Adam Blatner

On a recent trip to California, in Santa Monica (west of Los Angeles), on their “Promenade” of special shops near the beach, they had a toy shop with various toys, including those little sets of toy soldiers or medieval knights. What struck me was a set of these little figures titled “Paparazzi Play Set.” It had about eight tiny photographers in various postures! Both amused and a little horrified, I was reminded of the saying about Hollywood (near where I was raised), that underneath all that phony tinsel is real tinsel! I wondered how kids might play Britney or Lindsey or Paris or whichever young celebrity is in the news lately, and how aside from their own entourage are also the paparazzi. Funny? Sad? Whatever—it seemed a sign of the times worth noting.