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Daily Mail

EXCLUSIVE: Justin Bieber, drugs, red carpets and me: Celebrity whisperer Christopher Gaida lays bare the secrets of his very odd profession

By Annette Witheridge and Sara Nathan
PUBLISHED: 17:25 GMT, 19 February 2013 | UPDATED: 17:37 GMT, 19 February 2013 
 
Celebrity whisperer Christopher Gaida has witnessed it all – drugs, stroppy stars, and Hollywood actors draped over male escorts – even though they have never come out of the closet.
But 14 years of walking stars down the red carpet has certainly taken its toll – and when it comes to the Oscars, Christopher, 38,  will be more than happy to watch from the safety of his lounge on Sunday.
In a revealing interview, he tells MailOnline that it’s the biggest stars who are the most polite – but the young guns, such as pop sensation Justin Bieber, can cause the most trouble.
The 18-year-old singer once refused to go through an X-ray machine at an awards show, causing a stand-off between his bodyguards and the show’s security.

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Friend of the stars: Celebrity walker Christopher Gaida with Kim Kardashian, one of the many names he's escorted down the red carpet

Surly: Pop prince Justin Bieber caused a security commotion when he refused to go through an X Ray machine at an awards bash

‘He ignored everyone’, says Christopher, ‘then stomped through, setting off all the alarms.
‘There was a lot of pushing and shoving with opposing security guys before Justin was forced to empty his pockets out, just like normal people.'
Rather diplomatically, Christopher says: ‘Older, more established celebrities are usually the sweetest. People who are newly famous and reality TV stars are the worst.’
And while celebrities are on their best behavior during televised shows like the Oscars, Golden Globes and Grammys, they're not afraid to let their hair down at the after parties.
Twelve years ago, Christopher spotted one of his fellow male escorts draped all over an A list actor.
‘This actor was certainly not out at all and 12 years later he still isn’t. Most people would be surprised to hear he is actually gay,’ he says.
‘I was shocked he was flaunting it so publically at a party.’

Keeping watch: Behind every Hollywood wardrobe malfunction or diva meltdown, Christopher Gaida (circled) is waiting in the background, hired to ensure every step of the night runs smoothly for his celebrity client

Friends in high places: Christopher Gaida with Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper and boxer Mike Tyson

Although acting giants Robert De Niro, Daniel Day-Lewis and Denzel Washington and rising super stars Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence may have looked cool, calm and collected as they waltzed down the red carpets during this awards season - behind the scenes it is a very different story.
Just getting celebrities to walk along the red carpet involves a small army of non-acting escorts. Every footstep is perfectly planned, every supposed off-the-cuff comment to the TV cameras is rehearsed over and over.  Nothing is natural.
For more than a decade, it’s been Christopher’s job to get A- listers through the barricades and into award ceremonies on time - and with a smile on their face. 
Christopher has escorted A listers including Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt,  Angelina Jolie, Charlie Sheen, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts.
He’s also had Sharon Stone, David Beckham, Bradley Cooper, Megan Fox,  Jessica Alba  and Madonna on the red carpet - dealing with everything from full-blown panic attacks and temper tantrums to wardrobe malfunctions and lost tickets.
But after attending more than 100 ceremonies, he admits that the Oscars still blows his mind.
‘It’s a military operation,’ he says. ‘There are snipers on rooftops and heat seeking devises to look for weapons.
‘The security checks are legendry. Even the tickets have microchips in them so that no one can get inside who is not invited.’
This year, it will be the first Oscar ceremony that Christopher will miss in a decade – he’s busy promoting his memoir “Arm Candy: A Celebrity Escort’s Tales From The Red Carpet” and has found himself at the centre of showbiz buzz as movie producers vie to buy the film rights.

Starry eyed: Christopher Gaida and A list beauty Julia Roberts

Never far away: Escort Christopher Gaida (circled) is the A-list's little secret: never far from their side, he guides them from point A to Z, dodging every red-carpet mishap along the way

‘I’m also persona non grata in some circles – I’ve been told my book could ruin Hollywood for ever,” he says, with a chuckle.
‘The silly thing is the celebrities have all been very sweet about it. But Hollywood is such an insecure place that the people in the middle, some lowly producers and such, get very paranoid.
‘I haven’t dished gossip on drug-taking celebrities but that’s not to say I haven’t seen what’s going on.
‘I’ve been offered drugs but I always explain that I’m working and on occasions when a celebrity has asked me to get them some I simply say I am not comfortable doing that.’
Christopher got into the job after leaving college. He was approached to be a celebrity escort and admits: ‘My first instinct was to run – I thought it meant I’d be expected to have sex with whoever I was escorting!
'Actresses often flirt with me but they aren’t serious – they want a boyfriend with money not someone who earns a few hundred dollars guiding them through award ceremonies.'
Born in Philadelphia, Christopher relocated to New York at age 23 for an admin job at MTV. It was there that he was asked to be a last-minute red-carpet escort for night.

Now he is part of an elite pool of candidates, where producers hire him two to three weeks before an awards show.
Each escort is usually assigned to one celebrity and Christopher will meet the star at their limo as they arrive for the red-carpet, and then introduce himself to their publicist and manager, before greeting his A-list client directly.
The star's game plan, decided by the celebrity and their staff prior, is then hashed out to Christopher. From how long they want to stay on the carpet for photos, to how many interviews they will do, and what media outlets they want to avoid, it is up to him to execute the plan smoothly and inconspicuously.
The job does contain temptations and Christopher  has been known to knock back a few free drinks once the awards are over.  But he’s been careful not to get drunk since the time he lurched into Whitney Houston and almost knocked her into a swimming pool.
A few years later he was assigned to escort her into a show at the height of her drug addiction.
She arrived after the ceremony had started, looked like hell and was in a foul temper.
‘I tried to help her inside, but she did not want to know and her own security effectively shut me out. I walked away and asked to be assigned to another celebrity.’

Blonde ambition: Christopher Gaida revealed how Paris Hilton make her limo stop so she could smoke a cigarette before an awards bash

He gets around: Christopher Gaida cuddles up to Matt Damon and soap star Susan Lucci

Whitney’s singer friend Chakka Khan also got into the bad books of several celebrity escorts because of her strange behavior.
‘I was waiting on the red carpet talking to another guest when she walked by and pushed me really hard,’ Christopher says. ‘She literally shoved me into a wall and ripped my shirt.
‘She walked off without even acknowledging it. I wasn’t sure if it was an accident or if she had done it on purpose but an hour later one of the other escorts came running over to me.

Tell All tome: The 38-year-olds book, Arm Candy: A Celebrity Escort's Tales From The red Carpet, is out now

‘He was all upset – Chakka Khan had pushed him so hard that he had fallen to the ground.'
Christopher was expecting fists to fly when he escorted high-as-a-kite Charlie Sheen into a backstage green room – and discovered too late that the only other person in there was Ashton Kutcher.
He says: ‘Charlie had just been fired from Two and a Half Men and Ashton replaced him. My heart sank when I realised what I’d done. I caught Ashton’s face – he looked very nervous indeed.  
‘But Charlie played it like a champ. He went over to Ashton and congratulated him on his new job!
‘Luckily Charlie smokes about five packs of cigarettes a day, so it wasn’t long before he left the green room and was outside lighting up.
‘One of the big surprises is that many of the supposedly health conscious Hollywood stars smoke like chimneys. But they don’t want the public to know.
‘I’ve been in a limo with Paris Hilton when she’s made the driver stop 10 minutes from the venue so she can get out and have a few drags. Then she sprays herself with perfume, pops bubble gum in her mouth and she’s ready to meet her public.'
Christopher always assumed actors would be brimming over with confidence, so he was surprised to discover just how nervous many of them get before walking the red carpet.
‘Megan Fox had a full blown panic attack at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards,’ he says. “She was so scared she could barely breathe. She asked me to find her Transformers’ co-star Shia LaBeouf.

One step behind: Celebrity walker Christopher Gaida accompanies a very pregnant Natalie Portman at the 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards in LA

‘I couldn’t find him anywhere and she was practically paralysed with nerves. I had to keep telling her that she was fantastic and looked great.  I assured her I would be just three steps behind and she wouldn’t lose her way or trip over.
'This sounds mad but actors are used to having their lines prepared for them and they do several takes to get things right. On the red carpet, they’re live and they have to be themselves. Sometimes they find that hard.
'Others like Tom Hanks just love the red carpet. He stops to talk to everyone. I’ve actually lost him on several occasions because he has wondered off. That means trouble for me as it is my job to make sure the celebrity is escorted properly to their seat inside.
At the 1999 VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards, Mr Gaida was hired to escort Sharon Stone. But as he introduced himself, she refused to shake his hand, demanding that he walk three steps ahead of her at all times and never look back.
He says:  'She gave me a frozen glare, then barked that I was to walk three feet ahead of her and not look back.  I was terrified she’d get lost and I would get the blame.’

Wilde times: Christopher Gaida with stunning Olivia Wilde

While stars do get just as star struck as the average person – as Oscar winner Hillary Swank asked for an introduction to Donna Summer at one awards bash, Christopher reveals.
Susan Sarandon even swooned over Sting, as he says: . She was saying she couldn’t believe it was really him. We got through security into his dressing room, where he was more than happy to pose for photos with her.”
It’s usually chaos backstage and the only people allowed in dressing rooms are major presenters. They are bare, basic rooms because the stars are only going to be using them for a brief time. But Elton John’s staff always arrive ahead of time with boxes of mirrors, cushions and candles to make his quarters more comfortable.
Courtney Love went on a foul-mouthed rampage  when she discovered her dressing room was the size of a cleaning supply cupboard.
'She didn’t feel she was getting the respect she deserved and threatened to walk out if she didn’t get a better room. Her language was x-rated. She was screaming that it was a janitor’s closet,' he says.
'Eventually we managed to clam her down and she was very sweet when she saw me later at the after-party. She leaned over the balcony, blew a kiss and threw down a red rose for me.'
Christopher usually does 12 to 15 shows a year and bulks up his earnings by working as a producer on Los Angeles-based TV shows.
Ask him who is favourite celebrity is and he doesn’t hesitate – he’s hopelessly in love with former Baywatch star Pamela Anderson.

Meanwhile, he reveals: 'Brad and Angelina are also lovely. They are so proud of each other’s work and Angie doesn’t like to leave his side, even for a minute. She’s an independent lady but she won’t take her seat at an awards ceremony without Brad.

'Everyone assumes celebrities ooze confidence but they’re just like us really,” he says. “They get super nervous, especially when it comes to outfits.'
Christopher took a deep breath when tubby Cheers star Kirstie Alley asked if her bum looked big in an unflattering gown.
'Normally I try to be honest,' he says. 'But she didn’t have time to change so I told her she looked fantastic.'
But Christopher reckons there’s something far scary than insecure actresses in ill-fitting outfits – screaming pre-teen fans.
e once had to wade in to a baying mob of 12-year-old girls to rescue High School Musical star Zac Efron.
'It was terrifying,' he says. 'I had to keep yelling at them that they’d be thrown out if they didn’t leave him alone and get back to their seats. I thought they were going to tear Zac and me to pieces!'

bits

 From NYPost

Secrets of a red-carpet escort

Wardrobe malfunctions! Diva meltdowns! A celebrity ‘escort’ reveals the behind-the-scenes drama at A-list awards shows

• By GREGORY E. MILLER
• Last Updated: 10:30 AM, January 30, 2013
• Posted: 10:54 PM, January 29, 2013

Cameron Diaz survived the 2008 Oscars with a little help from red-carpet escort Christopher Gaida (left), author of the new tell-all "Arm Candy."
 

Megan Fox began to panic.
It was only a few minutes until the vixen du jour was to go onstage at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards. Fox, new to the red-carpet circuit, had just been propelled into stardom by the box-office smash “Transformers.”
Now she had to step onstage, in front of many of her peers, her fans and, well, the world. She flipped, and started saying she needed to speak to her co-star Shia LaBeouf immediately. LaBeouf was nowhere near.

But Christopher Gaida was right by her side.
“I told her she was fantastic, that she looked great, to relax, everybody loves her,” he says. “No b.s., just what I really, truly thought.”
Meet the celebrity escort, the red carpet’s secret weapon. North Hollywood resident Gaida, 38, has escorted celebrities at more than 150 awards shows and benefits, literally walking them from point A to point Z, ensuring the celebs are where they need to be every moment of the night.
“I’ve heard from a number of people that I’m ‘the Celebrity Whisperer,’” says Gaida, whose new book, “Arm Candy: A Celebrity Escort’s Tales From the Red Carpet,” published by AuthorMike Ink ($24.99), comes out tomorrow. Throughout the night, it’s his job to keep the celebrities at ease. Like Fox, a surprising number of them are very shy and nervous, he says.
“They are actors, so they are used to having lines prepared for them, and they get several takes,” says Gaida. “These shows are mostly live, and they have to be themselves, which is sometimes hard.”
Not surprisingly, stars sweat their appearance big time.
In the case of Jessica Alba at the 2007 Taurus World Stunt Awards, this meant suggesting backstage that she go with a different dress before the carpet. She took his advice and slipped into a shimmering little number.
“I told her I liked the dress because it was sexy and shiny,” says Gaida. “It just really showed her personality as fun, young and lively.
“They’re hiring me because they want my expertise,” he adds. “I feel like it’s my job to give my opinion.”
It’s that candor with celebs that has had some stars clamoring for Gaida’s services. Susan Lucci’s people have repeatedly asked for him to escort her. Queen Latifah was so smitten with him at the 2003 VH1 “Divas Duets” show that she offered him an auditon for her next movie, “Taxi.” (He didn’t get the job, unfortunately.)
Though candor is important, Gaida says it’s crucial that he stays out of the spotlight. He’s often photographed by angry, shouting photographers, but he tries to keep a few feet of distance between him and the celebrity.

Mario Anzouni / Reuters

At last year's Academy Awards, Christopher Gaida escorted Angelina Jolie, who refused to be separated from partner Brad Pitt — even when it was time for her to move on.
 

“It’s not about me,” he says. “It’s their moment.”
Gaida is coy on how much dough he scores as an escort, but says it can range from no pay for a charity benefit to several hundred dollars for an evening. Thanks to his experience and status, though, Gaida can nab a higher price, sometimes earning double the normal rate. Even so, it’s not enough to pay the bills. He works as a producer during the day, most recently wrapping the Travel Channel show “Exposed.”

Born in Philadelphia, Gaida moved to New York at age 23 and got his start in escorting the following year while temping at MTV. He was working on some dull task when a harried midlevel employee approached him, asking him to come be an escort that night.
“I’m sorry, but I’m really not comfortable selling myself like that,” he replied.
He quickly found out what celebrity escorting was really about — not sleeping with the stars, but guiding them through an event like a shepherd does his sheep.

Two to three weeks before an awards show, producers hire escorts for their events from a small pool of elite candidates with carpet experience. Each escort is usually assigned to one celebrity. They’re informed of the time the star will arrive at the red carpet, and they meet them at their limo at that time.
When the star arrives at the carpet, Gaida introduces himself to the star’s staff — publicists, managers, etc. — and then to the star directly. From there, they quickly discuss a game plan. How long will they stay on the carpet for photos? How many interviews will they do? What media outlets need to be avoided completely because they’ve written negative things in the past? It’s up to the celebrity and their team to decide in most cases, and then Gaida executes the plan.
For his first event, the VH1 “Divas Live” of 1999, Gaida’s job was to get chummy with “SNL” stars Cheri Oteri, Ana Gasteyer and Molly Shannon. The night went off without a hitch, and Gaida was hooked.

But not every night goes so smoothly.
At the 1999 VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards, Gaida was assigned to escort Sharon Stone. As he introduced himself, she refused to shake his hand, snapping that he was to walk three steps ahead of her at all times and never look back. At the 2003 VH1 “Divas Duets,” Chaka Khan stormed through a hallway, shoving him along the way and ripping his shirt. Gaida says she did not apologize.
At the 2000 GQ Men of the Year Awards, Gaida was escorting Susan Sarandon, when Julia Roberts frantically approached him, yelling that she was supposed to go onstage right that moment. Gaida showed her the schedule, which made clear it was another 20 minutes before she was to go on. But she was insistent.

“You must be mistaken,” she seethed, raising her voice two octaves.
But Gaida didn’t buckle, and eventually convinced the star to back down through an equal level of insistence. (A decade later, he served as Roberts’ escort for a benefit event and mentioned the time she had yelled at him. She apologized, and now recognizes him and says hello at events.)
Questions on the carpet, however, fly at Gaida all the time. Along the way, he may be asked for any number of things — breath mints, hair spray, wardrobe repair — but he won’t be carrying these tools on him.
“I try not to have anything on me, because I’m moving around so much,” says Gaida. “But I’ll know exactly where to get anything they may need.”
Wardrobe malfunctions are fairly common, says Gaida. At the 2010 Daytime Emmys, the strap of Lucci’s dress broke backstage. Gaida whipped that bad boy off of her, ran down to wardobe to fix it and had it back to her in time for her to go onstage.
Perhaps Gaida’s most important duty is to make sure the celeb makes it to the venue on time. At the 2009 Emmys, Christian Slater refused to wrap up an interview. Gaida found himself and Slater locked out of the show, having to call security to get in.
“He knew that it was his fault,” Gaida chuckles.
For some stars, the drama is between one another. At the 2011 Emmys, Gaida found himself escorting the at-the-time extremely erratic Charlie Sheen. Everything was going fine until Sheen wanted to go to the green room, and who should be there at the same time but his “Two and a Half Men” replacement, Ashton Kutcher.
“I probably could have stopped him from entering the room,” laughs Gaida, “But I was too interested in what would happen.”
Sheen and Kutcher played it like champs, at least for the night, giving each other a cordial greeting and moving on.
It’s these little moments that keep Gaida excited about his job even today. Though he’s recently taken a break to write and promote his book, he’s getting back into the game this Saturday at the Annie Awards (for accomplishment in animation).
As for the Academy Awards coming up on Feb. 24, it’s up in the air whether Gaida may be asked to escort or, perhaps because of his book, blacklisted altogether.
Needless to say, not everyone’s excited about his tell-all tome: “Some insecure management-level people are worried that I’m revealing too much, and the secrets of Hollywood. One producer said to me she was worried I’d ruin award shows forever,” Gaida laughs. “I was like, ‘Wow, I have that much power?’ ”
gregorymiller@nypost.com



From EOnline

Celebrity Gun Owners: Angelina Jolie, Jeremy Renner and More Have Spoken About Packing Heat

by Leslie Gornstein Today 7:30 AM PST

20th Century Fox

As the gun control testimony goes on in the news, can you give me a list of stars who are proud gun owners?
—Pamela, New Jersey, via Twitter

Over the years, plenty of stars have said they own firearms, and not just the obvious pistol-packers like Ted Nugent. 

And to be clear about it, their statements may not have been made in the context of the current—very heated, very sensitve—debate.

In past years, Angelina Jolie has said that, in no uncertain terms, she owns guns. And the list doesn't end there.

Read about Angelina's bathroom breaks with the kids
Veteran entertainers James Earl Jones and Whoopi Goldberg both have confirmed membership in the National Rifle Association. Goldberg also indicated she owns guns during an episode of the The View last spring, saying, "I don't mind having to register and let [the government] know that I have them."
Jolie told the Daily Mail in 2008 that "I bought original, real guns of the type we used in Tomb Raider for security. Brad and I are not against having a gun in the house, and we do have one.
"And yes, I'd be able to use it if I had to...If anybody comes into my home and tries to hurt my kids, I've no problem shooting them."
Noted.
Tweet us with your questions!

MPNC/AKM-GSI
 

The Avengers star/witch hunter Jeremy Renner has made a similar statement: "I'm for guns. I own guns and I don't think guns kill people, I think people kill people."
Miranda Lambert is another proud gun owner; she's estimated she owns 8 to 10 firearms, plus bows for hunting.
"I got a death threat a few years ago and was really scared," she told Self mag. "But I don't want bodyguards. I am my own security."

Fear not: Madonna's guns are fake...we think

Plenty of other celebs have applied for licenses to carry concealed weapons over the years, though whether they currently pack heat is unclear. In this category, you can include Jennifer Lopez's ex, Marc Anthony; Robert DeNiro and Donald Trump.

But overall, it's tough to say which stars are, at this very moment, running around with guns under their shirts. After all, it's the rare star who makes an admission like those above.
"I can't give you specific names," says Mell Flynn of the Hollywood Congress of Republicans. "Also, this is a tricky subject because criminals target homes of gun owners to steal the guns ... I'm not sure if it's a good idea to make this sort of thing public information."
No problem. We'll let the stars do the talking on this one.


From EOnline

Brad Pitt Touches Down Solo in Los Angeles

by Alexis L. Loinaz
 WENN.com

Brad Pitt had a clear flight plan: looking effortlessly chic as he disembarked in Los Angeles.
Angelina Jolie's other half arrived solo at LAX Wednesday after flying in from London.
The 49-year-old thesp rocked an all-black ensemble as he stepped through the airport, keeping his aviator shades on amid the paps' flashbulbs.

Pitt's been keeping a globe-trotting, jet-setting schedule these days, as you'd expect: He spent Thanksgiving in London to work on reshoots for his upcoming zombie flick World War Z and then later flew with Jolie and their brood to a private Caribbean island, where they spent Christmas.
Earlier this month, he managed to zip back to Los Angeles in time for daughter Zahara's 8th birthday. Whew!
Fans can get a sneak peek at the new trailer for World War Z Sunday when it debuts during the Super Bowl pregame show. The film opens on June 21.