Q. It always seems like celebrities are mobbed by photographers as soon as they leave the house. Can they ever go shopping like a normal person?

A. Yes, definitely. While the paparazzi practically camp out at certain L.A. stores (Kitson, Lisa Kline, Madison...) celebrities can and do get away with running errands. After all, what's the point in being rich and famous if you never get to enjoy the fun of a shopping spree?

I've personally run into Debra Messing, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Paris Hilton, and Raven Symone browsing clothing racks at various stores on both coasts without any crowds. Britney Spears, however, was not so lucky -- I watched the star get mobbed by fans and photographers alike when she attempted to sneak into a Beverly Hills mall on a weekday afternoon.

I've also had reports that Kate Hudson shopped at a Solstice sunglass store in New Orleans recently, and even the Queen of Saudi Arabia picked up some jewelry organizers at a Manhattan Container Store this month.

So yes, the stars can get away with shopping like the rest of us. But sometimes they have to use back doors, private entrances, or even close down the store to shop in peace.

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