John Mayer backs Avatar director swearing at 'fan'

Reuters

JAMES CAMERON: Airport outburst.

Reuters

JOHN MAYER: Blogging the secrets of the paparazzi.

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Musician John Mayer has defended Avatar director James Cameron's expletive-laden outburst at an airport autograph hunter, believing the scenario was a typical set-up by paparazzi and the entertainment media.

Cameron crossed paths with the "fan" - who wanted him to sign an Avatar poster - at Los Angeles airport on Christmas eve.

In video captured by TMZ.com, he is seen telling the man: "I don't owe you a f*****g signature ... just get out of my f*****g personal space", and later labelling him a "f*****g a*****e".

Readers on TMZ expressed disgust, while the incident was also picked up by other blogs and online media.

After becoming aware of the outrage, Mayer said he felt compelled to shed light on what - at face value - looks like a wealthy director rudely berating a fan.

In a blog post titled: "The Anatomy of a Smear: How The Reigning King of Special Effects Got Caught in One", the singer-songwriter says Cameron got tricked.

"Having been in these situations, and knowing very well what actually goes down before the video they show you begins and how the game is played within what you see, I'm going to break it down for you," Mayer wrote.

He said that airline employees were known to leak flight lists to paparazzi in exchange for money, meaning the James Cameron "fan" was unlikely to have accidentally stumbled upon the award-winning director.

"The fact that passenger lists are not available to the general public means that anyone waiting at the airport with any more than the CD from the passenger seat of their car has gotten word of which celebrities will be traveling through the terminal in the same way the paparazzi do."

As a result, "fans" at airports were usually professional autograph hunters who made money from selling signed memorabilia, or worse, someone working with paparazzi to hold-up a celebrity long enough for someone to ask them "impolite questions" while cameramen take their shots, Mayer wrote.

"That's how it goes down; they walk alongside you. They bark requests at you, trying to get your pulse to quicken.

"If you give in and sign, the guy with the poster gets to sell it and make a few bucks.

"If you don't give in ... then the stench of cash really starts to waft in as Video Camera Guy gets the goods while you explain in no uncertain terms to Obnoxious E-bay Poster Guy that he's not going to get what he's asking for tonight."

Mayer believed the fan would have badgered Cameron for at least 30 seconds - which would not have been shown on the TMZ clip - before Cameron's stinging response.

But the TMZ video does show the fan lecturing Cameron loudly over his refusal to sign the autograph.

"Is that how you treat someone that pays money to see your films?" he says. "I'm an a*****e because I ask someone I admire for their autograph that makes me an a*****e? I make $15-an-hour at work to go see your film and I'm an a*****e?"

The "fan" then does an unfanlike thing - he takes Cameron to task over the plot and quality of the film.

Mayer said most celebrities were savvy enough to "sign a few items", particularly if they had a film to promote, because "being videotaped at LAX is ... one of the most high profile appearances one can make".

Coincidentally, Cameron's leading man from Avatar - Australian actor Sam Worthington - arrived at LA airport earlier this month to promote the film.

A celebrity website gushingly wrote how he was "gracious enough" to sign autographs for some fans "tipped off" to his arrival.

"But James Cameron doesn't think about public relations at the airport. He's a movie director," Mayer wrote.

"He doesn't understand the media shuffle, and I'm glad he hasn't given any thought to it. It's actually a waste of brain matter, and a slippery slope of compromise."

- © Fairfax NZ News