Rocker and former reality personality Travis Barker got into a heated exchange with paparazzi outside a Calabasas restaurant on Sunday.
According to TMZ.com, the former Blink-182 drummer, his two young children with former beauty queen Shanna Moakler, and a few family friends were their way into a restaurant when they had a “run-in” — which included cursing, spitting, and slashing tires — with two members of the paparazzi. Photo agency X17, which employs the photographers involved in the incident, insists their guys were the victims of an “unprovoked attack” — and even had their phone stolen — by Barker and his croonies.
Travis, on the other hand, tells a different story. The musician addressed the fracas in a series of spirited updates to his Twitter page late last night:
–When I’m out at breakfast at 8am in the morning the last thing i appreciate is some photographer threatening me 2 a fight while he’s 3 deep…..
–When i defend myself/my kids that don’t make me a tough guy .I was outnumbered and threatened so i did what any man would…..
–Paparazzi cried like young girls when it was no longer 3 of them against me and my kids. Didn’t they remember threatening me an hr ago??
–What happened to the tough guys with the cameras? It was gonna be a fair fight..3 against 3? I mean i weigh a buck 40, your 200lbs and 6′6……
–Bottom line I don’t . I’m not a socialite out begging for that kind of attention. I’m a family man out wit my kids. Don’t get the 2 twisted….
–Bottom line, take photos at red carpets. Take pics of hungry hollywood starlets and douche bags that are out at clubs and bars that like it…..
-Barker then posted a link to X17’s coverage of the melee, with the message: “Check this out. Even my son’s over it….”
The photographers told cops they did not want to press charges. No arrests were made, but a vandalism report was taken.