ESL Podcast 699 - Dealing With the Paparazzi
prisoner - a person who is forced to stay in a jail or another building, held by other people and not allowed to leave
Gertrude's uncle was a prisoner for several months during World War II.
paparazzi - a photographer who tries to take photographs of famous people to sell to newspapers and magazines, usually following them wherever they go
The movie star wanted to have a quiet wedding, but the paparazzi figured out where it was being held.
to snap - to take a photo; to use a camera to take a picture
I wish I had a camera to snap a photo of the look on your face right now!
to stake out - to watch a place or person in a secret, hidden way, trying to observe something that other people don't want to be seen
The police are staking out the bank because they heard there might be a robbery there this week.
the price of fame - the disadvantages or negative consequences of being famous and having access to many advantages
Yes, movie stars are rich, but the price of fame is losing their privacy.
pain in the neck - something or someone who is very annoying, upsetting, or uncomfortable that one would prefer not to have or deal with
Filling out all these forms is a pain in the neck!
to chase - to follow someone at a high speed while that other person is trying to get away
The police chased the criminal who was running down the street.
to corner (someone) - to put someone in a position where he or she cannot leave because there is nowhere else to go; to put someone in a position where he or she must do what one wants because there are no other options
He has tried to avoid answering our questions for months, so if we want his answer we'll have to corner him.
invasion of privacy - a violation of one's right to lead a private life where others do not know one's personal information; a lack of respect for a person by not letting him or her do things alone, without other people knowing what he or she is doing
Would you ever read your daughter's diary? It's such an invasion of privacy, but sometimes it's the only way to know what's really happening in a teenager's life.
to look on the bright side - to see the advantages or the good side of a bad situation; to be positive or optimistic
Yeah, your car is broken beyond repair, but look on the bright side - you'll save a lot of money on gas and insurance while you're riding the bus!
exposure - being seen by many people; with many people being aware of something or someone
Winning a Pulitzer Prize is a great way for authors to get a lot of exposure for their work.
in the spotlight - with a lot of attention from many people and/or the media
As a public relations professional, his job is to keep his clients in the spotlight so everyone knows who they are.
candid shot - a photograph taken of someone who didn't know he or she was being photographed, showing how someone was actually doing something, without posing for the photo
We used to spend a lot of time trying to get our kids to smile for the camera, but then we realized that candid shots are easier and they tend to be better photos anyway.
to catch (someone) - to observe someone doing something he or she would like to hide and keep a secret, usually because it is in appropriate or wrong
Have you ever caught someone stealing something from your store?
to call off - to abandon or cancel; to end something; to tell someone that his or her services are no longer needed; to stop doing something
Call off your dogs! I'm just trying to deliver a package, and they won't let me come to the front door!
private detective - a person whose job is to find out secret information about someone, usually by spying and following a person around to take pictures
Meghan hired a private detective to find out whether her husband was having an affair.