Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Celebrity Bodyguard?

The life of a celebrity looks glamorous and worry-free. For most celebrities it is, thanks to the help of a few carefully selected bodyguards. Jealousy plays a large factor in what gives these bodyguards a paycheck to take home every week. Because celebrities spend so much time in the public eye, their lives are an open book subject to ridicule, envy and resentment. The job of a bodyguard for movie stars, musicians and professional athletes may encompass a wide variety of duties, and is not a job that anyone can fill. To truly understand the roles of a bodyguard to the stars, you have to first examine the types of threats that celebrities may be subject to.

It is one thing to be a fan, or even a superfan of a Hollywood star, but when the line crosses to stalking it officially becomes a serious matter. Stars face the threat of dangerous stalkers as a side effect of having such a public life. Gwyneth Paltrow's stalker, Dante Michael Soiu, was convicted of stalking the actress in 2000 after repeatedly sending packages and emails to her. The most invasive of his acts was to actually show up at Paltrow's parents' home in California. Collin Farrell's stalker Dessarae Bradford went so far as to confront him by walking onto the set of The Tonight Show while filming.

A bodyguard trained to protect celebrities such as these must have a sophisticated eye and know how to remember face. It may be difficult to spot a stalker unless they are seen repeatedly by the same people and can be identified. A celebrity bodyguard should be able to pick a face out of a crowd and remember anyone that has threatened their client in the past. Lack of protection on a celebrity's part could turn fatal, as it did for 1980's sitcom actress Rebecca Schaeffer. In 1989, the actress answered her front door to stalker Robert Bardo who shot and killed her. Her tragic end led to the beginning of many bodyguard training programs and heightened security, as well as the development of anti-stalking laws.

Obviously the primary objective of a celebrity bodyguard is to protect the client from physical harm. However, the privacy of a star is also a precious commodity that deserves protecting. The paparazzi run rampant on the streets of Hollywood, New York and wherever else movie and television stars happen to be. Bodyguards must know how to handle photographers and press agents without reflecting poorly on their client. A little finesse will allow a graceful exit for the client, but a bodyguard with a temper can turn into a disaster.

The super-celebrity couple Brad and Angelina are known for protecting their privacy. However a story out of Mumbai, India last year may have demonstrated their bodyguards going a bit too far in the name of security. Reportedly they were physically abusive toward parents and children at an Islamic seminary the couple visited. It was reported that they pushed a mother that was attempting to find her children, as well as a small child. A good bodyguard should be committed to protecting the privacy of their clients, but not at the expense of others' safety and the image the client tries to uphold.

A bodyguard of a celebrity is in the public eye often as much as the star is, yet somehow must maintain a backstage presence. Professionalism is essential and a lack of it can be detrimental to the image of the celebrity, the bodyguard and the agent they represent. In addition to bodyguard duties, there are some mega-celebs out there that will also consider a bodyguard their personal valet, sending them on food runs and other remedial errands. If you really want to make it in the world of celebrity bodyguards, you may have to take the good with the bad. Otherwise, there is always someone waiting in the rafters to take your place.