Ashley Dupré: Girl Gone Hollywood?
A little questionable PR doesn’t seem to have scared Ashley Dupré away from the spotlight.
E! News has learned exclusively that the former high-priced prostitute at the center of the Eliot Spitzer scandal is developing a cable reality series and is considering moving from New York to Los Angeles.
When contacted by E!, a rep for Dupré declined to comment, only saying, “She has no TV deal.” Her rep would not address specifically whether she’s developing a series.
A source tells E!, however, that Dupré, 23, has been developing an unscripted show with production execs at L.A.-based Handprint Entertainment, the same company that has managed the career of reality icon Nicole Richie and Pamela Anderson.
One of the concepts being considered is a dating format.
“They’re talking to MTV about Ashley being the next Tila Tequila,” says a source close to the project. (Handprint execs couldn’t be reached for comment on the project; MTV declined comment).
News of Dupré’s reality TV aspirations comes less than a week after she abandoned her lawsuit against Girls Gone Wild CEO Joe Francis.
According to a statement released to by Dupre’s lawyer Richard C. Wolfe, “Ms. Dupré wants to eliminate all negativity from her life and focus on the positive. She has prospects for many exciting new projects and is looking forward to starting a new chapter.”
As for her involvement in the criminal investigation against Spitzer being conducted by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New Yorkshe was granted immunity on March 15, 2008 after agreeing to testify against the former governor.
The U.S. Attorney’s office has temporarily delayed the criminal proceedings while the IRS conducts their own investigation to see if Spitzer misspent public funds (on things like the Emperor’s Club, the call girl service that employed Dupré).
Reporting by Matt Donnelly and Claudia Rosenbaum
Ashley Dupré Puts Francis Out of Focus
It might be wishful thinking at this point, but Ashley Alexandra Dupré is going to try to turn the page.
The former call girl, who was unexpectedly outed when ex-New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer was caught partaking of her services, has dropped her $10 million lawsuit against Girls Gone Wild boss Joe Francis, citing her wish to “eliminate all negativity from her life and focus on the positive.”
“She has prospects for many exciting new projects and is looking forward to starting a new chapter,” attorney Richard C. Wolfe said in a statement released Thursday.
Dupré went after Francis for unjust enrichment and other offenses after he rolled out his plan to capitalize on the New Jersey native’s newfound notoriety by peddling GGW footage shot in 2003 when Dupré was in Florida celebrating her 18th birthday.
While she signed a release before smiling for the camera, she was drunk when she agreeda “routine business practice” employed by GGW, her complaint alleged.
Francis’ camp couldn’t immediately be reached for comment, but the unabashed entrepreneurwho originally extended Dupré a $1 million offer to join the partywas already saying last week that she had abandoned the suit and was planning to issue an apology.
Well, the 23-year-old aspiring singer didn’t go that far, but perhaps she did want to steer clear of the looming deposition Francis’ attorneys requested, a Q&A session that, in Francis’ words, would let the world “learn the real truth about Ashley Dupré.”
And now Francis can face federal tax-evasion charges safe in the knowledge that he has one less lawsuit to fight.
Ashley Dupré Goes Wild on Francis in Court
Ashley Dupré wants Joe Francis to pay for her unwanted 15 minutes of fame (the ones not having to do with Eliot Spitzer).
The escort caught in the crossfire when the then governor of New York was nailed for blowing huge wads of cash on high-priced call girls has sued Francis for at least $10 million. (View the lawsuit.)
Her lawyers call his attempt to peddle years-old footage of her from Girls Gone Wild's archive an attempt to "exploit Ms. Dupré’s image and likeness for their own financial gain at the emotional and physical expense of Ms. Dupré."
To which Francis responded with his usual gentlemanly composure: "Eliot Spitzer got to have sex with Ashley for two thousand and she wants 10 million from Girls Gone Wild," he told News. "And all we got to do is see her naked. How is that fair?"
Although Dupré did sign a release, her lawsuit claims reps from Francis' Mantra Films plied the then 17-year-old with alcoholic beverages and "induced her into exposing her breasts while being filmed," according to the complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in South Florida.
"While drunk, Plaintiff was told to sign a 'Release,'" the suit states, calling the ploy a "routine business practice" employed by the GGW operation.
"The defendants have created websites, designed to induce the public to believe they are official or associated with Ms Dupré, when they are not," Dupre attorney Richard C. Wolfe said in a statement Monday.
"We believe the court and ultimately a jury will find the defendants have engaged in deceptive and unfair trade practices, have engaged in false advertising and have illegally exploited Ms. Dupré’s name and likeness."
All of which seemingly comes as a big surprise to the unabashed GGW crew, going by their response to the suit.
"We were very surprised and in fact amazed today that Ms. Dupré filed a lawsuit against Girls Gone Wild," Francis said in a statement, pointing out that his company opted to not publicly release new video of her when it was revealed she was still on the wrong side of 18 while fraternizing with the cameras in Miami Beach back in 2003.
(Although it really wanted to, with Francis telling News last month that they could still peddle her breast-baring exploits because there was "no sexual contact" in it.)
Francis went on to say today that they offered Dupré $1 million to promote and participate in GGW events after her relationship with Spitzer became public, but she turned them downalthough, if she wanted to reconsider, "we'd be happy to discuss."
"She should keep in mind, it’s considerably more than the governor of New York paid her, and our activities aren’t illegal," he added. (Meanwhile, Dupré's suit calls Francis out for talking about his offer and then subsequently saying he had taken it off the table once he had unearthed the archival footage. "That advertisement is false," the suit says.)
“She’s seeking $10 million for topless photos taken in front of a room full of people, including two newspapers and multiple crews we had in the room," Francis continued. "These images were taken in public places and contain no sexual contact. We expect to triumph in this matter and continue to offer the best and hottest girls."
Overall, Dupré has charged Francis, fellow exec Cyrus Koewing, Mantra Films and MRA Holding with unjust enrichment, unfair competition, false advertising, unfair and deceptive trade practices in violation of Florida law and cybersquatting.