Photog Dies After Taking Lady Gaga Pics

Posted Tuesday 03 November 04:35 PM By: PopEater Staff

205 Comments

Lady Gaga stepped onto the red carpet on Monday night sporting a widow-esque black veil (above, left), and minutes later, celebrity photographer A.J. Sokalner was dead. Sokalner (above, right) was working the red carpet at the ACE Awards that the 'Poker Face' singer was attending in New York City when he collapsed just minutes after Gaga took to the carpet. He was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital shortly after, and the owner of ACE Pictures, who Sokalner worked for, says emergency workers said he had suffered a heart attack. He was in his late 50s.

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Lady Gaga Snapshots

Lady Gaga is seen here on the red carpet of the 13th Annual 2009 ACE Awards, where a photographer died minutes after shooting photos of her.

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Going Goo-Goo for Gaga

(L-R) Rocsi, Lady Gaga and Terrence J. on the set of BET's "106 & Park" at BET Studios on November 2, 2009 in New York City. Lady Gaga Visits BET's "106 & Park" - November 2, 2009 BET Studios New York, NY United States November 2, 2009 Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com To license this image (58814636), contact WireImage.com

Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com

Lady Gaga visits BET's "106 & Park" at BET Studios on November 2, 2009 in New York City. Lady Gaga Visits BET's "106 & Park" - November 2, 2009 BET Studios New York, NY United States November 2, 2009 Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com To license this image (58814603), contact WireImage.com

Johnny Nunez/WireImage.com

NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 03: Recording artist Lady Gaga visits fuse TV's "On The Record" at fuse Studios on November 3, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Lady Gaga

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Philip Vaughan, the owner of the ACE Pictures agency that Sokalner shot for, told PDN.com that A.J. "was very well liked, he was very well respected ... He was a real photographer and he did it because he loved it."

Fellow photographer Brian Lamb says he was just feet away from Sokalner when he fell ill.

"By the time I saw him, he was already blue and people were starting to give him CPR," according to Lamb. Other photographers on the scene say Sokalner hit his head when he collapsed.

Sokalner's friend Dennis Van Tine says he was also at the event, but by the time he got word of the incident, his friend was already being loaded into an ambulance.

Van Tine calls Sokalner "one of those silent guys who goes out and shoots every day." He adds that his friend "was a cynic in the great New York tradition ... He knew what was right, he knew what was wrong, he knew who the crooks were."

Tags: Lady Gaga, LadyGaga, paparazzi

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Tuesday 03 November

By SecretPact

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probably couldn't fake this

Tuesday 03 November

By Paul

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This is ridiculous...I certainly hope the moron that wrote this tidbit of trash isn't being paid to do so. What a waste of time and money. Whoever's employing this pathetic excuse for a journalist should be ashamed of themselves.

Wednesday 04 November

By D.Boima

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its real man its all over the news thisreally did happen looks like her paparazzi song doesnt lie lol

Wednesday 04 November

By Blurgle

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You know what I think is hilarious? When people come to a GOSSIP website, expecting a good grade of journalism or some story that is of notable international signifigance.

Look at it this way, if this story is truly lame to you, why did you bother to post? Congratulations, you just upped the post count. You just told them you bothered to read the story. Thus, encouraging them to post more like it. GOOD JOB.

Oh well, at least the "who cares?" fad is starting to die down. I guess people are finally figuring out that taking the time to post "who cares" is the perfect way to show that someone DOES care, and the perfect way to fail at showing apathy.

Anyway, yes it's a trite post, although I do feel for the family of the photographer. But regardless, it's on a gossip page. Not even real news. What do you expect?

Wednesday 04 November

By ted

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Paul.If you didnt like it way in the heck did you read it and make a comment on it then? Are you as stupid as stupid does????

Tuesday 03 November

By CP

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That is sad and ironic at the same time. Irony of it is that she was dressed up as if she was going to a funeral. But that's what some of her outfits look like anyways. Hopefully his family is okay.

Wednesday 04 November

By Lisa

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Lady Gaga rules?? Billy...you can't be serious. What is she the ruler of? Bad taste obviously.
I feel for the family of that photographer...my sympathy goes out to you. He had to spend his last moments trying to capture a pic of a spoiled rich non-talented woman who hides behind elaborate costumes to get noticed. It's not talent when it's all synthesizers and voice overs honey...

Tuesday 03 November

By Mike

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Not so fast! I need to write down that website for those shoes! And that winter dress from Hong Kong!
Oh by the way, too bad about that photographer.
But it seems he went pretty quick...that's the best way to go.

Tuesday 03 November

By Ted Bundy

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Well thats what you get for staring at the offspring of Medusa

Tuesday 03 November

By Tex

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Ha ha, Ted, you're so funny.

Tuesday 03 November

By Ani

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This just prooves that Lady Gaga is deadly. lol.

That seriously sucks though.

Tuesday 03 November

By Grace

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I wish people knew how to spell.

Tuesday 03 November

By liz

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are the doctors sure it wasn't Lady Gaga's face? lmao

Tuesday 03 November

By exoticdoc2

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She's cursed!

Tuesday 03 November

By Gee

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Maybe the paparazzi song was for him. RIP

Wednesday 04 November

By mickC

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It's not paparazzi if he's a professional photographing her on a catwalk at an awards show. That is called fashion or event photography and is a respected professional avocation. My heart goes out to his family, at least he died doing what he loved.

Tuesday 03 November

By www.nulifeonline.com

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so what will come first? This guy's E true hollywood story, or Lady idiots next album and book describing her feeligns about his death?

Wednesday 04 November

By Thaddeus Buttmunch MD

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"you were my poppa razzi!"

gaglalglalglagl CROAK

she SUXX the Next MADONNA?!

Madonna is a Genius next to her.

Tuesday 03 November

By shir

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"does nobody..." LOL!!

Tuesday 03 November

By brucelee

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Another media hoax A. Blame it on Lady Gaga and not on the fact he was born before 1961. They are all dying of heart attacks to make the world a better place for our youth born after 1961. I'd rather take the blame for that cleaning up the world process with heart attacks, rather than to watch the media blame it on Lady Gaga.

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