Payne’s life as a sex object

Liam Payne is discovering the downside of being a teen idol, said Louise Gannon in The Mail on Sunday (U.K.). Payne is one fifth of One Direction, the British-Irish boy band that has had No. 1 hits all over the world, and—when it comes to U.S. chart success—is now officially bigger than the Beatles. Swarms of hysterical girls follow them everywhere, blocking sidewalks and lying in front of their tour bus. Because of the frenzy, they tour the world without being able to see much of it. “It’s pretty hard to just ‘go out,’” says Payne, 20. “As soon as someone spots you they have their phone out, and you have 15 minutes before you’re surrounded.” When he went surfing in Australia, a crowd assembled on the beach before he’d zipped up his wet suit. “It can be a bit embarrassing trying to learn to surf [while] you’re worrying about trying to look cool and not fall over.” Using a hotel gym is even worse. “The other day I was sweating through the last few minutes, and the electronic doors kept opening and shutting with girls standing behind them, screaming at me. Another time, I went into an empty gym, and there was just me and a girl in full makeup, a dress, and high heels actually running on the treadmill, watching me.”

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