Celebrities

Publicist Sues Michael Jackson for $44M

A former publicist and business manager for Michael Jackson is now suing him for $44 million. It appears that the bulk of the damages that Raymone Bain is claiming in her breach-of-contract case against the singer concern an upcoming London concert tour. According to filings in the Washington, D.C., case,…

May 7, 2009 10:20 PM CDT

Donald Trump Name Sells Condos, But Is He Liable for Failed Project?

Donald Trump’s famous name helped developers of a high-rise condominium project along the Pacific Ocean in Baja Mexico collect some $32 million in deposits from prospective buyers, including a number of Southern California residents. But when the project failed, many were stunned to find out that Trump only licensed his…

May 5, 2009 6:31 PM CDT

Woody Allen’s Reputation Isn’t Worth $10M, American Apparel Argues

A clothing manufacturer known for its edgy advertising and aggressive litigation tactics is now taking on Woody Allen. Sued by the director and actor for $10 million for allegedly using his image without permission on billboards and in an Internet advertising campaign, American Apparel Inc. contends that Allen’s image isn’t…

May 5, 2009 5:34 PM CDT

Gloria Allred Sues ‘Octomom,’ Alleges Possible Child Labor Violations

Celebrity attorney Gloria Allred has filed a petition seeking the appointment of a guardian to protect the financial interests of octuplets born to Nadya Suleman. In addition to filing the Orange County Superior Court suit on behalf of former child actor and child labor advocate Paul Petersen, Allred has also…

May 4, 2009 10:48 PM CDT

Called to Do His Civic Duty in Chicago, Mr. T Supports the ‘J-Team’

It may not have been that much fun for Mr. T. But jury duty was a blast Monday at Cook County Criminal Court for fans of the 1980s television actor who were also among those called to do their civic duty, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. The first to recognize Mr.…

Apr 29, 2009 11:41 PM CDT

Did Son & NY Lawyer ‘Steal’ $60M from Socialite Brooke Astor’s Estate?

Prosecutors have accused the son of a famous New York socialite and her lawyer of siphoning $60 million from her estate by taking advantage of her diminished mental capacity to alter her will. But in dozens of wills Brooke Astor signed over a 40-year period beginning in 1953, she gave…

Apr 28, 2009 9:55 PM CDT

All Eagles Star Wants to Do Is Sue Over Senate Candidate’s Alleged Song Misuse

A California lawmaker is now facing battles on two fronts, as he seeks the Republican nomination in an effort to unseat Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) in 2010. Eagles founder Don Henley is suing Calif. Assemblyman Charles DeVore (R-Irvine) over his claimed infringement of “All She Wants to Do is Dance,”…

Apr 20, 2009 7:27 PM CDT

Celebrity Client’s Cyberbattle Sparks Alleged Threats Against Counsel

Attorney Joan Lukey helped celebrity author Patricia Cornwell battle a cyber-attacker with some success. The author eventually won not only libel damages but a court order that persuaded a number of Internet service providers to take down offending material. But then the bane of the best-selling crime novelist’s existence turned…

Apr 18, 2009 12:03 AM CDT

Bad Hair, Harmonious Jury Helped Tip Scales of Justice Against Phil Spector

Now that the dust is settling on Phil Spector’s second-degree murder conviction this week, experts are pondering why a celebrity defendant whose initial trial ended in a deadlocked jury in 2007 didn’t beat the rap this time around. No less an authority than the London Times may have part of…

Apr 16, 2009 1:02 AM CDT

‘Octomom’ Nadya Suleman Seeks Trademark of Tabloid Moniker

The controversial California woman who gave birth to octuplets earlier this year has decided to embrace the moniker with which she is often identified in supermarket tabloids and celebrity gossip magazines. Late last week, Nadya Suleman filed two applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office seeking rights to “Octomom,”…

Apr 15, 2009 9:49 PM CDT

N.J. Judge Refuses Gag on ‘Other Man’ Claim About Bruce Springsteen

Both Bruce Springsteen and a New Jersey woman who knows him because they have patronized the same health club deny that the legendary 59-year-old rocker is the “other man” in her divorce, as her husband claims. But a judge in New Jersey has refused to issue a confidentiality order concerning…

Apr 15, 2009 5:24 PM CDT

Oprah Show on Obama Wasn’t a Campaign Contribution, FEC Rules

An Oprah Winfrey show on then-presidential candidate Barack Obama didn’t amount to an illegal campaign contribution, the Federal Election Commission has ruled. Ruling on an administrative complaint that the popular daytime television show gave Obama a boost that his opponents didn’t get, the FEC said a “media exemption” that excludes…

Apr 14, 2009 10:05 PM CDT

Phil Spector Convicted of 2nd-Degree Murder in Actress’s Death at His L.A. Home

After an estimated 30 hours of deliberation, a Los Angeles jury has found famed music producer Phil Spector guilty of second-degree murder in the shooting death of 40-year-old actress Lana Clarkson at his home in 2003. The guilty verdict is a significant victory for prosecutors: An earlier mistrial reportedly ended…

Apr 13, 2009 9:51 PM CDT

Mel Gibson & Wife of 28 Years to Divorce

Actor Mel Gibson’s low-profile wife of 28 years filed a high-profile divorce suit late last week. Robyn Gibson filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking custody of the couple’s one nonadult child, spousal support and attorney fees, reports the Dish Rag blog of the Los Angeles Times. She has…

Apr 13, 2009 6:56 PM CDT

Parrot Appears in Palm Beach Court, Doesn’t Squawk About Justice

Finders aren’t keepers, as far as lost animals are concerned. So a Florida judge today returned an African Grey parrot who flew the coop three years ago to his original owner, after the celebrity bird appeared at a court hearing surrounded by a flock of media, reports the South Florida…

Apr 6, 2009 7:27 PM CDT