Could you become a celebrity stalker?
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(CNN) -- Think you would never go so far as to become obsessed with your favorite celebrity?
Often, the image of a celebrity stalker is a mentally ill loner, someone whose sole purpose in life is devoted to the notables they follow like deities -- or prey.
But some experts believe a celebrity stalker may be someone just like you.
Several years ago, author and fame psychology expert James Houran was part of a team that studied celebrity worship.
The belief at the outset, he said, was that stalkers were a group distinct from typical fans.
Instead, what the team found was that celebrity worship forms a continuum that "starts off with very benign forms, but then it gradually takes on more dysfunctional behaviors," Houran said.
"That's good news and bad news," said Houran, whose research led to development of the "Celebrity Attitude Scale," a metric for celebrity worship. "That means that stalkers probably don't start off that way."
"The bad news is that means there's a stalker in all of us, and given the right set of circumstances, virtually anybody can be pushed to be a celebrity stalker, or at least someone that obsesses about celebrities to the point that it interferes with our daily life."
This week, Chidi Benjamin Uzomah Jr., 25, made headlines when he was arraigned on charges of felony stalking and attempted disobeying of a court order in a case involving radio and "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest. Uzomah pleaded not guilty to the stalking charge.
The 25-year-old was arrested last week at the E! building in Los Angeles, California, where Seacrest tapes a daily TV show.
Uzomah pleaded guilty in September to attacking Seacrest's security guard outside an Orange County hospital and was ordered to stay away from the star.
Alleged stalkers of Justin Timberlake and Miley Cyrus have also recently been in court. The pair join a long list of celebs including Jodie Foster, David Letterman, Madonna and Brad Pitt who have been tracked by obsessed fans.
One famous -- and tragic -- case involved "My Sister Sam" star Rebecca Schaeffer, who in 1989 was murdered by her stalker after he used the Department of Motor Vehicles to track the actress down.
Experts say these days it is even easier for fans to delve into the lives of celebrities and to become stalkers.
"Celebrity worship, in general, is on the rise," said Cooper Lawrence, author of "The Cult of Celebrity: What Our Fascination with the Stars Reveals about Us."
"The reason why now more than ever is because we have more access to information with the Internet, and anything you ever wanted to know about a celebrity you don't have to wait for a weekly magazine to come out." Worried about your online privacy?
In fact, she added, nowadays celebrities appear to communicate in practically real time to fans, a far cry from the days of autographed photographs sent by mail in self-addressed envelopes.
"On their Twitter page, they are talking directly to you and telling you what they are doing," Lawrence said. "I think this immediacy really fuels the people that are a little more vulnerable."
While fan adoration comes with the territory of being a celebrity, there are some admirers who cross the line to the point of becoming annoyances -- and sometimes dangerous -- to their favorite stars.
"Quite a few celebrities have had to deal with this," said Michael Smith, a former Atlanta, Georgia, police officer who has served as a security coordinator for several hundred films, commercials and videos since 1980. "Any time there is a person of notoriety, sometimes there are troubled people out there who get attached."
There is a line between a devoted fan and a hardcore stalker, said Reid Meloy, a forensic psychologist. Meloy was involved in the case of Dante Soiu, who was convicted of stalking actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
A stalker, unlike a devoted fan, entertains bizarre beliefs about the star, develops a pathological fixation and pursues the person in a way that often brings them to the attention of security personnel, Meloy said.
Meloy, who said a number of celebrity stalkers tend to be psychotic, believes the obsession isn't helped by the current tabloid culture.
"Celebrities, in a sense, in order to maintain their fan base, have to be more personally revealing," Meloy said, adding that the release of such information can fuel a stalker's fantasy.
But Lindsay Powers, managing editor of the Web site for the entertainment show "Extra," disputed the correlation between increased coverage of celebrities and stalking.
"I don't know if it's all tabloid culture," she said. "Through time, powerful people have always attracted attention that is less than desirable."
Rather, Powers said, stalking has gotten more high-tech given the flood of information available. Stars can't avoid talking about themselves because marketing themselves and their projects is part of their jobs, she said.
"Part of being a celebrity is that you talk about your life, you give interviews to the magazines and to TV shows," Powers said. "You put yourself out there so people do feel like they know you a little bit more."
Stars have to try to balance the notion of staying relevant and getting press with releasing too much personal information, Houran said.
"The more a celebrity discloses about themselves, the more they make a fan think they know them in a way that they really don't," Houran said.
Attorney Darryl Cohen has represented a few celebrities who have been victims of stalkers. His clients, who requested that he not identify them by name, were constantly harassed, he said.
One case involved an Atlanta-based music group whose female stalker showed up at events, tracked down their phone numbers, visited two members' homes and even called their manager.
Cohen said he has been stalked by a woman desiring to break into the music industry.
"It's hard to say what's the difference between a 'stalker' and a fan who really wants to know you or go out with you," Cohen said. "Sometimes a fine line is crossed, but you don't know where it is."
Often, the image of a celebrity stalker is a mentally ill loner, someone whose sole purpose in life is devoted to the notables they follow like deities -- or prey.
But some experts believe a celebrity stalker may be someone just like you.
Several years ago, author and fame psychology expert James Houran was part of a team that studied celebrity worship.
The belief at the outset, he said, was that stalkers were a group distinct from typical fans.
Instead, what the team found was that celebrity worship forms a continuum that "starts off with very benign forms, but then it gradually takes on more dysfunctional behaviors," Houran said.
"That's good news and bad news," said Houran, whose research led to development of the "Celebrity Attitude Scale," a metric for celebrity worship. "That means that stalkers probably don't start off that way."
"The bad news is that means there's a stalker in all of us, and given the right set of circumstances, virtually anybody can be pushed to be a celebrity stalker, or at least someone that obsesses about celebrities to the point that it interferes with our daily life."
This week, Chidi Benjamin Uzomah Jr., 25, made headlines when he was arraigned on charges of felony stalking and attempted disobeying of a court order in a case involving radio and "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest. Uzomah pleaded not guilty to the stalking charge.
The 25-year-old was arrested last week at the E! building in Los Angeles, California, where Seacrest tapes a daily TV show.
Uzomah pleaded guilty in September to attacking Seacrest's security guard outside an Orange County hospital and was ordered to stay away from the star.
Alleged stalkers of Justin Timberlake and Miley Cyrus have also recently been in court. The pair join a long list of celebs including Jodie Foster, David Letterman, Madonna and Brad Pitt who have been tracked by obsessed fans.
One famous -- and tragic -- case involved "My Sister Sam" star Rebecca Schaeffer, who in 1989 was murdered by her stalker after he used the Department of Motor Vehicles to track the actress down.
Experts say these days it is even easier for fans to delve into the lives of celebrities and to become stalkers.
"Celebrity worship, in general, is on the rise," said Cooper Lawrence, author of "The Cult of Celebrity: What Our Fascination with the Stars Reveals about Us."
"The reason why now more than ever is because we have more access to information with the Internet, and anything you ever wanted to know about a celebrity you don't have to wait for a weekly magazine to come out." Worried about your online privacy?
In fact, she added, nowadays celebrities appear to communicate in practically real time to fans, a far cry from the days of autographed photographs sent by mail in self-addressed envelopes.
"On their Twitter page, they are talking directly to you and telling you what they are doing," Lawrence said. "I think this immediacy really fuels the people that are a little more vulnerable."
While fan adoration comes with the territory of being a celebrity, there are some admirers who cross the line to the point of becoming annoyances -- and sometimes dangerous -- to their favorite stars.
"Quite a few celebrities have had to deal with this," said Michael Smith, a former Atlanta, Georgia, police officer who has served as a security coordinator for several hundred films, commercials and videos since 1980. "Any time there is a person of notoriety, sometimes there are troubled people out there who get attached."
There is a line between a devoted fan and a hardcore stalker, said Reid Meloy, a forensic psychologist. Meloy was involved in the case of Dante Soiu, who was convicted of stalking actress Gwyneth Paltrow.
A stalker, unlike a devoted fan, entertains bizarre beliefs about the star, develops a pathological fixation and pursues the person in a way that often brings them to the attention of security personnel, Meloy said.
Meloy, who said a number of celebrity stalkers tend to be psychotic, believes the obsession isn't helped by the current tabloid culture.
"Celebrities, in a sense, in order to maintain their fan base, have to be more personally revealing," Meloy said, adding that the release of such information can fuel a stalker's fantasy.
But Lindsay Powers, managing editor of the Web site for the entertainment show "Extra," disputed the correlation between increased coverage of celebrities and stalking.
"I don't know if it's all tabloid culture," she said. "Through time, powerful people have always attracted attention that is less than desirable."
Rather, Powers said, stalking has gotten more high-tech given the flood of information available. Stars can't avoid talking about themselves because marketing themselves and their projects is part of their jobs, she said.
"Part of being a celebrity is that you talk about your life, you give interviews to the magazines and to TV shows," Powers said. "You put yourself out there so people do feel like they know you a little bit more."
Stars have to try to balance the notion of staying relevant and getting press with releasing too much personal information, Houran said.
"The more a celebrity discloses about themselves, the more they make a fan think they know them in a way that they really don't," Houran said.
Attorney Darryl Cohen has represented a few celebrities who have been victims of stalkers. His clients, who requested that he not identify them by name, were constantly harassed, he said.
One case involved an Atlanta-based music group whose female stalker showed up at events, tracked down their phone numbers, visited two members' homes and even called their manager.
Cohen said he has been stalked by a woman desiring to break into the music industry.
"It's hard to say what's the difference between a 'stalker' and a fan who really wants to know you or go out with you," Cohen said. "Sometimes a fine line is crossed, but you don't know where it is."
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by JustMe on -
yes I could... this is why I will not go to NYC... I'd be posted up @ 40/40, Donato's, Nets & Yankee games, etc... LOL
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Permalink Reply by Cookie Pie on -
lol you crazy girl but you are right ..... anybody could and you never know who it's gonna be
JustMe said:yes I could... this is why I will not go to NYC... I'd be posted up @ 40/40, Donato's, Nets & Yankee games, etc... LOL
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Permalink Reply by skyttlez77563 on -
I believe this is the case and it does explain how seemingly normal people start stalking with no history of doing so to others. Now leave out the mentally insane and just factor in a person who is a fan and has all the posters and music in addition to the person's bio and then you add twitter and facebook/myspace, OMG, this is the point where the fan turns to a stalker and forgets that you don't know the artist personally. All those factors can cross a line at some point after a long term fascination with the person becomes an obsession. Next they come to the realization that they have to meet and now the stalker has come out of their person and the only way for them to minimize their anxiousness is to hit the road and start trying to find that object of their affection. Unfortunately for the star, this is their reality.
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Permalink Reply by Madison on -
no i can get to calabasas (kimmie k's store) in a short amount of time...never been so no it's not in me-just an internet gangster (--Rosci lyrics)
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Permalink Reply by DON_JUAN on -
i think u have to already be nutts to become a celeb. stalk off the top. everyone has different motives. i dont think or ever see myself becoming a celeb. stalker. i was so fasc. with trina (the rapper) in my high school days. i still think she da baddest (like she proclaims to be) , but i couldnt see myself going to m.i.a trying to track her down, stalking, etc. its just not that serious mane.
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Permalink Reply by ReadytoSettleDown on -
at 27 yrs of age i am a DIE HARD JANET JACKSON fan!...i would stalk the hell outta her with my daughter in tow...we would bust out the moves from rythm nation right in front of her!
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Permalink Reply by MrShady on -
I have to agree that you gotta be on some other shit to become a celebrity stalker...I just dont get it...I have never been so moved by anyone that Ive even entertained the thought of stalking ANYONE celeb or not...that takes up too much time that I for 1 do not have...I have what they call a LIFE and I can't even fathom incorporating time to follow someone...
Just my 2 cents...
DA_DON said:i think u have to already be nutts to become a celeb. stalk off the top. everyone has different motives. i dont think or ever see myself becoming a celeb. stalker. i was so fasc. with trina (the rapper) in my high school days. i still think she da baddest (like she proclaims to be) , but i couldnt see myself going to m.i.a trying to track her down, stalking, etc. its just not that serious mane.
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Permalink Reply by DON_JUAN on
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this random blk dude thats stalker ryan seacrest..........i dont get it at all. this dude has actually went to the studio with weapons and all, just crazy. he needs to be locked up somewhere and its fucking ryan seacrest!!!!! who the fuck is he to have stalkers. lol dat nigga must be cukoo for cocoa puffs.
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Permalink Reply by Butter_Cup on -
I agree like right now I have the hotts for this mma fighter Rampage Jackson. I think he is soo funny and kinda cute. He has this website he has sent me about 4 messages I was so happy but thats it. I didnt want to move to Canada or La where he lives. F*ck that I told him if you ever fight at the hard rock in miami let me no or put it on you twitter and me and my friends will come and support you. But that man has kids a life and a family. I was just happy he gave me a shout out. Now who I was stalking and didnt no was my baby daddy lol I would ride by his house in my home girl car. lol call his phone blocked just so I could hear if he had some one at his house. I was a sicko but o well he was my first love. I got over him.
DA_DON said:i think u have to already be nutts to become a celeb. stalk off the top. everyone has different motives. i dont think or ever see myself becoming a celeb. stalker. i was so fasc. with trina (the rapper) in my high school days. i still think she da baddest (like she proclaims to be) , but i couldnt see myself going to m.i.a trying to track her down, stalking, etc. its just not that serious mane.
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Permalink Reply by Moving In Silence on -
I consider male groupies stalkers
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Permalink Reply by Siren on -
just a small word of advice about Rampage Jackson...I thinkhe has sex appeal and all too but err ahh you know he went crazy last year ( took police on a crazypolice chase) be careful...
Butter_Cup said:I agree like right now I have the hotts for this mma fighter Rampage Jackson. I think he is soo funny and kinda cute. He has this website he has sent me about 4 messages I was so happy but thats it. I didnt want to move to Canada or La where he lives. F*ck that I told him if you ever fight at the hard rock in miami let me no or put it on you twitter and me and my friends will come and support you. But that man has kids a life and a family. I was just happy he gave me a shout out. Now who I was stalking and didnt no was my baby daddy lol I would ride by his house in my home girl car. lol call his phone blocked just so I could hear if he had some one at his house. I was a sicko but o well he was my first love. I got over him.
DA_DON said:i think u have to already be nutts to become a celeb. stalk off the top. everyone has different motives. i dont think or ever see myself becoming a celeb. stalker. i was so fasc. with trina (the rapper) in my high school days. i still think she da baddest (like she proclaims to be) , but i couldnt see myself going to m.i.a trying to track her down, stalking, etc. its just not that serious mane.
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Permalink Reply by JustMe on
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lol, made me think of the girl that drove to St. Louis (from Houston) and waited outside of Nelly's house for like 4 days... and made her kids lie & say he was their daddy!!! lol
ReadytoSettleDown said:at 27 yrs of age i am a DIE HARD JANET JACKSON fan!...i would stalk the hell outta her with my daughter in tow...we would bust out the moves from rythm nation right in front of her!
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hmm...man that nigga wrong as hell for pullin some ignant shit like that! after reading all these comments no one has mentioned that maybe he really did do what he said (but was EXTREMELY inconsiderate at same time)...? but yea i think you should ...
NEGRO PLEASE!
AAAWWW!!!
hahaha, when I saw this yesterday I didn't see the disclaimer, OG.....maaaaaaaaaaan, LOL
hmmmm..........
I didn't know he was in town.... he will no longer get any of my money!
OG, I just caught that there was no discalimer. You gonna have to start adding one to ALL your blogs!
Hey San...I'll be there.
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Monday Night Football Party at Plunge @ Gansevoort
November 30, 2009 at 8pm to December 1, 2009 at 2am
I Am Ent. & Duane Starks Present...
•
Monday Night Football Party
•
Monday, November 30
•
Hip-Hop | R&B
DJ Self Born
•
Complimentary Admission
All Night
•
Plunge @ Gansevoort Hotel
•
2377 Collins Ave. • Miami Beach
•
Private Cabana's Available w/ ...
@alluring eyes. I was hoping that some people would use the god given common sense that they have and understand what i'm trying to say. some folks and lurkers think this way. i'm not saying all think this way. nor am i saying that all folks on ba...
Monday Night Football Party at Plunge @ Gansevoort
November 30, 2009 at 8pm to December 1, 2009 at 2am
I Am Ent. & Duane Starks Present...
•
Monday Night Football Party
•
Monday, November 30
•
Hip-Hop | R&B
DJ Self Born
•
Complimentary Admission
All Night
•
Plunge @ Gansevoort Hotel
•
2377 Collins Ave. • Miami Beach
•
Private Cabana's Available w/ ...
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