Britney biographer surprises fans in blogosphere

Author Steve Dennis, who has a book coming out on Britney Spears this Thursday, surprised a few Spears’fans at Britney Addiction on Saturday night.

Author's courtesy. Photo by Sheryl Nields.

Author's courtesy. Photo by Sheryl Nields.

Steve, who I hope to interview the first week of October when “Britney: Inside the Dream” debuts on U.S. bookshelves, arrived at the online fan site Britney Addiction for a brief chat. He said he had 15 minutes before he had to be at another event.

I had given it a college try minutes earlier in inviting him via our Twitter accounts. I thought he might enjoy himself as one of the site hosts grew up in England as Steve did. Also, Britney Addiction promotes his book and I wouldn’t have bought it without their persistent endorsement to me. Steve also lives in Los Angeles now so what harm in a quick word from home or to be with fans?
[Read more...]

Is TMZ a safety issue for Britney’s ex-boyfriend?

Courtesy of JFXonline.com

Courtesy of JFXonline.com


According to an attorney for Adnan Ghalib, ex-boyfriend of Britney Spears and now an ex-paparazzo, there is a safety issue when it comes to TMZ being in the courtroom.

Peter Korn, Ghalib’s defense attorney did not wish to discuss the matter in a public courtroom in May saying that the media would exaggerate the issues. Korn also objected to an unnamed male attorney being present but it was unclear from the court transcript whether he meant present in chambers with the judge to rule on media presence or the hearing itself.

Korn’s objections were recorded by a court reporter during pretrial proceedings to see if there was enough evidence to proceed to a trial on felony assault charges stemming from an altercation between Ghalib and a process server, Ram Moskowitz. While seeming to merit enough attention to warrant celebrity news cameramen onsite, The Associated Press ignored the event and subsequent hearings to date if a search of LexisNexis and Proquest news databases is to be believed.

Lou Ferrara, who manages sports, entertainment and multimedia for the AP, offered no explanation in recent email communication that addressed amongst other issues, the lack of coverage on this case and on an ongoing civil suit between Sam Lutfi, Spears’ ex-manager and companion, against Britney’s mother, Lynne Spears.

Meanwhile, both Radaronline and TMZ had live feed of the May hearing but all footage of the hearing vanished without explanation from Radaronline the same day that it appeared. Senior editor Mary Margaret who has sometimes appeared as a guest on CNN, said she didn’t know anything about it and was under deadline; then she did not return follow-up phone calls.

TMZ has declined to make comment about Korn’s claim as to Ghalib’s safety and also videotapes that appeared on TMZ’s website showing their cameraman harassing Ghalib as he walked with his attorney outside the courthouse. The taunts were in somewhat mild form such as, “Adnan, you look good in that suit, did Britney buy it for you?” to more tawdry comments about Lindsay Lohan, her mental state and whether Ghalib has any tips for bedding her.

Since May there has been no live stream or recorded videotape of Ghalib in the courtroom offered anywhere in public view.

Ghalib has plead not guilty and is due back in court on Sep. 29 confirms a media relations spokesperson of the Los Angeles Superior Court system.

Today begins a series on what led up to Ghalib being in court in the first place: that is to say, the things celebrity media or otherwise have declined to reveal.

Britney Spears’ defense lawyer calls TMZ cameraman self-serving profit hungry paparazzo

Photo courtesy of Kill the Lights.org

Photo courtesy of Kill the Lights.org


Spears’ attorney Benjamin C. Alvarez filed a motion to strike and dismiss claims of negligence, assault and battery by a TMZ cameraman who says she ran over his foot in Oct. 2007 in Los Angeles.

As first reported by TMZ last May, Ricardo Mendoza is suing Spears for damages from the incident.

Britney Touring Inc. and Britney Brands are controlled entities of Spears that also named in the suit. Mendoza asserts they should have known that Britney was not in the mental, emotional, and/or physical condition to operate a motor vehicle in a safe and reasonable manner. According to the complaint the companies carelessly and negligently owned, operated and entrusted, leased, repaired, maintained and/or controlled a white Mercedes-Benz so as to cause said vehicle to run over Mendoza’s foot with the subject vehicle’s tire severely injuring him.

Mendoza says she “… operated a motor vehicle recklessly, wantonly, unlawfully, maliciously and with conscious disregard for the rights, health and safety of others.”

He also says that Spears had a conscious disregard for the rights and safety of others so as to cause her vehicle to drive, push, ram and/or barrel through a crowd of people that included him.

[Read more...]

Former security member continues lawsuit against Britney Spears, claims damages, emotional distress

A judge ruled yesterday that a lawsuit against Britney by a former member of her security team will go forward to a jury trial set for May 2010 according to the Los Angeles Superior Court case summary.

The suit was filed by Kerry M. Vine against Spears and his former employer Advanced Security Concepts (ASC), a security team that works for her father and the conservatorship based on 2009 expenses filed by Jamie Spears earlier this year. Vine wants compensation for negligence, infliction of emotional distress and loss of wages says the complaint he filed in May 2009.

ASC was dismissed from the case at the end of July and Gallagher Bassett Services, a company that insures employers against workmen’s compensation claims, was added per the case summary.

In the original complaint, Vine claims that ASC ordered him to perform duties that resulted in physical injuries and damage to his personal property and self. He claims Britney negligently operated her home and business thereby causing his injuries since ASC was employed by the defendants (Britney and ASC) at the time. He also claims that the defendants’ extreme and outrageous conduct intentionally and recklessly caused him severe emotional distress.

[Read more...]

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.