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VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit
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VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit -
VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit -
VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit -
VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit -
VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit -
VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit -
VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit -
VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit -
VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit -
VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit -
VH1 Fires Back In Minelli-Gest Reality Suit
After being sued for $23 million by Liza Minnelli and David Gest, VH1 fired back today (2/6) with a blistering legal counterattack that portrayed Gest--and not Liza--as an overbearing, unprofessional diva prone to "erratic and deceitful conduct that went so far beyond the acceptable bounds of show business eccentricity" as to help capsize the kooky couple's reality TV program before a single episode could be completed. The cable network's detailed assault is contained in its legal response to the breach of contract action filed by Minnelli and Gest in mid-December. Below you'll find the detailed--and highly entertaining--counterclaim VH1 filed in New York's State Supreme Court. The network--which is seeking a minimum of $1.5 million in damages from the couple--charges that Gest repeatedly denied access to Minnelli, and often refused to appear on camera when,"in his opinion, he was not looking his best." Gest insisted that VH1 pay for an expensive stylist, hire two personal assistants for him, and fly his hairstylist in from Los Angeles for the months-long shoot. Gest even demanded that the hairstylist be housed in an apartment near his own Upper East Sidecoop (VH1 estimated the cost of this tonsorial care at $60,000). His wardrobe demands were also excessive,with Gest seeking to spend 30 times as much on his threads for the series opener as was being expended on Minnelli's outfits. And Gest's lunacy allegedly extended to his dealings with VH1 staffers, one of whom he ordered to stick her head in an oven "to make sure it was spotlessly clean." On other occasions,when technicians had to drill into a wall to install recording equipment, a crew member had to "stand by the hole with a vacuum cleaner in hand so as to instantly remove any dust." We can't wait for the depositions. (11 pages)
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