Paparazzo From Kanye West’s LAX Altercation Was Involved In Britney Spears’ Umbrella Incident

Christina Lee | July 20, 2013 10:26 am

Before Kanye West attempted to take a paparazzo’s camera at LAX, the man pressed for comment despite the Yeezus rapper’s previous requests (“Shut up! Don’t ever talk.”) “What you’re trying to do is get me in trouble, so I’ll step off and have to pay you like $250,000,” West said, before he approached the paparazzo and started a physical altercation.

While he initially denied West’s statements, this particular paparazzo has indeed profited from previous, celebrity-involved altercations. TMZ reveals him to be Dano, who was previously attacked by Britney Spears with an umbrella in 2007. Dano and a few other paparazzi were pursuing Spears shortly after she checked into rehab, when Spears swung a green umbrella at Dano’s back and at his Ford Explorer.

Dano auctioned off that same umbrella and dented SUV, the latter for more than $30,000, although he reportedly wants to press charges against West, now also a felony suspect for attempted robbery. (Perhaps Dano was referring to West’s attempt to take his camera; TMZ didn’t say.)

In 2010, Dano released a documentary that he produced and directed himself, Paparazzi: Full Throttle LA., featuring paparazzi-obtained footage of Spears, Tom Cruise and Miley Cyrus among others. Dano wanted to show the lengths that these photographers go for a close look, but also show how newcomers have shifted the industry’s focus.

“Right now at this time, with Hollywood.tv and with TMZ out there right now, it seems like the paparazzis are now the celebrities, just as well as the celebrities themselves,” Dano said. Given how quick TMZ was to reveal his name in addition to the “Britney Spears connection,” he could not have been more right. Besides, regardless of whether Dano’s name is out there or not, Kanye West certainly got into trouble.