Bethenny Frankel on $100 Million Lawsuit: "I'm Not Going to Be Bullied"

Bethenny Frankel on $100 Million Lawsuit: "I'm Not Going to Be Bullied"

Bethenny Frankel may be a Skinnygirl, but she doesn't break easily.

The entrepreneur and reality star has made it clear that she's not intimidated by the $100 million lawsuit filed against her on Wednesday by her ex-managers. Speaking to the press on Thursday, the Bethenny Ever After star said that even though her family comes first, she fully intends to defend her Skinnygirl brand in court.

"Let's be clear, I am a strong woman, and I am not afraid and won't back down when I'm bullied by something with zero merit," Frankel told People. "Success is earned by hard work, not taking advantage of others."

The lawsuit, filed by her former management agency Raw Talent, alleges that Frankel used her relationship with them to broker a lucrative deal for her Skinnygirl cocktail brand -- and then cut them out of their share of the profits. Now that Frankel's company has been sold for an estimated $120 million, Raw Talent is retroactively demanding 10 percent of the sale, as well as $100 million in punitive damages. But Frankel says that she had no agreement with Raw Talent regarding the Skinnygirl brand.

"This is simply someone with his hand out, who did nothing to earn it, and I am not going to be bullied," Frankel said in a statement. "We are exploring all of our options, including filing counterclaims against these people."

Savvy businesswoman that she is, Frankel doesn't seem too surprised by her ex-manager coming out of the woodwork to sue her. "Unfortunately, one of the signs of success is being the subject of frivolous lawsuits, like this one," she says matter-of-factly.

Frankel's latest season of Bethenny Ever After concluded this week, and next season is rumored to be about Frankel's move to the West Coast, with the reported title Bethenny Goes to L.A.. May we suggest the alternate title Bethenny Doesn't Take Any Crap?

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Justin Bieber To Co-Star With Mark Wahlberg In Street Ball Movie

Movie inspired by Bieber's participation in a charity basketball game held during NBA's All-Star weekend.
By Gil Kaufman


Justin Bieber and Mark Wahlberg
Photo: Getty Images

Justin Bieber already has one of the top-grossing documentaries of all time with "Never Say Never." And he's gotten his feet wet doing a little acting on "CSI." So it just stands to reason that his next move is to full-on star in a movie, right?

Enter superfan Mark Wahlberg, who knows a thing or two about making the transition from teenybopper pinup to movie-opening star. Wahlberg — who in August said, "the world needs Justin Bieber ... Justin Bieber is like the white Tupac" — told New York magazine this week, "Justin Bieber and I are going to do a movie together."

That's right. Wahlberg said he's in talks with Paramount on the project and hopes to set the film up at the studio following his Academy Award-winning flick "The Fighter." But most importantly, Bieber is reportedly way into it and is excited to sign on for the project. "He loves the idea," Wahlberg said. "He's been sending me video, he sent me a video of himself, and, yeah, I think he's really talented."

Wahlberg described the movie as a drama in which he would play a "reluctant mentor in an inner-city environment," but cautioned that neither he nor Bieber will sing or dance in the film. In fact, last August Wahlberg said he wouldn't break his nearly two-decade-long hip-hop silence ... unless Bieber asked him to.

Deadline Hollywood reported that the untitled drama is an exploration of street basketball in which Bieber will get a chance to show off his dramatic chops. Wahlberg and partner Stephen Levinson will produce alongside Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun. The script is being written by Ian Edelman, creator of HBO's "How to Make It in America."

"The tone of the project is described as 'The Color of Money' meets 'The Karate Kid,' and it came out of Wahlberg and Levinson seeing Bieber play ball in February during a celebrity game held during NBA All-Star Game weekend," Deadline reported.

Bieber has clearly been bitten by the acting bug. In September he raved about his guest appearance on "CSI" as Jason McCann. "I liked it because you never knew what was going to happen. Now that I'm on it, it's pretty cool," he said of the show. "It opens a different audience to the show," he explained of his appearances, "and it also helps me because a new audience that might not know me is now going to see me. So it works both ways."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Justin Bieber's Manager Off The Hook For Mall-Stampede Charges

Bieber will make an anti-cyberbullying PSA and his label will reimburse the county for emergency response.
By MTV News staff


Justin Bieber
Photo: Prince Williams/FilmMagic

Justin Bieber's manager Scott "Scooter" Braun is off the hook for the charges of reckless endangerment and criminal nuisance he received after the chaotic incident with Bieber fans at a Long Island mall in November 2009.

According to E! News, the charges against Braun were dropped Friday (May 6) after Bieber agreed to make a public-service announcement for an anti-cyberbullying campaign and his record label, Island Def Jam, pleaded guilty to the ordinance violation and agreed to reimburse the county almost $8,000 to pay its share of the costs associated with the law enforcement and fire marshal response after the melee.

All this stems from a Bieber mall appearance that turned into a stampede and injured one fan. Police alleged that Braun failed to properly control the situation at Roosevelt Field Mall in Long Island, New York, when they ordered him to send a message to Bieber's fans via Twitter to notify his followers that the event was canceled.

Fans of the rising teen superstar were waiting for Bieber to arrive at the mall, where he was set to perform selections from his EP, My World, which had been released earlier in the week.

Braun refused to send the message, police said. Instead, authorities contend Braun eschewed safety in favor of publicity. As things got out of hand, police said, Bieber's Twitter still read, "On my way to Roosevelt Field Mall in Long Island, NY to sign and meet fans! I'm pumped. See u there."

After a representative from the singer's label was arrested, a message from Bieber's Twitter was sent urging fans to go home. "The event at Roosevelt Mall is cancelled," he tweeted. "Please go home. The police have already arrested one person from my camp. I don't want anyone hurt."

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Victoria Beckham?s English Garden Party Baby Shower

Talk about some Girl Power. Victoria Beckham – aka Posh Spice – was feted by her friends with a pink-themed English garden tea party baby shower on Saturday in Los Angeles, reports People. Hosted by Eva Longoria and hair stylist Ken Paves, the celebration was held at the private Butterfly Bar atop West Hollywood’s Hotel [...]

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Miley Cyrus: Brazilian Bikini Babe!

Continuing along with her South American adventures, Miley Cyrus was spotted having a blast on the beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil earlier today (May 12).

The ?Party in the USA? gal, mother Tish Cyrus and a few friends danced and frolicked in the sand while snapping up pictures as keepsake mementos.

As for those pesky rumors claiming that Miley and boyfriend Liam Hemsworth are on the rocks again, a friend clarified that the couple is doing just fine, even with the long distance.

The source said, ?They are still a couple and they have talked about how fun it will be when she tours Australia in June,? adding that ?chances are pretty good? that Liam will join his lady on tour.

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Lady Gaga: Living It Up in Cannes!

Making the most of her evening, Lady Gaga was spotted leaving the Carlton Hotel in Cannes, France last night (May 11).

The ?Born This Way? songstress looked to be in good spirits as she made her exit to check out all of the events associated with the 64th Cannes International Film Festival.

Earlier in the day, Gaga gave a short performance for the folks at Cannes, and by all accounts she totally dominated the festival.

She told the audience, "It's beautiful; it's very, very busy, but it's really nice to be here. It was so lovely performing with the ocean. I would've liked to have jumped in after the performance!"

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Black Eyed Peas, Usher, Slash Light Up Super Bowl XLV Halftime Show

Foursome is joined by special guests and tons of lights for smash-hit medley.
By Mawuse Ziegbe


Black Eyed Peas perform during the Super Bowl XLV halftime show
Photo: Getty Images

The Black Eyed Peas promised a party at the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday (February 6), and the pop supernovas definitely delivered, with a performance teeming with lights, dancers and surprise appearances from celebrity pals.

Following a Chatter.com commercial that showed animated versions of the Peas showing off their social-media skills, the group kicked things off with their 2009 smash "I Gotta Feeling," descending from the ceiling on illuminated platforms onto a stage surrounded by a cluster of dancers clad in white bodysuits. The foursome led the team of fist-pumping troops in "Tron"-like getups, with Taboo sporting an outfit covered in flashing lights, will.i.am rocking a shiny hairpiece, Apl.de.ap wearing huge bright studs and Fergie vamping it up in bling-laden shoulder pads.

When the speaker-busting bass of "Boom Boom Pow" dropped, the dancers dispersed across the field to create arrow-shaped formations as the glow-in-the-dark lights on their suits illuminated the stadium. Then rumored surprise guest Slash of Guns N' Roses rose from below the stage for a "Sweet Child O' Mine" duet with Fergie. The GNR great rocked a finger-searing solo in a studded version of his signature black top hat as more angular platforms and dancers moved across the gridiron. The platforms were bearing scores of marching-band musicians who blasted their horns and pounded away on their drums as the Peas went into "Pump It" and blue lights splashed across the production.

Quick streams of fog heralded the arrival of the Peas' second surprise guest, Usher, who swooped in on a long chain to bust out his will.i.am-assisted joint "OMG." Rocking a sparkly collar on an otherwise all-white ensemble, the R&B hitmaker cranked out several counts of energetic choreography, enlivening moves from his "OMG" video and at one point jumping over Will and landing in a split.

A spray of pyro ushered in the collective's breakout 2003 hit "Where Is the Love?" as the oddly shaped platforms spelled out the word "Love" in bright-red letters. The team of dancers, which appeared to have multiplied to over 100, formed hearts across the field as will updated the lyrics of the smash with lines like, "Obama, let's get these educated."

Then the group jumped ahead to their most recent single, 2010's "The Time (Dirty Bit)," as several back up hoofers rocking cubed helmets joined the Peas onstage and dancers lined up along the gridiron to simultaneously bust out the Running Man, a move which drew cheers from the crowd.

The platinum-selling Peas wrapped up the performance with a reprise of "I Gotta Feeling," as the quartet triumphantly signed off amid of blitz of fog, firepower and flashing lights.

Ripping the halftime show was clearly a touching moment for will, who tweeted beforehand, "Me and apl started the peas when we were 16 yesterday we were dreamin now were livin it. Wow. I'm not crying out of sadness or nervousness its joy and pride and memories and the journey."

And once the crew left the stage, the frontman was not only proud, but pumped. "That was so freakin sick," he wrote. "Wow...!!!"

What did you think of the Black Eyed Peas' Super Bowl performance? Let us know in the comments!

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