It is the story of twenty-year-old Toby Grace (Michael Pitt) who progresses from a homeless scavenger in New York City to the assistant of a neurotic paparazzo, Les Galantine (Steve Buscemi), then falls in love with a famous singer, K'harma.

On his way back with the coffee, Toby is stopped by K'harma's agent from inside the building and asked to see if the photographers are looking.

While being thrown out of a party that night, Les and Toby overhear a celebrity's agent mention his client Chuck Sirlon's upcoming penile surgery.

However, their partnership shows signs of distress after K'harma takes Toby backstage without Les, angering the latter.

A bell rings, and it is revealed that the park is a film set, and Toby is the lead character.

At home, the jealous Les comes across a vintage camera his father gave him with a concealed gun inside, and resolves to murder Toby with it.

Les shows up, and raises the camera, getting ready to shoot him, but then sees him kissing K'harma and stops.

After the credits, Les is shown on an entertainment news show discussing his picture of Toby, which the interviewer refers to as "the shot heard 'round the world".

The website's consensus reads, "A funny, energetic satire of the paparazzi life and the entertainment industry, Delirious is another winner for indie helmer Tom DiCillo.