Doperty Compares Paparazzi To Nazis

The words "paparazzi" and "Nazi" rhyme, and if Pete Doherty really wanted to, I'm sure he could work those words into some kind of lyrical couplet one day. To me, that's all they have in common, but not Doperty.

Doperty appeared on BBC television's Panorama: The Death Of Kiss And Tell on Monday night to speak about how the media has intruded into his life. He said many paparazzi blame their actions on their drive to get a picture so they can fulfill their editors' demands, which sounds like something a different type of people used to do.

"It's going to sound really extreme but you know even the people who were like shovelling bodies into gas chambers were saying, 'We're just obeying orders,'" Doperty said, according to Gigwise.com. "You've got to accept responsibility for what you do.

"If your actions as an individual are directly having a negative affect on someone else's life, then you can't say 'you're doing your job.'"

After Israel captured Adolf Eichmann, the architect of the Holocaust who was responsible for deporting Jewish people to the Nazi death camps, Eichmann defended himself during his 1961 war crimes trial by saying he was "just following orders." Many other high-ranking Nazis offered up the same excuse during the Nuremberg trials of 1945 and 1946.

Doperty hasn't had the easiest month so far. The pesky paparazzi must be bothering him a lot lately.

He will appear in court on Aug. 11 to face a trial in Gloucester, England's Crown Court after he was arrested for suspicion of drug possession and driving under the influence of alcohol last week.

Doperty now faces six charges stemming from that arrest, including two drug possession charges, dangerous driving and driving with no license or insurance, according to the Thisisgloucestershire.co.uk website. He denied he had been driving his car dangerously, but entered no plea regarding the other charges.

The website reports about 0.6g of heroin was found in Doperty's car, while 15 wraps of it were found in his home in Durley, England.

Doperty was released on bail of 50,000 British pounds (about $93,000 Canadian), providing he does not ride in the front seat of any vehicle and wears a medical implant the website says is "to attempt to prevent drug abuse." He must also attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings at least once a week and cannot use drugs while on bail.

Doperty was allegedly found slumped over in an airplane washroom with a used hypodermic needle nearby on a flight from London, England to Geneva, Switzerland earlier this month. He was arrested on arrival in Geneva and tested positive for heroin use, but was released after he paid a fine.

Doperty's debut solo album, Grace/Wastelands, came out earlier this year, and you can see him promoting it here:

June 26 Borlange, Sweden @ Peace & Love Festival
June 27 Pilton, England @ Worthy Farm (Glastonbury Festival)
July 3 Herouville St-Clair, France @ Chateau De Beauregard (Festival De Beauregard)
July 4 Belfort, France @ Lac De Malsaucy (Les Eurockeennes De Belfort)
July 11 Eadestown, Ireland @ Punchestown Racecourse (Oxegen Festival)
July 12 Balado, Scotland @ Balado Airfield (T In The Park)
July 17 Salacgriva, Latvia @ Positivus Festival
July 19 Benicassim, Spain @ Festival Internacional De Benicassim
July 25 Arles, France @ Theatre Antique D'Arles (Festival Les Escales du Cargo) July 26 Lyon, France @ Theatre Romain de Fourviere (Festival Les Nuits de Fourviere)
Aug. 22 Chelmsford, England @ Hylands Park (V Festival)
Aug. 23 Staffordshire, England @ Weston Park (V Festival)
Sept. 19 London, England @ Roundhouse
Sept. 20 Leamington Spa, England @ The Assembly
Sept. 21 Manchester, England @ Apollo
Sept. 23 Glasgow, Scotland @ Barrowland Ballroom
Oct. 2 Toulouse, France @ Le Bikini
Oct. 3 Perpignon, France @ Le Mediator
Oct. 5 Paris, France @ Le Zenith