This image was lost some time after publication.

Our decrepit and vacuous society has given birth to one of the more disturbing trends we've seen in awhile. The city of Los Angeles' most recent victims are junior varsity photogs 14-year-old Austin and 15-year-old Blaine, who runs Pint Size Paparazzi, with the help of thousands of dollars in equipment from their totally fucked-up parents, who don't seem concerned by Blaine's statement to Sunday's Times Style section: "I'm going to let this go as far as it takes me,'said Blaine, fidgeting with his V800. 'I want to be friends with the celebrities more than take photos of them. I kind of wish I was going to the parties with them.'"

The kids, who long ago dropped out of regular school for work-at-your-own-pace school, have sold their apparently decent shots to the Daily News and TMZ.com, among others—and, of course, are developing a reality show.

Blaine's father is a real winner, not unexpectedly. He tells the Times that at first he was apprehensive about the thought of his young son staying out till all hours, scrambling with professional paparazzi twice his age and weight. "I thought, 'My kid is going out there with a bunch of paparazzi?' But I've since come to really like a lot of them. There are some I'd be more than happy to have over for a dinner party." Hoo boy.

Actress Rose McGowan had it right, when captured on film by Austin: "What's wrong with this town? This is so wrong!" We'll give Dr. Phil two weeks to get his ass in there and then we're calling SuperNanny.