Being a movie star or a rock god has its benefits: adoring fans, showbiz reporters, TV interviews, magazine shoots, and first priority at an exclusive nightclub. A life of fame and fortune is fine and all, except for that group of people that all celebrities love to hate. There’s that one quick flash of a hidden camera, a dozen or so people taking your picture all at once, and every one of them playing Twenty Questions with you about your personal life. Ah, yes: the paparazzi.

As a celebrity, you want to separate your private life and your public life. You may be “public property,” but like everyone, you still have the right to privacy and to live your life in peace. Paparazzi may be out to make a living, but they’re doing so at your expense. All of a sudden, people become fascinated and well-informed about what you eat for dinner, where you were at 11:32 PM, or what flavor of slushy you bought from the convenience store a few blocks away. Instead of sucker-punching a paparazzo – and getting big red headlines from showbiz tabloids – here are some more effective ways to discourage and get rid of paparazzi.

Hire Security

Personal bodyguards and a full security detail may seem like overkill, but certainly not if you’re always stalked and followed by the paparazzi. Have your agent contact a reputable security agency to provide you with a private security detail. Police officers are not obliged to provide private security escorts, so your best bet is still a privately-owned security agency with a proven track record. It’s a plus if they have experience with high-profile and celebrity clients.

If you do choose to go out on your own, you will still need the services of bodyguards or escorts. Paparazzi don’t just lurk in high-profile nightspots and restaurants; they also hang around in places where you least expect them. Once someone tips a group of paparazzi off, there’s no escaping them. Make sure that your bodyguards and escorts are trained and competent enough to fend off aggressive paparazzi.

Avoid Violence

While any kind of publicity is a good thing, the least you want is to make entertainment news headlines for hitting a paparazzi in the face. Bad publicity can severely damage your reputation, especially if you want to come across as an approachable celebrity and role model.

Paparazzi can test your patience, and some may even drive you over the edge. A paparazzo may even be aggressive, and do whatever he or she can to take a picture of you. Leave the task of dealing with the paparazzi to your bodyguards, escorts, and your private security detail. Above all, avoid physical contact and physical violence unless you’re provoked, or if a paparazzo lays a hand on you.

Know Where They Are

The problem with paparazzi is that they can appear out of nowhere. Paparazzi are keen observers who can spot a celebrity a mile away. Most paparazzi lurk in places where celebrity sightings are common:

• Fitness clubs

• Luxury hotels (especially when there’s a movie shoot in town)

• Restaurants

• Nightclubs

• Malls

• Exclusive chain stores

• Country clubs

While these are common places where paparazzi lurk, staying away from these places does not assure that you’re safe from them. Paparazzi often use specialized photography equipment like telephoto lenses, stealth cameras, and ultra-compact digital cameras to take secret photos of you no matter where you are. Thanks to the Internet, paparazzi can also leak photos of you all over the world with a single click. It pays to be aware of your surroundings, and always be on the lookout for paparazzi.

Perform a Loyalty Check

Most paparazzi rely on tip-offs from people in celebrity circles. Sometimes a trusted aide or even a part of your security detail can tip off the paparazzi on your whereabouts, in return for a big payoff from paparazzi financiers or tabloid establishments. When the paparazzi seem to always be on your tail, chances are that one of your trusted aides or even your closest friends are sending confidential information to the gossip press.

A loyalty check is absolutely necessary if you’re constantly pestered by the paparazzi. While you may end up ruining some friendships and firing people along the way, your privacy and comfort is still very important. It’s easier to deal with the bad publicity that comes with firing a long-time aide than to deal with paparazzi 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Tell your publicist that you would only issue press releases and conduct press conferences with legitimate members of the media.

Be Straightforward

The problem with paparazzi is that they tend to misquote, misinterpret, and play up whatever you have to say to them. Paparazzi may consider themselves “media people” or “members of the press,” but they usually disregard ethics in favor of a story. The key is to know what questions are worth answering:

• You reserve the right not to answer personal questions, especially if it involves your private life and your family life. When paparazzi demand that you answer personal questions, calmly walk away.

• If you do decide to answer questions related to your career or some rumor, don’t give convenient, ambiguous answers that the editors of a tabloid will spin into a negative story. A short explanation will usually do, or you can refer them to your publicist. The real journalists in the crowd will follow your suggestion and go to your publicist; the paparazzi will lurk around and take pictures.

Get a Restraining Order

Sometimes a restraining order from the courts can get rid of at least some of the paparazzi, especially if you know the name of a particularly offensive paparazzo, and the agency he or she works for. A restraining order is very effective for those members of the paparazzi who are assigned by a tabloid agency to you. Leave the paperworks to your lawyers. While a restraining order is not a guarantee that paparazzi won’t go after you, it could serve as a reminder to photographers and entertainment news reporters to behave properly and ethically.

Stay Calm

Paparazzi thrive on fear. No pair of thick fly-sunglasses or a disguise will prevent paparazzi from spotting you a mile away. The important thing is to stay confident, and to show the paparazzi that you have nothing to hide. Paparazzi tend to surround you if you show to them that you’re vulnerable, and that you’re afraid to answer questions. Paparazzi usually won’t go after celebrities who are more than capable to confront them.

If you appear calm and confident, even the bravest paparazzo would think twice before taking your picture. Be genial, but at the same time, make it clear to everyone to respect your personal space.

Behave Responsibly

People look up to celebrities as role models, which means that you should behave yourself in the best possible manner. A lot of paparazzi stories come from celebrities behaving badly, or find themselves in uncompromising positions. Whenever you’re in public, use your celebrity status to inspire people to feel and act their best.

Paparazzi may think that they’re only making an honest living, but there’s nothing honest about snooping into other people’s lives, especially celebrities. If you deal with paparazzi properly, they will have no reason or a motivation to mess with your private life ever again.