Paparazzi

Kanye West is getting on an airplane right now ... bound for the airport that has triggered multiple run-ins with the paparazzi and 2 criminal prosecutions ... TMZ has learned.

Kanye left Milan early this morning and landed in Newark. He's about to board a plane for LAX and our sources say he will leave the terminal and walk right into the always-present paparazzi frenzy -- by his choice.

Kanye has told friends it's too much of a hassle to fly out of his way to avoid LAX. When he left for Paris, he took a private jet to San Francisco and picked up an international flight. As we reported, his reps wanted him to avoid LAX because they didn't want to give prosecutors in his pending criminal case more ammo, in case another confrontation erupts.

Kanye is determined to remain cool, regardless of how the photogs act. But he's also hedging his bets. He's spending a couple of grand for 3 security people to flank him as he leaves the airport.

Elton John REAAALLLY hates the paparazzi ... A LOT ... which is why it's weird that he went to a Hollywood restaurant last night that's right in the thick of the pap zone.

The whole clip is pretty comical ... Elton arrives to Craig's -- famously patronized by big celebs on a nightly basis -- and immediately goes off on the waiting paps.

F-bomb here ... C-bomb there ... another F-bomb. He's really angry.

In fact, Elton was so passionate about his cussing ... that he tripped over his own feet and almost fell on his way in. It's kinda funny.

Eventually, Elton angrily galumphs inside the front door ... to meet up with more famous people (the Osbournes were there, along with Giants owner Steve Tisch).

FYI -- there are more than 9,000 full-service restaurants in the L.A. area -- and while the salmon is pretty good at Craig's, it's not the only game in town.

So, the question -- why not give your blood pressure a break and hit up another food joint next time?

You gotta see this one ... Kanye West is at his bizarre best on the streets of Paris, ragging on L.A. photogs and telling French paparazzi they do it a lot better.

Kanye started the encounter by warning the photogs not to talk to him. But then he started rambling on about how much more respectful they are than their L.A. counterparts.

It seems it was meant more for the photogs back home than the Frenchies.

Lots happened this week ... Kanye West's beef with photogs intensified while Lamar Odom fell even deeper into a dark hole. So we gotta ask ...

Kanye West flip-flopped back to nice guy mode with the paparazzi in France today -- a far cry from Friday's nuclear meltdown on the photogs filming in his driveway.

Ye was stepping out of a Porsche at some fancy schmancy building in Paris when once again he silenced a paparazzo from asking questions. The difference today -- he was smiling, and the pap stopped talking.

Kanye even compliments the guy ... twice!

Prosecutors in the Kanye West battery case want jurors to see all the videos of Kanye attacking photogs ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected with the case tell TMZ ... the L.A. City Attorney believes Kanye has an M.O. -- when confronted by the paparazzi ... ATTACK. They believe what Kanye did at LAX on July 19th (see video above) -- allegedly battering a photog and trying to steal his camera -- is what he typically does ... and they want the jury to see 4 other incidents to prove their point (see videos below).

-- Friday's 4 AM incident at Kanye's Hollywood Hills home, where he went nuclear on the photogs, whom he claims were trespassing

-- July 12th: Kanye ordered a TMZ photog not to talk to him or anyone he knew, and then grabbed the camera

-- March 10th: Kanye went nuts on a photog shortly after he ran into a metal sign in Bev Hills

-- September 11, 2008: Kanye went postal on a photog at LAX. Criminal charges were filed, but later dropped after Kanye paid for the damage

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian just arrived at San Francisco International Airport, en route to Paris ... and they did exactly what we said they would do ... avoid the paparazzi at LAX.

Kim and Kanye took off from the Van Nuys Airport a few hours ago and landed at SFO. They're transferring to a commercial flight that will take them nonstop to Paris.

As we first reported, Kanye has been advised by his reps NOT to fly out of LAX, because they don't want another confrontation with photogs while his criminal battery case is pending.

Problem is ... the reps didn't bank on photogs showing up at his house early this AM ... resulting in yet another confrontation.

The paparrazzi at SFO -- not ours -- also shot video of Kanye and Kim, and much like this morning ... they're clearly getting under Kanye's skin.

Also, note to all paps -- if nothing else, pronounce the guy's name right. It's KAHN-YAY.

Kanye West says he's got the goods to get at least one of the photogs who showed up at his house today PROSECUTED ... TMZ has learned.

Sources directly connected to Kanye tell TMZ ... Kanye has reviewed the security footage from his Hollywood Hills home, and he says it CLEARLY shows at least one of the photogs trespassing on his private property.

We're told Kanye says he will file a police report and ask that the photog be prosecuted for criminal trespass.

As you know, two photogs (not TMZ) showed up at Kanye's house at 4 AM and peppered him with questions about his feud with Jimmy Kimmel, and Kanye went ballistic.

It's unclear who will go to the cop shop and file the report, because Kanye and Kim are on a plane right now, heading for Paris.

Kanye West went nuclear again on the paparazzi -- but this time Kanye has good reason to be pissed.

Kanye was at his bachelor pad at 4 AM, when several photogs (not TMZ) approached him as he was getting in his car to leave .... and asked about his feud with Jimmy Kimmel.

It appears Kim is also there. Sources say he and Kim were on their way to the airport with the final stop -- Paris.

Take a look at the video. An infuriated Kanye lunges at the photog but it does not appear there is any physical contact.

It looks as if the photogs are very close to Kanye's driveway -- but the photo agency insists they did not trespass.

It must be Opposite Day ... because Kanye West wasn't just cordial with a bunch of paparazzi in Hollywood moments ago, he was downright nice.

Ye was picking up a friend in his murdered-out Lambo when he turned to address the photogs in pursuit ... not with a fist, BUT WITH A SMILE.

He gave the guys a friendly heads up that he'd be driving all the way to Anaheim today. In other words, tailing him could be a full-day mission, so the paps should know what they're getting themselves into.

A surprising move ... considering the rapper's been charged with battery and attempted grand theft for allegedly attacking a photog at LAX.

Kanye West has been instructed to stay clear of the paparazzi at LAX ... to the point of flying hundreds of miles out of his way to avoid fresh confrontations ... TMZ has learned.

Kanye -- who has been flying frequently -- is finding all sorts of round-about ways of getting from L.A. to various destinations.

One thing's clear ... getting into another paparazzi confrontation at LAX will be disastrous for his pending criminal case. TMZ broke the story ... Kanye is being charged with battery and attempted grand theft for allegedly attacking a yappy photog.

So, for example, we found out ... Kanye and Kim Kardashian are going to Paris later this week, but they will be flying to another airport via private jet, where they will pick up a non-stop commercial flight to gay Paree.

We're told the private jet for the first leg will cost Kanye $5,000. We're guessing he can afford it.

Jon Gosselin whipped out his handgun and fired a warning shot when a photog wandered onto his property, and it totally worked ... cause the pap bolted!

So, just in case you needed a reason -- besides the obvious -- don't go to Jon Gosselin's house.

Kanye West says he went after that photog at LAX because he feared for his safety ... and that's why he pulled out a can of whoop ass and used it.

Kanye is responding to the civil suit filed by the paparazzo who claims Kanye assaulted him on July 19th at LAX and caused him serious injury. According to Kanye's answer to the lawsuit, filed by Shawn Holley and obtained by TMZ ... he believed "his safety was in immediate danger." And then there's this: "[Kanye] responded to this assault by doing only those acts that were reasonably necessary for his self-defense ..."

Jon Gosselin's ex-wife isn't the least bit surprised he fired a warning shot at a photog -- and while she's choosing her words very carefully ... Kate Gosselin seems to be saying she's gotten used to erratic behavior from him.

Kate claims she's not even aware of what happened -- even though it was in the news all weekend -- saying she doesn't pay attention to what her ex does.

But when the camera guy explained what happened she wasn't shocked by Jon's gunslinging, saying ... "Nothing surprises me anymore."

TMZ broke the story ... Jon said he was sending a message when he popped a cap into the air after a paparazzo followed him onto private property.

Jon Gosselin says he will NOT press charges against the paparazzo who was allegedly trespassing on his lawn when he fired a warning shot from his gun ... TMZ has learned.

Jon tells us the photog learned her lesson Friday -- and after scaring the life out of her for following him onto private property to take photos ... he thinks she got the hint.

"The message that I take my family's privacy seriously was sent loud and clear" says JG adding, "I trust that she will respect that in the future."

Jon Gosselin pulled a gun on a photog in Pennsylvania yesterday -- then fired off a warning shot before chasing her away in his car ... and TMZ obtained photos of the scary encounter.

It all went down yesterday in Beckersville, PA when a photog (not ours) followed the reality star home from his new waiter's gig ... trying to snap photos of the cabin where Jon lives.

The photog fessed up ... she followed him off the main roads and onto dirt roads ... but assumed it was a public road and not private property.

We're told as soon as she started snapping away ... Jon made an aggressive bee-line for her ... then pulled a gun out of the back of his pants.

The photog says Jon started yelling at her for trespassing ... then fired off a warning shot.

The photog says she booked it ... but Jon followed her until she got back on the main road.

We're told the photog plans to hit up local police this afternoon to file a report.

11:00 AM PT -- Checkmate! The photog just went to the cop shop and she saw the light -- if she filed a complaint the police would have probably ended up charging HER with criminal trespass.