Judge refuses to stop ‘Pittsburgh’ film

Judge refuses to stop
‘Pittsburgh’ film

PITTSBURGH — A federal judge has denied a request for a temporary restraining order that would have halted further distribution of Jeff Goldblum’s “Pittsburgh” mockumentary. “Pittsburgh” centers on the actor’s appearance in a 2004 Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera production of “The Music Man” at the Benedum Center, where Debbie Sue Croyle worked as a stagehand. Croyle sued producers, directors and a cable channel now airing the film, saying she didn’t sign a release to appear in “Pittsburgh” and was humiliated by a sexual double entendre Goldblum used in her brief scene. Goldblum, 55, wasn’t sued. U.S. District Judge David Cercone denied Croyle’s request for a restraining order because he believes her lawsuit, which he refused to dismiss, is unlikely to succeed. Among the $4 million in damages being sought by Croyle is $1 million for the wrongful commercial use of her likeness. Croyle said she told producers she wouldn’t sign a release to appear in the movie unless they made a monetary donation to a charity. One of the defendants, Prosperity Pictures of Los Angeles, donated $100 to the charity Monday, the same day Croyle’s lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court. Her attorneys argued Wednesday that the donation was too late, but defense attorneys said Croyle never gave producers a deadline for making the donation. Croyle also argued that her reputation will be hurt if “Pittsburgh” continued to air and be sold on DVD. The judge wasn’t swayed by the scene, several seconds long, which was played in court Wednesday. Because the judge refused Croyle’s request for a restraining order, producers don’t have to delete the scene, stop selling DVDs or prevent it from airing on Starz, the Englewood, Colo.-based cable channel now showing “Pittsburgh.”

Kid Rock’s no-shows
prove costly in court

PONTIAC, Mich. — A judge is fed up with Kid Rock for failing to show up for a court-ordered deposition. Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Shalina Kumar on Wednesday threw out a lawsuit the rocker filed this year against Kelly Ann Kozlowski, a Novi woman he said embarrassed and defamed him in a police report. “What’s special about him? Why does he get to violate a court’s order?” Kumar asked Kid Rock’s attorney, William Horton, after learning Kid Rock failed to show up for a deposition that she had ordered to take place by the end of October. Horton said the singer had schedule conflicts and noted he had proposed alternative November dates. Kozlowski has sued Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert James Ritchie, claiming he roughed her up outside his Clarkston recording studio March 8. Her claims were investigated by authorities, but no charges were brought. The judge also entered a default against Kid Rock in Kozlowski’s complaint, which seeks more than $25,000 in damages. The ruling means Kid Rock will be unable to contest Kozlowski’s lawsuit at a Feb. 5 trial. Kozlowski’s attorneys, brothers Drew Norton and Scott Norton, told The Detroit News the decision means liability is not an issue in the case. Barring an appeal, a jury will be asked to determine how much Kozlowski is entitled to in damages.

Today’s birthdays

Actor Clu Gulager is 79. Blues musician Hubert Sumlin is 76. Journalist Elizabeth Drew is 72. Blues musician W.C. Clark is 68. Actor Steve Railsback is 62. Actor David Leisure is 57. Actress Marg Helgenberger is 49. Rock musician Mani is 45. Country singer-musician Keith Burns (Trick Pony) is 44. Former tennis player Zina Garrison is 44. Former baseball player Dwight Gooden is 43. Jazz singer Diana Krall is 43. Actor Harry Lennix is 43. Actress Lisa Bonet is 40. Actress Tammy Lauren is 39. Rhythm-and-blues singer Bryan Abrams (Color Me Badd) is 38. Actress Martha Plimpton is 37. Olympic gold medal figure skater Oksana Baiul is 30. Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal is 30. Pop singer Trevor Penick is 28. Actress Kimberly J. Brown is 23. Actor Noah Gray-Cabey (“My Wife and Kids”) is 11.