August 2010 Archives

Saul Hudson, better known as heavy metal rock star Slash, has filed for divorce from his wife of almost nine years, Perla Ferrar. The former Guns N' Roses guitarist has two young children with Ferrar, London and Cash.

According to People, 45 year-old Slash filed the necessary paperwork in Los Angeles earlier this week, citing the ever-popular and equally ambiguous "irreconcilable differences" as the reason behind the celebrity divorce. The rock star and his wife wed in October 2001. In a past interview with People, Slash credited Ferrar and their children with helping him get rid of, "all the hardcore stuff he used to live on."

Lip balm can be a little bit dangerous; especially if you are reaching for it during a police stop and a small bag of what is alleged to be cocaine drops out of your handbag. Yes, the trials and tribulations of the world's blondest heiress, Ms. Paris Hilton, continue. Despite abjurations by her attorney not to rush to judgment, you know you are going to anyway. Here is the story as the facts are currently known.

According to the Washington Post, the celebutante and her boyfriend were pulled over by Las Vegas police who stated they smelled marijuana coming from boyfriend Cy Waits' Escalade. During the stop, Paris reportedly went for the all-important lip moisturizer, causing the alleged bag of drugs to drop into plain view of police.

Fist pumps are the signature move for the guys and girls of MTV's Jersey Shore. Perhaps the cast, now in their second season, is a little too good at activity off the dance floor. In the latest in the string of litigation to hit the show, the entire Jersey Shore cast is being sued for assault on a woman named only as J.P. in court papers.

According to Wonderwall, J.P. is suing the entire cast, MTV, as well as the show's production company for injuries stemming from an encounter last September. J.P. alleges sustaining some permanent facial lacerations from four of the show's security guards after getting into a heated discussion with none other than aspiring author Snooki Polizzi. The pint-sized Polizzi apparently had J.P. wrestled to the ground and thrown onto the boardwalk after the encounter. J.P. was cut on the chin as a result of her rumble with the security guards. J.P.'s attorney hopes to win the case, and get the reality show taken off the air.

Mexican-born actress Fernanda Romero is learning the real meaning of marriage. Romero was married to Kent Ross in June 2005 -- a marriage that is now on trial to determine whether fraud and foul play is involved, according to CNN.

Better than any soap opera Romero has appeared in, the actress was "turned-in" by a photographer ex-boyfriend that claims Romero told him about the deal with Ross, specifically that she paid her husband $5,000 to marry her in order to accelerate her immigration status. The complaint also alleges that the couple never lived together during the entire duration of their marriage, both individuals have dated other people, and lied on multiple occasions on immigration forms and to federal agents. The 28 year-old Romero and Ross now face up to five years in federal prison if convicted.

Hollywood's latest Mad Max (er, Mel) case has taken one step closer to the Thunderdome. It was reported on August 25 that the Mel Gibson domestic violence case file has finally been turned over to the Los Angeles District Attorney for further action.

The ongoing case involves actor Mel Gibson and the mother of his latest child, Oksana Grigorieva. As discussed in prior posts, Grigorieva has accused Gibson of domestic violence and assault, with pictures of injuries to her mouth leaked onto the internet. As also previously written about here, Gibson has allegedly gone into several angry and threatening rants against Grigorieva that were caught on audio recordings. Whether or not the recordings are entirely authentic and whether or not they could be used as evidence in any domestic violence case are still open questions.

Cake Boss, is a popular TLC reality television show following "tough guys" baking delicious and delicate confections in their New Jersey kitchen. The family drama apparently extends when the cameras turn off as well. Remy Gonzalez, brother-in-law of the boss himself, has been arrested on charges of aggravated sexual assault, criminal sexual assault, criminal sexual contact, and endangering the welfare of a child.

According to MSNBC, 32 year-old Remegio "Remy" Gonzalez is being held in a New Jersey jail following his August 18 arrest. The victim is said to be an unidentified teenager. A local law enforcement official commented on some of the charges: "Don't ask me how old or male or female, that child is, that information is sealed, but you can tell from the charges they were under age and present, which is why you have endangerment."

In the never ending saga that is actress Lindsay Lohan's legal life, the starlet has been released from her original 90-day inpatient rehab requirement. The 24 year-old actress-turned-courtroom-fixture will now be required to do an outpatient rehab program that includes psychotherapy and addiction counseling sessions several times per week. The court has also required Lohan to submit to drug testing twice a week until November. Lohan will be required to remain living in the Los Angeles area and will be able to work, reports the Houston Chronicle.

Lohan's attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, is happy with the results, "She has changed. She's healthy. She's clear-headed. She is positive at looking forward. This was a good day for her in court. She has complied with everything that has been asked of her."

Trailers on a movie set are a star's home away from home, and celebrities spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to ensure that they are as comfortable in between filming as possible. Twilight star Taylor Lautner is no exception. The 19 year-old tween heartthrob spent close to $300,000 on his custom-designed trailer, hoping to have it in place during the filming of his latest movie, Abduction.

When Taylor's trailer did not arrived on the scheduled delivery date, he became very distressed. Emotionally distressed, that is. He is now suing the Irvine-based McMahon RV company for breach of contract damages stemming from the delay. Yahoo News reports that Lautner has filed suit alleging breach of contract, fraud, and unspecified punitive damages for the delayed delivery. No news on what exactly was in the custom trailer, but the complaint alleges that Lautner has experienced, "displeasure, annoyance, and emotional distress."

Socialite Paris Hilton's house is quite the break-in target these days. A jewel heist that caused the celebrity to lose almost $2 million in high-end jewelry in 2008, and now an unidentified man has been arrested trying to break into the 29 year-old's Hollywood Hills mansion.

People Magazine quotes Hilton's rep: "In the early hours of this morning an armed man with two kitchen knives attempted to break into Paris Hilton's home when she was sleeping. The security cameras and alarm system were alerted and the police immediately came to the house and arrested the intruder who was attempting to break a window when they arrived." There were no reported injuries in the failed break-in.

It's her material world, we are just living in it. Or is it? Lady Madonna has been sued for trademark infringement over the use of the name "Material Girl" in her clothing line designed with daughter Lourdes. The line went on sale at Macy's the first week in August and the suit dropped soon after. Plaintiff LA Triumph is suing the Material Mom for infringement, claiming they have been using the name for their own clothing line since at least 1997.

The Complaint, posted by RadarOnline, was filed on August 19 in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, which includes Los Angeles County. In its suit, plaintiff LA Triumph alleges it succeeded the company who registered the trademark of "Material Girl" in California in 1997 and sold a clothing line under that name to major retailers like Nordstrom. The two clothing lines are similarly priced and aimed at the same juniors market. Whether the clothes themselves are actually similar, is not necessarily relevant for a trademark infringement suit.

You would think that anyone who is anyone in Hollywood would know better than to trust anyplace with the word "chez" in the name. But, it seems not. Big time stars such as Jennifer Aniston, Cher, Liv Tyler, Melanie Griffith and Anne Hathaway all have been reported as victims of credit card fraud allegedly perpetrated by the Chez Gabriela Studio.

The Chez Gabriela Studio is evidently responsible for some of the loveliest skin in LA-LA land; Aniston, Tyler and Hathaway being some of the glowing examples. However, according to the Associated Press, while charging high prices for her skin care services, Maria Gabriella Perez was also allegedly using her client's cards to rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent charges. Tyler alone is said to have been charged $214,000 in bad fees.

"There are hundreds of millions of gun owners in this country, and not one of them will have an accident today. The only misuse of guns comes in environments where there are drugs, alcohol, bad parents, and undisciplined children. Period." -Ted Nugent

It looks as though Mr. Nugent was a bit off on this quote, and not just when he remarked that the United States has "hundreds of millions of gun owners." He was also wrong about the misuse of guns, on a personal level.

Nugent, the rocker from the '70s, was charged with 11 misdemeanor hunting violations. His Outdoor Channel show, "Spirit of the Wild," features him hunting. Two California game wardens were watching his February 9th episode and were surprised to see him allegedly violate multiple California hunting laws. The wardens apparently saw Nugent kill a "spike" buck, a young buck with short antlers. It is illegal to kill spike bucks in California. The deer also appeared to be feeding on commercial deer bait, which is illegal to use for hunting in California. The Department of Fish and Game investigated, and concluded that the material was in fact commercial deer bait.

Another Hollywood marriage has met its all but inevitable fate: Patricia Arquette, of the Hollywood Arquettes, and actor Thomas Jane are divorcing. Arquette is seeking custody of their daughter Harlow and hopes not to have to pay spousal support to Jane. They have been married since 2006.

According to People, the reported elements of the Arquette / Jane dissolution are fairly basic. Arquette is asking for custody but will allow visitation to Jane. There are no details reported on any particular fights over division of martial assets other than the potential tussle over spousal support.

The divorce papers are reported to site "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split. This statement is also de rigueur, but we might ask, what does this really mean?

Singer Erykah Badu has been fined $500 and will serve 6 months probation for her public music video striptease in Dallas, Texas. The 39 year-old singer got into some legal trouble while filming her music video, "Window Seat," which involved striping off all of her clothes and feigning a shooting in Dealy Plaza -- the same location that President John F. Kennedy was assasinated.

The police did not like their window seat into the music video production and issued the singer a disorderly conduct citation for her behavior, according to People Magazine. The video was shot "guerilla style" in one take, with Badu walking towards the camera as her clothes slowly get left behind. Badu commented on the issue (well, kinda), "I thought it was a move for women and men and children who feel they weren't good enough. This is just me. I am good enough. I felt it was important enough to do. More pros and than cons."

Celebrities in legal trouble are all the rage these days. Whether a nasty divorce, an embarrassing DUI, or anything Mel Gibson, the escapades of some stars provide more than juicy gossip, but can also serve as a window into the legal system (kinda).

Here are some celebrities that have an easier time getting into legal trouble than getting a role, a nomination, or a hole in one....

GTL. Apparently for Jersey Shore's Snooki, the T now stands for trademark. Jersey Shore cast member Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi's attempt to trademark her nickname for future use in books has been denied by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office. Yes, Snooki plans to write a book, and Jersey Shore and intellectual property are being used in the same sentence.

Although the rather unique name (and individual) is eligible for a trademark, a cartoon feline already beat the reality star to the punch -- Snooky the Cat, was trademarked in 2004 for the children's book, Adventures of Snooky: Under the Sea, according to The Smoking Gun. The adventures of Snooky the Cat mainly involve falling off a boat in the ocean and making new underwater friends. The adventures of Snooki Polizzi also involve some liquids and falling. In denying the trademark application, the government noted the "likelihood of confusion" between the two characters. The trademark denial only relates to the use of the name for printed matter.

Not hot. Paris Hilton's latest legal trouble is giving new meaning to a bad hair day. The extension-loving celebrity is apparently not picky when it comes to her hair pieces -- a lack of allegiance that is resulting in a $35 million breach of contract and fraud claim from HairTech International Inc.

According to US Weekly, 29 year-old socialite Paris Hilton was under a $3.5 million contract with the Beverly Hills-based hair extension company to promote their line of hair extensions. In addition to wearing competitors' brands, the complaint also alleges that Hilton's party-girl lifestyle served to tarnish the brand's image, and was behavior contrary to the terms of their agreement. Hilton also missed an important 2007 launch party for the company, which they claim caused them to lose $6.6 million. Her absence was the result of her 23-day prison sentence, stemming from drunk driving and probation violations. Whether Hilton was wearing HairTech extensions in jail is unknown.

You get drunk and break into a bank while armed and suddenly judges just won't cut you a break.

So Rip Torn has learned after a judge denied probation Wednesday. Torn, 79, an Emmy-winning actor with roles in "Men in Black," "Dodgeball," "30 Rock," and "The Larry Sanders Show," had hoped to enter a two-year program that would lead to all charges being dropped after a successful completion. He had no prior criminal record. Litchfield Superior Court Judge James Ginocchio found that the allegations against Torn were far to serious for him to qualify for probation under the program called accelerated rehabilitation.

Jennifer Freeman, star of the television show "My Wife and Kids" is also starring in her own domestic drama with her husband, NBA player Earl Watson. The 24 year-old Freeman did not like the sound of a text message her husband of one year received and instead of hitting the delete button, she hit something else in her reach -- her husband.

Freeman hit Watson twice in the face before biting him hard enough to draw blood from his chest. The crimson tide did not stop the outburst, as she also tried to attack the Indiana Pacer player with an iron before Watson was able to gain control of the situation, reports the New York Daily News.

The unbelievably patient Judge Marsha Revel will no longer be overseeing the legal soap opera that is the Lindsay Lohan case for drunk driving and probation violation. Judge Revel recused herself after a meeting with attorneys in the case on Friday, August 6. During the meeting, Judge Revel faced allegations that she had improperly contacted experts and other participants in the case without giving prior notice to the attorneys representing either the state, or Lohan.

According to a report by FoxNews, the main issue spuring the recusal was that Judge Revel contacted the Morningside Recovery rehab facility. She then selected them as the rehab Lohan would be assigned to after leaving jail. Morningside was reportedly not on the list of facilities for consideration put together by the court-appointed experts.

Sometimes it takes a while for a spouse to decide to take the name of their mate. Case in point, Portia de Rossi, nee Rogers, has decided to take the name of her spouse, Ellen DeGeneres. DeGeneres and de Rossi were legally married in 2008, during the period when same sex marriage was legal in California. Same sex marriage was banned by the passage of Proposition 8, later that year. As has been noted in previous posts, a recent decision by a U.S. District Court found that law to be unconstitutional.

Momentous court decisions aside, de Rossi is doing what many spouses decide to do and legally change her name. According to Reuters, Portia de Rossi filed her request for a name change on August 6. And, like civilians, de Rossi must have though hard about the ramifications of a name change. Especially for those who have professional accomplishments or other types of recognition attached to their name, a name change can make more of a difference in your life than just a new driver's license.

Comedian Sasha Baron Cohen has gotten himself out of another sticky lawsuit for his controversial big screen antics. A civil suit filed against Cohen based on a scene in his 2009 film Bruno, which John Musero claims was a little too similar to one in his movie Himbos, has been dismissed. Alleging plagiarism, Musero claimed that he pitched the idea to Cohen's media producer a year before, but was rejected.

The scene in legal question can be best categorized as Velcro mayhem on the runway. Cohen's fashionista Bruno character, "gets stuck to a curtain, crashes into racks of clothes, gets stuck to the clothes, and tumbles out onto the runway," reports Reuters. In the case of Himbos, the main character is said to be in a Velcro suit that attracts attention from various animals before getting stuck to a canopy, a waiter, and ultimately falling into a pool.

It looks like it is going to be a long engagement for actress Jennifer Aniston's stalker. The restraining order against 24 year-old celebrity stalker Jason Peyton has been extended for another three years. Peyton has been ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from the Los Angeles-based Aniston, her home, places of work, vehicles, as well as her employees and agents.

Jason Peyton drove across the country to Los Angeles planning, "to marry Aniston--whom he believed was his girlfriend--and had carved a giant creepy love message about the actress into the side of his car," reports TMZ. The court documents in the case also allege that Peyton had duct tape, a sharp object, and love letters addressed to Aniston in his car, while waiting for the actress in various locations throughout the LA area.

Who knew ashes could be so contentious? "The Godfather" Marlon Brando died in July 2004, and had his ashes distributed among family members and friends, including his now deceased son Christian Brando, who died of pneumonia in 2008. Following Christian's death, his then-girlfriend Donna Lopez Geon kept his share of Marlon Brando's ashes. Christian's mom and Brando's ex-wife, Anna Kashfi has now filed legal papers seeking to get Marlon Brando's ashes back.

Geon was quick to release a statement to celebrity news outlet TMZ, "Christian wasn't close with his family and wouldn't have wanted his mother or anyone else to have his property when he died. When I found out they were coming after the property, I took some of the ashes I have and spread them in Franklin Canyon...Marlon loved that place."

There seems to be a pattern emerging in the great state of North Carolina: alleged adulterous affair, followed by suit for alienation of affection. Surely it is not because there is more extra-marital activity in that state, but because it is one of only seven states where a civil lawsuit can directly result from all the sneakin' around. Please recall the potential suit in February by Elizabeth Edwards, not against her husband's paramour Reille Hunter, but against his alleged enabler, aide Andrew Young. Another suit, also in North Carolina, by civilian Cynthia Shackelford made headlines and the Early Show not long ago, as well.

In this case, the early stage of the action seems to accuse American Idol winner Fantasia Barrino of being a party to the end of the marriage between her alleged boyfriend, Antwuan Cook, and his wife, Paula Cook, according to a report by local Charlotte news WCNC-TV. According the to report, in fine celebrity style, there is a Fantasia sex tape involved, which is now being cited as evidence by the soon to be ex-Mrs. Cook. "Husband and Ms. Barrino have at times recorded their illicit sexual activity," court documents said. Of course they did.

For a man known for his comedic timing, Bernie Mac's death was no laughing matter. Comedian Bernard McCullough, better known to his fans as Bernie Mac, died from pneumonia complications in August 2008 at the age of 50. His widow, Rhonda McCullough has filed a wrongful death suit against her late husband's dermatologist.

Dr. Rene Earles worked as Mac's dermatologist for over twenty years and saw his celebrity patient a couple weeks before his death. Rhonda McCullough claims that Earles should have noticed the signs of Mac's respiratory failure during that visit, and called an ambulance. The Huffington Post quotes Earles recap of his last encounter with Mac, "He walked in, he looked a little weak and I said, 'Bernie what's wrong?' and he said, 'I have a little cold and a doctor at Northwestern gave me an injection for it.'" Earles stated that he did not know what the injection was for, but following his treatment he let Mac rest and did not realize that there was something wrong until after he woke up and spoke with Mac's doctor at Northwestern.

The Artist formerly known as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince is being sued by his former attorney.

Prince has been sued for $50,000 by attorney Ed McPherson. The lawsuit claims that Prince never paid for his work on two cases. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior court on August 3. The suit alleges that Prince, Paisley Park Enterprises, Inc. and NPG Records breached their legal services agreement by failing to pay for legal McPherson's legal work. The lawsuit is seeking at least $49,987.74 plus interest, costs of bringing the lawsuit to recover fees and for such other and further relief as the court deems just and proper.

Girl trouble has never been a phrase used to describe actor Leonardo DiCaprio and his relationship with the ladies. The Hollywood heartthrob, who was slashed in the face with a broken beer bottle back in 2005, may face his attacker Aretha Wilson at the upcoming trial.

The encounter occurred at a Hollywood Hills house party hosted by film producer Rick Soloman. The 40 year-old Wilson's slashing ultimately caused the actor to receive 17 stitches on his face and neck, according to CBC News. The Canadian Wilson used a broken beer bottle in the attack on DiCaprio in which she claims that she mistook the actor for her ex-boyfriend. She ultimately found her ex-boyfriend and in a strikingly similar situation, hit him with a broken beer bottle a year after the DiCaprio incident.

It's hard being beautiful. Former Miss USA, Shannon Marketic is adding some new hardware to her collection of pageant crowns -- handcuffs. Marketic was recently arrested in Denton, Texas for shoplifting from a local Target. Released on $500 bail, Marketic unsuccessfully swiped $87 worth of Oil of Olay skin care products and some baby items from the retail chain.

In a statement to the Dallas Morning News, Marketic claimed that the items had rolled beneath her purse in her shopping basket without her knowledge. Although Marketic denies shoplifting, it will not take much to find her guilty of the crime. Shoplifting is a type of theft involving the concealment of merchandise being offered for sale, and claims of innocence or lack of intent can often be disputed by the mere presence of merchandise in a concealed location.

Rudy Giuliani made his name in New York City by being tough on crime. One can only wonder how he reacted to the news that his 20-year-old daughter was caught stealing cosmetics from Sephora.

Rudy Giuliani's daughter, Caroline Giuliani, a Harvard student, was arrested Wednesday after employees at the 86th Street Sephora allegedly saw her putting makeup products into her coat pocket. The police say she took five items valued at a total of about $100, which was allegedly captured on video. She was taken into custody at a police station in the 19th Precinct and issued a ticket for petit larceny, a misdemeanor, around 2:30 p.m.

And scene. The rather creative legal battle between Eric Dane and wife Rebecca Gayheart and Gawker over the couple's sex tape, co-starring celebrity rehab star Kari Ann Peniche, has settled in favor of the McSteamy couple.

Gawker, who posted the provocative video for almost a year, will take down the suggestive footage and pay the couple damages in the low six figures, according to E! Online. In return, Dane and Gayheart will drop the $1 million lawsuit they had against the popular internet site. Gawker COO Gaby Darbyshire was quick to release a statement regarding the meaning of the settlement, "Although we are confident that our use of the video on Gawker was protected fair use, because the posts already had been available to our readers for nearly a year, and because we already won an important decision from the court striking large parts of the plaintiffs' damages claims, we agreed to remove the posts as part of a global settlement to avoid the burden of further litigation."

Charlie Sheen just pulled off the biggest upset of the year in the world of celebrity crime. Sheen got no jail time despite allegedly assaulting his wife, Brooke Mueller, on Christmas Day 2009. Sheen allegedly threatened to kill Mueller and held a knife to her throat. Sheen pleaded guilty Monday to misdemeanor third-degree assault. As part of the plea deal, the prosecution dropped felony charges against Sheen.

Sheen, star of television sitcom "Two and a Half Men," was filmed leaving the courthouse grinning and blowing kisses to a crowd of fans and paparazzi eager to capture some Charlie Sheen news. He may spend 30 days at Promises Treatment Center in Malibu undergoing anger management treatment, although even that is in doubt, CBS reports. Sheen has already spent 93 hours at Promises this year, and has already completed 36 hours of anger management, which could count against his sentence. So in the end, Sheen will likely have just 30 days of probation. Not bad at all, considering what he was accused of. Lindsey Lohan should really get Yale Galanter, Sheen's attorney, on her speed dial.

The couple formerly known as Speidi is seeking to get their separate names back as Heidi Montag files for divorce from Spencer Pratt. The duo made famous from the MTV reality show, The Hills, were married last year (televised, of course) in Pasadena, California.

The shocking part of this announcement is the fact that the fame-obsessed couple is actually seeking to legally end their marriage, rather than simply fake a separation, as many people in the press originally speculated. Montag cited irreconcilable differences in her petition to the court. Montag's lawyer, Jodeane Farrell, told People Magazine that, "the couple has agreed they would like their divorce to be finalized in a timely manner in an out of court settlement. Both parties are amicable with each other over the possibility of finalizing a divorce." According to court documents, Montag is also seeking to terminate Pratt's rights to spousal support.