Beyonce forbade photographers from taking her photo at the Kobe memorial

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Beyonce is famously controlling of her image and controlling of which photos make it out to public view. In the past five years or so, Bey rarely even walks red carpets, preferring instead to give her fans a look at her awards-show, party or premiere fashion via Instagram. I understand that, and it’s part of the myth of Beyonce. But at an event like Kobe Bryant’s very public memorial, I would assume that even Beyonce cannot control who takes photos of her. But that’s exactly what she did. Even though she performed and sat just behind Vanessa Bryant through much of the memorial, there are only a handful of photos of Beyonce at the Kobe memorial. How did that happen? Well…

Photographers were forbidden from taking snaps of Beyoncé during her performance at Kobe Bryant’s memorial in Los Angeles on Monday, according to several photo agencies. Editors at the Associated Press and Getty Images told The Post that organizers of the live-streamed Staples Center event prohibited them from taking photos of the Grammy-winning singer or Bryant’s children. The pop superstar kicked off the memorial to the Lakers legend and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, by performing her hit songs “XO” and “Halo.”

One insider at the event said, “It is so offensive to Kobe’s family and the fans, Beyonce is so controlling of her image — she usually only allows approved selected images of her to be released — so no photographers at the Kobe memorial were allowed to take her picture. Really, at a memorial? Not even the family of Michael Jackson did that.

“A Staples Center staffer was dispatched to make sure not a single camera was focused on the stage. The photographers couldn’t believe it. This doesn’t help Beyonce’s image at all, it hurts her. It makes her look like a diva. The memorial wasn’t about her. The only shots of Bey that did emerge were screen grabs from TV. None of the other artists at the memorial asked for this, not Christina Aguilera, not Alicia Keys.”

Representatives for Beyoncé did not immediately return a request for comment.

[From Page Six]

If this was a private event, I would 100% understand. Even if it was a public event and Beyonce merely attended as a private person, without performing, I would understand. But… it was a HUGE public memorial covered live on CNN, ESPN and multiple networks, and it was carried live across the world too. And Beyonce PERFORMED! My lord. I know the Beygency will come after me and I normally can find a way to justify Beyonce’s quirks, but this is ridiculous. To make those kinds of demands at a public memorial is absolutely tacky.

Screencaps from the BeIn video.

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133 Responses to “Beyonce forbade photographers from taking her photo at the Kobe memorial”

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  1. LoonyTunes says:

    I love me some Bey, but she’s beginning to believe her own hype, eh?

    • Sally says:

      beyonce thinks she is allllllllllllllllllllll that…………NOT. girl needs to get over herself. this was NOT about her…………….have some respect. next

    • Helen says:

      BEGINNING to?

    • Tiffany :) says:

      This might be a situation of tabloids running with a story that could be believed, but didn’t actually happen.

      I have a friend that went, and she has photos if Beyonce during her performance. Video too. And she was in great seats near the front and side.

      • Ennie says:

        You can take certain lower/normal quality cameras to events like concerts, but professional cameras are forbidden. I think this started after the 2013 (?) Superbowl. She started controlling after that event.

      • cherriepie84 says:

        Agreed with Tiffany. Plus, the media LITERALLY kills people or destroy “Celebrities” lives. I dont know why, but for the past few weeks I have been watching some Michael Jackson (even pre court hearings) and Princess Diana videos on YouTube and when I say the media frenzy around these people was CRAZY! It is good when celebrities like Beyonce can at least take control of their lives in such a manner…limit media access if necessary, they are humans too. When celebrities perform or share their “art” that is different and totally up for public consumption but otherwise the media should lay off sometimes. Look at what is happening with Prince Harry and Meghan. We need to live and let live sometimes.

      • GreenDress says:

        @cherriepie84 And the media are still hounding Michael Jackson in death. The man was acquitted in his lifetime yet he only received justice in the legal sense. Despite being acquitted on all 14 counts and FBI investigations finding nothing, the media and public still wanted him to be guilty and it was shocking how biased the media was in its coverage. They were literally salivating for him to end up in jail. I think historic racial prejudice against black men getting a fair trial or media representation in the US has everything to do with the difference in tone of coverage of Jackson vs Weinstein for example. The documentary against him last year and the biased media promotion was the most unfair thing I have seen concerning a dead celebrity. The US has no laws against defamation of the dead and the men’s stories had already been thrown out in court, but millions of dollars was pumped into promoting this documentary as fact. The mainstream media never even bothered to report on the inconsistencies and proven lies in the men’s stories because it didn’t suit their “MJ is guilty narrative”.

      • maddagak says:

        @Tiffany

        There’s a difference between your friend who, with all due respect, is a nobody – versus photographers at the event taking professional photos later sold to photo agencies to publish publicly.

        In no way shape or form is it similar

      • Eish says:

        @Greendress

        Bill Cosby’s thank you note is in the mail.
        Lemme guess, you think OJ is innocent too?
        How about R. Kelly?
        They’re just trying to hammer down the black man, right? It’s all racism, all lies!

        It must be nice for these monsters – including Michael Jackson btw – to know they can always count on strangers like you to shout “RACISM!!” when justice comes knocking. It’s sick. But hey, it worked for OJ. Did you get his thank you card too?

        PS – Have you not been paying attention? The Weinstein case has gotten the same if not more coverage than Cosby.

      • Tiffany :) says:

        maddagak, I understand the difference of course, but there’s also been reports about average people getting their phones taken away to prevent photos of Beyonce getting out. I’m just saying, it wasn’t that level of strictness. She’s actually in the industry, so she wasn’t sitting in the far back. Security would have been aware of her, and they didn’t take her phone.

    • maddagak says:

      …beginning?? lmao.

      you guys, her & J have been like this for a looooong time. it blows my mind, the mental gymnastics her hive will perform to justify crazy egotistical demands/actions.

      Wake up, ya’ll

    • Ronaldinhio says:

      I think she is heavier than she would like to be and this isn’t the image she wishes to see of herself
      She looked puffy or fuller in the face

      For all we know she has battled eating disorders or illness and ‘bad’ images reinforce that?
      She is stunning whatever way she rocks up imo but our heads can be delicate

    • Miss America says:

      I think she only does this, and releases “a select few photos on Instagram” so she can make sure she’s photo shopped. She doesn’t want her real face and body getting out so she can preserve her mystique or whatever.

    • Keiji says:

      At the Roc Nation Brunch people took candid pictures, and she didn’t look as perfect as her photoshopped instagram photos. People said she looked old and that her knees looked bad.

      She’s a 38 year old, hardworking mother of 3, and she looks her age. I think it’s hard for her and the public to come to terms with that.

  2. Snazzy says:

    I gotta say I found this tacky too.

  3. Kiki says:

    I am just about tired of Beyonce and her antics. #TEAMRIRI

  4. Chica71 says:

    Ridiculous!

  5. Flamingo says:

    Beyonce is obsessed with her own image. She has an archivist on staff who has copies of every image ever taken of her. If that’s not enough to throw up some red flags, I don’t know what is. Her behavior goes several steps past other noted divas like Barbra Streisand who will only be photographed at certain angles and have to approve every image. Even Babs has chilled out with her image more recently. Look at her Instagram.

    • Mumbles says:

      What’s funny is they haven’t been able to get things off YouTube so you can watch her interviews before her team decided this “myth” route. There’s an interview with Letterman when she was promoting The Pink Panther where she talks about how Solange called the police to get back at her for spending time with her boyfriend. She sounds moronic and it made me understand why the Team decided Mysterious Beyonce > Chatty Beyonce.

      • Esmom says:

        Lol.

        I remember hearing that Oprah was also very controlling of images of herself.

      • Nahema says:

        Wasn’t Prince really similar, somehow having pretty much all of his video’s pulled from YouTube? Seems as much as Beyonce want’s to believe her own hype and control this image of hers, she still isn’t as good at it as Prince was.

        Tbh this annoys the hell out of me when any celebs do it. If you’re in a public space, expect to get photographed and deal with it. If you’re in that industry, it shouldn’t come as a surprise and I think these hyper controlled images are not good in general. These impressionable young people aren’t looking up to a real person, they’re looking up to a fake character which completely unobtainable standards.

      • Lua says:

        Yup. Remember her Dream Girls interview when they asked how she lost weight she told the interviewer (and all the impressionable young girls reading) she only drank lemonade for like twenty days. When she talks she comes off as vapid and self absorbed. The myth look is definitely and attempt to hide who she really is.

    • minx says:

      If she didn’t want to be photographed she didn’t have to sing, she could have just attended the memorial. Otherwise just suck it up, put your vanity away for a day and honor the deceased people. They’re the focus.

  6. SingingTabloidStar says:

    A raging narcissist as usual

    • Mara says:

      Maybe not, as the comments below suggest she could be self-concious or there could be another reason, we don’t know for sure

      • Amy Too says:

        I would think that if she were very self conscious about how she looks right now, then she probably wouldn’t have agreed to perform at a public event that was streamed and recorded and can be watched by anyone at any time. Especially since people can still get screen grabs from the video that can be posted like photos and there could be ones where she looks awkward or not at her best angle.

        Unless she figured that she could be very aware of how she was presenting herself while performing, making sure that she looked consistently good for those 7 minutes or so, and that’s why she was fine with that but wouldn’t have been okay with being photographed in her seat or at other times where she might be caught off guard. But in that case, it seems less like she was worried about people seeing her body and more that she’s worried about having an unflattering picture taken when she’s been caught off guard mid facial expression.

        I can also understand that since photographers are so obsessive about getting her picture, because she’s been controlling about it in the past, that they might really become intrusive during her performance, snapping away throughout the whole thing and making it less special for the audience. But the article makes it sound like the other performers were photographed during their performances. The only thing I can think of is that photographs of Beyonce are worth more and more sought after so she would have been photographed by every photographer throughout the whole performance. In which case it’s more like Beyoncé has to be controlling and not allow pictures even when she might be fine with it because she’s been controlling about it in the past, thus driving up demand for her pictures, leading to photographers becoming overly intrusive and snap happy. A perpetual, self-fulfilling cycle.

        I’d also like some clarification about whether Beyonce made this request or if the event planners made it. The article says that the event planners told the photographers not to photograph Beyonce and the event planners enforced it.

  7. Jenba says:

    I honestly feel like it’s because she’s self conscious of her current physical appearance? She’s thicker than what people are used to and instead of being confident and real she’s hung up on projecting some unrealistic image of herself. I don’t get it. She’s an almost 40 year old woman who has 3 kids, and she’s ridiculously freaking beautiful! Just…why?!?

    • Ali says:

      Adam Driver has an issue watching his performances. Perhaps beyonce has a similar issue.

      • Ennie says:

        Adam allows pics or video taken, but dislikes to be shown the video. Beyonce could easily not see pics or videos or even having mirror at her home, but ban people to see her? And then using photoshop?
        I am in education and work with you g people everyday, while my lazy eye gets worse and my only eye gets bigger everyday. I cannot hide what I am. She’s letting things get out of hand.

      • SM says:

        I somehow doubt Adam would throw a tantrum if he was to give a speech at good friend’s public service where a friend mourns the loss of a child and a spouse. It is one thing to be uncomfortable with hearing or watching yourself, it is completely another thing of obsessively trying to defy the rules of conduct and decency to reaffirm your status as above everyone else.

      • lucy2 says:

        Beyonce didn’t throw a tantrum either though.
        She, or her team, or someone, requested no one take photos of her. That was it.

      • M.A.F. says:

        Driver has said repeatedly that he doesn’t watch himself because he will start critiquing his own performance. He is not the only actor that doesn’t watch them self on screen.

    • smee says:

      Jenba – ITA with your assessment.

    • Flamingo says:

      Well her team does photoshop the hell out of the pictures that she releases, so you might be onto something.

      • petee says:

        I have noticed her face has changed too.She look’s different.She really hasn’t wanted her picture taken after one of the Super Bowls she did.There were ton’s of Memes out there that were not flattering.I just don’t think it’s just the weight gain.

    • Mumbles says:

      I hope that’s not it because she truly stunning. Not a member of the Beyhive but she is a beautiful woman.

    • Mimi says:

      Same thing I was coming to say. There have been some unflattering photos of her at events recently that show she has been photoshopped to Kardashian levels in her own pictures, so I think she wants to exert as much control as possible over what gets out there. I get it because it’s difficult for women to age in public, so imagine how hard it must be for the self-professed “baddest bitch in the game”, whose almost as famous for her beauty as she is for her talent.

      • Mimi says:

        double post

      • Christina says:

        The only justification I can see is giving the kids privacy and that she wasn’t photographed because she happened to be seated behind Bryant’s family. But agencies not allowed to photograph her performance? That’s punishing fans instead of punishing the photo agencies who I’m sure are the target of her ire.

        The constant photos of Michael Jackson’s children during his memorial was offensive to me, but the Jackson family is all about self promotion. That’s why he kept those kids away from his family excepting his mother, and she allowed it instead of honoring his wishes. Whatever you think of him regarding the pedophilia allegations, he kept those kids out of the public eye, and his death became an opportunity to exploit them for money.

    • MoopsMarie says:

      Yep! I came here to find this answer. It’s not about privacy or any such nonsense: it’s because Bey has gained weight and wants to control the photos that get out to make sure they don’t choose a “Jessica Simpson mom-jeans” angle that will have everyone talking about how she’s “let herself go” or something equally hideous. While I hate the misogynistic, “looks-ist” lingo, I hate the lying even worse. Is it really that horrible to put on 15 pounds? To go up and down? If you’re in the public eye and your weight fluctuates, you need to get a thicker skin about it, because otherwise you spend all your time curating images, photoshopping the bad ones, and paying paparazzi to do the same (hello kardashians)

  8. Esma K. says:

    Maybe she wanted the focus to be on honoring Kobe and Gianna? I don’t know it seems like she may have been trying to not pull too much focus and just perform and pay tribute with her performance.

    • Originaltessa says:

      If that’s true, then her opinion of herself has gotten out of hand. Pull focus from Kobe Bryant at his own memorial? How? Who does she think she is?

    • Mabs A'Mabbin says:

      Then why say anything at all? Because the minute someone opens their mouth to say don’t look at me, that’s exactly what people do.

      “I know the Beygency will come after me…,” frak ’em. The mere presence of Beygency is vom inducing. She has, and will always be, an insufferable diva.

    • Tanesha86 says:

      My thoughts exactly. But people would rather villainize her, I personally find it commendable

    • Izzy says:

      Ok but with this stunt she pulled focus away from them and onto her behavior. This event was not about her.

    • bluebells says:

      Uhh she doesn’t want the focus on her so she makes unreasonable demands that guarantees articles will be written about her? SMH she is beyond full of herself

    • Livvers says:

      Yeah I mean… all the images I have seen of the memorial used by news agencies have been of Vanessa or Kobe, but if Beyonce images had been released to the photo services, I’m confident they would have led with the Beyonce ones. No matter what her intention was, the net effect has been to keep the focus on Kobe and his family. Isn’t that a good thing?

    • Dani says:

      I doubt the attention would be focused on Beyonce when there was a plethora of much more famous people at the event, including the people being honored. She needs to relax.

    • Kateeee says:

      This was also my thought. There is obviously at least one professional photo of her performing at the memorial, so how can you say she forbade anyone from anything? Maybe she was trying to show respect, and didnt want it to become about her, or her outfit/body, or if she did forbid it, maybe she was worried about 1000 photos of her weeping while trying to perform plastered everywhere. There are a bunch of reasons why she might have asked for minimal photos, while still agreeing to have at least one photo taken. Not least of which is it’s a memorial service! Once Beyonce gets involved in anything, people come up with stories. Case in point.

  9. Lucy2 says:

    I agree, I would be on board if this was a private event, and she performed publicly. This might have been one of those times to just let it go and not make it about yourself.

    I am glad they were told not to take photos of the children, and I hope everyone obeyed that.

  10. Ali says:

    Meh. Who cares.

    Sorry for the photographers who couldn’t sell pictures of beyonce but I’m sure they will survive.

    • babsjohnson says:

      Exactly.
      Funny how people pretend to care about this when they were trashing a not even cold Kobe Bryant just a few weeks ago. You people are transparent.

    • MsIam says:

      That’s what I say. This is about the photogs not making any money, not about the fans. It was broadcast on different networks so fans had plenty of opportunities to see. Plus it sounds like regular folks could take photos. Stop trashing Beyonce about this. And no, I’m not a fan, when my daughter was a teen, I took her to see Beyonce in concert but she was never my style. I don’t hate her or anything either, I just like other types of music better.

  11. Daenerys says:

    Oh it’s the let’s trash Beyonce party! Cute!
    Beyonce is a black woman in the public eye, she’s recently had major changes in her appearance, and people are constantly insinuating that she’s pregnant. I’m sure she’s tired of it. It’s also possible that she is very close friends with Vanessa and Kobe Bryant and wanted the attention on the man who died and was being honored rather than people going nuts over Beyonce is fat now. She spent the whole time trying to comfort her friend and probably crying with her. If the paps had gotten a shot of Beyonce weeping, that’s what the world would’ve paid attention to and again not the man who died! Plus she performed. It was taped. She’s aware that people will see her. Leave her alone!

    • Jen says:

      You really think that a picture of Beyonce weeping would cause people to forget about Kobe? That’s pretty delusional.

    • Bunny says:

      If it was somehow that hard for her to be seen weeping or comforting a friend – she shouldn’t have doubled down and sang.

      She should have attended as a guest. Worn dark glasses. Sat in the back. Did what it takes to make it truly not about her.

      The funeral wasn’t about her, but she managed to make it about her anyway. Indefensible when you realize she could have done things much differently.

    • Dani says:

      You’re delusional. She’s not that close with Vanessa. If anything, Kim is actually much closer with her.

    • Jules says:

      yawn.

    • Gome says:

      Yeah, some people in here are criticizing her with a sort of gleeful fervor. Like they were just waiting for an opportunity to say how Beyoncé thinks more of herself than she deserves, and now this random piece of gossip has given it to them. It’s…interesting.

  12. Anilehcim says:

    I can’t lie, I love Beyonce and her performance yesterday was gorgeous. However, I often think she’s starting to act like she believes her own hype or maybe has become a little crazy. Beyhive, please don’t come for me! Lol. I’m just saying, I feel like the same thing happened to Mariah–they reach a level of fame that starts to mess with their minds. I can’t imagine that fish bowl lifestyle. It’s not normal but that’s what this level of fame does to you.

    I wanna think that maybe she felt like she didn’t want the spotlight on her in this moment out of respect for Kobe, Gigi, and the entire Bryant family.

  13. Meh H says:

    Everyone was in black except for her. And she sat right behind Vanessa…. In gold. If she didn’t want to be noticed, why be the ONLY PERSON who doesn’t wear black?! She really is like, “LOOK AT ME!!” wearing that gold suit and sitting behind Vanessa at Kobe’s memorial. S’gross. Over her.

  14. S808 says:

    Photographers were forbidden from taken photos of anyone especially Kobe and Vanessa’s children cause it’s tasteless as it’s memorial. Beyoncé probably was thrown in headline cause clickbait.

    • Valiantly Varnished says:

      Exactly. But it gets all the Bey haters frothing at the mouth so they make her the story.

      • Otaku fairy says:

        They really do live to vilify her for the smallest misstep, don’t they? Many are just desperate for her to fuck up so they can catastrophize it and use it to justify every nasty thing they or other Cool Liberals want to be able to say about her. They hate having to be so careful. Beyonce is not the type who would get cast as the protagonist in their story, so it’s unsettling for many to not feel free to rip into her without being criticized for it.

    • Justme says:

      Photographers took pictures of every attendee except the kids, Jay, Beyonce and Lebron.

      • muhammad says:

        That’s funny. Because there is zero mention of Jay or Lebron demanding no pictures being taken of them.

  15. Sass says:

    I mean…good? It’s tacky to make it about anyone but him and his daughter. She did the right thing. It’s a memorial service, not a red carpet event. Anyone complaining about this needs a look in the mirror.

  16. lemonylips says:

    She is tacky in general.

  17. Samanathalous says:

    I think it has to do more with her physical condition right now, I thought I was hearing that she was expecting again? She tries to create this legendary dare I say Prince persona and it comes off wrong.

  18. Florence says:

    Funny because it was not about her. Move over you talentless belter.

  19. Mememe says:

    I agree Beyonce loves to control her image and even mote now that she knows her body has changed and she’s a lot thicker. I do think she’s narcissistic. She probably looks for and at herself on the internet so she just wouldnt want to see herself in a bad angle. There aren’t so many bad pics of her, but i have to admit, the ones i’ve seen are really bad. Signers make weird faces when they sing or dance and they sweat, not things that are sexy although in video it looks good, on pictures it’s horrible.

  20. Flying fish says:

    I watched her performance and the choir behind her could have sang without her, that’s all I got!

  21. JaneDoesWork says:

    This same thing happened after she performed at the Super Bowl. Her team went around asking for photos of her performance to be removed…. of course it was only the unflattering ones. She’s HYPER controlling of her image. My guess is that she has seen unflattering photos of her performing live and doesn’t like them and then it distracts her the next time she performs live. Its a bad look though.

    https://www.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeedceleb/the-unflattering-photos-beyonces-publicist-doesnt-want-you-t

  22. Helen says:

    the performance was absolutely beautiful, but yeah, it’s a pretty azzholish thing to do. if vanessa allowed it though, the insiders shouldn’t be leaking this and causing more trouble and distraction for vb.

  23. Helen says:

    Beyoncé is an asshole (so is Jay). This is not new information.

    • cherriepie84 says:

      Assholes who have a right to NOT want their pictures to be taken, just like the rest of us normal assholes 🙂

      • bluebell_ says:

        They are celebrities, mega superstar ones. Photos come with the territory

      • cherriepie84 says:

        @ bluebell, that is exactly how the media have conditioned us sheeple to believe over the years….that just because somebody is “celebrity” then having their lives splashed in the media even during their private time “comes with the territory” If we want to be so “entitled” to people’s images we can go buy a piece of art or something.

  24. Valiantly Varnished says:

    Call me a member of the “Beygency” if you want but I dont see an issue with not allowing photographers to take and then SELL pictures of you at a friend’s memorial. That’s the opposite of tacky IMO.
    And btw – photogs werent allowed to take photos of ANYONE. But yes – let’s make Beyoncé the bad guy.

    • Justme says:

      That’s not true. Photographers took pictures of EVERYONE except the kids, Jay, Beyoncé and Lebron.
      This wasn’t his private funeral, it was a public memorial where tickets were sold to.

      • Valiantly Varnished says:

        You know what’s interesting about all of this: If photographers HAD taken Bey’s pic they would have been all over social media and y’all would be calling her an attention seeker and insensitive for “stealing the spotlight”. Sis cant with with some of you.

      • Geraldine Granger says:

        I agree with Valiantly Varnished. If pics were allowed, it would have been about Beyonce.

      • Katy B says:

        So true. Before this mess blew up, the Daily Mail was leading with details of our outfit at the show.

  25. Snigs says:

    Saw some pics of Bey on another gossip site sitting next to Vanessa and smiling. Was very odd. Anyway, I agree with those saying that if you say “don’t look at me” everyone will definitely look even more.

    • JoJo says:

      She was smiling because someone told a joke.I saw pics of Vanessa smiling too,did you think that was strange?

  26. BearcatLawyer says:

    ***Funny thing is that the story quoted above NEVER says Beyonce made this demand.*** The article unequivocally states that organizers of the event ordered the photographers not to take photos. So many people are jumping on the insufferable diva bandwagon when it is entirely possible that the Staples Center staff misinterpreted an instruction or the sentiment behind it. We do not know if the Bryant family made the request because they did not want cameras clicking away during Beyoncé’s performance or near the Bryant kids or if Beyonce or the event planner felt screen grabs from the live stream were enough. Regardless, accusing Beyonce of orchestrating this is unfair when there is no evidence in this story that she even knew about it.

  27. Spicecake38 says:

    Although I’m neither here nor there on Beyoncé,this seems a bit like a lose lose to me.If she allowed photos it would be all about her/she overshadowed the event,blah blah.
    If she didn’t allow photos she’s a controlling diva.

  28. TheOtherSarah says:

    The French media who talked about the tribute, so all of them basically, all had pictures of Beyonce singing front and center anyway. If there had been more pictures, y’all would have accused her of upstaging the grieving families with your most bitter “Who does she think she is?”.

    • cherriepie84 says:

      Right?! Either she is “Tacky” or “who does she think she is?”

      • TheOtherSarah says:

        It’s so transparent honestly. And now they are calling her talentless, overrated, the usual nonsense… Like y’all stan the likes of Taylor Swift and Billie whatshername and you want to talk about overrated??!!

  29. Lala Gold says:

    As an artist manager, I’m constantly wrestling with people over picture rights.

    We all agree that a person’s name and likeness belong to self, right? What happens when a person’s name and likeness is worth a lot, of money or otherwise?

    Whether at a private or public event, you still need permission to take pictures of another person and to disseminate that image. Associated Press and others know this, and anyone who had credentials to bring in professional photo equipment would have been given specific instructions on when, where, whom, how long/how many pictures they can take. It’s all prearranged. And yes, some venues are better at enforcing this contractual clause than others. We are not talking about non-professional photographers.

    This is a non-story that only serves to take a cheap shot at Beyonce who performed at a friend’s memorial. And I’m no fan of Beyonce (nor Alicia Keys).

  30. Kaylah says:

    She was sat RIGHT behind Vanessa in a clearly private section that was even cordoned off with red roses. I’m sure the directive was to not take pictures of that section with emphasis on “yes, that includes Beyoncé too”.

  31. Michelle says:

    As my mom would say about people like her ‘she is getting too big for her britches’. This was a public event that was shown all over TV and the media. Had this been a private service and paparazzi were there, then I could see her requesting no pictures. Dial it down a notch queen b.

  32. Jules says:

    it’s all about MEEEEEEEEE

  33. TheOtherSarah says:

    Beyonce (and Blue Ivy) posts remain the wildest things on this site. I love Celebitchy but phew, the saltiness!!

    • Valiantly Varnished says:

      Girrrllll…it never fails. Insert MAJOR side eye

    • Jules says:

      I guess you haven’t read anything on Kate and Meghan then?

    • Diane says:

      Yeah they seem stay pressed about her on this site. It’s been quite the eye opener. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

    • Allergy says:

      Well, this is a performer who has stolen so much from other artists that nearly all her videos should be plastered with a note “original idea by Someone Else”.
      It’s all catching up with her, and her husband. People don’t like manipulators and thieves. I have no respect for them.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      LOL yup. Every time a story about her is posted here, I know exactly what to expect in the comment section…

      • Allergy says:

        You have no problem with her constantly copying other people’s work? Ok. I guess love is blind.

  34. AMM says:

    I’m torn on this. I like to think this was an attempt to not make it about her. She performed as requested, and then wanted to sit quietly with Vanessa.

    Do you remember Arethas funeral and how the whole thing became about that gross preacher touching Arianna Grande? That story took over the funeral. Maybe she was simply trying to avoid memes being made about her at the memorial. I’m gonna give her the benefit of the doubt here.

  35. Frankie says:

    Beyoncé has always been tacky. It’s just taken a longer time for some people to realize it.

  36. Catherine says:

    I’ve said it before, but I can’t imagine how his rape victim feels seeing all of this. Maybe he made amends to her privately? How? I don’t know. What happened to Kobe and his daughter was a horrible tragedy but the deification of the man is one hell of a thing.

    • Frankie says:

      There are no amends that could come close to fixing what the Kobe Bryant “machine” did to that young woman.

      • Catherine says:

        I 100% agree. Nothing. And imagine watching all of these women lining up to deify him? I hope she’s okay and surrounded by love

      • Frankie says:

        Deification is right. Not to mention, other people died that day alongside Bryant and his daughter. Selling tickets to this slobbering grief-orgy “celebration” of a many-times-over multimillionaire (uh huh, charity, *eye roll*) is beyond disgusting.

    • Naddie says:

      I thought the same when I saw it. I never knew him so I can only be sorry for his death, but I immediately brought his victim to mind. She has the right to judge and condemn him, or absolve.

  37. Jezebel's Lacefront says:

    If she allowed pics, many of you would claim she took the spotlight from the memorial. Confused souls. Get a grip.

    • Frankie says:

      Well, someone was taking pictures of her. That, or I’m imagining the ones posted all over her website.

      • Jules says:

        you’re not imagining it, she just wanted control over her image. because that, my friends, is what she was thinking about at the memorial…

      • Gemma says:

        This. I was ready to give ger the benefit of doubt. But cleary, it is all about controling her image.

      • Ennie says:

        Her “personal videographer”, you know, she’s documenting her legendary life for when she decides to do another documentary showing her personal life. 🙄. Now that is probably going to be photoshopped too.

  38. Beff says:

    I’m having a hard time believing Page Six these days (well, ever). IF this was the case, it would have been arranged with whomever was planning and executing the memorial service, not just Bey. The article also states that the Bryant children weren’t to be photographed. I have no problem with her and whomever deciding that the photo agencies wouldn’t get $$$ for her appearance at the service.

  39. Ferdinand says:

    I’m just glad people are starting to see B ‘s real colors. And for who she really is.

  40. JoJo says:

    The memorial is not about Beyonce.It is about Kobe and his daughter.Personally I’m glad the focus was not on her.Personally I wish the TV camera had not panned the audience at all.

  41. Middle of the road says:

    Not really a fan of her, but in this situation I think of me and how self conscious I am with my picture being taken. I am not photogenic at all and I’m one to have to take dozens of selfies before I find one I like. I don’t take pictures at family functions or events and I don’t like my picture being taken by anyone anytime. Perhaps that’s why she’s this way. Maybe she’s is self conscious that a unflattering picture will be released so she avoids cameras when she can. That’s just a thought though. She’s Beyonce so there could be a myriad of reasons.

    • Joanna says:

      I’m the same way too. My face is not symmetrical. I have a slightly crooked nose and one eye is bigger than the other. Er looks bigger, I accidentally hit myself in the face (long story) and I figured it would heal up so I didn’t go the doctor. Well, I guess it messed up some nerves around that eye because now the eyelid drops and the eye has more of an almond shape vs my other eye, which is rounded. I can’t find a flattering angle for a selfie, I gave up and I HATE getting my picture taken or being on video.

  42. Nia says:

    Keeping her personality as private as she does… it is very beneficial to build an image of being the Queen of Everything. I love a lot of her music. I dont love the whole “Queen Bey” thing.

  43. February Pisces says:

    Beyonce is probably not feeling herself at the moment. She seems to have gained a bit of weight, and even though I think she looks fantastic the last thing she probably wants is to see rubbish pics of herself from all kinds of angles. One of the reasons I’m not on Facebook anymore is because I hated getting tagged in photos where I look crap or have been out drinking, and I don’t need everyone I know to see it. But a nice selfie that I choose myself is fine.

  44. Ramona Q. says:

    OK, if B had let photographers take her picture – after years of not letting them take her picture – all they would be taking pictures of would be her! It would have been madness. The day was not about her. And it would have made the day about her. She did the right thing.