Search: paparazzi
Why: I have had that Lady Gaga song in my head for several hours. I know the word comes from La Dolce Vita, but I haven't seen that film in several years and wouldn't pick up on the nuances of Italian, anyway.
Answer: First, "paparazzi" sounds real similar to pappataci or papataceo, which is a Sicilian word for a big mosquito - buzzing, hovering, annoying, parasitic. Fellini drew this picture of the character Paparazzo, a news photographer:
Disputed stories of origin:
- In his school days, Fellini remembered a boy who was nicknamed "Paparazzo" (Mosquito), because of his fast talking and consonant blurs. He gave this name to his photographer.
- The name came from a southern Italy travel narrative, "By the Ionian Sea," published in 1901. The book gives the name of a hotel proprietor, Signor Paparazzo. Fellini opened the book at random, saw the name, and decided to use it for the photographer.
The More You Know: Some classic paparazzi shots. Tazio Secchiaroli is considered "the original paparazzo," and he founded Roma Press Photos in 1955. Ron Galella was obsessed with Jackie O. and ordered to stay 25 yards away from her, but he took the shot below from inside a taxi.
Mickey Hargitay, 1962:
Jackie O., 1971, Ron Galella:
John Travolta, 1971, Ron Galella:
David Bowie, Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon, Yoko Ono, John Lennon, Grammys 1975, Ron Galella:
Sean Penn, 1986, Ron Galella:
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