How Céline Dion’s bodyguards stay vigilant about her safety while giving her the freedom to connect with fans

Before anyone gets mad and misconstrues my words, because reading comprehension is at an all-time low and nobody understands nuance (and the schools happen to be open today!), I’m not saying that Céline Dion’s team has anything to complain about. For them, no doubt, it’s wonderful to see that Céline is back to being Céline. And that also means that their work is back to being what it was when she was in Paris before her diagnosis – especially for her bodyguards.

When the person you are bodyguarding takes as much time as Céline does to meet with fans, and get close to the fans, the security team has to be that much more vigilant… while allowing Céline to connect with the people she wants to connect with. It’s a fine balance. Céline does not want to be inaccessible. But their job is to keep her safe. The quickest way to safety is to put up a wall between her and her public. When she insists on disappearing the wall, the goal is to respect her wishes while not compromising her mental and physical health.

I wasn’t super online over the long weekend but when I did pop in occasionally on socials, all I saw was Céline, before work and after work, engaging with fans – singing with them, praying with them, talking to them, playing rock, paper, scissors with them, LOL, and introducing her dog to them, also LOL.

Céline is already rehearsing for a series of shows that begin this weekend. And while rehearsing for those shows she is putting on a show outside of her hotel at least twice a day. She has not stopped entertaining since the moment she arrived in France! Would you fault her security if they were just like, woman, just for today can we go in and out of the hotel without stopping?! I wouldn’t. But also, they wouldn’t. Clearly they’ve been given a playbook, and they are following it, bless them because this is how she wants to be living.

Here’s an example, just today, as she was getting in the car, she climbs up so that she can wave. As you can see, her bodyguard follows, placing a steadying hand on her back so that she doesn’t fall… but also… crouches down so that he doesn’t get in the shot, so that he’s not part of the moment that she’s sharing with the people.

Notice that at one point he thinks she’s done – and he would be wrong, she is never done. But he gets up in a half squat, and holds there while he’s figuring out if she’s ready to come down, and then goes back down because she keeps going.

Céline is being well taken care of, as she should be. And we appreciate the hardworking team that is working with her instead of limiting her.

What else happened today…

Gary Oldman, like Jackson Lamb, has the inside track on all things spy-related, including James Bond. (Pajiba)

Nicola Peltz got an award in Venice for being a rising star, or something. I can’t remember seeing her in a single television show or film but OK, not trying to be an asshole here, but I’m obviously not the only person who thinks this is weird. (Go Fug Yourself)

Katie Holmes’s summer of love. (Celebitchy)

This one is for our site manager, Emily. EW has a preview of the final season of Yellowjackets and Emily is obsessed. (Entertainment Weekly)

Now that’s schools back in, here’s an always helpful guide on how adults can support 2SLGBTQ+ students. (Out)