Posted Jul 24th 2008 5:57PM by TMZ Staff
Two members of The Smashing Pumpkins are suing Virgin Records America, claiming the label has screwed them out of ringtone fees and other stuff.
James Yoshinobu Iha and D'Arcy Wretzky-Brown claims in 2005, five years after the band broke up, Virgin negotiated a deal solely with frontman Billy Corgan for electronic transmissions (ringtones, download computer files, etc), without ever getting the consent of Iha or Wretzky-Brown.
In the suit, filed today in L.A. County Superior Court, the plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Music
Posted Jul 24th 2008 5:15PM by TMZ Staff
Chris Cagle is off the hook ... in the legal sense, anyway.
The country star was found not guilty of domestic assault this morning following an incident in May where both he and his GF were arrested. According to cops, the fight took place when both were drunk and involved a purse and umbrella as weapons.
Prosecutors decided not to go forward with their case against the girlfriend.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Jul 24th 2008 3:05PM by TMZ Staff
Nick Carter's mama was arrested this morning, allegedly over a really nasty divorce hearing.
Here's how it went down. Jane Carter, aka Jane Holcomb, aka Jane Schnek, was divorced from a guy named John Holcomb. There are still some legal odds and ends to deal with, including an allegation that she trashed the house they once shared.
John filed legal papers forcing Jane into court, but she didn't appear. So the Florida judge wants her butt in jail for not appearing and he's ordered a bench warrant. She was picked up today in Sumter County at a cemetery where the construction company she works for was doing a project. Perfect.
It ain't Donna Reed, folks.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Dirty Divorces
Posted Jul 24th 2008 2:35PM by TMZ Staff
Priscilla Presley can rest easy now.
Dr. Daniel Serrano, who injected some of the most famous people in Hollywood with a "miracle wrinkle remover" that was really just silicone used to lubricate auto parts, was granted a voluntary departure in his immigration hearing today -- meaning he should be out of the country by August 15.
He'll remain in custody until he gets the money to pay for his own ticket out of town.
Warning to Argentinian women: Be suspicious of coupons for a free oil change with your botox.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Jul 24th 2008 1:35PM by TMZ Staff
Robert Novak, the conservative columnist who hosted a CNN show on politics, is a safety risk in Washington, D.C., at least according to a lawsuit we turned up.
As you know, Novak struck a pedestrian yesterday in D.C. while driving his Corvette. By the way, apparently the guy isn't doing so well.
Back in 2004, Novak was cruising along when, according to the suit, he "failed to obey a red traffic light ... entered into the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and 6th St. at a high rate of speed and violently struck the motor vehicle being operated by Plaintiff Chad Clarke."
The suit, which settled in 2006, claims Clarke suffered "severe, painful and permanent injuries of body and mind."
Clarke sued for $100,000. The terms of settlement were not disclosed.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Jul 24th 2008 1:30PM by TMZ Staff
If you were born after 1965 -- just scroll on by this one.
If you're still with us, legendary keyboardist Leon Russell is being sued by ex-wife Mary Bridges, former member of Sly & the Family Stone's background vocal group Little Sister, for breach of contract. According to a lawsuit filed yesterday, when the couple divorced back in 1980, they were supposed to split all profits from their joint albums. But Bridges claims Russell hasn't been forking over any dough.
She's asking for damages in excess of $75,000. Attempts to contact Russell were unsuccessful.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Jul 24th 2008 12:55PM by TMZ Staff
All-Pro NFL linebacker Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman is not a man you want to make angry.
The 24-year-old San Diego Charger superstar is suing a clothing company called Lights Out Sportswear for trademark infringement.
Merriman claims he's been using the nickname "Lights Out" since his knocked a quarterback out cold during his sophomore year in high school -- almost ten years ago. He launched an apparel line with that name back in 2002 and trademarked the name back in 2007.
Merriman is asking for damages, the "destruction or elimination" of all of Lights Out Sportswear's products and advertising, as well as the forfeiture of their website domain.
Calls to Lights Out Sportswear were not immediately returned.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Talk Sports
Posted Jul 24th 2008 8:28AM by TMZ Staff
50 Cent wants dollars -- lots of 'em -- from Taco Bell for jacking his "good name" for a low-budget promo.
Fitty claims in a Federal lawsuit that the burrito slingers stole his identity by encouraging him to change his name to 79 Cent, 89 Cent, or 99 Cent as part of a less-than-a-dollar-menu promo. While he doesn't address the total idiocy of the campaign in the suit, Mr. Cent does claim he wasn't told about the ad until he heard about it in the news -- whereupon he totally disavowed it.
Reps for Taco Bell didn't immediately comment.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Jul 23rd 2008 8:15PM by TMZ Staff
Robert Novak -- the conservative dude on TV who outed Valerie Plame -- hit a pedestrian today in D.C. It was only fair for us to hit him with every possible question about his driving ... especially his driving a Corvette.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Wacky & Weird
Posted Jul 23rd 2008 6:25PM by TMZ Staff
Matt LeBlanc wants his former manager, who's suing him, to undergo a mental evaluation. So unfriendly!
Camille Cerio filed suit against the actor last August, claiming he owed her massive amounts of cash stemming from a little TV show he did called "Friends." Cerio says she signed an agreement parting ways with Joey 12 years ago, but now alleges that piece of paper is invalid because she was depressed at the time she signed it, and unable to enter into any agreement. Matt's camp is not buying, and now wants Cerio to put her money where her mouth is and prove she's crazazy.
A hearing is set for August 13.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, TV
Posted Jul 23rd 2008 6:01PM by TMZ Staff
Whoever coined the term "friendly skies" hasn't read this lawsuit.
Rande Gerber, restaurateur hubby of Cindy Crawford, is being sued by a hotel management group over use of the word "sky." According to a lawsuit filed in L.A. Superior Court yesterday, Gerber helped Delta Airlines design a signature in-flight cocktail program called "Midnight Sky." Simple enough, right?
Here's the problem: Gerber agreed back in 2002 not to incorporate the word "sky" into any of his ventures in a settlement with the Morgans Hotel Group -- the people behind Skybar and Whiskey Sky. So now they're pissed that Gerber has gone and done it with the "Midnight Sky" program. Gerber's defense: He wasn't responsible for the naming and Delta already calls its frequent flier program "SkyMiles" and its in-flight mag "Sky Magazine." He says Delta should be free to call the program whatever it wants. And hello?? It's an airline.
Morgans is asking for damages in excess of $500,000.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Jul 23rd 2008 4:39PM by TMZ Staff
The photog who says he suffered a Pierce Brosnan beatdown at a mall in Malibu last October, has had his case dismissed.
Rob Rosen tells TMZ, "The terms are confidential, but both parties are happy with the outcome." Not so fast says Pierce's attorney!
Brosnan's peeps tell us the case was voluntarily dismissed -- NOT settled -- and the terms are NOT confidential. We're told Rosen did not receive and will not receive any money, and let the case go after Brosnan agreed not to sue him. Nobody messes with James Bond!
Rosen had claimed the star "punched, hit, struck and attacked" him.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Movies, Fights
Posted Jul 23rd 2008 3:18PM by TMZ Staff
Paris Hilton scoffed at L.A. suburb Glendale on her blog a few weeks back, claiming she's strictly a Bev Hills gal and hasn't been to the G spot in months.
But get this: Law enforcement tells us yesterday at 3:20 PM, Paris was pulled over by the CHP on the 134 freeway in GLENDALE ... near the offramp where wrong-way Nicole Richie was busted for DUI in 2006.
Paris was pulled over for weaving (a non hair-related offense) and offered officers this explanation: "I'm lost." Always a good defense in court.
She was given a warning and went off on her merry way. No word if she ever found out how to get home.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Paris Hilton
Posted Jul 23rd 2008 1:56PM by TMZ Staff
Snapping nudie pics of Sienna Miller cavorting with a married man will get you sued ... in the UK anyway!
The divine Miss Miller has filed suit against several London tabloids for publishing pics of her sexy Italian getaway with Balthazar Getty. The two were seen kissing and partying it up -- topless style -- on a yacht.
Her lawyers have served up News of the World, the Sun and the Big Pictures photo agency a breach of privacy suit.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice
Posted Jul 23rd 2008 1:00PM by TMZ Staff
Sources tell TMZ Christian Bale has had a long-standing difficult relationship with his mom and Bale's camp believes the motivation for the whole assault charge may be $$$.
We're told when Christian's mom and dad divorced nearly two decades ago, his mom forced him to choose between the two. Christian picked his dad, and father and son moved out to L.A. in 1992, where his dad became his manager.
Somehow Bale's relationship with the mom has been "bitter" ever since. Bale has told friends his mother was extremely jealous of both his and his dad's success.
Last Sunday, Bale let his mom and sis into his hotel suite, though it was by no means an olive branch. As we first reported, there was physical contact, but somewhere in between a push and a brush. No one fell and no one was hurt.
Christian's camp thinks this could be nothing more than a shakedown. We're told some newspapers and mags have already been throwing around "insane" amounts of money for the story, so mom and sis could score big.
But our sources say the cops are starting to see the whole thing Christian's way, and the charges could disappear faster than Batman.
Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Christian Bale
