Yesterday morning, Hugh Grant got into a small fight with a photographer while he was taking a walk in Central Park and ended up hitting him over the head with a manila folder and literally kicking his ass.
The actor, who has a reputation for being cranky when faced with flashbulbs, was checking his phone when the photog approached and started clicking away, an eyewitness tells the paper. Hugh reportedly retaliated by pulling a patented Cameron Diaz move: He started to shoot back with his cameraphone.
“How do you like it, mate?” he’s quoted as asking the lensman, who seemed to like it fine. He kept right on documenting the encounter, which purportedly prompted Grant to call him a feline-inspired epithet and bonk him on the noggin with a manila folder.
“The photographer kept smirking at him,” the onlooker tells the paper. “He said, ‘I don’t know what you’re so mad about.’” Grant mentioned the whole “invading my privacy” thing, but the “photographer kept taunting him.”
Then, in a move seemingly inspired by one of his countless comedies, the star proceeded to kick the photographer in the butt — “not hard,” says the bystander — in an attempt to get him to back off.
This is all I ask of my celebrities. Instead of showing up on TV and complaining about the paparazzi, why not get off your lazy bums and actually do something about it. I bet if enough celebrities started stabbing photographers in the throat and karate kicking them in the nuts, the paparazzi would just naturally back off. Unless they enjoy getting stabbed in the neck and kicked in the crotch, in which case celebrities should go with the backup plan: trained bears.
Shaun | February 23, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Finally Hugh Grant stands up for himself.
10/10 for effort. I am impressed.
mrs.t | February 23, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Was it a ‘small fight’, or regular fight with a small photographer?
Cuz my daughters are more badass than that bag o’bones.
Shaun | February 23, 2006 at 2:46 pm
Doesn’t matter how hardcore he is, our you are, or anyone. This is Hugh Grant we are talking about Hahahaha.
Come on now. He’s a pussy. But he finally stood up for himself.
billysavestheday | February 23, 2006 at 2:47 pm
s
mrs.t | February 23, 2006 at 2:52 pm
Shaun: Word.
azcoyote | February 23, 2006 at 2:56 pm
Who Grant?
frangly | February 23, 2006 at 2:57 pm
If I were a celebrity, I’m quite sure that I would be driven to murder photographers. It would be like being attacked incessantly by biting black flies.
There wouldn’t be enough $$ in the world to tempt me to trade places with any celebrity!
The Lazy Asian | February 23, 2006 at 3:02 pm
i wonder if he beats his hollywood hookers?
LaydeeBug | February 23, 2006 at 3:04 pm
#6, Ha ha LOL!
Caught Dead In That Dress | February 23, 2006 at 3:06 pm
Hugh Grant, that well known bad ass…..
Ha.
Xanthia | February 23, 2006 at 3:15 pm
I like Hugh Grant, but DAAAAAAMN! I would PAY to watch him failing around slapping at someone with a manila folder! THAT would be great film! (If it were me he was hitting I would just have to stand there and laugh. Then who knows? He might stick his tongue out at me!)
BrianMolko | February 23, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Makes me wonder how he kicked arse, because I thought the photographer was harassing him, so why would he ever have his back to him?
chelleann66 | February 23, 2006 at 3:26 pm
That is a fabulous visual. I can just see him flitting about, going all weak-wrist with the folder assault and Lord of the Dancing on that photog’s ass…. all the while saying “whoopsy daisy”…
lysistrata11 | February 23, 2006 at 3:41 pm
(Shaft theme music playing in background.)
Grant… He’s a bad motha-shut yo mouth!
Nope, sorry, it’s just not happening.
ESQ | February 23, 2006 at 3:49 pm
Maybe he just left a hooker after receiving services and does not want to be bothered; it is not the first time.
ProtonMan | February 23, 2006 at 4:08 pm
I didn’t think the poofter had it in him.
mamacita | February 23, 2006 at 5:59 pm
Wow, I’m glad I read that whole story because the thought of Hugh Grant kicking anyone’s ass was enough to send me into choking convulsive fits of laughter. Anyway, the part about actually kicking someone in the ass, now that I can see. Does that seem like something that you would’ve done in junior high or is that just me?
my_glorious_lawn | February 23, 2006 at 6:53 pm
These stories are always quite hysterical, celebrity’s ask for this stuff to happen to them. Stop being famous if you can’t handle the bugs.
No_Angel | February 23, 2006 at 8:02 pm
I thought Hugh Grant had stopped being famous.
gogoboots | February 23, 2006 at 11:35 pm
You could do what Naomi Campbell does, throw your cell phone at them. Wait didn’t Russell Crowe throw a phone at a hotel attendant? There seems to be a lot of throwing going around these days. Paparazzi are so annoying, they make celebrities crash their cars and kick their ass…I can’t get them to leave me alone either, sigh!
Average | February 24, 2006 at 5:21 am
He probably has a new movie coming out soon, otherwise I doubt he would bother.
mags | February 24, 2006 at 11:30 am
It’s ok, photographer: “You’re such a pussy” is actually a nice thing to say in Brit.
cazz | February 25, 2006 at 4:53 pm
I actually think he’s rather dashing… and imagine it would’ve been very similar to his girly-fight with Colin Firth from Bridget Jones’ Diary 2. And with a sexy water fight in a fountain to top it off. Grrr! That’s HOT!
Juego De Poker | June 8, 2007 at 7:03 pm
I hate Hugh Grant, whenever I see him in a interview, he just seems to be stupid.
jamymamy | January 3, 2010 at 6:50 pm
24… uhm sweety he is a hotty aaaand a sweety beyond ur comprehension!!
and in his interviews…he’s funny and charming so puhlease think before u write stuff down!!