Copyright 1997 Newsday, Inc. 
Newsday (New York, NY)
September 5, 1997, Friday,  QUEENS EDITION
NEWS;  Page A04 

THE DEATH OF PRINCESS DIANA / WITHOUT PRESS, SHE'S JUST LUCY 
BY Ellis Henican 

   "Lucy," one of the paparazzi shouted. 

   "Lucy, this way," another one yelled. 

   The photographers were straining against a red velvet rope. A dozen
flashes were going off - bang, bang, bang. And the chilly night air outside
the Harley-Davidson Cafe was all of a sudden hot with shouts of "Lucy." 

   Lingering just beyond the rope, the actress Lucy Lawless sure looked
pleased by the attention. 

   Lawless, all six feet of her, burst into the public consciousness last
year as "Xena: Warrior Princess," TV's surprise cult hit. This week, she
joins the Broadway musical "Grease," playing the tough-girl Rizzo. And as
Wednesday night turned into yesterday morning, the New Zealand-born actress
was accepting high-fives at a welcome-aboard party - and camping it up for
the New York paparazzi. 

   Ah yes, the evil paparazzi. 

   Those mad-dog, show-biz photographers everyone loves to hate. 

   Those greedy haunters of celebrities everywhere, now being angrily
blamed for the death of the Princess of Wales. 

   Them. 

   Yet here they were, the paparazzi's New York wing, right out on the
Sixth Avenue sidewalk, performing their nightly rounds. So they were
shooting away at this red-hot TV star, who was bending over backwards for
them. Literally. 

   As the flashes went off and the photographers shouted her name, Lawless
smiled. She gave her long dark hair a flirty shake. She vamped for the
cameras with her hands on her hips. 

   Guided by her attentive publicist, she then stretched across the
black-leather seat of a 1987 Harley Heritage motorcycle, holding the pose
for five long seconds. 

   "Get what you need, guys?" she asked cheerily before heading into the
party. 

   So this is the life-and-death struggle between the paparazzi and the
stars? It felt more like a conspiracy than a fight. 

   But for the past six days, we have been treated to a highly distasteful
spectacle: Some of the world's biggest celebrities, bellyaching about the
people who photograph them. With quivering voices and outraged tones, these
well-paid celebrities like to pretend they don't work for us. 

   Arnold Schwarzenegger wails about being "hunted down like animals." Tom
Cruise demands new anti-paparazzi laws.  George Clooney has just about
found a second career: He rails against any media his pit-bull flaks don't
control. 

   A weepy Elizabeth Taylor even went on TV, sputtering through crocodile
tears. "It makes me so angry . . . It's one of the most frightening
claustrophobic-making feelings in the world" - having her picture taken
when she's out in public. 

   That's what these stars say, anyway. Now look at what they do. These
very same publicity-seeking celebrities avidly court the attention they
pretend to abhor. 

   Just look at the schedule this Wednesday night. 

   Besides the "Grease" event, the paparazzi were invited - yes, invited -
to a jam-packed event of photo ops. 

   Opening night for "The Game," a new movie with Michael Douglas and Sean
Penn. A Janet Jackson record-release party. A celebration for In Style
magazine. A "Models Almanac" bash at the Jet Lounge. The late-night
gathering of the usual suspects at Elaine's. 

   With paparazzi at every stop. 

   "She was great, very cooperative," Mitchell Gerber, a nine-year veteran
of the circuit, said on the sidewalk after Lucy Lawless had passed inside.
"People have no idea how orchestrated all of this is. They want us here,
sometimes even more than we want to be here, I think." 

   Evan Agostini said he wasn't about to defend every pushy paparazzo.
"People want to bunch us all together," he said. "But the vast majority of
the people out here are trying to do a job. When something bad happens,
we're just easy to blame." 

   Their targets, after all, are almost always voluntary public figures. No
one forced them to become big names. 


   "It's ridiculous," said Steve Sands, another star-circuit vet. "They'll
claim they're in private time when they're making a movie. They think they
should control everything the public sees. Well, no. People like George
Clooney, they believe in special rights for celebrities. That's not what
the First Amendment is all about." 
   For all their trouble, most of the paparazzi aren't getting rich at
this. They make a modest, if steady living, while waiting for a big payday
to arrive. 

   They run all over town in the hope of scoring a $50 sale to the Post, a
$100 sale to the Enquirer or - oh, happy day! - a $250 sale to People. 

   Sure, there are the bonanzas, once-in-a-lifestyle world exclusives of
Michael Jackson's baby or Fergie's toes. But night after night, $50 and
$100 is a success. 

   "Mostly, the celebrities are very decent and very understanding," said
Aubrey Reuben, a dapper Brit who always wears a dark suit when he works.
"They understand we can be a big help to them." 

   Lucy Lawless, for her part, did not seem confused by that. After things
quieted down inside, she swore she had no beef with the paparazzi. 

   "Show business is a business of back-scratching," she said, picking at a
heaping plate of buffet food. "There is no reason to be at odds. If they
like you, maybe they'll pick the better photo . . . where you look a little
nicer." 

   As for the tragic death of Princess Di, Lawless said she was as broken
up as anyone. She did see a lesson in the tragedy. 

   "Don't drink-drive. Don't race in a car. And wear your seat belt." 

   "Definitely," the warrior princess said, one princess to another, as it
were. "Wear your seat belt." 

GRAPHIC: 1) Photo by Aubrey Reuben - Actress Lucy Lawless at
Harley-Davidson Cafe to promote her debut as Rizzo in the show, "Grease.".
2) Newsday Photo By Julia Gaines - Aubrey Reuben