Hailey Bieber has long been open about how draining it can be to live under constant paparazzi surveillance. In a widely discussed appearance on Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy podcast, the model described the moment her frustration with photographers reaches its peak — and the mindset she uses to keep it from controlling her.
What Hailey Bieber Said
During the conversation, Cooper noted that photographers had followed Bieber to the studio that day, and asked how she copes with being trailed almost everywhere she goes. Bieber admitted that when paparazzi tail her car, she sometimes has a passing urge to get out and take a bat to their vehicle out of sheer frustration — while making clear it was a hypothetical, not a real intention.
She also described the pattern as unavoidable in Los Angeles, noting that photographers regularly wait near her home regardless of the route she takes. Bieber said the constant presence outside her house has become something she simply expects rather than something that catches her off guard, which she suggested is its own kind of exhausting.
Why She Doesn't Act On It
The more revealing part of the interview wasn't the outburst — it was what came after. Bieber said she'd rather not hand photographers the power to ruin her mood, framing her restraint as a form of boundary-setting rather than suppression. It's a distinction that's easy to miss in headlines built around the "baseball bat" line, but it was central to her point: the annoyance is real, the discipline not to act on it is a deliberate choice.
She's also spoken previously about paparazzi behavior she considers genuinely invasive, including instances of photographers attempting to shoot up her skirt — comments she described as reflecting a broader disrespect toward women in public life. That earlier interview, paired with her comments to Cooper, paints a fuller picture of why her frustration with photographers runs deeper than a single bad day.
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Justin Bieber Has Reached His Own Breaking Point Too
Hailey isn't the only one in her household who has visibly struggled with paparazzi attention. Justin Bieber has been photographed reacting angrily to photographers on multiple occasions, including throwing a water bottle toward a group waiting outside after the couple left a restaurant in Los Angeles. Moments like that suggest the pressure Hailey described isn't an isolated feeling — it's something the couple appears to navigate together, and not always calmly.
Since becoming parents, the Biebers have also spoken about trying to shield their son from the same level of exposure, a concern that ties directly into a broader legal fight celebrities have waged for over a decade.
The Legal Backdrop: California's Anti-Paparazzi Laws
Paparazzi conduct toward celebrities' children isn't just a matter of public sympathy — it's been the subject of real legislation. In 2013, California signed Senate Bill 606 into law, increasing penalties for photographers who harass the children of public figures, including following them, lying in wait, or recording them without parental consent. The bill was championed by actresses Halle Berry and Jennifer Garner, both of whom testified that aggressive photographers had traumatized their children during ordinary activities like school drop-offs.
That law remains active today and reflects a recurring theme in celebrity culture: even as public figures accept that adult versions of themselves will be photographed, many draw a hard line when children are involved. For a couple like the Biebers, now raising a young son in the same Los Angeles paparazzi ecosystem Hailey described, that legal backdrop adds real-world weight to her comments about wanting to protect her own peace.
The Bigger Picture
Bieber's comments tap into a long-running tension in celebrity culture: how much access the public is entitled to versus how much privacy a public figure can reasonably expect in everyday moments. Paparazzi defend their work as legitimate coverage of newsworthy figures; critics argue that persistent, uninvited pursuit — especially near someone's home — crosses into harassment.
That tension hasn't gone away in the social media era. Even though celebrities can now speak directly to millions of followers on their own platforms, traditional paparazzi photography remains a lucrative business, and demand for candid celebrity images hasn't slowed down. Hailey's own career adds another layer to this dynamic: as the founder of the skincare brand Rhode and a fixture in the fashion and beauty industry, she's a subject of near-constant media interest independent of her marriage, which only compounds how often she's photographed.
FAQ
Did Hailey Bieber threaten paparazzi?
No. She described a hypothetical, momentary urge born of frustration, not an actual plan — a distinction she stated explicitly during the interview.
When did she make these comments?
During a 2022 appearance on Call Her Daddy with Alex Cooper. The remarks have continued to resurface in entertainment coverage since then.
Why is Hailey Bieber followed by paparazzi so often?
As a prominent model, entrepreneur, and the wife of Justin Bieber, she's a consistent target for celebrity photographers, particularly around her home in Los Angeles.
Has Justin Bieber reacted to paparazzi in similar ways?
Yes. He's been photographed visibly frustrated with photographers on multiple occasions, including an incident where he threw a water bottle toward a group waiting outside a restaurant.
Are there laws protecting celebrities' children from paparazzi?
Yes. California's Senate Bill 606, signed in 2013, increases penalties for photographers who harass or follow the children of public figures without parental consent.
Sparrow World News covers entertainment, celebrity culture, and Hollywood as it happens.