Fame PicturesAre paparazzi off their game. All signs point to yes after the airport-based shooters got snookered by Jamie Lynn Spears and the LAPD. Embarrassing.
An incident that transpired at Los Angeles International Airport this week—a Kanye West-less incident—is currently under review by the Los Angeles Police Department after a group of officers seemingly bucked department policy and gave Jamie Lynn Spears an escort from her paparazzi-flanked terminal.
The only problem: It wasn't actually Spears they were flanking, simply a look-alike. And, based on photographic evidence, not an entirely convincing one at that.
The shutterbugs were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Britney's kid sis at the airport on Wednesday. She was due to arrive with baby Maddie Briann in tow for some Spears family quality time. The paps apparently made the assumption their target had arrived when faced with a diminutive, camera-shy, sunglass-wearing blonde.
The fact that she was surrounded by more than a few uniformed LAPD officers informing the crowd to "to keep backing up" and "keep moving" probably didn't bring any clarity to the situation.
A police spokesman says that the officers in question were merely "following the crowd" to the baggage area and weren't providing an escort service to the unidentified Spears stand-in.
"I think someone got the best of the paparazzi," said LAPD Sgt. Jim Holcomb.
About 100 not-so-eagle-eyed photographers and 50 Delta employees were also duped by the doppelganger, allowing Jamie Lynn to slip out unnoticed through another exit.
The sergeant also discounted a TMZ report that the LAPD officers concocted the ruse to stump the shutterbugs and now faced possible punishment.
While the alleged switcheroo is currently under review, Holcomb said such debriefings are standard practice.