Categories
Lawsuits

Interesting…

George Clooney released from jail

Hollywood movie star George Clooney was arrested at Sudan’s embassy in Washington on Friday at a protest of an escalating emergency as Sudan blocks humanitarian aid from reaching a volatile border region where hundreds of thousands of people are short of food.

Clooney, his father Nick and other anti-Sudan activists ignored three police warnings to leave the embassy grounds and were led away in plastic handcuffs to a waiting van by uniformed members of the Secret Service, a Reuters journalist covering the demonstration said.

“We need humanitarian aid to be allowed into the Sudan before it becomes the worst humanitarian crisis in the world,” Clooney told reporters just before his arrest.

“The second thing we are here to ask is for the government in Khartoum to stop randomly killing its own innocent men, women and children. Stop raping them and stop starving them. That’s all we ask.”

Clooney, who on Wednesday was a guest at the White House banquet in honour of British Prime Minister David Cameron, and several others posted bail and walked free later on Friday.

“You never know if you are accomplishing anything … We hope it helps,” Clooney told reporters after his release, adding that the arrest was his first and “let’s hope it’s my last.”

Activists have drawn parallels between the current crisis in Sudan’s Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile provinces and the violence almost a decade ago in the western region of Darfur, where Khartoum sparked international condemnation by violently suppressing a rebellion in a conflict that the United Nations estimates killed some 300,000 people.

U.S. CONCERN

The United States has voiced serious concerns about the deteriorating conditions in the border region, where Sudanese troops are fighting rebels aligned with its newly-independent neighbour South Sudan.

Clooney, who recently visited the area, told a Senate hearing this week that Sudan’s forces were launching repeated attacks on unarmed civilians and preventing aid from reaching a region where U.S. officials say as many as 250,000 people face severe food shortages.

Clooney, a long-time celebrity activist critical of the Khartoum government, had been expected to provoke police into arresting him.

Others arrested on Friday included several U.S. congressmen, the son of slain U.S. civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr., and John Prendergast, the co-founder of the Enough Project and a veteran human rights campaigner, protest organizers said.

Tom Andrews, president of United to End Genocide, another group involved in the protest, said the United States government should raise the heat on Khartoum to stop the violence and allow humanitarian access.

“It is unacceptable and inexcusable that Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir – an international criminal wanted for war crimes and genocide – is getting away with bombing, starving and displacing hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains and Blue Nile State,” Andrews, who was also arrested, said in a statement.

The Sudan Embassy in Washington could not immediately be reached for comment.

Categories
Lawsuits

I still love her!!!

Estella Warren Arrested for DUI, Tries to Escape
Estella Warren, who starred in Planet of the Apes and was Maxim’s hottest woman in 2000, was arrested on Monday night before wiggling out of her handcuffs and trying to escape. 
“Warren hit three parked cars in what was considered three separate collisions,” a rep for the L.A. Sheriff’s Department tells PEOPLE. “Someone local heard the noise and called the police.” 
The actress, who failed to stop for police when they tried to pull her over near her L.A. home, was then followed by area citizens. When the police finally got to her, they determined she was under the influence of alcohol. She physically assaulted an officer, and was then transported to a local women’s police station for processing. 
“She was uncooperative and demanding,” the rep says. “She removed her handcuffs and fled the police station. She was captured and transported back.” 
Warren, 32, was booked on a $100,000 bail following her arrest for hit and run, felony escape and DUI. 
A rep for the actress has not yet commented.
Categories
Lawsuits

Just pay them, CBS!!!!

‘Happy Days’ cast sue over merchandise sales
LOS ANGELES ñ Members of the “Happy Days” cast sued CBS Corp. on Tuesday, alleging they’re not getting a cut of the money made in sales of DVDs, lunch boxes, board games and other merchandises related to the television show.
The plaintiffs named in the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court include Anson Williams, Marion Ross, Don Most, Erin Moran and Patricia Bosley, wife of the late Tom Bosley, who died last year. Two prominent members of the 1974 to 1984 sitcom, Henry Winkler and Ron Howard, are not party to the lawsuit.
The suit alleged that CBS cheated the plaintiffs of out of more than $10 million in revenue from the sale of products featuring their images, including gambling machines, T-shirts, board games, greeting cards and drinking glasses.
The actors claimed their contracts with the show’s producer, Paramount Television, which has been folded into CBS, guaranteed 5 percent of 100 percent of net proceeds from merchandises that use their name, voice or likeness. However, they said CBS has not shown them revenue reports and even told Moran that no money was owed to her.
“Despite this ongoing obligation, defendants adopted a ‘don’t ask, don’t pay’ policy,” the suit said. “If you don’t ask, then we don’t pay.”
CBS said it intends to honor its obligation.
“We agree that funds are owed to the actors and have been working with them for quite some time to resolve the issue,” the company said in a statement Tuesday.

Categories
Lawsuits

WOW!!

ëHallí star can’t return to Canada?
Former Kids in the Hall star Dave Foley can’t come home to Canada because, if he does, he could face jail time for unpaid child support, according to reports.
Speaking on fellow comedian Marc Maron’s WTF podcast last month, Foley, 48, said that a recent court ruling on the money he owes his first ex-wife, Toronto writer Tabatha Southey, has put him in a horrible financial position.
At a hearing last November, an Ontario Court of Justice judge upheld the existing child support agreement that says Foley must pay Southey and their two sons $10,700 in monthly child support, Pop Eater reported.
He also has to pay an additional $5,000 a month towards the $589,082 in arrears accumulated since August 2003.
The judge said Foley would go to jail for 10 days for each payment he missed, Pop Eater reported.
“I’m happy to give away half my money, that would be great,” Foley told Maron on the podcast. “But I’m literally obligated to give away 400% of my income, or otherwise go to jail.”
After the success of homegrown comedy show Kids in the Hall, Foley headed to Los Angeles, where he worked on the hit NBC sitcom NewsRadio.
He recently guest-starred on an episode of ABC’s Desperate Housewives.

Categories
Lawsuits

I own that DVD!!

CBS Sued Over 63-Year-Old Song Used in ‘Family Ties’
Here’s a little trip down TV memory lane…
Kling Corporation, the rights-holder of the theme song to TV’s first hit — the 1940s variety show titled Texaco Star Theatre featuring Milton Berle — has just filed a lawsuit against CBS over an episode of Family Ties that first aired on March 28, 1985.
The episode showed character Steven Keaton taking a nostalgic trip to his childhood and included the song, “We are the Men of Texaco,” the theme to that Milton Berle show. The producers secured a license for the song when it first aired on television, but the agreement allegedly didn’t provide any rights for the show once it came out on video and DVDs. Twenty five years later, Kling Corp now says its copyrighted song has been infringed.
Thanks to statute of limitations, if Kling is successful in its claim, it will only be able to collect damages on the the past three years of DVD sales on Family Ties.
Kling had demanded a license fee of $19,000 from producers, but now are after statutory damages for willful infringement — which means up to $150,000 per infringement.
The lawsuit perhaps highlights how few in Hollywood anticipated new revenue streams back in the old days, sometimes failing to lock up rights in agreements.
Still, a dispute involving a 63-year-old song in a 26-year-old TV show? Don’t see that every day.

Categories
Lawsuits

Seeing the clash would be amazing!!

Clash over Stones tour
A bitter legal battle has erupted over a potential Rolling Stones 50th anniversary tour – the band’s longtime gig producer has sued bosses at promotions giant Live Nation accusing them of interfering with the plans.
Michael Cohl, who was drafted in to work on the troubled Spider-Man Broadway musical last year, was sued by bosses at the massive music firm in November over allegations he breached his contract at the time he left his job at the company in 2008.
He has now launched a counter-suit, alleging Live Nation bosses breached a contract and have been attempting to “interfere” and “destroy” his bid to secure the promotional rights for a tour by the legendary band later this year.
Cohl has produced many of the Stones’ tours, and although the group has not announced plans for another trek, it is believed the concerts could kick off in late 2011 to mark the band’s 50th anniversary in 2012.
The new lawsuit also reveals members of the Rolling Stones, including Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, have expressed a desire not to get involved in the “spat,” while Cohl alleges the dispute is damaging his standing with the band, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Categories
Lawsuits

Banksy rocks!!

Swiss filmmaker wants credit in Banksy doc
Another twist has emerged from reclusive British street artist Banksy’s documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop, with a Swiss director demanding he should also get a credit in the film.
Joachim Levy says his name should be in the credits to the film, which has won much critical acclaim but also raised a number of questions about whether it’s a true documentary or simply Banksy playing tricks on his audience.
In the film, Banksy turns the camera on a Frenchman named Thierry Guetta, who is making a documentary about street artists. Levy claims he was making that film with Guetta.
Levy says he worked with Guetta as an editor and producer on Life Remote Control, which features interviews with guerrilla artists including Banksy and Shepard Fairey ó known for his popular 2008 altered image of Barack Obama for a poster with the word “Hope” underneath.
The film, with its quick cuts, was screened in 2006.
In Exit Through the Gift Shop, Banksy, who remains a shadowed anonymous figure on-screen, declares Life Remote Control unwatchable and decides to turn the camera on Guetta, an L.A.-based vintage clothing store owner obsessed with filming every part of his life.
At one point, Guetta ends up following his French cousin, graffiti artist Space Invader, on nighttime escapades, sparking an interest in Guetta himself in creating art.
During Exit Through the Gift Shop, Guetta himself becomes a highly-lauded conceptual artist, demanding top dollar for his creations. The film has confused many who wonder if Guetta is real and if Banksy made a mock documentary.
In recent statements, the artist has emphasized that Exit Through the Gift Shop is a “very real film.” Guetta now makes art under the name Mr. Brainwash.
According to Levy, there is plenty of footage in Banksy’s film that was taken from Life Remote Control. He says he enjoyed the Banksy documentary but feels that he’s been taken advantage of.
“You write a 200-page book, and someone takes 50 pages of your book and just puts it somewhere else, and they don’t even credit you, they don’t even ask your permission,” Levy told the New York Times.
Levy admits he didn’t have an agreement with Guetta, who owns the license to the footage and handed it to Banksy.
Banksy responded to Levy’s claims through his publicist, saying: “We are currently gathering the facts about Levy’s role by talking to all those involved in the making of Life Remote Control and we hope that his situation will be resolved shortly.”

Categories
Lawsuits

Poor Axl!!

Axl Rose sues Activision for featuring Slash in ‘Guitar Hero’ game
Guns Ní Roses frontman Axl Rose filed a $20 million lawsuit Tuesday against Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock publisher Activision, according to Variety. The singer alleges that the videogame publisher broke a contractual promise by featuring former Guns Ní Roses guitarist Slash in the 2007 game. According to the suit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, Activision obtained the song rights for ìWelcome to the Jungleî from Rose under the condition that Slash would not be featured in the game. However, the suit says Guitar Hero III ìprominently features Slash imagery in direct connection with the use of ëWelcome to the Jungle,í exploits the prior association between Slash and Guns Ní Roses, promotes Slashís and [his band] Velvet Revolverís separate interests, and includes Velvet Revolver tracks as available downloads, all of which was directly contrary to the contractual obligationsî of Activision.

Categories
Lawsuits

Interesting…

Hollywood Foreign Press Association sues Dick Clark Prods. over Golden Globes
Variety reports that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) has filed a lawsuit against Dick Clark Prods., seeking control over the Golden Globes telecast.
In the suit, which was filed in Los Angeles on Wednesday, the HFPA claims that Dick Clark Prods. ìhas taken great liberties with its accounting for revenue generated by the Golden Globes Awards shows,î and that it has attempted to ìproduce, create, or exploit digital rights, ancillary shows, sponsorships, and promotional campaignsî without the authority to do so.
The HFPA filed the lawsuit after Dick Clark Prods. allegedly signed an agreement with NBC on Oct. 29 to air the awards ceremony through 2018 without consulting the HFPA.

Categories
Lawsuits

Just pay me!!

Sugarland members settle founder’s $14M lawsuit
ATLANTA ñ The two members of the country duo Sugarland avoided a nasty public trial with the group’s founding member, settling a lawsuit over claims that she was owed an estimated $14 million of the band’s profits after she left to pursue a solo career five years ago.
Sugarland, which last week was named the Country Music Association’s vocal duo of the year, was set to go to trial Monday with founding member Kristen Hall over claims she was owed one-third of the band’s profits even though she quit the band in December 2005.
U.S. District Judge Timothy Batten signed a court order Friday saying the parties reached a settlement. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but Batten gave both sides until Dec. 13 to complete the agreement. Attorneys for the parties could not immediately be reached for comment.
Hall sued Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush in 2008, claiming that she should have been given a third of the group’s profits ó a sum her lawyers said could exceed $14 million.
The complaint said Hall, who founded the band in 2002, set the stage for the group’s success by acting as its manager, marketing officer and tour organizer in its early years. It said she used her personal credit cards to pay for the band’s expenses, and that she “collaborated generously” on the debut album, which sold millions of copies.
Nettles and Bush countered in court documents that Hall never reached a profit-sharing agreement with them when she quit. They said they were left to repay almost $100,000 in debts after Hall left, and that she had “no expectation that the parties would ever work together again.”