Thu Jul 22, 2010 @ 10:00AM PST
- A secret Mel Gibson text message could prove why Oksana Grigorieva recorded those now-infamous conversations with the actor/director. "You broke your agreement with me," Girgorieva wrote to Gibson, according to a source that spoke to THR. [THR]
- The Islamic fundamentalist who threatened "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone over an episode depicting the Prophet Muhammad in a bear suit has been arrested by the FBI. [THR]
- A group of nearly 40 past and present Infinity Ward developers are now accusing Activision, publisher of the mega-selling Modern Warfare 2 game, of running a "police state," conducting secret "interrogations" of employees, and holding $54 million dollars hostage in an attempt to cajole the team to work on the game. [Kotaku]
- Former media mogul Conrad Black is out of prison, thanks in part to a decision last month by the U.S. Supreme Court that narrowed the scope of the honest-services fraud statute. [WSJ]
- Comcast filed a 327-page response with the FCC yesterday, responding to critics of its planned acquisition of NBC Universal. The cable giant says that criticisms are "self-serving" and predictable responses from certain familiar critics. [LAT]
- Hollywood trade groups are telling the FCC they don't care much for its AllVid proposal that would change the way that video signals are sent into homes. The proposal would give consumers more flexibility in adopting to new technology and receiving digital video, and is at the core of the proposed Google TV. The MPAA is worried about piracy. [Ars Technica]
- The RIAA has appealed a federal judge's decision to reduce a jury award for file-sharing infringement on constitutional grounds. [RIVTP]
- "The Naked Cowboy" has officially sued "The Naked Cowgirl," alleging a woman wearing skimpy outfits in Times Square has misappropriated his trademarked look. [Reuters]