John Travolta is being sued by author Robert Randolph, who accuses the movie legend of numerous gay trysts and consequently claims that Travolta spread lies about Randolph’s mental health in order to diminish his credibility. Robert claims he personally saw John engage in gay sex at various bathhouses. The book, entitled You’ll Never Spa in This Town Again , details Travolta’s alleged sexual exploits with other men, including Randolph himself. In his suit, Randolph claims that as he was releasing his book, Travolta and his powerful attorney Marty Singer unleashed a P.R. attack against him. They claimed, Randolph says, that he had mental issues and had been institutionalized, all as a calculated attack to paint him as an unreliable source. Randolph claims the plan worked and that retailers were deterred from selling his book. He is suing both Travolta and Singer for unspecified damages. Another alleged Travolta gay lover, Doug Gotterba , is also said to be writing a book. Re: Randolph, a rep for Travolta has issued a statement saying: “The lawsuit filed by Robert Randolph is absurd. The suit is based on a privileged communication, and it will promptly be thrown out by the court.” The statement continues, “To evaluate the credibility of Robert Randolph and his ridiculous lawsuit one need look no further than his own statements on his website stating that he sustained ‘permanent brain damage’ and had to ‘retrain’ his brain.” “Mr. Travolta will aggressively defend himself against this lawsuit and expects to be fully vindicated when this meritless case is dismissed.” Singer also said in a statement: “This is a ridiculous lawsuit. It is based on a letter which is completely privileged under the law. We intend to sue the attorneys for malicious prosecution after the court promptly dismisses this baseless lawsuit.” Maybe so, but this is like the 500th story in which someone claims John Travolta is gay . We don’t care either way if he is, but it’s interesting. [Photo: WENN.com]
Gary Giordano, the suspect in travel companion Robyn Gardner’s disappearance in August, is suing to collect on an insurance policy he took out on her. Giordano, 51, filled the lawsuit last week against American Express for $3.5 million for failing to pay him the death benefit he says he is entitled to. Gardner presumably died after her August 2 disappearance but has not been found. Giordano says the accidental death policy was part of regular travel insurance that not only gave him coverage, but covered his traveling partner as well. Robyn Gardner’s policy is worth $1.5 million. “When somebody takes out a policy and there is no body, they are required to wait 365 days before making a claim,” American Express told ABC News. That means Giordano won’t be eligible to collect until August 2012. Giordano tried to collect on the policy two days after he notified authorities about Gardner’s disappearance , for which he was detained for months in Aruba . “My lawyer at the time, Michael Lopez, said you need to call insurance immediately,” Giordano said, claiming he was just following the standard protocol. “I’ve purchased it [travel insurance] many times before. I have children. If I go traveling and I disappear, I want them to be covered, OK?” An American Express employee who spoke to Giordano, however, later told police: “[Giordano] sounded excited, like he was about to win something.” Richard Forester, Gardner’s boyfriend at the time of her disappearance, says the new lawsuit only makes him more suspicious of Gary Giordano. On an unrelated note, he was arrested for indecent exposure last month.
Movieline caught up with the charismatic William Friedkin last weekend at the Seattle Film Festival, where the Exorcist / French Connection director received a Lifetime Achievement award and screened his brutal Southern-fried potboiler Killer Joe . Before he held court keeping a packed audience rapt with tales from his nearly five-decade career in film (highlights below), Friedkin stopped to discuss two of the topics he’s wrestling with these days: His legal battle to win back the rights to his 1977 pic Sorcerer , and the absurdity of the MPAA, which anointed Killer Joe with an NC-17 rating. Friedkin is active on Twitter , which has allowed film fans unprecedented access to the Oscar-winner and given him the chance to discuss his battle for the rights to Sorcerer , his Roy Scheider-starring remake of The Wages of Fear . “I’m suing Universal and Paramount to get control of Sorcerer ,” he explained to Movieline. “It evidently means a lot to people, and I want people to be able to see it.” As with many older films, rights to Sorcerer lie out of the filmmaker’s hands – and studios, according to Friedkin, are allowing precious 35mm prints to deteriorate right under their own noses. “What’s happened to the legacy of almost all the studios is that the people who run them now don’t care,” he said. “They don’t give a damn. I know the guy from Lincoln Center, he tried to get a print of Blade Runner and Warner Bros. told him they didn’t know who owned it.” Even in the care of studios, library titles threaten to become damaged beyond repair. Friedkin doesn’t want what happened to another ‘70s classic to happen to his film. “Paramount put out a beautiful Blu-ray of The Godfather almost two years ago,” he said. “They went to get it out of their vaults and it had deteriorated, and they had to spend over a million dollars to restore it. It’s probably the gem of their library, and they just let it go. So they don’t care about the legacy of the work that they do. I hope I win my lawsuit, and I’m going to expose what they’re doing nevertheless.” As for his current film, Killer Joe – an assuredly brutal film whose tagline boasts “a totally twisted deep-fried Texas redneck trailer park murder story” – Friedkin has battled an old adversary: The ratings board. “The ratings board, to me, is a joke,” he said. “I never thought we’d get an NC-17, but I don’t mind the fact that we did. I had a film called Cruising that I took back there 50 times, 5-0, before they gave it an R.” Still, Friedkin will gladly accept his NC-17. “If we had done that with Killer Joe , it wouldn’t be here tonight; it would be playing in a shorts festival on YouTube.” NEXT: enjoy a Movieline 9 of highlights, anecdotes, and assorted moments from Friedkin’s appareance at SIFF ’12.
Movieline caught up with the charismatic William Friedkin last weekend at the Seattle Film Festival, where the Exorcist / French Connection director received a Lifetime Achievement award and screened his brutal Southern-fried potboiler Killer Joe . Before he held court keeping a packed audience rapt with tales from his nearly five-decade career in film (highlights below), Friedkin stopped to discuss two of the topics he’s wrestling with these days: His legal battle to win back the rights to his 1977 pic Sorcerer , and the absurdity of the MPAA, which anointed Killer Joe with an NC-17 rating. Friedkin is active on Twitter , which has allowed film fans unprecedented access to the Oscar-winner and given him the chance to discuss his battle for the rights to Sorcerer , his Roy Scheider-starring remake of The Wages of Fear . “I’m suing Universal and Paramount to get control of Sorcerer ,” he explained to Movieline. “It evidently means a lot to people, and I want people to be able to see it.” As with many older films, rights to Sorcerer lie out of the filmmaker’s hands – and studios, according to Friedkin, are allowing precious 35mm prints to deteriorate right under their own noses. “What’s happened to the legacy of almost all the studios is that the people who run them now don’t care,” he said. “They don’t give a damn. I know the guy from Lincoln Center, he tried to get a print of Blade Runner and Warner Bros. told him they didn’t know who owned it.” Even in the care of studios, library titles threaten to become damaged beyond repair. Friedkin doesn’t want what happened to another ‘70s classic to happen to his film. “Paramount put out a beautiful Blu-ray of The Godfather almost two years ago,” he said. “They went to get it out of their vaults and it had deteriorated, and they had to spend over a million dollars to restore it. It’s probably the gem of their library, and they just let it go. So they don’t care about the legacy of the work that they do. I hope I win my lawsuit, and I’m going to expose what they’re doing nevertheless.” As for his current film, Killer Joe – an assuredly brutal film whose tagline boasts “a totally twisted deep-fried Texas redneck trailer park murder story” – Friedkin has battled an old adversary: The ratings board. “The ratings board, to me, is a joke,” he said. “I never thought we’d get an NC-17, but I don’t mind the fact that we did. I had a film called Cruising that I took back there 50 times, 5-0, before they gave it an R.” Still, Friedkin will gladly accept his NC-17. “If we had done that with Killer Joe , it wouldn’t be here tonight; it would be playing in a shorts festival on YouTube.” NEXT: enjoy a Movieline 9 of highlights, anecdotes, and assorted moments from Friedkin’s appareance at SIFF ’12.
Matthew Fox has been involved in a number of bizarre, potentially dangerous incidents in the past year, and it may land the former Lost star in rehab . The actor accepted a plea deal that will allow him to avoid jail time in his Oregon DUI case if he successfully completes a “court diversion program.” He pleaded no contest on June 1 to one count of driving under the influence of intoxicants, and will be forced to treat his apparent alcohol issue. Matthew Fox and his wife, Margherita Ronchi . “He has to go to an evaluator for alcohol [abuse] and complete any recommended treatment program,” Deputy District Attorney Cliff Lu said of Fox. If that means in-patient rehab, then that’s what he’ll do, based on the evaluator’s recommendation. Only then can the DUI charge be expunged. If Fox completes the terms of a diversion program within a year, the DUI charge, which could mean jail time, “is certain to be dismissed,” says Lu. Going to rehab might not be the worst thing. Last summer, Fox was accused of crotch-punching Heather Bormann, the driver of a party bus. She dropped her lawsuit recently, but Fox’s image took another hit when his former co-star Dominic Monaghan said he beats women , often. [Photo: Pacific Coast News]
After a long investigation, bigamy charges will not be filed against Kody Brown and his four spouses, who gained prominence last year on TLC’s show Sister Wives . The Utah County Attorney’s Office announced Thursday that it will not pursue a criminal case against the Browns, based on the office’s interpretation of state law. Utah County Attorney Jeffrey Buhman said that his office has adopted a formal policy not to prosecute the practice of bigamy unless it occurs in conjunction with another crime or if parties to the marriage or relationship is under 18. “The purpose of this policy is to prevent the future prosecution in Utah County of bigamist marriages entered into for religious reasons,” Buhman wrote. “The criminal case against the Browns is now closed, and no charges will be filed against them for bigamy,” unless new evidence is discovered, he said. Kody Brown and his four wives, Meri, Janelle, Christine and Robyn, issued a statement Thursday, saying they are “delighted by the news that the prosecutors have formally declared that the investigation of our family is at an end.” “We have spent years under investigation and ultimately had to move from the state of Utah to protect our family and particularly our children,” they said. “The decision to create the new policy in light of our lawsuit is wonderful news for not just ourselves but the many thousands of plural families in Utah.” Attorneys for the Browns aren’t dropping their challenge to the law. The Browns sued Utah last year, and attorney Jonathan Turley said that will continue. “While I am pleased that the prosecutors are promising to leave this family alone, the decision will not end our challenge to the state law,” Turley wrote. Attorneys for the Browns filed an 80-page motion and Thursday “challenging the anti-bigamy law on seven distinct constitutional and statutory grounds.” In February, a federal judge ruled there was sufficient evidence to allow the Browns to pursue a lawsuit contesting the constitutionality of Utah’s bigamy law. Should the Sister Wives cast have been prosecuted?
Also in Friday morning’s briefs round up, Edinburgh and NY Asian Film Festival set their lineups with Disney’s Brave headed to Scotland, Kick-Ass alum bid for a return to the sequel, while Universal torpedoes a rival Battleship . 11th New York Asian Film Festival Sets Slate Fifty feature films and three programs of shorts including 20 North American and one U.S. premiere are on tap for the event hosted by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Subway Cinema June 29th – July 15th in New York. The North American debut of Vulgaria about a “hapless movie producer trying to get his skin flick off the ground, who will do anything to finance it, including auctioning off visitation rights to the daughter he adores and sucking up to gangsters” will open the event. Around the ‘net… Dark Knight Rises and Hunger Games Win Golden Trailer Awards The Dark Knight Rises won “Best in Show” at the 13th Golden Trailer Awards. The movie also snagged the Best Summer Trailer for 2012, while Snow White and the Huntsman took the award for Best Action trailer, Deadline reports .http://pmcmovieline.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=157463&action=edit&message=1 Disney’s Brave Set for Edinburgh Film Festival The latest Disney animation is set in a mythical Sottish Highlands. The 66th edition of the Edinburgh International Film Festival will feature 121 new films from 52 countries, including 19 world premieres. Other highlights incude 7 Days in Havana with Benicio Del Toro and thriller Killer Joe from Exorcist director William Friedkin, which will open the event running June 20th – July 1st in the Scottish capital, BBC reports . Aaron Johnson, Chloe Moretz Close in on Kick-Ass 2 Original cast members Aaron Johnson and Chloe Moretz are close to making deals to return for the sequel. The 2010 original cost $28 million to produce and grossed $103 million. Nicolas Cage is also up for a cameo, Deadline reports . The Devil Wears Prada Sequel for 2013 Author Lauren Weisberger’s sequel to the 2003 best seller will be titled, Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns . The book continues the story of former magazine assistant Andy Sachs, which starred Anne Hathaway in the film version. Andy’s catty counterpart, Emily, also makes a return, BBC reports . Universal Action Sinks Battleship Rival American Battleship Universal tossed out a lawsuit over an unauthorized spin-of of its blockbuster Battleship. The Asylum, producer of a low-budget American Battleship , has agreed to change the name of their version to American Warships and change its marketing and packaging in exchange for Universal dropping the lawsuit, THR reports .
In a rare interview, Prince William gave ABC News the clearest sign yet that he and his wife Kate Middleton are planning to try for a baby soon. In an interview to mark his grandmother’s diamond jubilee – 60 years on the throne – the future king said starting a family is a top priority. Discussing his military plans, Prince William, who will himself turn 30 next month ( Kate Middleton turned 30 this winter), told Katie Couric: “More importantly, I’d rather like to have children. That’s the key thing really.” Katie Couric Interview With Prince William “But I’m just very keen to have a family and both Catherine and I, you know, are very much looking forward to having a family in the future.” When asked whether there was anything he would like to announce, the prince said coyly: “You won’t get anything out of me. Tight lipped.” Fortunately, Couric didn’t overtly ask about the recent pregnancy rumors . William and brother his Prince Harry opened up during an interview at Clarence House in London for The Jubilee Queen , ABC’s special series on her. Watch another portion of the special feature after the jump: Prince William and Prince Harry Interview
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