There's nothing like a health spa development scheme gone bad between a former sitcom star and some dude.
In this case – and feel free to put case in quotes if you like – the former sitcom star is Rue McClanahan of The Golden Girls fame and the some dude is Dirk Summers, the latter of whom claims to have been in a romantic relationship with McClanahan from 1980 to 1997 and is now demanding $3.7 million in punitive damages in California Superior Court over perceived "slander," "malicious conduct," "libel," "loss of reputation," and other calamitous piercings of the soul's honor and the like.
The facts of the case have the distinction of being both muddled and thin, perfect for the Hollywood climes from which they sprung. Whatever golden age that there was for the couple seems to have gone sour over plans to create and develop something called the Elan Vital Wellness and Longevity Centre (there is no indication that the name of the project will be optioned to a B grade science fiction film).
To boil things down: Summers (no relation to Buffy) claims that McClanahan was supposed to cough up $10 million so that they could borrow another $40 million against it to get the epic experiment in Wellness rolling. Somewhere down the line, McClanahan got the impression that Summers forged her name on escrow and bank documents and subsequently stole $200,000 from her. That's where the allegations of libel, slander, defamation, and free-ranging reputation hackery supposedly come in.
Without any response to the original lawsuit from McClanahan, the trial court awarded Summers $3.7 million based on Summers' version of the story. The appellate court set it aside because she wasn't served properly. So now the ride round the legal merry-go-round begins yet again, this time with the opportunity to hear McClanahan's side of the story.
.jpg?t=20130517094513)
Article comments
1 - Sheila Wymer
I know we've came a long way but not to the four-letter word s---. I mean really. Did she actually call herself that? That's as bad as the c--- word. You sure don't pick up a newspaper and read words like that do you? I don't know because I don't read them, the Internet is my news source. This just reminds me of how bad it is for kids to be surfing the net. There's way too much out there and we need some kind of monitoring, or ratings... something. Sheila Wymer
2 - Eric Berlin
I believe she was well regarded as the character on the show who was less than chaste.
3 - Virginia Dare
I used to love the Golden Girls, but I have to ask...how old is Rue nowadays?
4 - Geena
I think rue is the most awesomest person in the entire world besides beatrice arthur, betty white, and eselle getty
i am only 11 years old and i have 6 seasons of the golden girls i have watched it for 4 years and i have and autographed picture of all 4 of them they are the kindess people in the entire world and someday i wish i could meet all of them
5 - Eric Berlin
Glad you enjoy it Geena!
6 - Dot
My husband and I are retired and in our very late 70's. We have a date every day to watch the reruns of Golden Girls and never tire of them.
Thank you ladies for the years of pleasure you have given us.
Dot Ward
7 - sasha
I love ya rue/blanche, and have seen lots of eps of the show the golden girls. You are my mentor rue, cos ur like totally kewl. I hope when im ur age i look as good as u do...go gal, ur tha best!!! and to all the ppl who saying being a s..t is wrong..tai hell with ya's, ya'll prob like jelous or sumthing coz ya's get none!! lol
8 - kate
you have no morels sasha, grow up and take a reality check!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
9 - kate
i disagree sash*. OMG!!!
10 - Mel
I pretty sure Blanche was referred regularly on the show as been a s***. Back to show,enjoyed it as a kid and now its one of the few shows that makes me laugh out loud. Agree with your comparison to SATC. Sorry to hear Estelle Getty passed away last week, she was priceless.