News Of The World admitted in court yesterday that their story claiming Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had visited a divorce lawyer and agreed to a division of the kids and their assets was false and intrusive. I remember that story. It was back in January and everyone was buzzing about it and seeing if the couple would show up together somewhere. Ian was probably jumping up and down everyday at his site, yelling, "I told you. I told you."
Almost immediately Brangelina's lawyers sued and even up to a few days ago, news Of The World was sticking to its story and also saying it acted in good faith. The big problem they had was the lawyer they said was the divorce lawyer had actually never met the couple and no one at his firm had either.
Over here all the tabloids tomorrow could say the couple is divorcing and splitting up their money and they would all be safe from retribution. In England though, if you are off at all, you are going to lose.
How could they get divorced if they never got married?
ReplyDeleteI know I live in a tabloidless cave, but I do read CDAN - what gives?
Good call Shmooey.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid these stories are never going to die, though. Brad/Angie/Jen sell covers, as Enty said the other day.. Sad but true.
NOTW makes up stories and quotes all the time. I guess they figure that most people know it's fake so they won't bother to sue.
ReplyDeleteI think there's a diminishing returns calculation on the part of British tabs that do this and routinely get sued and have to pay out. That is, that was a massive story that got international play. How much money did it bring them as opposed to how much will they have to pay out? I think they make the calculations, fight any suit to the end of course (and there is nothing else they can claim except that it was published in good faith), but have already calculated how much the story is worth vs. how much it will cost if they do lose. There really is no other explanation.
ReplyDelete(It's sort of like, would the tab pay $X millions for an exclusive with Brad or Angie? If yes, then in money terms what's the difference if it's an exclusive interview that cost them that much or an exclusive international but fake story that cost them that much. Same difference if you are only looking at the bottom line.)
ReplyDeleteI think they have joint assets and would need an attorney to split things up.
ReplyDelete@sunnyside, I think you're right, but that a division of assets. But if they're not married, why do the tabloids persist in calling it a divorce? Does the "D" word sell more papers?
ReplyDeleteI think a "divorce lawyer" would be the best person to handle division of assets - I think that's where they came up with the term "divorce", without it actually being one formally.
ReplyDelete"Divorce" also sells better, sounds more serious than merely breaking up. I bet a lot of people think they're actually married because of all their kids and they've been together a long time in Hollywood years.
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