Judge Threatens to Jail Zsa Zsa, Slaps Her With 60 More Hours of Duty

Just when you thought it was safe to return to Beverly Hills Municipal Court, a simple hearing Tuesday over whether celebrity cop-slapper Zsa Zsa Gabor had indeed given 120 hours of community service escalated into a four-hour judicial extravaganza--broadcast live and in color.

And when it was over, the man Gabor calls “that nasty judge” had branded her an opportunist, slapped her with 60 additional hours of community service for probation violation and threatened to send her to jail if she didn’t cooperate.

As always, however, the loquacious Hungarian actress had the last word.

“I’m so damn famous it’s sickening,” she said, sweeping out of the courtroom on the arm of her husband, the Prince von Anhalt, in a waft of Van Cleef & Arpels perfume. Her remark was in response to the judge calling her a publicity hound.

Gabor, who would prefer to see herself as a wronged heroine, vowed to press on with her work for the homeless.

“I don’t need his telling me what to do,” she said of Municipal Judge Charles Rubin.

Rubin had sentenced Gabor last October to three days in jail and a psychiatric evaluation--as well as nearly $13,000 in fines and fees and 120 days of community service--after a jury convicted her of striking a police officer who had stopped her Rolls-Royce for having expired tags. Her attorney, Harrison Bull, has filed an appeal.

Meanwhile, Gabor donated time to the Low Income Elderly United Community Assistance Program (LIEU-CAP), a Westside shelter for homeless women for which she is scheduled to hold a celebrity fund-raiser next month.

She found an unlikely ally in the program’s feisty founder, Vera Davis McClendon, who testified Tuesday that Gabor had actually served 138 hours of community service--answering telephones, visiting with the women and children, serving food, making public appearances to benefit the center, planning the fund-raiser and even personally arranging shelter for a mother and child.

Saying that the publicity garnered by Gabor greatly benefited the center economically, Davis (who prefers that designation) described her as “not an ordinary person” but “the most high-caliber person we’ve ever had.”

“Are you referring to her notoriety?” asked Deputy Dist. Atty. Elden Fox.

“To her status as a celebrity,” answered Davis.

Davis could only document 34 1/2 hours actually spent by Gabor at the shelter, but said she credited the talk-show star with “preparation time” spent on travel or makeup.

Gabor’s attorney called several other witnesses who testified about her efforts to help the financially strapped center.

The hearing attracted a large audience of Gabor followers, the idly curious, paparazzi and reporters. An all-news network televised portions of the event live. At times, it took on the appearance of theater, with the audience applauding testimony favorable to Gabor.

Gabor kept quiet through most of the hearing. She sat with her back to the judge. She wore gold eye shadow, false eyelashes, and a suede riding jacket over a leopard-print Dior blouse and an Anne Klein sarong. Her silver-blonde hair was tied back with a bow and accented by large diamond earrings.

The judge called witnesses of his own to assess Gabor’s performance. In addition to Davis, the judge called two employees of the Volunteer Center of West Los Angeles, which placed her at the shelter. One of them testified that she had explained to Davis that Gabor was to do office work and “specifically no fund raising.”

In the end, Judge Rubin found that the former Miss Hungary had violated conditions of her probation. He said that Davis had been blinded by her dazzle.

“Miss Gabor led her down the primrose path and that’s unfortunate,” he said.

Instead of sanctions, however, he said he would credit Gabor with 34 1/2 hours of community service--”some of which I have gross doubts about”--require her to serve the remaining 85 1/2 hours, and add another 60 hours. She must serve all remaining 145 1/2 hours before Sept. 28.

This time, Davis ordered, Gabor must be monitored by the volunteer agency responsible for placing her to ensure that she is physically present at her community service assignment. No fund raising will be permitted, he said, although it is unclear whether she will have to cancel her scheduled benefit for the homeless shelter.

Any violations will result in her going to county jail, he warned.

Outside the courtroom, asked about her readiness to go to the women’s facility, Sybil Brand Institute for Women, Gabor flashed a smile.

“Sybil Brand (the still-active philanthropist for whom the jail is named) is a good friend of mine,” she said, not missing a beat. “I’m having dinner with her tomorrow night.”