Once again the public's insatiable appetite for "stars as they are" causes apparent anguish in Tinseltown. This time, paparazzi trail former Nickelodeon powder puff, Hilary Duff.
But is everything as it seems?
The hunt for Duff as she jaunts about el Lay is a nagging head scratcher. Her career marinates in tabloid style sections, yet a gaggle of camera people jostle to document a rather blase ensemble. Run of the mill oversized undershirt pulled over black body suit topped with matching go-go boots, a definite fashion whatever. The in your face presence of multiple photogs seems oddly out of place for a routine trip to the mall.
Is anyone else thinking what's wrong with this picture? Seriously, how did that many lenses pinpoint Duff's location? Better yet, why?
Maybe they've planted imperceptible trailing devices on celebrity vehicles broadcasting locations over a secret short wave radio channel. Much like amateur crime busters monitoring police scanners, the paparazzi decide when to send out the dogs. On the day they trailed Duff, it was a slow one for broadcasts.
On the other hand, Duff's father is once again in the news, this time to report his arrest and incarceration in a Texas jail. Good photo opp? Unlikely.Perhaps boyfriend Mike Comrie is really a mole, working behind the scenes as a double agent texting photogs known locations in exchange for cold hard cash.
Could the anguished Duff be her own tip off? Stars have been known to "leak" their location to tabloids, hoping to increase public exposure. Duff is currently shooting the Mark Polish film Stay Cool, along with Josh Holloway, Winona Ryder, and Chevy Chase. Word from the top may be to get out the buzz.
In that case, they have our attention.