It’s exciting to see that Hollywood has come to Oliver with a new movie (The Humanity Bureau) starring Nicolas Cage.
While many of you might not consider this a big deal, it’s good for this small town to get some star-studded exposure, and it gives the local economy a shot in the arm.
For example, a movie representative reportedly purchased a number of film props from the collectibles store in the Oliver Flea Market.
If you were lucky, you may have seen Cage in front of the Oliver Theatre on Tuesday.
This brings back memories for a young reporter (me many years ago) who acted like a would-be paparazzi trying to get photographs of Mel Gibson and Goldie Hawn during their film, Bird on a Wire in Victoria.
After shooting one scene, Goldie was escorted back to her trailer by two bodyguards. I followed them discreetly from a distance, hoping to get “the shot” with my telephoto lens. Well, it happened so quickly that I missed it – a sudden wind came up and lifted Goldie’s skirt, revealing her bare butt; she wasn’t wearing underwear. By the time her skirt fell back down, my camera was still asleep.
I was stunned. I had just seen Goldie’s bare bottom, and was probably the only guy other than Kurt Russell (and her former husband) to have laid eyes on it. (No, we wouldn’t have published the photo, obviously, but it gave me bragging rights for quite some time.)
But wait, there’s more to the story.
During the same week, I was sitting at the parliament buildings when I noticed a group of children suddenly gathering around a man wearing dark sunglasses. On closer inspection I discovered it was Mel Gibson. With heart pounding, I quickly walked over and started taking photographs; a definite exclusive I thought. He then asked me not to publish any that showed his two children by his side. I promised and made him our smile of the week on the front page of the Victoria News.
I was so excited that I handed out copies of his photograph to women on the street. But I never used it to get dates, which I probably should have. I could have said I was Mel’s agent.
I couldn’t and wouldn’t be a paparazzi today because I respect people’s privacy too much. I was told by a producer that I couldn’t take photos of Cage on Tuesday. But it was interesting watching him do scenes with local extras.
I believe what the entertainment press is doing to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie right now is shameful. Their “nasty” divorce is a private matter and should not be aired with hurtful rumours and innuendos.
Society has put Hollywood actors on such a high pedestal that any mistake they make is scrutinized horrendously.
Don’t forget, they go to the bathroom the same way we do.
Lyonel Doherty, editor
