March 19, 2009 in Nation/World

‘Octomom’ fever hits quiet suburb

Paparazzi, curious mob her new house

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Associated Press photos photo

Paparazzi attempt to get photos while hanging onto a moving vehicle carrying octuplets mother Nadya Suleman as she returns to her home in La Habra, Calif., with two of her babies Tuesday. Associated Press photos
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LA HABRA, Calif. – The cars keep coming to Madonna Lane in La Habra. Just about every 90 seconds, the looky-loos pull in to the tiny cul-de-sac to take a quick glance at the house where the town’s newest and most famous resident – “Octomom” Nadya Suleman – has decided to live. Sometimes they snap pictures. Sometimes they just make a U-turn and drive off. Mission accomplished.

At 2051 Madonna Lane, the newest ground zero of the paparazzi universe, the scene got so chaotic Tuesday night that more than 200 residents called police to complain about the noisy helicopters circling above the town, and Suleman herself dialed 911.

“The paparazzi is trying to break down the garage door, and they’re swarming the whole area,” she told a dispatcher. “This is not safe for any of the kids.”

Neighbors frustrated with the attention erected a barricade Sunday in an attempt to block street access only to have police make them take it down.

By Wednesday, with the first of two octuplets safely at home, the frenzy had quieted somewhat. The cars and pedestrians were still coming. And the paparazzi and media still gathered outside, cramming the street with their cars and satellite trucks.

La Habra is a working-class suburb on the northern tip of Orange County.

But then Suleman moved to town and people are having no trouble finding tiny Madonna Lane. There’s Gloria Allred, the celebrity attorney reportedly forced to leave Suleman’s house last night after police received a call from the nanny. There’s the out-of-work contractor and the wannabe rapper looking to drum up free publicity by mugging for the cameras. Then there’s the paparazzi, jumping on her SUV, damaging her garage door and harassing neighbors.

“The protesters, the media, the looky-loos, hopefully it blows over because this is awful,” said Tom Cosentino, whose girlfriend lives in the house adjacent to Suleman’s.

Before Suleman settled here last week, this quiet community had so little going on that a photo of the La Habra Little League made the front page of the bimonthly local newspaper. But now, La Habra officials are busy holding “operational meetings” to figure out how best to handle the madness, said police spokeswoman Cindy Knapp.

Police had also contacted Suleman’s neighbors to reassure them that they would help address any problems.

Most people came and quickly left after satisfying their curiosity, including Whittier residents Irene Prochison, 80, and Sunny Kramer, 73, who said they were outraged by the media attention to Suleman.

“I’m sick of reading about it,” Kramer said, adding she still had to come and see it for herself. “We’re curious like anyone else.”

Others looked to capitalize on the media attention. A local restaurant dropped off take-out menus with the paparazzi. Comedian Eric Schwartz, also known as rapper Smooth-E, arrived Tuesday at Madonna Lane claiming to be “the real Octodad,” carrying a turkey baster and test tubes full of a white liquid.

Contractor Steve Rezes, who said work is very slow, brought a sign advertising his business in hopes that people would see him on television.

“I’m here trying to promote myself to get work,” he said. “Times are tough.”

The drama inside the house proved equally strange. The Whittier Daily News reported that police went to the house Tuesday night after the nanny called to say she needed help forcing out an unwanted guest, who turned out to be attorney Allred.

Allred said Wednesday, though, that when police arrived, the nanny denied calling them.

“After speaking with me, the officers left, and I remained in the house,” said Allred, who helped negotiate 24-hour nursing care for the octuplets by the group Angels in Waiting. “Later, I spoke to Nadya. She said she wanted me to remain in the house. And I did.”

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