Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were in the news again this week—well, at least their bodyguards were. According to news reprots, Brangelina’s guards allegedly scuffled with photographers in India twice in the past week, which raised the question by security experts about whether “thuggish bodyguards who rely on football-player physiques and tough-guy attitudes” might cause more problems than they solve.
“The only time physical involvement becomes necessary is when we or the client is in fear for their lives,” said Aaron Cohen of IMS Security in Los Angeles, which provides protection for celebrities and their homes. “That’s the only time it’s justified legally and that’s the only time it’s justified professionally.”
Reporters dispatched to cover the Brangelina incident also interviewed a bodyguard named David Marks. Pardon me, I didn’t mean to use the word “bodyguard.” Apparently, the term makes the former marine wince. According to Marks, the term “bodyguard” fell out of fashion decades ago and now companies use the title: “professional protection specialist.”
Regardless of what they are referred to, Marks says those in his line of work have a tough job, especially when they become the target of taunts. “We have to take a little more … than we should. When you’re with your client, you just have to remember that no matter how hard it is, you’re there to handle the situation,” Marks says.
Then there is the idea of the bouncer mentality versus “executive protection.” Celebrity security firm managers define the bouncer approach as “using your body first and your head second.” While in executive protection, “98% is done with your head and your mouth. Professionalism and discretion are what it’s all about.”
Of course, size doesn’t hurt. (Have you seen Nick Lachey’s “professional protection specialist?”) No one is going to deny that it helps to have a commanding presence. Even Marks admits that burly guards can sometimes quell a situation by just their physical appearance, though it’s not automatic. Celebrity security experts agree that the best professional protectors aren’t just big, they come from military or law-enforcement backgrounds and have security training.
Which brings us to Britney Spears’ former manny (male nanny) Perry Taylor. At the U.S. Naval Academy, Taylor was addressed as “midshipman,” but once he got the Spears gig he was given a new nickname: “Perry Poppins.” Turns out he was never hired to be Spears’ son’s nanny–he was there to provide security for the entire Spears-Federline clan.
By all accounts it would seem Perry Taylor exemplifies the ideal professional protection specialist–even-tempered and level headed. “It’s not a business for unpredictable or aggressive personalities,” say celebrity security experts. Rather, guards must assess potential threats and extract the star from any situation they deem dangerous. The main aim is to keep the client safe. According to experts, avoiding conflict – and the potential danger, legal liability and bad publicity that comes with it – is “critical.”
Perhaps, Brangelina should reassess their security detail?