By Wonderwall.com Editors
6:30pm PDT, Jun 18, 2023
More sexual assault allegations
Two years after he was released from prison, Bill Cosby was sued this week by nine women in Nevada who claim he sexually assaulted them between 1979 and 1992, ABC News reports. The suit was reportedly filed thanks to a 2023 law that allows sexual assault victims to sue for damages without adhering to a statute of limitations. The women in the lawsuit allege the former comic and TV star met up with them "under false pretenses" and plied them with drinks that inexplicably rendered them "unable to move," according to ABC. "[Cosby's] enormous power, fame, and prestige, and claimed interest in helping them and/or their careers as a pretense to isolate and sexually assault them," the lawsuit states. The star faces allegations including "sexual assault, battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment," per ABC. Bill, 85, was sentenced to 10 years behind bars for allegedly drugging and raping Andrea Constand in 2004 before his conviction was overturned. He's been accused of drugging and sexually assaulting approximately 60 women between 1965 and 2018. He's denied all allegations, including the latest ones.
"Mr. Cosby is a Citizen of these United States," his publicist Andrew Wyatt told ABC, "but these judges and lawmakers are consistently allowing these civil suits to flood their dockets — knowing that these women are not fighting for victims — but for their addiction to massive amounts of media attention and greed."
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Presley estate battle was 'misconstrued'
Priscilla Presley says there was never a family "fight" about who would control daughter Lisa Marie Presley's estate after her untimely death earlier this year. In new court documents filed Wednesday, June 14, the Presley family matriarch expressed her full support of the terms she and her granddaughter, actress Riley Keough, agreed upon regarding Lisa Marie's estate, including Riley taking over as its sole trustee. The "Daisy Jones" star will also give her grandmother a lump-sum payment. The amount has not been disclosed by the family, but court documents "list what appears to be a $1 million payment," according to the New York Times.
"My daughter's passing was both devastating and heartbreaking," Priscilla, who was married to Lisa Marie's dad, Elvis Presley, from 1967 until 1973, wrote to the court, according to People. "We have learned that the fans realize that we are 'Just a Family,'" she continued. "Elvis would be proud and his and Lisa's wishes are what are most important to all of us. My granddaughter, through her counsel, along with my team worked diligently and tirelessly to resolve all misunderstandings as a family."
According to Priscilla, the petition she previously filed asking to remain the estate's co-trustee was "misconstrued" as "a 'fight' over my beloved daughter's trust." She said she's since dropped the law firm that filed the petition and explained that she now wants to "resolve all potential uncertainty" regarding the trust. Her declaration was filed the same day as Riley's petition for the court to approve all terms of the settlement agreement she and her grandmother reached in May.
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Old dad epidemic
Chelsea Handler has some thoughts about the preponderance of older male celebrities having lots and lots of kids. On Wednesday, June 14 — just one day before TMZ reported Al Pacino's become a dad again at 83 — the comic posted a video about her plan to "protect the women of the world" amid the current baby news trend for Hollywood's male senior citizen demographic. "There's an epidemic sweeping the country and, no, it's not another virus, it's worse. H**** old men who won't stop spreading their seed," she joked. She went on to target Al, along with Robert De Niro, 79, who welcomed his seventh child in April, as well as father of seven (and newly-minted grandfather) Alec Baldwin, 64, and Elon Musk, who has 10 kids at age 51.
"They cannot stop procreating. Between the four of those guys, they have 32 children," she marveled after joking that none of them ever met a broken contraceptive "they didn't like." She then took an extra swipe at Elon, showing a video of the Tesla CEO attempting some dance moves as evidence that while he's not technically in his eighties, "he may as well be." Finally, Chelsea shared her plan "to protect" women from these lascivious seniors. "I am willing to put myself up for auction for any available octogenarian," she joked, directing them to eBay and Doordash. "Actually, maybe all these old men should put themselves up for auction," Chelsea added. "After all, they are antiques." Ouch.
MORE: Stars who became fathers late in life
'Ferry Money Tour' aboard the S.S. Jost
Colin Jost says he was not under the influence of any substances, green or otherwise, when he and Pete Davidson bought a decommissioned Staten Island Ferry in 2022. After spotting a headline that claimed he and his former "SNL" co-star had indulged in a certain herb prior to plunking down $280,000 for the thing, Colin posted the news on Instagram on Wednesday, June 15. "1. Is it worse that I was actually stone-cold sober when we bought the ferry?" he asked in the caption before enumerating a few more reactions to the headline. "2. We're excited to prove the non-believers wrong. You're going to be BEGGING to get on this ferry in two years. Mark my words," he joked. "3. UNRELATED I'm going on a Ferry Money Tour this week and next week. Stand-up in Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Minneapolis, Madison and Chicago with some very special guests. Come on by." And for the finish? "4. I do my own graphic design if you want me to take your brand to new heights I can get you millions," he quipped. The last comment apparently inspired a fan to send him a graphic image of the "S.S. Jost" embarking on a "Ferry Money Tour," complete with a dollar-sign flag. The initial claim about the pair being inebriated while purchasing the boat actually came from Pete, who was asked about its current status recently by Entertainment Tonight and said he hopes "it turns into a Transformer" and gets out of its dock so he "can stop paying for it."
Father of the bride
Earlier this week, the Twitter rumor mill spawned claims Eminem missed his eldest daughter's wedding as fans noticed he was absent from the wedding pics she posted on Instagram. But according to the bride, Alaina Scott, Em wasn't only there, he was in full dad mode — he even walked her down the aisle. Alaina opened up about saying "I do" to her boyfriend Matt Moeller in an interview with People published Thursday, June 15. "I had an 80-ft long black and white checkered aisle and my dad walked me down the aisle. He wasn't going to miss that," Alaina shared. The social media influencer said her sister, Hallie Jade, served as maid of honor, but the bride and groom kept their June 9, "Great Gatbsy"-themed celebration in Michigan small.
"Getting married is a sacred thing and we wanted to be surrounded by people who share in our daily lives," Alaina explained. "We did something super untraditional and didn't allow many plus ones. This was important to us." Eminem reportedly adopted Alaina in the early 2000s from his then-wife's twin sister, Dawn Scott, who struggled with addiction issues before her death in 2016. Speaking to Rolling Stone in 2004, Eminem said of Alaina, "My niece has been a part of my life ever since she was born."
Ready for a comeback
Ahead of his criminal trial on sexual assault charges in London, Kevin Spacey said he expects to act again, and soon. "I know that there are people right now who are ready to hire me the moment I am cleared of these charges in London,'' the former "House of Cards" star recently told Germany's ZeitMagazin. "The second that happens, they're ready to move forward." Kevin, 63, has stayed largely out of the spotlight since 2017, when actor Anthony Rapp accused him of having made an unwanted sexual advance toward him when he was 14 and Kevin was 26. In a civil suit that followed, a jury eventually found Anthony had not proven his claims about Kevin. In the meantime, however, more than a dozen people accused the Oscar winner of sexual misconduct. He was soon dropped by his hit show, his agent, his publicist and at least one other major project. In London, he faces sexual assault charges stemming from incidents that allegedly took place between 2001 and 2004. Kevin has denied all the charges in the case, which goes to trial June 28, according to Deadline.
"It's a time in which a lot of people are very afraid that if they support me, they will be canceled," he told the German outlet. "The moment scrutiny is applied, these things fall apart. That's what happened in the Rapp trial, and that's what will happen in this case." He added, "In 10 years, it won't mean anything. My work will live longer than I will, and that's what will be remembered."
Glenda Jackson, remembered
Two-time Oscar winner-turned British Labour Party MP Glenda Jackson has died at 87, her agent Lionel Larner said in a statement on Thursday, June 15, per the BBC. The legendary film star and fierce politician passed away in her home in London "after a brief illness," he said, calling her "one of the world's greatest actresses" and his "best friend." In addition to her Academy Award wins for 1969's "Women in Love," Glenda's acting earned her two BAFTA Awards, three Emmy Awards, a CBE honor courtesy of Queen Elizabeth II and, following her retirement from politics after more than two decades, a Tony Award. She recently completed filming "The Great Escaper" with Michael Caine, who said "it was a privilege to work with her" again after they filmed "The Romantic Englishwoman" together in 1975.
"It was as wonderful an experience this time as it was 50 years ago. I shall miss her," Michael said, according to the BBC. Among the many tributes that surfaced on social media following her death on Thursday was a statement from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. "She leaves a space in our cultural and political life that can never be filled," he wrote, in part. "She played many roles with great distinction, passion and commitment. From award-winning actor to campaigner and activist to Labour MP and government minister, Glenda Jackson was always fighting for human rights and social justice."
