Today's Douche of the Day: Prince

Ok. So I draw a pretty good assignment yesterday: shoot a press conference with Prince presenting a 1 million dollar check to a Harlem youth charity. This is a big deal. First, it's the notoriously shy and reclusive Prince. Second, it's a million dollar donation. The press conference is at MSG and I arrive at the scheduled press check-in time. I wait with the 70-100 other photographers and journalists to be allowed in to take our place at the press conference. We only wait about 1/2 hour to be allowed in - not bad. AND, I get a great spot to set up my camera; right in front of the podium which is set on the stage where Prince will perform later that evening. We wait another 1/2 hour and the press conference begins (again, not a bad wait). A women who is coordinating the event for the charity speaks for a few minutes, explaining why we are all there. She then precedes to present the standard, over-sized checks to the various organizations involved. 2 are for $250,000 and one for $1 million - most impressive. OK, now we wait for Prince to make his appearance with the charities and their checks.

Well, the women behind the podium says "thanks for attending and good evening". What?! Where's Prince? One of the publicists comes up to the photographers and says "we're very sorry, but Prince will not be allowing any photographs or video today". WTF!!!!!! Then what did you invite us here for!! The photographers go nuts and are SCREAMING at the publicist, "this is bull shit. You can't invite us to an event with Prince and then not produce him. This is a SCAM".

So, what should have been a wonderful event, promoting charity and good will, now turns VERY ugly. I'm fortunate that my work day does not revolve around getting a single, good shot of Prince. However, most of the others do. It could be their jobs if they don't come back with something. And they tell this to the organizers. It falls on deaf ears. Prince simply will not allow any photographs or video. "Then why the fuck are we here", scream a bunch of photographers. The organizers say that Prince will allow us to stay for sound check but we CANNOT take any photos or video. Again, we say, "we are not hear to listen to Prince. We are here to photograph him"!!

Most of the photographers stay anyway, hoping that Prince will give us something during sound check. He comes out wearing tight black satin paints with a matching top. He is also wearing a bright white knit cap with bright white, knee high, furry boats that have flashing lights in the heals. In other words, you couldn't miss him. He spends some time gabbing with some of the kids from the charity - a GREAT photo-op. Nothing. He grabs his guitar, jumps on stage and starts tuning up. Another GREAT photo-op. Nothing. Now, the photographers start yelling angrily, "this is bull shit. We are the WORKING press. PLEASE give us something. It will only take a minute'. Again, nothing. The yelling is getting so loud that we know it's only a matter of time before we get tossed. Sure enough, after about 10 minutes of that, security comes to us and says, "pack up. You have to leave". And we did - with NOTHING.

The really sad things is that we could have given those charities LOADS of good, free publicity. And Prince would have appeared as, well, a PRINCE. Instead, he came across as a selfish shit (despite his monetary generosity to the charity itself) and the charities got nothing from us. The video without Prince was worthless. I just don't get it. Why would you call for a press conference FOR the publicity and then just BLOW US OFF. It just doesn't make any sense. The man may be a musical genius but, after yesterday's "performance", he's just a self-serving shit to me.

So, congratulations Prince, today's DOTD.

PS: The photo is the only one I got of the stage before we got the boot! And, no, Prince is not pictured.