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Archive: July 2010 (91-100 of 178)

Jul 16 2010 11:55 AM ET

George Clooney testifies at Milan trial

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On Friday, George Clooney testified in court against three defendants in Milan who allegedly exploited the actor’s name in order to sell fashion, Reuters reports. “I came here because I believe in the judicial system and because there were people using my name to take advantage of people,” Clooney said during the trial. The incident in question occurred two years back; the defendants, named Vincenzo Cannalire, Francesco Galdelli, and Vanja Goffi, face fraud, forgery, and possession of stolen goods charges.

Jul 16 2010 05:56 AM ET

Lucille Ball's daughter suing to stop sale of her mother's personal effects

by Tanner Stransky

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Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s daughter, Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill, is going to court to attempt to block the auction of some her mother’s prized possessions, according to the Associated Press. A court hearing is scheduled for this morning, and it will be decided whether the auction—which is planned for tomorrow—should be stopped. Luckinbill claims that some of the items up for sale belong to her, including love letters between Ball and her second husband, Gary Morton, photographs, and lifetime achievement awards. Morton’s widow, however, has counter-sued Luckinbill to get a judge to authorize the auction of the personal effects.

Jul 16 2010 05:55 AM ET

Apple to hold press conference today about iPhone 4

by Tanner Stransky

Categories: Tech

Apple Inc. will hold a press conference at its Silicon Valley headquarters this morning to make an announcement about its latest iPhone model, the iPhone 4, according to the Associated Press. No details about what exactly will be said have been released, but it’s generally understood that the company will respond to the ribbing it has taken after complaints of problems with the smart phone’s antenna have flooded in since the device’s release.

It’s not yet known what actions to company will take to fix the problem or offer compensation to consumers for the issue. Most prominently, Consumer Reports issued a review of the device, saying it couldn’t recommend it because of the problems with reception. “When your finger or hand touches a spot on the phone’s lower left side—an easy thing, especially for lefties—the signal can significantly degrade enough to cause you to lose your connection altogether if you’re in an area with a weak signal,” the publication stated. Apple has yet to comment on the report.

Jul 15 2010 05:54 PM ET

Couple convicted in John Stamos extortion trial

by Keith Staskiewicz

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The Michigan couple accused of extorting $680,000 from actor John Stamos was found guilty today in a federal court, the AP reports. The Full House star himself testified against Allison Coss and Scott Sippola at the trial, which lasted only a few days. Coss and Sippola were accused of threatening to release potentially damaging photos of Stamos if he didn’t agree to pay their demanded sum, but the photos never actually materialized. The pair could possibly receive up to five years in prison. Following the conviction, Stamos gave this statement: “I would like to thank the court, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s office for their swift and efficient dealings in connection with this case.

I am shocked and perplexed how individuals could fabricate so many false stories in an effort to defend a crime. I agreed to be a witness for a federal criminal prosecution and endured countless false accusations about my behavior and appropriateness. The allegations made regarding an inappropriate relationship are completely untrue. These slanderous allegations to smear my reputation were part of their defense to redirect attention away from the federal crime of extortion. There was no hot tub, no drugs, no nudity and nothing sexual in nature involved in my friendship with this woman. They lied about everything from a pregnancy to compromising photos.

I’m grateful these two criminals have been found guilty and I plan to go home to be with my family and friends and prepare to get back to work.”

Jul 15 2010 05:43 PM ET

Mel Gibson's ex-wife supporting actor in court battle

by Kate Ward

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Robyn Gibson, Mel Gibson’s ex-wife, issued a declaration in support of the actor to the judge tasked with overseeing the custody battle between Gibson and ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, People reports. Said Robyn to the judge, “Mel never engaged in any physical abuse of any kind toward me before, during, or after our marriage…Mel was a wonderful and loving father.” The actor and his former wife split in early 2009. Also present at the hearing were detectives from various divisions — Commercial Crimes, Special Victims Unit, etc. — as well as a rep from the L.A. Department of Children and Family Services. Steve Whitmore, the spokesperson for the L.A. Sheriff’s Department, told People that officials are eager to speak with Gibson about the allegations: “We want to interview him just like everyone else involved in this investigation…the tapes will be analyzed by our detectives. But they are not the central focus of the investigation, they’re just part and parcel of it.”

More about Mel Gibson on EW.com:
Fourth Mel Gibson tape shows up online
Mel Gibson tapes: Are the recordings admissible in court?
Mel Gibson and the tale of the tape: When a movie star’s flameout becomes his defining performance Fifth purported Mel Gibson rant leaked online
Detectives investigating Mel Gibson tapes

Jul 15 2010 04:35 PM ET

Senate kills movie futures trading

by Chris Nashawaty

Categories: Movie Biz, Movies

The Senate drove the final stake through the heart of a proposed pair of financial exchanges that would have allowed the public to wager on the performance of Hollywood movies on Thursday. A wide-ranging financial reform package, which included a ban on movie futures trading, passed with a 60-39 vote. The bill will now go to President Obama for signing. In a statement following the vote, Bob Pisano, interim head of the Motion Pictures Association of America (MPAA), which has been vehemently opposed to the markets all along, said, “Speaking on behalf of a coalition that includes the Directors Guild of America (DGA), the Independent Film and Television Alliance (IFTA), the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and its member companies, and the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO), I want to thank Congress for approving this measure.”

Pisano added, “Congress has acted decisively to ban proposed trading in box office futures and to make important reforms in the country’s financial regulatory system. We applaud the work the bill’s authors have done, and of course, the many Senators and Members who supported the provisions to prevent movie futures trading.”

The vote, in effect, kills the efforts by Cantor Fitzgerald’s Cantor Exchange and Media Derivatives’ Trend Exchange to create online trading based on the box-office performances of Hollywood films — efforts that were in the works for years. It also signals a huge win for the MPAA (and the six major studios it represents), who claimed that the approval of movie futures trading would severely damage the movie industry.

More movies futures exchange:
Hollywood futures exchange gets green light…for now
Box-office futures decision delayed
Box office futures exchange hits snag

Jul 15 2010 04:26 PM ET

Detectives investigating Mel Gibson tapes

by Kate Ward

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Detectives headquartered in L.A. have received and will investigate the purported recordings of Mel Gibson threatening his ex-girlfriend, Oksana Grigorieva. The Associated Press reports a spokesman in the Sheriff’s office had received the CDs during a closed hearing. Officials, however, will not say whether or not the domestic abuse investigation centered on the actor has expanded. RadarOnline has released five recordings allegedly featuring Gibson.

Jul 15 2010 12:53 PM ET

Lindsay Lohan currently in sober-living facility

by Kate Ward

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Lindsay Lohan checked herself into a sober-living facility Wednesday, just one week before she is set to begin her 90-day jail sentence. According to People, Lohan is staying at Pickford Lofts, which was founded by O.J. Simpson’s lawyer. Robert Shapiro. The actress was sentenced July 6.

Jul 15 2010 11:48 AM ET

Fifth purported Mel Gibson rant leaked online

by Adam Markovitz

Categories: Movies

A fifth audio recording of Mel Gibson allegedly berating his ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva was released today on RadarOnline.com. The recorded call purportedly catches Gibson calling Grigorieva — the mother of the actor’s nine month-old daughter, Lucia — a “gold digger,” and declaring, “I don’t have any f—ing money!” Gibson has yet to comment on the authenticity of the recordings.

Jul 15 2010 05:50 AM ET

Sexual harassment suit against Steven Seagal dismissed

by Adam Markovitz

Categories: TV Biz

A $1 million sexual harassment suit against Steven Seagal, 58, was dismissed on Tuesday in L.A., according to the AP. Filming of the reality show Steven Seagal Lawman was stopped in April when the actor’s former assistant, Kayden Nguyen, claimed Seagal fondled her. Seagal denied the charges and asked his lawyers to resolve the dispute in private arbitration. No official reason for dismissal was made public.