Hollywood Docket: McPherson emails; MPAA puts Bob Kerrey in turnaround; why Shirley Sherrod shouldn't sue
Fri Jul 30, 2010 @ 11:22AM PST
Former ABC Entertainment chief Stephen McPherson has hired Marty Singer to deal with the media fallout from his abrupt departure. Singer has already sent THR a letter objecting to talk of an investigation within Disney over sexual harassment allegations. However, sources tell THR that Disney is reviewing e-mails as part of its probe. [THR]
The MPAA and former Senator Bob Kerrey have parted ways, days before he was expected to be announced as the new head of the Hollywood group. Apparently the studio heads weren't thrilled with Kerrey's appearance on the Don Imus radio show, which triggered concerns about his ability to be discreet. [THR]
A Russian court is blocking YouTube in the country because the site hosted a video, "Russia for Russians," which the judge deemed extremist. [Mashable]
Shirley Sherrod says she's going to sue blogger Andrew Breitbart for posting a video clip of one of her speeches that purported to show she was racist. We're not sure we see the point. Even if she can show she was defamed and/or portrayed in a false light, and even if she can show that Breitbart acted with actual malice (a tough hurdle), what can she possibly win in court? She was offered back her job at the USDA, which undercuts any damages claim. It'd be a PR victory, but she's already won that battle.
Hollywood Docket: McPherson emails; MPAA puts Bob Kerrey in turnaround; why Shirley Sherrod shouldn't sue
Former ABC Entertainment chief Stephen McPherson has hired Marty Singer to deal with the media fallout from his abrupt departure. Singer has already sent THR a letter objecting to talk of an investigation within Disney over sexual harassment allegations. However, sources tell THR that Disney is reviewing e-mails as part of its probe. [THR]
The MPAA and former Senator Bob Kerrey have parted ways, days before he was expected to be announced as the new head of the Hollywood group. Apparently the studio heads weren't thrilled with Kerrey's appearance on the Don Imus radio show, which triggered concerns about his ability to be discreet. [THR]
A Russian court is blocking YouTube in the country because the site hosted a video, "Russia for Russians," which the judge deemed extremist. [Mashable]
Shirley Sherrod says she's going to sue blogger Andrew Breitbart for posting a video clip of one of her speeches that purported to show she was racist. We're not sure we see the point. Even if she can show she was defamed and/or portrayed in a false light, and even if she can show that Breitbart acted with actual malice (a tough hurdle), what can she possibly win in court? She was offered back her job at the USDA, which undercuts any damages claim. It'd be a PR victory, but she's already won that battle.
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The Hollywood Reporter, Esq. blog focuses on how the entertainment and media industries are impacted and influenced by the law. It is edited by Matthew Belloni with contributions from veteran legal reporter Eriq Gardner and others. Before joining The Hollywood Reporter, Belloni was a lawyer at an entertainment litigation firm in Los Angeles. He writes a column for THR devoted to entertainment law. Gardner is a New York-based writer and legal journalist. Send tips or comments to [email protected]
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