Seagal, Lawyers No Longer Under Seige
Steven Seagal may be above the law, but he’s not above settling some outstanding legal issues.
The erstwhile action hero has reached a settement with his former law firm, ending dueling lawsuits over the legal tab incurred by Seagal when he was called to testify as a witness before a grand jury a few years ago.
Seagal, 57, sued Loeb & Loeb last July, alleging he was overcharged by at least $450,000 by the lawyers representing him in a federal grand jury probe into claims that his former producing partner, Julius Nasso, tried to exort money from Seagal after the two severed business ties.
Loeb & Loeb countersued, seeking $575,400 in repayments for services it said it rendered in the case.
No word how much cash will be exchanged, but according to a document filed by the firm notifying the court of the resolution, both sides are required to fulfill the terms of the settlement by Dec. 15.
Neither side has responded to calls seeking comment.
Seagal has been clearing up his legal docket of late. Earlier this year, he settled a separate lawsuit with Nasso over their scuttled partnership.
Rachel Hunter Wants to Help You Get Thin
Rachel Hunter Wants to Help You Get Thin
Rachel Hunter kept up her “Find Your Slim” campaign by hosting a “Style Your Slim” fashion show last night, held at Boulevard 3 in Hollywood, California.
Sponsored by Ultra Slim-Fast, the night consisted of “10 weight loss success stories in a runway show wearing designs by Chloe Dao, the season two winner of Project Runway, in a celebration of setting and achieving realistic weight loss goals, and body diversity.”
Hunter, who entered into the partnership with Slim-Fast earlier this year, is a Slim-Fast success story herself, as well as an “advocate for this campaign because of the positive message it sends to women everywhere to find the weight that is right for them.”
Celebrities joining in on the fashionable fun with Rachel included Kim Kardashian, Jennie Garth, Stacy Keibler, and Jamie Pressly.
Samuel L. Jackson joins CBS Paramount
Yes, your grandfather’s network just got considerably cooler. Unfortunately, whether or not this is going to put Jackson on our small screens with any regularity remains to be seen. The deal isn’t to join a specific series. Rather, Jackson has signed a first-look deal that will have him develop and produce projects for the studio over the next two years.
We’ll have to wait to see what, if anything, comes of the new partnership, but there is an encouraging bit in the announcement. Jackson says he’s open to the idea of limited appearances on something he produces, referencing Salma Hayek’s run on Ugly Betty. I’m of the mind that the more Samuel L. Jackson on the TV the better, but I’ll take what we can get. His only previous credit producing television is Spike’s Afro Samurai, which is set to return this fall.
Lopez and Smirnoff Done Dancing
A month ago it was “all good” between Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff.
Today, not so much.
The Dancing With the Stars on- and offscreen duo has officially uncoupled.
“Karina has parted ways with her two-year relationship with Mario Lopez,” Smirnoff’s publicist, Melissa Berger, tells News. “The relationship wasn’t heading in the right direction.”
Lopez issued his own gracious parting statement.
“Karina and I have the utmost respect for each other,” he said. “She is a phenomenal and talented woman. I support her always and feel blessed to have her in my life.”
Of course, it took reports that the couple was on the outs before they even confirmed they were an item.
Despite being photographed together during a Mexican holiday following their hot-and-heavy partnership on the third season of ABC’s hoofing-happy reality series, neither publicly acknowledged the romance. That changed in April, when several outlets said the romance had hit the rocks.
But both quickly put the kibosh on the speculation.
“Mario and I are fine. Everything’s good,” Smirnoff told News. Added Lopez: “It’s all good.”
Now, it’s all gone.