Celebrities have been known to spend their money on luxury cars, designer clothes and even islands, so they can certainly afford to hire their own security detail. However, an increasing number of celebrities living in New York are applying for permits to carry their own guns, according to the New York Daily News.
"They can get their own security, but with the Internet, it is much easier to find people,” said John Skylar Chambers, a lawyer who has helped New Yorkers get gun permits for more than 20 years. “They don't want to find someone on their lawn at 5 in the morning."
So, which of your favorite celebrities have a license to pack heat?
Among the bigger names are Robert De Niro, Howard Stern, Marc Anthony, Donald Trump and Mets third baseman David Wright. Police records also reveal supermarket mogul John Catsimatidis, celebrity lawyer David Breitbart and artificial-heart inventor Robert Jarvik can legally carry as well.
But men aren’t the only ones contributing to this trend.
Martha Stewart's daughter, radio host Alexis Stewart, has also acquired a permit.
These permits are not granted to just anybody. To get a permit, applicants must be able to “prove a documented threat or that they routinely carry large amounts of cash or valuables.”
If a celebrity can meet the criteria, they shouldn’t have a problem with the monetary aspect of obtaining a permit.
The NYPD charges a nonrefundable $340 to file an application for a gun permit and between $94 and $106 for the collection of fingerprints, even before a background check is begun.
Interestingly enough, while celebrities seeking gun permits are on the rise, the requests on the whole in New York City are down.
"There were 2,145 carry permits issued last year compared with 2,093 this year - a dip of about 2.4%,” the Daily News reports.
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