Taylor Swift’s dad accused of assaulting Australian paparazzo
An Australian photographer claims to have been assaulted by Scott Swift
Aux News taylor swift
Listen, “dad defends daughter from invasive paparazzi” is never going to sway the public to the side of the paparazzi. Nevertheless, police are looking into an incident between Scott Swift, father of pop star and world conqueror Taylor Swift, and a paparazzo in Australia. Taylor and her family were recently in Sydney for the latest stop on her blockbuster Eras Tour, and there, like everywhere else, the media is desperate for a piece of her.
According to People, law enforcement is investigating an “alleged assault after a 71-year-old man allegedly assaulted a 51-year-old man at Neutral Bay Wharf” around 2:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday. “The younger man reported the incident and inquiries are now underway by officers attached to North Shore Police Area Command. The man did not require medical treatment,” police wrote in a statement.
Swift’s team responded to the incident with their own brief statement: “Two individuals were aggressively pushing their way towards Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel, and threatening to throw a female staff member into the water,” her rep told People.
Speaking with the Daily Mail, veteran photographer Ben McDonald admitted he wasn’t initially sure who shoved him, believing at first it was one of Swift’s security guards before he “realized” it had been Scott. Video of the incident (obtained by TMZ) doesn’t clear up exactly what went down, because the singer’s security does a pretty good job blocking the cameras with open umbrellas. Clips show a figure that is presumably Taylor hidden with her entire torso underneath a large umbrella while Scott escorts her to the car, flipping off the cameras as he approaches. From there, there’s no clear angle of an assault. In McDonald’s footage, he experiences a jolt where he fumbles with the camera momentarily and an off-camera security guard claims “that wasn’t me,” to which McDonald asks, “Who was that?”
It’s not wise to tangle in a PR battle with Taylor Swift, and definitely not with her dad, whose recent press has included enjoying football games and being very sweet to Swifties. In the court of public opinion, a nice older man who hands out sandwiches to fans wins out over predatory paparazzi every time. We’ll see what happens if this incident ever reaches an actual court.
37 Comments
I’m definitely on the side of working class photographers working in freakin’ public over rich shitstains with goofy names like “Scott Swift.” Oh no, some PICTURES might get out of a celebrity! OH NOOOOOOOOOOOO
“well you see, here at G/O, we ignore/minimize these dynamics when they happen to involve people/identities we already like”if dave chapelle had hit a papparazzi photographer this article would take the tone of “millionaire assaults member of working class”
Nah, it’d be “Clown on clown violence.”
It wasn’tt jsut pictures, it its their violent attemtps to get those pictures. Paps got Princess Diana killed.
In “some” circles, it could be claimed that if Diana had just stopped resisting the paparazzi, all would have been fine.
Others in those circles also don’t understand why women are allowed to vote or own property or report assaults to the police, so there you have it.
They shouldn’t have to worry their pretty heads about politics, property or dealing with police. Their men can deal with that kind of thing./s obvs
they were definitely the primary contributor, though driving under the influence and not wearing a seatbelt played a role as well
No, her shitty drunk driver got her killed.
Exactly. It’s a predatory occupation that thrives on harassment and invasion of privacy. Billionaire or not, no one should have to put up with that behavior.
It’s cute that you think high level paparazzi are “working class.”
Working class. Like muggers and burglars and car thieves are just working class.
Obviously he “did his own research” about how much each “exclusive” pic brings in. Scum.
Your populism is performative.
Lol just because they’re working class doesn’t change the fact that paps are literal pieces of shit, human excrement in an industry populated exclusively by pieces of shit.
“working class photographers” my ass
So edgy! So brave!
This piece of shit had a restrainng order put on him by Nicole Kidman for putting a listening device on her private property.
That’s bc you’re a huge dickhead
He told his story to the Daily Mail? He doesn’t know that immediately makes smart people believe he’s lying about this and may not even be a real person?
Once he “realized” it was the father and not a security guard, he realized his neck REALLY kind of hurt.I with Mr. Swift had been armed with a dull machete.
I’m not Danny Trejo, but I’d like to think Machete would approve.
I’d like to imagine the encounter as two sun-burnt guys circling each other pumping fists and lots of PG-rated shit-talking in outrageous Australian accents.
Do you really want to admit you got your ass kicked by a 71 year old?
Ehh…the money you can possibly make off of Taylor Swift’s dad is a fine balm for a bruised ego.
Since when is it illegal to beat up a paparazzi, Sean Penn has been doing that for decades
Yeah, like, that should get someone a modestly sized Edible Arrangement.
“alleged assault after a 71-year-old man allegedly assaulted a 51-year-old man at Neutral Bay Wharf” Sounds more like Chaotic Bay Wharf.
Lol I don’t care for Swift, personally, but anyone who works as a paparazzi (not just a photographer) is a piece of shit who deserves to get their ass beaten. get a real fucking job instead of somehow-legal stalking
This is the same guy who had to have a restraining order taken out against him by Nicole Kidman because he was stalking her. I’m not inclined to believe his story.
Agreed. Normally I hate the “get a real job” attitude because it’s frequently used to denigrate people such as retail workers, but paparazzi work is one of the few occupations that I believe earns it in spades. It contributes nothing positive to society.
Telemarketers too. Get a real job instead of annoying people for a living.
Yep. Another predatory profession, especially for the elderly.
a nice older man who hands out sandwiches to fansHe also hands out sandwiches to paps.Knuckle sandwiches.
Free knuckle sandwiches and ass kickings for invasive douchbags!
Every time I read a headline like this, my first thought is always, “What did the paparazzi do?”Separately, in an age where most celebrities are more than happy to post pictures of themselves doing mundane things, a paparazzi’s jobs seems weirder and less necessary than ever.
Generally I’m fine with paparazzi trying to do their job, and if they can make some cash off the ridiculous business of celebrity than so be it.
But in this case, no injuries and he didn’t even know who pushed him until suddenly he decided it was the dad? He’s just trying to blackmail for a buck now, so fuck the guy.
Except the way they do their job is so aggressive and reckless that it causes more trouble than it’s worth, and in cases such as Princess Diana’s it can have severe consequences. If you really want people to stick it to entitled celebrity culture, supporting a lucrative business that depends on it might not be the best approach.