!
Cool shot, Sean! I'm not crazy about the taste of Marmite or Vegemite but I like the cute bottle. 8)
My take on the topless photos: Human nature at work. People operate on this assumption: "I can get away with it." Everyone does, regardless of age or culture, from the child in the playground who pushes another to the ground to the politician who pledges he will not raise taxes as long as he is elected. The paparazzi believed they could get clear shots of Kate being topless while Kate believed she could sunbathe topless and not be photographed. Who's to blame? No one. Human nature at work. Do the paparazzi feed the public's desire for celebrity photos and gossip? Yes, they do, but it's a job. And jobs exist where there is a demand for them. Can we blame "the public"? Well, they're just being human. If you say you're going to show me a photo of a good looking man in his birthday suit, I'm going to look, I'm only human. 8D But I won't pay to look. It isn't so important to me that I need to part with my (husband's hard earned) money for it. ;D
The blame game suggests that we want to put an end to someone's behavior simply because we don't agree with it, either on (selectively?) moral or legal grounds. In a lot of situations, if we spent a little time thinking about what human nature is, how easily people are tempted to act as they please as long as they believed that "I can get away with it", and how we're not so special that we will never fall victim to the unfortunate circumstances we read about in the papers that happen to "other people", maybe we'll be able to avoid becoming the centre of unwanted attention.
This controversy will blow over given time. People have short attention spans. I'm sure Kate won't let it affect her badly, except to be a lot more careful in future. She's a beautiful—and smart—woman. 8)
Sean, I think everything has been said already, so I wont add to it except to say that William and Kate are both thoroughly well liked over here. And so is Harry, in fact his popularity has probably improved even more after his nude romp.
And as to Vegemite, it could well be said its an acquired taste, but most of us Aussies are force fed it from an early age, so we love it. A thin scraping on buttered toast for breakfast - awesome. I have never tried marmite.
I didn't think Brits would like it, as it doesn't really go with fried bread :-)
Your "wait until the Aussies all wake up"comment cracked me up, this Aussie is awake and is a happy little vegemite, but I have tried Marmite and I like it too, although I am not sure if the product sold here is the same as the UK version.
Well first and foremost I have to agree with pretty much all that has been said above. Yes, Kate was naive, yes, she deserved better, but yes human nature took over and ultimately that has caused her embarrassment. Frankly though, I have no desire to see our future monarchs rude bits!! Most of all I agree with all of you who think that it is a storm in a tea cup. Last night this story beat the following to top spot on our main late evening news.
1. The bloodshed in Syria that seems to be intensifying.
2. Fuel costs that are at an all time high.
3. The lack of economic growth, and politicians unable to deliver it.
4. Another change to our education system awaits our children.
5. A British policeman who beats an innocent man (who dies later) gets sacked, but isn't found guilty in a court of law.
6. The naming of two British soldiers shot by an Afghan Policeman who had asked for help. One of the soldiers was 18, he was still a boy.
Perspective is most clearly needed, or the government need to stop doctoring the drinking water that makes us indignant at this story and accepting of the others!
I like Livia's comments, when it boils down to it, people just do what they can get away with, and this pushes back our moral and legal boundaries over time. The press blame the public for wanting these stories, but still rake in the sales and ad revenue when a juicy story hits. It has me reaching to the words of a prophetic Billy Bragg song written about the press in 1984, called "It says here." it has many lines that reflect today's brouhaha over the dichotomy of the freedom of the press and privacy of the individual, including "Could it be an infringement of the freedom of the press, to print pictures of women in states of undress", clearly not any more. Here is a link to the song on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvi9DjmINpA
Thanks everyone, I enjoyed your comments and am pleased that so many of you wanted to share your opinions.
I will sign off by saying that I think a statue should be built in honour of the person who invented Marmite! It should be very stylised, so people will either love it or hate it ;)
Love the Marmite ! The best British invention !!
And sorry for Kate but as you say the world is mad and there's so many things to care about, that I dont understand people talking during weeks about a young topless lady ......even if its a "royal pair of boops"!
@seanoneill Sadly, the story is still at the top of the list here also althought I'd rather hear about another royal scandal than our presidential election. November ( when we vote)can't get here fast enough!
@lisjam1 It has been relegated here today Lisa, but I wish it hadn't. two policewomen have been shot dead after responding to a burglary call in Manchester today. A very sad today indeed. Why is the world full of nutters with guns?
@seanoneill That's just horrible. Don't even get me started on the gun debate. I don't understand the American obsession with them. I don't think our "right to bear arms" is was intended the way many Americans interpret it.
@lisjam1 I'm with you, Robin Williams sums up that right very well for me with his joke about the right to bear arms being as smart as the right to arm bears!
-Marmite, love it, and especially on toast
-Paparazzi, don't mind either way but I hate some of the things they do and it seems nobody has any right to anything if the camera gets in their way.
-A friend who loved Marmite moved to Oz and told me Vegemite was nothing like it and in fact hideous!
Cool Shot!
Now about Kate. First of all, hate the Paparazzi and feel they played an integral role in Princess Diana's death...they are definitely out of control and cross too many boundaries...at the same time, like it or not, if you are a royal or celebrity you do indeed live in a fish bowl...and as much as I believe everyone has a right to privacy, I also think that one needs to use sound judgement and decision making...knowing that super zoom telephoto lenses are everywhere. But seriously, was it the best decision being a "royal" to go topless anywhere except in the privacy of your home...think through that one...not trying to blame the victim here but as the Dali Lama says when asked: "So, you are saying you wouldn't protect yourself if you were attacked by someone in a dark alley???" The Dali Lama repliec, "I would not walk down a dark alley." Simple. Don't set yourself up for trouble. Do you really need your boobs tan anyway???
The original 1960s ad:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yA98MujNeM
As for the beautiful Kate, well, she should always assume someone is watching, no matter how private she thinks her getaway is. I do feel sorry for her but unfortunately, the paparazzi thinks we want to know about those sorts of goings on. I don't. Good on her for being able to relax on holidays. But you can bet it's the last time she ever does.
Here's an updated version, released a few years back now. I really don't like it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj78bUnUUmg
My take on the topless photos: Human nature at work. People operate on this assumption: "I can get away with it." Everyone does, regardless of age or culture, from the child in the playground who pushes another to the ground to the politician who pledges he will not raise taxes as long as he is elected. The paparazzi believed they could get clear shots of Kate being topless while Kate believed she could sunbathe topless and not be photographed. Who's to blame? No one. Human nature at work. Do the paparazzi feed the public's desire for celebrity photos and gossip? Yes, they do, but it's a job. And jobs exist where there is a demand for them. Can we blame "the public"? Well, they're just being human. If you say you're going to show me a photo of a good looking man in his birthday suit, I'm going to look, I'm only human. 8D But I won't pay to look. It isn't so important to me that I need to part with my (husband's hard earned) money for it. ;D
The blame game suggests that we want to put an end to someone's behavior simply because we don't agree with it, either on (selectively?) moral or legal grounds. In a lot of situations, if we spent a little time thinking about what human nature is, how easily people are tempted to act as they please as long as they believed that "I can get away with it", and how we're not so special that we will never fall victim to the unfortunate circumstances we read about in the papers that happen to "other people", maybe we'll be able to avoid becoming the centre of unwanted attention.
This controversy will blow over given time. People have short attention spans. I'm sure Kate won't let it affect her badly, except to be a lot more careful in future. She's a beautiful—and smart—woman. 8)
And as to Vegemite, it could well be said its an acquired taste, but most of us Aussies are force fed it from an early age, so we love it. A thin scraping on buttered toast for breakfast - awesome. I have never tried marmite.
I didn't think Brits would like it, as it doesn't really go with fried bread :-)
Your "wait until the Aussies all wake up"comment cracked me up, this Aussie is awake and is a happy little vegemite, but I have tried Marmite and I like it too, although I am not sure if the product sold here is the same as the UK version.
Great photo and conversation starter!
Well first and foremost I have to agree with pretty much all that has been said above. Yes, Kate was naive, yes, she deserved better, but yes human nature took over and ultimately that has caused her embarrassment. Frankly though, I have no desire to see our future monarchs rude bits!! Most of all I agree with all of you who think that it is a storm in a tea cup. Last night this story beat the following to top spot on our main late evening news.
1. The bloodshed in Syria that seems to be intensifying.
2. Fuel costs that are at an all time high.
3. The lack of economic growth, and politicians unable to deliver it.
4. Another change to our education system awaits our children.
5. A British policeman who beats an innocent man (who dies later) gets sacked, but isn't found guilty in a court of law.
6. The naming of two British soldiers shot by an Afghan Policeman who had asked for help. One of the soldiers was 18, he was still a boy.
Perspective is most clearly needed, or the government need to stop doctoring the drinking water that makes us indignant at this story and accepting of the others!
I like Livia's comments, when it boils down to it, people just do what they can get away with, and this pushes back our moral and legal boundaries over time. The press blame the public for wanting these stories, but still rake in the sales and ad revenue when a juicy story hits. It has me reaching to the words of a prophetic Billy Bragg song written about the press in 1984, called "It says here." it has many lines that reflect today's brouhaha over the dichotomy of the freedom of the press and privacy of the individual, including "Could it be an infringement of the freedom of the press, to print pictures of women in states of undress", clearly not any more. Here is a link to the song on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xvi9DjmINpA
Thanks everyone, I enjoyed your comments and am pleased that so many of you wanted to share your opinions.
I will sign off by saying that I think a statue should be built in honour of the person who invented Marmite! It should be very stylised, so people will either love it or hate it ;)
And sorry for Kate but as you say the world is mad and there's so many things to care about, that I dont understand people talking during weeks about a young topless lady ......even if its a "royal pair of boops"!
You would think they would have learned, after what happend to Diana
-Paparazzi, don't mind either way but I hate some of the things they do and it seems nobody has any right to anything if the camera gets in their way.
-A friend who loved Marmite moved to Oz and told me Vegemite was nothing like it and in fact hideous!
Cool Shot!