Sometimes I think even the most sympathetic people can look bad when they push too hard and for too much. And sometimes, I think, lawyers can do a great job of undoing their own client's case by being too aggressive (or allowing their client to make over-the-top demands).
Here's an example:
http://www.mediabistro.com/prnewser/news/oksana_grigorieva_asks_judge_to_make_mel_pay_for_pr_173096.asp
HOW does the media get hold of these things? (In New York, only the parties and their lawyers can see family court filings.)
Makes me suspect that maybe Oksana's lawyers didn't think about the negative implications to their client, by submitting a formal request to the Judge seeking recompense for her personal PR expenses in the form of tax-free child support. Did they anticipate the very real possibility that their client's initial motives and good faith might be questioned? I'm wondering if the judge might be a little circumspect about her now.
And her application sure didn't score brownie points in the the court of public opinion (not like that matters when it comes to judicial decision-making about custody, support and matrimonial decisions, as I've posted before, except when it comes to the significant, out-of-court impact on the careers of public people like Mad Max Mel).
Of course, only the lawyers in the trenches, and their clients, know all the facts and all the nuances of the case. But as the NY Post article indicates, this was probably the best thing that could have happened to Mel under the circumstances. In court, and with the public.
Wow. That takes balls, Terri. She wants him to pay her to destroy his life and career? I mean, look, if he battered her, and it looks like he may have, that's wrong and he needs to be held accountable. But I've always wondered about the timing of those tapes and the tapes themselves. I smell a set up. And this feels to me like it was about money. This thing with wanting nearly 100K to pay PR people to fight a custody fight against him? Crazy. Does she think they are married? She thinks this is a husband/wife scenario where she's entitled to attorneys fees and extra expenses or something? Where do you get off asking your boyfriend (who happens to be your child's father) to pay your PR bills? Am I in the twilight zone or what?
ReplyDeleteJeannie Goldstein
Divorce Saloon
I dunno - maybe it's her, maybe it's the lawyering gone off the deep end. Maybe a combination of the two. In either event, Mel was doing a good job self-destructing long before she came along. If I were his attorney, I'd sit back and watch Oksana (or her lawyers) wreck her own case with this crap.
ReplyDeleteMy opinion about "leaking" and "media courting" by ex's of either gender against their former partner-celebs? Smells to me like a combination of vindictiveness, attention-seeking and financial opportunism. With a little self-pity/self-loathing thrown in, just for good measure.
What seems really off, to me anyway, about the tapes was (1) for such a young woman, Oksana sounds oddly calm in the face of all that rage; and (2) some of the rants, even the heavy panting, are repeated verbatim from tape to tape.
So while maybe Mel has, well, issues (shall we say?), which are somewhat consistent with his screen persona - I'm sure he was incredibly charming to her when they met - it sounds like she may have her own issues. Not that it remotely justifies his alleged intimidation, and physical and verbal abuse.
Which makes this latest court application a textbook example of how to screw up a perfectly good custody and support case.
Terri, I've always been disconcerted by her calm demeanor. I've wondered where is her pulse? I mean, granted, Jeannie's a bit of a hot head so she's not a good person to judge from. But when she's attacked like that? And the guy is on the phone so he can't hit her? Jeannie's gonna say something. ANYTHING. And there's gonna be some french. Or Latin. Or something. Are you kidding me? Mel said things to her that in my wildest, I've never fathomed or thought in that context. Ever. It was real grown up stuff, harsh, raw, awful. And he's a dog for saying those things. But her reaction is artificial. Nobody would react that way....unless, maybe she was tired. Sometimes when you get tired of being abused, you disengage and you stop caring, and you're just like, "yea, whatever" and nothing phases you anymore because you don't care anymore. Maybe that's what happened to Oksana. But I still think asking for PR fees is delusional. What is that all about?
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking it's someone's ego over intelligence.
ReplyDeleteAs for Oksana's non-reaction to such intense verbal abuse, I'm afraid I'm a tad more cynical than you. But you never know unless you're the one out there 'in the trenches'.