'The Hills' neighbors unhappy with production, paparazzi and fans

The Hills are apparently a little too alive.


Residents of Hollywood's Orange Grove Avenue claim that since Lauren Conrad, Audrina Patridge and Lauren "Lo" Bosworth moved into a three-bedroom, Mediterranean-style house on the street in February, an MTV production crew, paparazzi and The Hills gawkers have also been steadily entrenched in their neighborhood, The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.

"They're running an ongoing production studio in our neighborhood," next-door neighbor David Brumer told The Times.

Brumer characterized the house as "a production facility for their TV show" and added he's skeptic that the reality show starlets actually call the place home.

"Lights are left on in there 24/7, so you wonder if anyone is sleeping," he told The Times.  "Most of the neighbors don't see them there on a regular basis except when they are shooting."


While neighbors might not think Conrad, Patridge and Bosworth live in the house, The Hills aficionados apparently do.

"Last Saturday night between 12:30 and 2:30 I was awakened three times by girls stopping in front of the house yelling, 'Lauren, we love you!'" Brumer told The Times.

The incidents have become so numerous that homeowners in the area have begun to log them, according to The Times, which added they include "a drunken brawl broke out during a party" at the house on May 4 and "several paparazzi began fighting and one pulled a knife on the other one" on June 14.

As a result, 30 residents have inked a petition demanding that the city revoke the show's filming permit, according to The Times.  The petition also complains that the show's production crew provided the paparazzi with amenities ranging from food to a port-a-potty.

"[Filming is done] in accordance with all required production permits," an MTV spokeswoman told The Times, which added The Hills filming permit allows shooting to 16 days a month and prohibits filming that is visible to neighbors between 10PM and 7AM.


"We require all the production crews to be shuttled in and to not have production vehicles on the street," Todd Lindgren, a vice president of FilmLA, which coordinates filming in Los Angeles, told The Times. "We've tried to convey that we recognize that residents are upset. The number of looky-loos and tour buses would make anybody upset."

One of those who is most upset is The Pussycat Dolls Present producer Steven Antin -- the brother of former Blow Out star Jonathan Antin -- according to Stacy Marble, a field agent for L.A. Councilman Tom LaBonge.

"[Antin] is trying to shop around a reality show himself about what a hard time he's had living next door to where a reality show is being filmed," Marble told The Times.

However Antin has subsequently disputed the claim.

"It's ridiculous and absurd. The reality-show thing is completely made up and not true," Antin told E! News.  "The entire street has filed complaints.  Everyone in the neighborhood has filed complaints."


For what it's worth, Conrad said she has no personal involvement with the paparazzi and is trying to be a good neighbor.

"This is 100% my home and my only place of residence," she told The Times in a statement.  "I try to be a respectful and conscientious neighbor."






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio