Just like Popsquire predicted back in June, former Survivor winner Richard Hatch is a loser!
The U.S. Supreme Court has decided not to entertain Hatch’s appeal to overturn his 2006 conviction for failing to pay taxes on the $1 million prize he won on the show’s 2000 debut season. Hatch currently is serving time as part of his 51-month sentence and now will have to finish out the sentence behind bars.
PS: Don’t forget to watch tonight’s episode of Survivor: Gabon. Charlie, a Popsquire follower and attorney, is still hanging in there!
The Popsquire Beat provides highlights from this week’s most entertaining pop culture law collisions…
First up, The Parents Television Council filed an indecencycomplaint with the FCC over the penis appearance on the premiere of Survivor: Gabon. By contrast, CBS described the incident as a “completely unintentional, inadvertent, and fleeting incident that was virtually undetectable when viewed in real-time.” Um, did CBS really just say that Marcus’ penis is “virtually undetectable?!?” Poor Marcus…
Helio Castroneves is Dancing With The Feds! The 33-year-old DWTS champ pleaded guilty to tax fraud this week, after being indicted for failing to pay taxes on more than $5 million in income over a four-year period. The court set bail at $10 million and took his passport away. Helios’ definitely had a taxing week!
And, Sharon Stone says there is not even a Sliver of truth to the accusation that she wanted to inject her son with botox to cure smelly feet. Her attorney says: “Sharon Stone never made this statement. It is a complete fabrication.” In short, Sharon is defending her Basic Mothering Instinct!
Have a great weekend. Remember, please don’t drink and drive!
The Parents Television Council wants to kill Survivor!
The watchdog organization has filed a complaint with the FCC about last week’s Marcus/penis incident and is encouraging others to do the same. CBS has described the incident as a “completely unintentional, inadvertent and fleeting incident that was virtually undetectable when viewed in real-time…In the first 24 hours after the broadcast, before freeze-frame images were widely posted online, we received one viewer comment from the 13 million who watched the telecast.”
Nonetheless, the PTC says: “CBS’ decision to hide behind excuses that the incident was ‘fleeting’ and didn’t generate an immediate flood of complaints is the epitome of irresponsibility. The number of ‘fleeting’ penises we expect to see on broadcast television is zero.”
Popsquire’s perspective…
If the Parents Television Council read Popsquire, then they’d know they are wasting their time with this complaint. The FCC typically has fined indecent broadcast programming only when it was so “pervasive as to amount to ’shock treatment’ for the audience.” Of course, the $500,000 fine — for which the PTC fought hard — arising out of the 2004 Janet JacksonNipple Gate strayed from that tradition and, as a result, a federal court of appeals ruled in July that the fineagainst CBS was out of Control.
The questions about Survivor contestant Marcus and his exposed penis just keep popping up. Now, Popsquire followers (like you) want to know if the FCC will go after CBS for the penis pop out.
Popsquire’s perspective…
Probably not. For 30 years, the FCC typically has fined indecent broadcast programming only when it was so “pervasive as to amount to ’shock treatment’ for the audience.” Of course, the $500,000 fine for the 2004 Janet JacksonNipple Gate strayed from that tradition and, as a result, a federal court of appeals ruled in July that the fineagainst CBS was out of Control.
Because Popsquire followers keep up with important current events, you likely have seen the Survivor video during which Marcus’ penis pops out of his boxer shorts. Since then, Popsquire has been bombarded with questions about whether Marcus can sue Survivor or CBS…
The answer: Very doubful! Any reality show, especially Survivor, requires its contestants to sign away their lives. As part of the contracts, reality show contestants typically sign a very broad release that gives the network the ability to use the contestant’s name and image in any way, even including nudity.
People are often so excited about getting on these shows that they don’t care what they are signing. In fact, when Popsquire recently interviewed Charlie Herschel, one of the lawyer contestants on Survivor: Gabon, he said that he put his lawyer hat away and simply signed the contract, even though he knew the terms were insane.
BTW, don’t ya sorta think Marcus wanted to show his penis if he was running around in boxer shorts?
Popsquire loves a literal collision between pop culture and law!
That’s why you must watch tonight’s premiere of Survivor: Gabon. Charlie Herschel, a Popsquire fan and fellow attorney, is one of the contestants. You know that lawyers make good tv!
Charlie recently told Popsquire that Survivor personifies the legal system. He says that Survivor and the judicial system are similar in many ways, including the presence of “good guys and bad guys” and the fact that “there is a jury, it has closure, and you are judged by your peers.”
Like a good lawyer, Charlie is very perceptive. Popsquire couldn’t have said it better himself! Tonight, CBS, 8pm. Be there or be an outlaw!
Like a good lawyer, Popsquire is on top of his schedule and wants to make sure that you are, too!
Tomorrow marks the premiere of the 18th cycle of Survivor, which presents yet another literal collision between pop culture and law with the introduction of attorney contestant, Charlie Herschel.
Popsquire recently interviewed Charlie, who claims he is ready for the blog-o-sphere to tear him apart. He says: “People are commenting on how much they hate me. I am going to accept that I’m in the limelight. I am ready to let it fly. The positive is going to outweigh the negative.”
Don’t worry, Charlie. Popsquire will be rooting for you!
Survivor: Gabon, which premieres next Thursday, features a lawyer among its cast! Popsquire recently chatted with Charlie (the lawyer) and learned that he didn’t tell his Gabon groupies about his (dis)honorable profession. Popsquire loves strategy — let’s hope it worked!
Check out the first three minutes of this season below and check in with Popsquire every week for further Survivor scoop…
Next week’s premiere of Survivor: Gabon presents a literal pop culture/law collision!
It comes in the form of Charlie Herschel, a lawyer and loyal Popsquire follower. After college, Charlie interned at The View and worked as a consultant, but the law soon called and escorted him to Fordham Law School in NYC. Following graduation, he took a job at a prestigious NYC firm — making big bucks, BTW — but a higher purpose called again: Survivor.
Popsquire is interviewing Charlie today and will post more information about him next week. Tune in to Popsquire every week for Survivor: Gabon commentary. With a lawyer on board, not only is the show an instant pop culture/law collision, but it’s certain to be full of drama!
Just like Popsquire predicted back in June, former Survivor winner Richard Hatch is a loser!
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