Paparazzi

NEVER APPROACH KANYE WEST WITH A PEN -- especially if he's wearing a fancy sweater -- because after Yeezy's reaction in Paris this evening, you might as well be waving a knife in his face.

Kanye was leaving dinner moments ago when an autograph seeker asked the rapper for some love -- holding out a pen ... and a sneaker to sign.

The pen came within inches of Kanye's pristine white sweater -- and Yeezy nearly lost it.

Sam Worthington has just been smacked with a restraining order -- with a judge BARRING the "Avatar" actor from having any contact with the pap he allegedly attacked in NYC this weekend.

Worthington just appeared in an NYC courtroom to face charges stemming from the February 23 incident with photo Sheng Li ... when Sam allegedly punched the guy following an altercation with his GF Lara Bingle.

During the hearing, Sam was charged with two 2 counts of 3rd degree assault, 1 count of attempted assault, 1 count of harassment -- and faces a maximum of one year in jail if convicted.

But the most shocking part of the hearing -- the restraining order ... which specifically orders Sam to not contact Li in person, on the phone or through social media.

Worthington is due back in court on May 8th.

Kanye West is best when Kanye is East ... because not only did he resist attacking an in-his-face, camera-wielding fan ... he summoned the guy back for the photo op he so aggressively wanted.

Here's what happened ... Kanye was in NYC, leaving a building for his van, when a random guy yanked out his cell phone and went for a cheek-to-cheek selfie.

Kanye is calm, but his hired muscle swats the fan's arm and thwarts the pic.

A few minutes later ... the fan is summoned back to the van but there are strings attached. Kanye promises to take a pic with the guy if the paparazzi turn their cameras off ... and they oblige.

There seems to be a conflict in the Sheriff's Dept. A Dept. rep told us earlier the officers were on duty, but we just got a call from the Capt. at the West Hollywood station who says the deputies were all off duty and hired by a production company.

Kim Kardashian and Ciara got as much law enforcement attention as Rodney King on Wednesday ... as they shopped for baby clothes.

Kim and Ciara were leaving Bel Bambini ... a high-end baby store on Robertson in L.A. -- as 5 (FIVE) L.A. County Sheriff's deputies flanked them as they made their way to their cars.

So the question -- What the hell? We called the Sheriff's department and they said they had no answer.

Shia LaBeouf flew thousands of miles Monday -- from Germany to L.A. -- but he had to go an extra mile when he landed ... meandering through LAX looking for his limo driver who was MIA.

It's actually painful to watch. An independent paparazzo spots Shia as the actor begins his very long walk. Other photogs catch up, as Shia is silent, looking in vain for his driver.

The worst part -- he walks by a slew of drivers holding signs -- none for him.

Finally, a panicked driver appears and takes Shia on an endless walk to his car.

Bruce Jenner's oldest son Burt Jenner went nuclear on the paparazzi Thursday ... berating them for screwing with his famous family. Problem is ... most of the photogs didn't know Burt from Adam.

Burt owns a dog sitting business. The paparazzi swarmed Burt's parking lot after getting wind of a big celeb who was inside a building across the street.

The non-famous Jenner was indignant, ordering the photogs -- not ours -- to skedaddle. Their response -- Who the hell are you?

That's all Burt needed to hear. He had his employees get in their car and block the photogs from leaving.

Everyone screamed, had a bad time ... and the video is awesome!

Kate Beckinsale and Sarah Silverman needed some serious protection ... for the 10-foot walk from a restaurant to their cars last night -- at least someone thought so, since for some reason cops escorted them.

Two L.A. County Sheriff's deputies walked Kate ... and then Sarah ... to their vehicles outside Craig's in West Hollywood -- and there doesn't appear to be any major threat to their safety in the video.

There are about 10 paparazzi there, but that's status quo at a hotspot like Craig's.

The Sheriff's Dept. tells us it has no official record of a call for help from the restaurant ... so, it's a mystery why the deputies were there.

Fun fact: Jerry Ferrara got NO escort, but check out the clip -- he seems to be just fine when he gets to his car.

A similar scene played out last month when Sean Penn was walking out of Craig's -- but he got THREE deputies.

George Zimmerman wants to beat up Kanye West ... ironically because the rapper has a history of attacking "defenseless people."

Promoters for Zimmerman's upcoming celeb boxing match tell us he badly wants to step in the ring with Yeezus. The promoters are deliciously Machiavellian --- knowing for many it will become a choice between 2 evils ... thus becoming a must-see spectacle.

We're told George's beef with Kanye is not just that he attacks paparazzi ... but the innocents as well -- like the 18-year-old who allegedly called Kim an "N***** lover."

The promoters say if Kanye takes Zimmerman up on the offer ... they're willing to move the fight to L.A.

The TMZ photog crew just got WAY more athletic ... 'cause a bunch of NFL stars just signed on to be TMZ cameramen during Super Bowl week in NYC!!!

It's true ... New York Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich, punter Steve Weatherford and former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh will be hittin' the streets starting tomorrow!

They're gonna be out lookin' for the biggest stars in the city -- cameras in hand -- and whatever they shoot will be posted on the website and featured on our TV shows.

The 18-year-old who got attacked in a doctor's waiting room by Kanye West is on VIDEO -- outside the building and before the confrontation -- and he appears to taunt the paparazzi as Kim Kardashian walks in.

The barely-a-man screams to Kim, "They're whack, dude. You have to deal with that everyday?" He then excitedly hops up the front steps like a rabbit.

The video stops as Kim walks in. TMZ broke the story ... Kim claims the man then started to hurl epithets to Kim about the paparazzi, calling them "n*****s" and "fa****s" Kim says she then called him out for using the word and then he turned on her, calling her a "n****r lover." At that point Kim called Kanye on his cell -- he was nearby -- and the guy apparently knew Kanye was listening and he called the rapper a "n****r."

We're told the guy walked into his chiropractor's office and Kanye and Kim followed shortly thereafter, and eyewitnesses tell TMZ Kanye punched him in the face.

Kanye West just attacked an 18-year-old guy inside the waiting room of a chiropractor's office ... after the guy allegedly called Kanye the N-word ... TMZ has learned.

Kim was at a Beverly Hills medical building when she was swarmed by photogs. We're told the guy allegedly tried to help Kim get in the building, as he started screaming, "F**k these fa**ot-ass n****rs"" -- referring to the paparazzi. Kim then told him it was not appropriate to use the N-word. We're told he then screamed at her, "F**k you bitch. Just trying to help you. Shut up n****r lover, stupid slut."

Apparently that got Kim hot as fish grease ... she watched the guy walk into an office. As they were walking we're told the guy continued berating Kim. She dialed Kanye on his cell, and when the guy realized Kanye was on the phone he allegedly said, "F**k you N****r." Kanye -- who had just arrived at the building -- then met up with Kim.

Sources say Kanye and Kim rushed into the waiting room of chiropractor Richard Hill and found the 18-year-old sitting there. Witnesses say Kanye punched the guy and Kim screamed, "We have it all on tape."

Sources say the massage therapist in the office separated the 2 men. Beverly Hills cops were called and the 18-year-old said he wanted to press charges.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Kanye is now officially a suspect in a battery investigation and they want to interview him. We're also told the matter will be referred to the L.A. County D.A. for possible prosecution.

Remember -- Kanye is currently facing assault charges involving a photog attack at LAX.

Justin Bieber's rap sheet is longer than his arm -- at least when it comes to attacking photographers -- so claims the pap suing him for battery, and now the guy is asking for permission to dredge up Bieber's past alleged photog beatings in court.

TMZ broke the story ... Bieber is being sued by Jeffrey Binion, the pap who claims one of Bieber's thugs choked him and stole his camera equipment last June in Miami.

Bieber has asked the court to limit the scope of his deposition to JUST this incident, but Binion's lawyers want to grill him about 5 other similar attacks allegedly involving Bieber, his bodyguards, and other paps. The judge just ruled ... the past incidents are fair game.

Binion runs through the laundry list in his newest court docs -- citing 1) the run-in with a Miami photog just hours before Binion, 2) the alleged attack on an Argentinian photog on November 11, 3) the alleged beating of a Hawaii photog on November 20, 4) the alleged Australian photog attack, and 5) the infamous IHOP debacle.

According to the docs, Binion wants to use these examples to prove Bieber and his goons have a bad habit of attacking photogs ... and it needs to stop.

The Mission: Safely escort Sean Penn from the door at Craig's restaurant to his car (10 paces away) without a violent incident.

The Manpower: Three armed L.A. County Sheriff Deputies.

The Issue at Hand: Sean's a loose cannon and Craig's is surrounded by paparazzi. Sean doesn't take kindly to paparazzi. In fact, he likes to attack them.

So, was Sean able to walk 10 steps to his car -- with an armed escort -- without incident?

Watch the clip ...

8:01 AM PT -- The L.A. Sheriff's Dept. tells TMZ ... deputies responded to a call from Craig's around 11:08 PM, when restaurant staff reported a disturbance on the property.

One of Justin Bieber's bodyguards roughed up a photog last night at an IHOP in Encino, CA ... and the pap has filed a battery report with cops ... according to law enforcement sources.

TMZ has learned ... the photog says he was trying to take pictures of Bieber in the pancake shop, but took a potty break, and that's where the alleged battery went down.

The photog says he was injured slightly.

Justin Bieber's pals Lil Za and Lil Twist acted like Lil Thugs by attacking a paparazzo in Miami last June -- so claims the photog who's suing Bieber and a bodyguard.

Photog Jeffrey Binion says in his depo -- obtained by TMZ -- he was confronted by Za, Twist and 2 of Justin's bodyguards after taking pics of Justin outside of a recording studio.

Binion says Za demanded the photog's camera ... threatened to break it ... then tried to wrench it from his hand. Binion claims the struggle lasted 3 to 5 minutes. As for Twist ... Binion says he was egging Za on.

Binion also claims one of the bodyguards threatened him with a gun.

Binion says he was strong armed into deleting the photos ... because a bodyguard had him in a choke hold.

He's now suing Bieber and that bodyguard ... claiming he's injured and mentally screwed up.

For a change ... Justin Bieber's a little camera shy, at least when it comes to sitting for a videotaped deposition in his legal battle with a Miami paparazzo ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ broke the story ... Bieber is being sued by Jeffrey Binion, the pap who claims one of Bieber's thugs choked him and stole his camera equipment back in June.

Binion's attorney is set to grill Justin in a videotaped deposition next month -- and Bieber's responded with a legal request for the depo to be kept under lock and key.

According to the docs, Bieber's lawyers feel "it is highly likely that the entire deposition will be published to the public." Their concern is the questioning will include lots of topics unrelated to the case.

Translation: they don't want a video of Justin talking about all his juvenile antics getting out to the world.

Team Bieber is requesting that no copies be made of the original recording. They also want to handpick the videographer.