Hollywood Exclusive by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

Julia Roberts' dust-up with paparazzi who were swarming her and her children during an outing the other day points up — again — the need for some sort of regulation regarding overzealous photogs. It's time. It's years past time, in fact. Best of all would be self-regulation, in the form of a pact between the celebrities' camps and the agencies who rep the camera-wielding hordes. Buyers, from the tabloids to TMZ and other online and TV outlets, would then have to do their part by purchasing pictures and video only from signers of the agreement. And if they didn't, they, and their parent companies, networks, or production entities would be barred from having any celebrity access — and from film/TV/music advertising involving stars.

Items to be included: discretionary distance when children are involved.

Roberts' encounter is just the latest in a string of messy, even scary episodes involving paparazzi and celebrity children.

Pamela Anderson recalls cameramen swarming her car to the point she and her then-young sons could not escape without her driving over a photographer (perhaps she should have).

Heidi Klum recalls the incident in Central Park awhile back when paparazzi swarmed her and her children — and other parents on the scene took matters into their own hands and started pelting the offending photogs with water balloons.

"It sounds like fun when you read it maybe in a newspaper somewhere, but in reality, it's not so much fun when there are children involved," she told us at the time. "My children are screaming, 'What's going on?!" I don't think that people should start fighting over it. I don't want people to get hurt ... I'm like, 'Let's just go away.'

"It's something that you just deal with, unfortunately," she went on. "I wish there was some sort of a law that maybe they have to be at a certain distance, or there can't be more than two ... I wish there could be something done. I know people say, 'They're celebrities, and why shouldn't we get photos of them all the time?' But people forget about the person being shot all day long and their children." Amen.

FROM THE INSIDE LOOKING OUT: "Modern Family's" 20-year-old beauty Sarah Hyland is riding high this holiday season — with her show attaining Best Comedy Emmy honors as well as the No. 1 ratings status among scripted series on ABC this year.

She's been enjoying hiatus time making the scene with her guy, "High School Musical 3" actor Matt Prokop, at events such as last week's Nylon-Armani Exchange dinner for cover girl Mila Kunis — in the company of such friends as Joe Jonas, Sara Paxton and Ashley Benson.

Despite the whirl of rising stardom, according to Hyland, "I always find time for friends and for keeping it real. My friends are in the business — actors, producer, agents. It would be really, really nice to meet someone who isn't in the entertainment business, but you know what? I had some friends like that in high school, and when I'd say things like, 'I've got to go. I have a show to do tonight,' they'd say, 'Can't you just skip it?' They didn't understand the demands. Friends in the industry may be screwed up, but we're all screwed up together.'"

Obviously, the actress herself is far different from her often-mindless character, Haley. According to her, "I look and dress and act differently in real life. I love fashion, but I'm too lazy to partake in it. On a regular day, I'll wear whatever I throw on — sweatpants or leggings and a t-shirt — and I don't do my makeup that often. I love that I can go out and people don't recognize me."

To hear her tell it, her own father is nothing like her "Modern Family" dad — the embarrassing, tries-to-be-cool parent played by Ty Burrell. In real life, her father is esteemed Broadway actor Edward James Hyland.

In fact, the only similarity she sees between herself and Haley is that "my phone is in my hand, or at least right next to me, 24/7, and if it's not, it's charging."

THE BIG-SCREEN SCENE: With "Manson Girls" finally en route to production after several years and various incarnations, one important casting is apparently left to go: Charles Manson. One shudders to imagine a room full of wild-eyed maniacal hippie types awaiting their auditions. The feature, written and to be directed by Susanna Lo, boasts a cast including Thora Birch, Estella Warren, Patty D'Arbanville, Heather Matarazzo and Eric Balfour. Shooting is targeted for a March 2011 start.

And it's a January production start in Florida for "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked," which has the whole gang back from the first two hit movies, including Jason Lee as chipmunk father figure Dave Seville. Funny, we remember Lee saying he wasn't going to do the second one, the "Squeakquel" that wound up doing some $443 million in worldwide box office grosses. Nothing like success to change a person's mind. (Hey, maybe it's not embarrassing after all!) "Chip-Wrecked" is due December 2011.

To find out more about Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith and read their past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2010 MARILYN BECK AND STACY JENEL SMITH

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