Pat LaLama Exclusive: New Sandusky Accuser Says Assault Involved Alcohol

December 23, 2011

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Here's her take on the Penn State sex scandal.    Read her Bio >> ]

 

A civil suit just filed in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas is the latest legal salvo fired at former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. The newest accuser in the schools sex abuse scandal has a shocking account of a 2004 sexual assault allegedly perpetrated by Sandusky.  It involves whiskey and sodomy. Investigation Discovery has exclusive details.

Attorney Charles Schmidt tells me his client, who will be 20 years old in January, was a participant in Sandusky’s charity, The Second Mile.  According to Schmidt, his client who was 12 years old at the time of the alleged incident was involved in an educational exercise where according to Schmidt, the children were answering questions about current affairs and history. Those who answered correctly were awarded a prize.

Schmidt told me that when his client correctly answered a question pertaining to a presidential quote, Sandusky announced that there were no more prizes but he would see what he could do.

According to Schmidt, Sandusky escorted the alleged victim to his office where the former coach began talking to the boy about his mother’s death the year before. (She suffered from severe diabetes and died as a result.) The boy was under a great deal of stress and still grief-stricken.

Schmidt says that after engaging the boy in conversation for a while, Sandusky brought out a bottle of whiskey, poured a glass and told the boy to drink it. Moments later, according to the accuser’s account, Sandusky “pulled his trunks down and sodomized him.” Then he says, Sandusky “cleaned him off”, gave him a couple of Penn State sports mementos, walked him back to the Second Mile area and handed him off to a counselor.

The accuser said he avoided Sandusky after the incident and never again had physical contact with him.  Schmidt says for years his client was agonized by the incident believing he was the only one who had experienced something so terrible.

When the alleged victim became aware last month of the grand jury indictment against Sandusky, he says he got the courage to tell his story to police. The accuser has been interviewed by the State Attorney General which is investigating the claims. At this point he is not part of the criminal case which involves 10 other accusers.

This latest case is the second civil suit filed against Sandusky.  Schmidt said he wanted to file the suit before the statute of limitations expires.

Other parties named in the suit include Penn State University and The Second Mile.  “We believe our case will hold up in court. Our witness is credible”, says Schmidt.  He adds, “When we interviewed him, he was in anguish. We could see the emotion in his face. It was hard to get him to talk to us. He relives the incident constantly.”

Schmidt says his client is apprehensive about moving forward with the lawsuit because of his fear of the publicity it will generate but “he’s doing it so he can get some sense of retribution. The assault took away part of his childhood.”

At the time of this posting,  Sandusky’s attorney, Joe Amendola could not be reached for comment.

Discuss The Case On Facebook

 

Related Links:

>>Read: Sandusky's Next Play In The Game
>>Read: Jerry Sandusky Back On The Streets
>>Read: Jerry Sandusky Back In Cuffs
>>Read: Penn State Scandal: A Case of David vs Goliath?

 

04 - The Second Mile, located in State College, PA, is a nonprofit organization for underprivileged youth founded in 1977 by Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant coach at Penn State University. Jerry Sandusky met all of the alleged victims through The Second Mile according to the Grand Jury Presentment. © Matthew O'Haren/Icon SMI/Corbis

Pat LaLama: Sandusky's Next Play In The Game

December 13, 2011

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Here's her take on the Penn State sex scandal.    Read her Bio >> ]

 

When I informed a prominent Los Angeles defense attorney that Jerry Sandusky waived his preliminary hearing today, I was surprised at his response… “That is so punk! He didn’t have the guts to face his accusers!” That’s exactly how I see it. Eleven witnesses mustered up courage-formed a united front—and prepared themselves for what would
have most certainly been a painful and grueling experience, especially for the alleged victims. But the accused child molester wasn’t up for the confrontation.

That’s interesting when you consider the fightin’ words Sandusky spouted today. Wearing what seems like a perpetual “killer rabbit” smile, the former coach rattled off football terminology, vowing to “fight to the death”, “stay the course” and “fight for four quarters”. Really? It seems to me Sandusky forfeited the game “by running off the field” and having his lawyer, Joe Amendola hold an endless “Jerry is a victim” post-game news conference outside the courthouse.

Sure, I understand that legally it’s a tactical move. Imagine the horror stories the alleged victim’s would tell on the witness stand. Their accounts would be posted, tweeted and recounted all over the globe, further damaging Sandusky’s “image” and perhaps tainting the jury pool. This way, the public doesn’t get wind of the horrid details surrounding the allegations and his lawyer can spin, spin, and spin before the hordes of hungry reporters. Essentially, all you’re really going to remember today is the face of Amendola, preaching practically uninterrupted before the cameras.

This isn’t just a legal strategy—it’s a public relations tactic as well. Amendola is brilliant in his ability to control the narrative outside the courtroom, disparaging the credibility of Sandusky’s accusers by stating, “We’re pursuing a financial motivation. Finances and money are great motivators.”

Amendola praised the virtues of his client saying Sandusky is a “loving guy, an affectionate guy” who did nothing that violated the law. Amendola even drew comparisons to his own Italian-American heritage saying “everybody hugged and kissed each other.” As an Italian-American myself with lots of uncles, brothers and cousins, I can attest to the fact that everybody hugged and kissed each other. But showering together? Nope.

At least one of the accusers will not be discouraged by today’s events. He released a statement through his attorney Ben Andreozzi. It reads in part: "I can’t believe they put us through this until the last second. I will stand my ground, testify and speak the truth.”

Now the witnesses will save their testimony for the trial which will be held sometime next year. Unless of course, Sandusky agrees to a plea bargain before then. (His attorney insists there is no deal on the table.)

As of now, the beleaguered ex-coach remains under house arrest, facing more than 50 counts of sexually abusing ten boys over 12 years. His next court date is an arraignment scheduled for
January 11^th.

So here’s the question…

Is Sandusky gutless for waiving the preliminary hearing today?

(All along, while professing his innocence, Sandusky acknowledged that he couldn’t wait to face his accusers.) Or do we give Joe Amendola credit for masterminding the tactic that kept the accusers quiet and allowed him the lone pulpit?  Cowards or brilliant strategists? You be the judge.

 

Photo Credit/Caption: Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky,
second from left, and his wife Dottie Sandusky arrive for a preliminary hearing at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Aphrodite Jones Reports: The Man Who Killed Michael Jackson

November 29, 2011

[ Aphrodite Jones gives her perspective on the trial of Conrad Murray. Check in for her regular reports.   Read her Bio >> ]

At Murray's highly charged sentencing hearing this morning, Judge Pastor outlined the outrageous conduct of Doctor Murray whose actions were determined to be criminal. The outraged judge told the world that Murray not only abandoned his patient, but he allowed his personal life to interfere with his professional responsibilities, playing Russian Roulette with his patient. 

Worst of all, the angry judge alleged that Murray taped an incoherent Michael Jackson as an "insurance  policy" to perhaps use against Michael as a bargaining chip, should the two ever suffered a falling out. The judge called Murray "a disgrace to the medical profession," and threw the book at the arrogant man who "violated the trust" of both Michael Jackson and the entire medical community.

I found it disturbing that Conrad Murray decided not to make any statement nor to apologize to the Jackson family for his medical "mistakes" and instead looked more defiant than ever as his sentence was imposed. There was no remorse, nor any shred of accountability on the part of Doctor Murray, who, it turns out, could not be sentenced to 4 years in prison, but rather was mandated to serve his 4 years in the LA County jail. The travesty about this sentence is that Murray will most likely have his sentence reduced by the LA Sheriff due to overcrowding in the LA jails.

Conrad Murray was sentenced to the maximum, but, in reality, Murray (just like Paris Hilton and Lindsey Lohan)  might get an "out of jail" card perhaps as soon as ONE year.

This begs the question -- will justice have been served if Murray is allowed to live with an ankle bracelet once the publicity has died down? Is this justice? Is this vengeance? 

The truth is, of course, that vengeance is not ours -- but --  I guess being known as "the Man who Killed Michael Jackson" for eternity -- might just turn out to be the very worst sentence of all.

Conrad Murray Had No Remorse For His Patient, Michael Jackson

A personal friend and physician of Michael Jackson, Dr. Patrick Treacy offers his thoughts on the today's sentencing of Dr. Conrad Murray.  (Read his bio)

 

 

 Dr. Murray has just received four years for his involvement in the death of Michael Jackson. He will also have to pay substantial restitution to the young family and estate of the late singer. During the weeks of the trial and the utterly tasteless documentary in which he later participated, the doctor expressed no remorse for his patient's death and attempted to blame his client and others instead for his passing. This was of concern to many people as his total lack of empathy for his victim was considered contrary to the normal doctor-patient relationship.

At times, especially during the post trial documentary , Murray's self-serving behaviour, his grandiose sense of self, his pathological lying, as well as his lack of remorse shame or guilt caused many commentators to feel that the doctor displayed possible sociopathic type tendencies. 

I felt Judge Pastor gave the appropriate sentence with a sense of fairness and decency. He said "There are those who feel Dr. Murray is a saint," "There are those who feel Dr. Murray is the devil. He's neither. He's a human being. He stands convicted of the death of another human being'. These words were indeed profound and gave a great sense of humanity to the proceedings. The amount of money that Dr. Murray has to pay Michael's young family and his estate means he is very unlikely to profit in the future from book sales etc. The Judge reminded everyone that Murray worked as a doctor for 20 years, with "no prior contacts with the law," and many of his patients were elderly in low-income, under-served communities. It does seems reasonable that the transgression for which he is to be judged should be viewed within the context of the larger life of which it is a part. .

The judge also said that while he had considered the entire "book" of Murray's life, he also had "read the book of Michael Jackson's life." "Regrettably, as far as Dr. Murray is concerned, the most significant chapter, as it relates to this case, is the chapter involving the treatment, or lack of treatment, of Michael Jackson." and those words summed up the reality of the situation. Whatever justice Michael may have now legally, this sad episode will never bring him back and the world will have to get used to a world without him. He will be forever remembered in his musical legacy and as I sit here writing this comment in Ailesbury, at times I think I can hear his gentle laughter still in the air. 'Treacy, I don't know whether you're trying to wind me up or not'

 

Alas, poor Michael, until we all meet again....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related Links:
Conrad Murray: Wreckless and a danger
Timeline: Michael Jackson's Legal Woes

Conrad Murray: Reckless And Dangerous

>>NEWS UPDATE<<

Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson’s physician, found guilty this month for involuntary manslaughter has been sentenced to four years imprisonment L.A. County Jail Tuesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court.

 

Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson’s physician, found guilty this month for involuntary manslaughter will be sentenced Tuesday in the Los Angeles Superior Court. 

Murray, 58, has spent the last three weeks of the six-week trial behind bars. The trial presented the most detailed account yet of the popstar’s final hours but left many questions about Murray's treatment of Jackson with an operating-room anesthetic as he battled chronic insomnia.

Under new statewide policies in California, certain nonviolent offenders are held in county to lessen inmate overcrowding. In L.A., jail terms are often cut significantly, as county facilities are overfull.

Prosecutors emphasized the vulnerability of Michael Jackson, created by Dr. Murray and said: “this is a crime in which the end result was the death of a human being.” They asked the judge to consider Murray’s “lack of remorse” in his sentencing and asked the judge for the maximum sentencing of four year in state prison.

>>A Look Back At Murray's Trial<<

Murray’s lawyers contested the King of Pop’s vulnerability and said Michael Jackson was a “drug seeker” and though Dr. Murray was wrong in providing it, he was not the only one at fault. They asked for the most lenient sentence, arguing that the physician has already been punished enough with the loss of his medical license and public contempt.

>>Timeline: Michael Jackson's Legal Woes<<

"I do wonder, though, to what extent the court considers the entirety of a man's book of life, as opposed to just one chapter," defense attorney Ed Chernoff said. He described Dr. Murray’s life as coming from a poor childhood to becoming a cardiologist who helped treat the poor.

“Does any of that matter?” Chernoff asked.

The judge said that the Murray’s lawyers’ argument that if it wasn’t for Dr. Murray someone else might have done the same was, an “insult to the medical profession” and disregarded good deeds done by Dr. Murray before the treatment of Michael Jackson. 

>>Dr. Patrick Treacy: Murray Had No Remorse For Jackson

The judge found that Dr. Murray was the one at fault in the death of Michael Jackson and said “that’s the chapter to which I refer.”

The judge also talked about the lies that Dr. Murray had told, including attempts to hide evidence and found that Dr. Murray continues to be a danger to society.

 

Pat LaLama: Everyone Loves A Tinsel Town Mystery

November 21, 2011

[ Pat LaLama's stellar career in broadcast journalism is a chronicle of some of the most iconic events in modern history.  Here's her take on the just reopened Natalie Wood case.    Read her Bio >> ]

We Los Angeles based journalists love a great Tinsel Town mystery. News that the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is reopening the case involving Hollywood darling Natalie Wood—after 30 years—has shaken this “industry” town like a good old fashioned West Coast earthquake.

Having covered nearly every big celebrity case of the last 25 years, I too am salivating like Pavlov’s dog at the prospect of a compelling new chapter in the great enigma surrounding the great film star’s drowning.

Read All About Natalie Wood's Death

One might believe there’s something substantial for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s department to investigate. It’s the largest, busiest Sheriff’s department in the world—not known for wasting time, energy or resources on frivolous bits of salacious innuendo, rumor or conjecture. Lt. John Corina said the new credible information is coming from “several sources”, not just flip-flopping yacht captain Dennis Davern. He’s got a credibility problem. Was he lying then or is he lying now?

Even though the very capable Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca is sometimes accused by the media of being star struck, I’m certain he isn’t the slightest bit motivated by the fact that it’s the thirty year anniversary of the tragedy off Catalina Island. Nor is he interested in playing off the CBS/Vanity Fair collaboration airing this weekend which examines the mystery. I don’t think he cares much about helping Davern sell a few books, either. If the Sheriff has credible info, then it’s a duty to look at the case with fresh eyes. And that’s exactly what they’re doing.

However, let’s cut through the fog of excitement and look at what we have. What’s really changed? We’ve got a boat skipper who claims now that he lied three decades ago. But he hasn’t really told us what exactly he’s lied about. Nor has he told us what the truth is (or his version of it.) When asked specific questions, his answers are coy and vague...as if he’s toying with us. Have we the media and the police taken the bait? Are we unwitting accomplices in his efforts to make waves? And more to the point is this a desperate attempt on Davern’s part to reinvigorate sales of his book?

The talk is that state of the art DNA technology could help solve the mystery. I doubt it. Investigators say they plan to examine the yacht, “Splendour” which is now in Hawaii. While it’s true such technology has advanced light years since Wood’s death, how would DNA be relevant in this particular case? There’s no issue as to who was on the boat and who died. We know there was arguing among all the parties. There doesn’t seem to be any disputed facts that DNA testing would solve. Does anyone really believe there’s a blood-stained fishing knife lying around on the deck thirty years later?

It’s one thing to look for new evidence and hear possible new witness accounts of the circumstances on that horrible night, but we’re a long way away from seeing concrete evidence that would lead to a winnable case. So I wouldn’t hold my breath for another “trial of the century”-- this time starring Robert Wagner or Christopher Walken.

At this point all we have is yet another alcohol fueled, celebrity party gone wrong. Unfortunately in this case, the party ended with the loss of a true Hollywood legend.

 

Photo Credits: Wireimage/Getty Images - Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood during AFI Salute to Fred Astaire at Beverly Hilton Hotel, 1981

Meet the Bleep: Oscar De La Hoya’s Low Blow: Boxer Admits He Cheated, Lied and Dressed in Drag

September 12, 2011

 

Stories of downright dirty deception, exposed

 

credit: Wireimage/Getty Images

 

Meet the Bleep: Oscar De La Hoya

The Betrayal:
Back in 2007, when a stripper released racy photos of a man she claimed was Oscar De La Hoya, clad in fishnets and high heels, the athlete's camp denied that the photos were of him. De La Hoya's team jabbed at the stripper’s story, insisting she was after De La Hoya’s money. 

 

The Break:
But in a recent interview with Univision, Oscar De La Hoya delivered quite a blow to his own credibility, admitting the scandalous photos were of him and that he had cheated on his wife.

Referring to another professional athlete’s extramarital affairs, De La Hoya said:

'We are obviously not talking a Tiger Woods here, but I was unfaithful.’

The former boxer also came clean about his bouts with drugs and alcohol. Talk about a knockdown.

Weigh-in on the full story:

 

Related Links:
Read other "Meet The Bleep" Stories
Who The (Bleep!) Did I Marry?

Charlie Sheen's Violent Torpedo Scores Victory in Cleveland

April 06, 2011

I've been following the Charlie Sheen media blitz for several weeks now and have, at times, thrown my hat into the ring with the occasional article or comment – including this most recent story I did for Investigation Discovery on Most Famous "Bleeps": Charlie Sheen.

When I heard about the Violent Torpedo of Truth tour, it was a no-brainer for me. The reporter in me wanted to go cover the event, while the cynic in me wanted to go watch what I assumed would be a major train wreck.

So, when tickets went on sale for the Cleveland show, I grabbed up a seat in the main dress level and patiently awaited the April 5th show date. I was not surprised when Sheen reportedly bombed in Detroit, Mich. and was booed off the stage, and I nary raised an eyebrow when I read he got a better reception in Chicago – a fluke, I figured.

The Cleveland show took place yesterday at the 3,200-seat State Theatre. Surprisingly, the event sold out just prior to the show, although there was more than one scalper on the street offering tickets and second-rate T-shirts to desperate fans.

The show got off to somewhat of a rough start – beginning about 20 minutes late. I assumed it was just an indication of the disappointment that was yet to come. The mood in the theater did take a positive turn, however, when the 45-year-old actor made his entrance to a thundering guitar rendition of "Wild Thing." The crowd cheered as Sheen, decked out in a No. 99 Ricky Vaughn jersey and glasses, took to the stage.

The actor barely got out a sentence before the rambunctious crowd began chanting "F--- Detroit" and "Winning."

Once the crowd settled down, Sheen took questions from a moderator in a talk show format and discussed everything from a bout with childhood stuttering – "[It] taught me how to listen, which we all have forgotten about" – to his three failed marriages: "It's got to be how you people feel about LeBron James," he joked.

The former "Two and a Half Men" star also explained the "Sheenism," "Duh, winning," saying he was tired of "being told that I was losing."

Sheen's "goddesses" – Rachel Oberlin and Natalie Kenly – made a brief 30-second appearance during the show. At one point, overzealous fans began chanting "Seven-gram rock! Seven-gram rock!" to which Sheen replied: "Sorry, goddesses, but that's the greatest f-----g moment of my life."

A seven-minute satirical clip of Sheen's interview, in which he coined some of his most quoted catchphrases such as: "I'm on a drug, it's called Charlie Sheen," was played during the show, much to the crowd's approval.

Surprisingly, there wasn't any nudity during the act, even after Sheen pointed out several women in the audience that he thought were attractive. There was, however, one humorous moment when a buxom blond took off her shirt and threw it on stage, prompting Sheen to exchange tops with her. The woman never removed her bra, and it should be noted – as the Cleveland Plain Dealer pointed out last night – she looked as though she could have been one of the goddesses' moms.

All in all, I found the show pleasantly surprising. For someone who makes his living as an actor rather than as a comedian or talk show host, Sheen killed in Cleveland and walked out to a standing ovation. Unlike the ticket holders at the Detroit show – many of whom angrily demanded a refund – the guests at the Cleveland show, myself included, felt they got what they paid for.

"It's a rocking night in Cleveland," Sheen himself noted prior to exiting the stage.

Related Link:
Most Famous "Bleeps" Charlie Sheen Edition

Photo Credits: Charlie Sheen smoking: WireImage/Getty Images; All others: Carla Lohr

Michael Jackson's Death Causes Shark-Like Media Frenzy

June 25, 2009

I was not much of a Michael Jackson fan when I was growing up, although the video for "Thriller" did catch my eye when I was in fifth grade or thereabouts. Being a huge horror fan, anything with zombies in it was cool to me both then and still is now. That being said, I was not going to write anything about Michael's death, as it is not a crime to die; however, after watching the news for an hour, I became annoyed by some of the coverage of his death.

I watched heart specialists describing what Jackson's final moments would have been like, financial experts debating the value of his estate, psychologists speculating on how his children will cope, and lawyers speculating on who will obtain custody of the kids. One commentator even went so far as to question whether Jackson - an alleged believer in cryogenics - would be frozen. Then, of course, you have all the live feeds of his home and the hospital to which he had been taken.

Must see TV, for sure.

I am all about freedom of the press, but I also believe there is a certain way to tell a story at a time like this. Why not report the facts in a respectful and sensitive manner? Just because someone is a celebrity does not mean that when he or she dies, the person’s entire life should be picked apart on live TV while the family is trying to cope with the loss. If you really feel the need to know all of those things, fine, but now is not the time to pick apart his entire life. Give the family some space.

On the flipside of mainstream journalism, several Internet forums and sites have already begun celebrating Jackson's death. Some of the headlines I have seen include: The Pedophile Freak is Dead, Famous Pedo Bites the Dust, and Reclusive Pedophile Dies.

I'm sorry, but does anyone but me see a problem with those headlines? Was Jackson a criminal? I don't know. I was not there; however, a jury of his peers did acquit him on all counts. Regardless of whether he was guilty, hateful articles about him do nothing but hurt his family and children, who are entirely innocent of the allegations. I'm sorry, but I am not one who believes that the children should bear the sins of their father. Jackson's past should have no relevance to anything that happened today.

In closing, it is unfortunate that the King of Pop's family must bear not only the burden of his death, but also the weight of all the publicity they are facing at a time when they should be allowed to mourn in private. To cover his death in a tasteful manner is one thing, but to exploit it for ratings and page views is something altogether different, and those outlets which do that should be ashamed of themselves.

Online Surveys & Market Research

Related Link:
Follow me on Twitter

Photo Credit: Public Domain: White House Photo Office

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission from Discovery Communications. All quotes must include a link back.

Blue-Eyed Perez a Black-Eyed Drama Queen?

June 23, 2009

Obviously, it is never funny when someone gets hurt, but it's hard not to scoff at the drama surrounding the Perez Hilton / Black-Eyed Peas battle that occurred earlier this week in Toronto.

The incident began after the MuchMusic Video Awards where Hilton (Mario Lavandeira) and the band both made appearances. During the post-award party at Ultra nightclub, Black-Eyed Peas band member Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson allegedly confronted Perez about things he had written about her on his blog. Following the conversation, Hilton left Ultra and went to the Cobra nightclub, where a short time later he was again confronted by a member of the Black-Eyed Peas.

William "Will.i.am" Adams allegedly approached Perez at Cobra and said, "I need you to never write about my band on your website again." What happened next remains sketchy; however, according to a video statement Perez made after the incident, he told Will.i.am, "You're a f-g. You're gay and stop being such a f---ot." According to Hilton, that was the worst possible thing that thug [Will.i.am] would ever want to hear."

The confrontation then continued outside, where, according to Hilton, the band's manager, Polo Molina, "clocked" him in the eye and punched him "two-three times."

Almost immediately afterwards, Hilton began tweeting about the incident, claiming, "I was assaulted by Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas and his security guards. I am bleeding. Please, I need to file a police report. No joke."

In his own video statement, Will.i.am claims that a fan punched Hilton. He also questioned why Hilton, who claimed to have been terrified by the event, took the time to Twitter about it instead of calling police.

"Sounds like somebody needs mad attention and is not concerned about his health," Will.i.am said.

Regardless of what actually happened, it will now have to be sorted out in court, as Molina faces one count of assault. He is expected to appear in Toronto's Old City Hall court on August 5.

While I disagree with the attack on Hilton (if it did occur) and feel Will.i.am was acting childish, I find it odd that someone who claims to be an advocate of gay rights would use such an offensive anti-gay slur.

Hilton's remarks are also interesting, considering he was extremely vocal about Isaiah Washington, a cast member of the ABC television series Grey's Anatomy, demanding that he be fired for allegedly making homophobic remarks.

Apparently, Hilton feels that his own sexuality allows him to make anti-gay remarks, something that has angered a variety of celebrity news websites.

"I've questioned whether Lavandeira's true commitment is to gay rights or page views for awhile now—he's routinely tried to 'out' celebrities who he believes should come out of the closet and has exploited real gay rights leaders, like Dustin Michael Black, for the sake of traffic," writes Amelia McDonell-Parry at thefrisky.com.

The incident has also caught the attention of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation [GLAAD]. The group released a statement about it yesterday. It reads in part:

"These are vulgar anti-gay slurs that feed a climate of hatred and intolerance toward our community. For someone in our own community to use it to attack another person by saying that it is, quote, 'The worst possible thing that thug would ever want to hear,' is incredibly dangerous. It legitimizes use of a slur that is often linked to violence against our community. And it sends a message that it is OK to attempt to dehumanize people by exploiting anti-gay attitudes."

Yesterday's release is not the first time that prominent members of the gay community have criticized Hilton. In an article at AfterEllen.com, contributing writer Kim Ficera writes:

"I feel sorry for him. If his juvenile behavior is his shtick, I think it makes him a much more pathetic figure, and one the gay and lesbian community should not support... If we support behavior like Hilton's, we applaud shallowness, arrogance, rage and invasion of privacy, and risk becoming what we despise."

Despite being chastised in the media, Hilton apparently has no plans to apologize for his remarks, as is evident in a statement he made to TMZ.com today.

"I am saddened GLAAD chose to victimize me further by criticizing me for how I non-violently dealt with a very scary situation that, unfortunately, turned violent," Hilton said.

According to parade.com, Hilton is now planning to sue (who saw that coming) both Will.i.am and Molina for the alleged beat-down.

"Perez Hilton intends to take immediate action to make sure that Mr. Molina and Will.i.am understand very clearly that physical violence is unacceptable on any level," Hilton's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, told the website.

Whatever the outcome of Hilton's alleged assault and lawsuit, it appears that this self-professed "Queen of All Media" is being a bit of a drama queen.

Online Surveys & Market Research

Related Link:
Follow me on Twitter

Photo Credits: Perez Hilton: Charley Gallay/WireImage/Getty Images; Black Eyed Peas: George Pimentel/WireImage/Getty Images

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission from Discovery Communications. All quotes must include a link back.

OJ Simpson Sentenced to 15 Years for Armed Robbery and Kidnapping

December 05, 2008

OJ Simpson, 61, was sentenced to a 15 year prison term today for his part in a botched robbery attempt to recover sports memorabilia.

Prior to sentencing, Simpson addressed the court, apologizing for the actions that led to today's hearing.

"In no way did I mean to hurt anybody and to steal anything from anyone," Simpson said. "I just didn’t want anybody else’s stuff; I just wanted my own. I realize that it was stupid of me. I didn’t think that I was doing anything illegal.  I thought I was retrieving my things. So I am sorry."

In sentencing Simpson, Clark County District Court Judge Jackie Glass said that it was against the law in the state of Nevada to take back property by force.

"It's much more than stupidity," Glass said. "You went to the room took guns, meaning you and the group, you used force, you took property whether yours or someone else's. That amounts to robbery."

R.I.P. Heath Ledger 1979-2008

January 23, 2008

Australian-born actor Heath Ledger, 28, was found dead in his SoHo apartment yesterday, naked in his bed. As of this writing, his autopsy has yet to be performed, but as mediainfo.com first pointed out yesterday that has not stopped mainstream media outlets from running trumped up stories, full of errors and inconsistencies.

When news of Heath's death first broke, it was widely reported that he was found dead in an apartment belonging to Mary-Kate Olsen. However, New York City police have since revealed that initial information was incorrect. According to police, a housekeeper found Heath unresponsive, in his bed, at approximately 3:26 p.m. yesterday.

A simple mistake by the media? Perhaps, but as soon as it was reveled that sleeping pills were found near his body the media once again went hog wild and began reporting Heath might have died as a result of suicide or drug overdose. Never mind the fact that in a recent interview he admitted to taking sleeping pills to help him fall asleep.

"Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Heath said in an interview with the NY Times. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going."

Also forget the fact that, according to family members, he was ill with pneumonia when he died. But there again, pneumonia does not make for the same catchy headline that suicide does.

According to TMZ.com, Heath's family is angry by the speculation that he committed suicide. The website reports:

"TMZ has been contacted by a rep from Heath's family. The cops told the family Heath's death was accidental and there is no evidence to support the buzz that he may have committed suicide. They are particularly distraught over media reports that he may have taken his own life. The family says he was not that kind of person."