Celebrities love being famous. It’s no wonder that fans will follow their favorites celebs on social media, look for them at the local restaurants and other hot spots in major cities. But what happens when a fan takes it to the next level?
Almost every major A lister has been stalked to some degree in their lives. Whether it’s the paparazzi, crazy teenage fans or groupies, celebrities have learned to bring security around them when they go to special events or even a night out on the town.
Certain celebrities have been harassed to the point where their stalkers have instilled fear in their minds and everyday lives. NCIS’ Pauley Perrette has been stalked for more than a decade. She said she lived in constant fear and felt like she was a prisoner in her own home. Apparently getting a restraining order against her stalker, who was her ex-husband, did very little to eliminate the severe emotional distress she constantly endured.
Perrette is actively working to change current stalking laws to protect more people. She didn’t like living in constant fear and always wondering how she would die one day at the hands of her stalker. By taking a stance to fight the current laws she’s hoping to help protect others who will be stalked in the future. Pauley Perrette realized that having a piece of paper from the local California police department wasn’t going to truly protect her from her stalker. Becoming an advocate and facing her fears has helped her cope with the traumatic ordeal she has suffered from so long.
Other celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Ryan Gossling, Rihanna and Halle Berry all got restraining orders against people who tried to get into their homes. The reality is without the right security in check, the order itself doesn’t always keep their crazed fans away. Usher, for example, had gotten a restraining order against a woman who had broken into his home. After the restraining order was in place, the woman continued to break into Usher’s home multiple times! It’s amazing how people just don’t care, or they don’t get it. They feel like they can do whatever they want and that is always a scary feeling for the celeb who’s being stalked.
What can celebrities do to protect themselves? They know that the world is watching them so leading private lives when they’re not in front of the big screen is their best bet to keep fans away. It’s all about maintaining a low profile. Aside from trying to fly under the radar, having security guards and close friends and family around these celebrities is another way for them to have some level of protection.
Many celebrities have found that it has been necessary to file restraining orders if they feel they are being harassed repeatedly by a fan; however, they don’t know what to expect as a result of their actions. Will the fan get upset and snap? Will the fan strike back with a vengeance and assault the celeb? It’s always a chance that celebs take, but at least it’s on record and if the stalker comes back, then he or she runs the risk of getting arrested.