Lawsuit asks the $63,000 question
Besides allegedly helping herself to first-class airline upgrades, limo rentals, stays at posh hotels and shopping sprees at Prada, Burberry, Gucci and Fred Segal, a former personal assistant to Kate Hudson is accused in court papers of buying Hudson a $351 wedding gift at Tiffany’s--and charging it to the “Almost Famous” star.
According to documents filed with Hudson’s lawsuit against Margaret Miller, the actress, who is married to Black Crowes lead singer Chris Robinson, also paid for a $115 bottle of champagne that Miller gave her as a gift.
Hudson, the 22-year-old daughter of Goldie Hawn, and her company, Birdie Productions Inc., accuse Miller of embezzlement, fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. Hudson seeks unspecified damages and reimbursement of more than $63,000 for 226 “unauthorized” charges Miller allegedly rang up between April last year and March 30, when court papers say she was fired “for cause.” Miller could not be located for comment.
Like many celebrity personal assistants, Miller, who began working for Hudson in July 1999, was given “limited authorization during the term of her employment” to use the star’s credit cards, store accounts and checking accounts. “At no time,” the suit states, was Miller “authorized to incur any charges or issue any payments for her own benefit.”
A 12-page audit attached to the suit indicates that Hudson unwittingly paid for her former assistant’s birthday party, Halloween costume, massages, facials, parking tickets, trips to the car wash and gas station, visits to the doctor and dentist, pet supplies, beauty supplies, haircuts at Jose Eber’s salon and meals at sushi bars.
Other unauthorized perks included a $4,347.50 first-class airline ticket, a $1,483 down comforter, Aspen ski lift passes for Miller and her boyfriend, and $3,163.11 in incidental charges during a stay at New York’s TriBeCa Grand Hotel. Between September and December, Miller went on five shopping trips at Prada, allegedly charging $1,204.83 worth of bags, sweaters and other “personal” items to Hudson, according to the audit.
Miller didn’t always live large. Among the charges in dispute are a $12.95 car wash in Century City while Hudson was in Europe and $171.54 worth of sundries from Rite Aid--including Dove body wash, Trident gum and Evian water.
As for $72.50 worth of vitamins charged in L.A. while Hudson was on tour with her husband, the audit states that Hudson “doesn’t take vitamins.”
It’s so hard to find good help these days.
Bart on Bart
Daily Variety’s editor in chief and former studio honcho Peter Bart seems as infatuated by show biz as he is by the power of the pen, according to a Los Angeles magazine profile by Amy Wallace.
We knew the story was going to be controversial when the magazine’s editor, Kit Rachlis, told us Bart was threatening to sue. (Bart denied it.)
The article, in the September issue, landed on our desk Thursday. It begins: “Peter Bart is on the phone, and he’s threatening to sue. ... “
The colorful Bart (who calls himself “Zelig-like” in the story) appears to have dropped his defenses with the magazine, which followed him over the course of several months.
At one point, in a riff about religion and ethnicity involving his longtime assistant, who is African American, Bart uses derogatory racial language (though not directed at anyone in particular). He is quoted as saying, in part: “You talk to a lot of the better-educated, wealthy black people. You know, they’re not very black. The big distinction is between the people ... who are the ghetto blacks, who can’t even speak, can’t get a job and bury themselves in black-itude--and those people who are better-looking, better educated, smarter and who own the world: the black middle class.”
Bart, who had just read the piece when we reached him by phone, said he didn’t want to comment on that quote. “I don’t take myself as seriously as this article does.” He claimed the 13-page story was “full of misquotes and stuff like that,” but mostly, he carped, “It’s too damn long.”
Revenge of the Nerds?
Director Kevin Smith, a.k.a. Silent Bob, whose films “Clerks,” “Chasing Amy” and “Dogma” are cult favorites among the young and the restless, stayed true to character at the Wednesday premiere of his new film, “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.”
Smith, who has played Silent Bob in his other films too, arrived late for the Westwood screening and darted into the theater, leaving about a dozen waiting print reporters quote-less. (He came back out later and chatted up a few members of the foreign press.)
While co-star Jason Mewes (a.k.a. “Jay”) enriched the red-carpet scene with his purple calf-length fur coat and witty come-ons, the actor’s interview skills were somewhat lacking. When one reporter asked for anecdotes about filming, Mewes responded, “I don’t know. You’re throwing too much at me at once.”
May the force be with you, too.
Chip Off the Old Rock
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, of WWF fame, is passing out cigars again.
Wife Dany Johnson gave birth to 7-pound, 10-ounce Simone Alexandra Johnson on Tuesday in Davie, Fla. The proud dad has nicknamed the baby girl “Pebbles.” She’s the couple’s second daughter.
Hold the Poi
Wolfgang Puck took time out from taping his Food Network show to surprise his wife, Barbara Lazaroff. The chef flew to Hawaii, where Lazaroff was vacationing with family, surprising her with a moonlight party on the beach. Musicians serenaded the couple, and Puck didn’t cook. Instead, he ordered takeout.
Sightings
Nicole Kidman and Aussie pal Naomi Watts downing margaritas at El Dorado in Brentwood after Kidman’s appearance on Jay Leno’s show. ... Robert Downey Jr. breakfasting at Asia De Cuba. ... Also spotted there: Ben and Christine Stiller, celebrating her birthday.
Quote/Unquote
“Some things just don’t develop into friendship,” Gwyneth Paltrow in the September issue of W magazine, explaining why she no longer speaks to ex-boyfriend Brad Pitt.
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Times staff writers Gina Piccalo and Louise Roug contributed to this column. City of Angles runs Tuesday through Friday. E-mail: angles@latimes.com.
