Kate Winslet doesn’t lie about her diet and exercise regime.
[Bauer Griffin Online]
That’s the $40,000 lesson the UK’s Daily Mail has learned.
In January, the publication accused Kate of lying about her exercise regime, and the actress sued for libel in May. In September, the paper published an apology, and the parties entered into a $40,000 settlement today.
Good for Kate!
Celebrities can’t go after every false statement published about them, unless they want to go bankrupt from legal fees. If they pick the battles that are most important to them, however, then they can still get justice and an apology once in a while.
Donald Trump is a billionaire. Really, he is. Seriously, he must be. And, if you say he isn’t, he will sue.
[PRN / PR Photos]
Trump and author Timothy O’Brien are battling it out in court over statements in O’Brien’s 2005 book, Trump Nation: The Art Of Being The Donald, that Trump is worth only $150 million to $250 million. As part of a lawsuit filed in 2006, Trump is seeking billions of dollars in damages and claiming that O’Brien defamed and damaged him by contending that he is not a billionaire.
Lawyers for both sides were in a New Jersey court yesterday. O’Brien’s attorneys are seeking a dismissal of the case, Trump wants to proceed to trial, and the judge promised to make a decision within two months.
Oh, this case better go to trial. Imagine the closing argument for the defense: “Ladies and gentlmen of the jury, if Mr. Trump were a billionaire, don’t you think he could afford a better hair piece?”
Like most celebrities, LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian may need good lawyers…
US Weekly claims security cameras caught Eddie and LeAnn Rimes kissing in a public restaurant, much to the dismay of their respective spouses. The NY Post’s Popwrap, however, reports that Eddie is denying any affair: “LeAnn and I are friends, we went to dinner, that’s its.”
If there is no truth to this affair, then file a defamation lawsuit! Of course, Eddie and LeAnn will have to prove that the affair report is false and was made with malicious intent, meaning that it was published with either knowledge of falsity or in reckless disregard for the truth.
The UK’s Daily Mirror is definitely paying $30,000 in libel damages to Josh Hartnett, who has been in London for a West End production of Rain Man. In September, the tabloid ran a story claiming hotel security cameras caught Josh having sex with a woman in the library of a London hotel. The Daily Mirror apologized in court, and Josh is expected to donate the money to charity.
An Arkansas man is Not Ready To Make Nice with the Dixie Chicks!
The stepfather of one of three 8-year-old boys murdered 15 years ago in Crittenden County claims lead singer Natalie Maines defamed him. Alleging that Natalie suggested he played a role in the boy’s death during a 2007 Little Rock appearance, the plaintiff seeks damages from the entire group for defamation, libel, intentional infliction of emotional distress and false-light invasion of privacy.
Popsquire wonders if the group is to ready to back down by entering a quick settlement. When Natalie made controversial statements about George W. Bush in 2003, their album and concert sales were severely affected. They might want to put this one behind them, even if Natalie believed the man was guilty. Popsquire will keep you posted!
Author John Duignan is blamingCruise Control for lack of sales!
In “The Complex,” Duignan describes his “dramatic escape” from the Church of Scientology’s purported “elite para-military group,” the Sea Organization. Now, he hopes to escape low book sales by dragging Tom Cruise into the mix, claiming that Tom influenced Amazon’s UK website to stop selling the book.
Amazon, however, released a statement explaining that “U.K. law gives us no choice but to remove the title from our catalogue” because someone mentioned in the book (not a celebrity) had alleged it defamed him with “false claims.” Amazon spokeswoman Patty Smith insists it was simply Britain’s tough libel laws that forced Amazon’s UK website to pull the book, and Cruise’s reps deny any involvement on his part.
X-Files star, David Duchovny, now has an x-lawsuit!
Following the UK Daily Mail’s apology last week for running a story claiming that David was cheating on his wife with his tennis instructor, David dropped his $1 million defamation/invasion of privacy lawsuit against the publication. The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning that he cannot re-file it.
Popsquire smells a settlement! The timing of the dismissal so close to the apology wreaks of lawyers. David probably got some money out of it, too. Good for him!
Because you are a faithful Popsquire follower, you remember that Anderson Cooper recently riffed (but did not commit defamation) with Kelly Rip about “Living Lohan.” Anderson called it an “atrocious” show, referred to Dina and Ali Lohan as “horrific people,” and said Ali looks like she is 60 years old.
Dina Lohan quickly responded, saying that “People are just cruel! This is bad karma for him.” Now, Michael Lohan tells Access Hollywood:
“I think Anderson Cooper is an opinionated, hypocritical idiot who should be an adult and keep his opinion to himself. He is the last person to judge anyone, when he and his own family have their own issues.”
Is this Michael’s subtle way of commenting on the suicide of Anderson’s brother? Yikes. In any event, below is an encore presentation of Anderson’s comments.
Nicole Richie’s former fiance, DJ AM, is suing the NY Daily News for libel and false-light invasion of privacy. Represented by the same firm as Rob Lowe in Nanny Gate 2008, DJ AM claims that a June 22 article detailing his purported lack of work and wages is false.
The NY Daily News reported:
“AM hit the big time in 2003 when he and Nicole Richie first hooked up, and his involvement in a celebrity couple earned him big dollars. By the time the two split in 2006, he was commanding six-figure salaries for a single gig.”
“These days, Goldstein has no famous girlfriend to help build his brand and won’t even talk about Nicole with reporters. That has lowered his stock to the point where, club owners say, he now gets a much smaller fee per gig.”
“Promoters in Miami, where AM used to sell out megaclubs Mansion and Privé, say they barely use him anymore. And you won’t see him in the Hamptons this summer, even though he has been a staple at events.”
“‘He has gone from making major bank and playing these huge club parties to doing private corporate events,’ says one booker who regularly uses Richie’s ex.”
According to E! Online, Jerry Seinfeld’s attorneys continue to ask a judge to throw out a lawsuit for trademark infringement and slander filed in New York by Missy Chase Lapine against Jerry and his wife, Jessica.
If you are not familiar with this case, here’s what you need to know…
Lepine’s book, “The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies For Hiding Healthy Foods In Kids’ Favorite Meals,” — a book about how to sneak veggies into kids’ meals — was released in April 2007.
Jessica Seinfeld’s book, “Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets To Get Your Kids Eating Good Food,” — also about how to sneak veggies into kids’ meals — was released in October 2007.
On October 8, 2007, Jessica Seinfeld appeared on Oprah to promote her book.
In response to accusations that his wife had plagiarized Lapine’s recipes, Jerry compared her to the killers of John Lennon and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. while making an appearance on Late Night With David Letterman.
In the papers seeking dismissal of the lawsuit, attorneys refer to Jerry’s comments as “overstatements of opinion for comic effect” and argue that “no reasonable viewer could have thought that Seinfeld really meant that Lapine…might become an ‘assassin’ simply because she has three names.”
Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen are best friends. If you believe that, then you definitely are new to Popsquire. If, on the other hand, you are a faithful Popsquire follower, then you may cringe when you read about this text message that Denise claims Charlie recently sent her:
“I hope you and your worthless retarded father get cancer and join your stupid mom. Rot in hell you [bleeping] whore.”
If Charlie did send this text to Denise, then it’s time to switch over to the Denise camp. If he didn’t send that message, then Charlie should sue for defamation. Remember, defamation generally is a false statement of fact that harms a person’s reputation.
Numerous media outlets claim that Ashlee Simpson is pregnant with Pete Wentz’s baby. If the reports are true, congrats! If not, they could constitute defamation. Defamation is any untrue published statement of fact that may harm a person’s reputation.
Realize, however, that defamation lawsuits brought by celebs can be difficult to win. Unlike regular folk, celebs generally have to meet a higher standard. Celebs have to prove that the alleged defamatory statement is false and was made with malicious intent, meaning that it was published with either knowledge of falsity or in reckless disregard for the truth.
Question: Which is more damaging to Ashlee’s reputation — lip syncing or being preggers? Talk to me — Papa Popsquire Don’t Preach!
You must watch the video below. It’s a very powerful use of YouTube to call attention to a pop culture/law collision! An Arizona band, The Asphalt, asks us to consider whether a producer stole the hook from their song, “Tonight,” and used it in Chris Daughtry’s “Feels Like Tonight.”
Most impressive is what appears to be an absence of defamation. The band doesn’t accuse the producer of stealing. Instead, the video simply asks viewers/listeners to decide for themselves. As you do so, consider that the legal question includes whether the two works are “substantially similar.”
Yeah, it’s a crazy vague term, so do your best and let Popsquire know what you think!
[Bauer Griffin Online]
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