Bill Maher touched one of society’s third rails tonight on his HBO show Real Time, taking on the rise of the LGBTQ community in his “New Rules” editorial at the end of the show.
10.05.2022 - 22:43 / deadline.com
Celebrity chef Mario Batali was found not guilty today on a charge of indecent assault and battery stemming from an alleged 2017 groping incident in a Boston bar. It was the first criminal charge for the former The Chew chef amid a number of sexual assault and harassment allegations.
Batali had waved his right to a jury trial in the case, accepting a judge’s decision instead. The judge determined that the celebrity chef’s accuser had credibility issues and found Batali not guilty. According to the New York Times the judge also made clear, however, that “It’s an understatement to say that Mr. Batali did not cover himself in glory on the night in question.”
At the time of the allegations, the celebrity chef apologized saying, “My behavior was wrong and there are no excuses. I take full responsibility.”
Had he been found guilty, Batali faced two and a half years in jail. He also would have had to register as a sex offender.
At least seven women have alleged they were inappropriately touched in public by the chef, causing Batali to lose his television jobs. He was fired from ABC’s The Chew in December 2017 as Hollywood’s sexual harassment and assault scandals exploded and also has seen his Las Vegas restaurants shutter and restaurant group partnerships end.
Batali and his business partner agreed last year to pay $600,000 after an investigation into allegations that he and other staff had sexually-harassed employees.
New and returning series on broadcast, cable and streaming
Series that made it or didn’t make it in 2021-22
Broadcast networks’ fall lineups and schedules
Bill Maher touched one of society’s third rails tonight on his HBO show Real Time, taking on the rise of the LGBTQ community in his “New Rules” editorial at the end of the show.
Sarah Jessica Parker is getting candid about the state of her friendship with Sex and the City co-star Chris Noth — and it sounds like his sexual assault allegations have taken a toll on their bond!
Sarah Jessica Parker has a lot to get off her chest when it comes to the criticism faced as the show evolved from its «relic» origin that is .But while she talks extensively on that topic for 's cover story, the 57-year-old actress struggles to address the wave of sexual assault allegations leveled at Chris Noth that derailed Noth's career and muddied season 1 of the HBO Max reboot.Parker, who in the past has referred to as a «relic,» opens up in 's New York Issue about how the show navigated sex, politics, race and gender. «The burden is not on me because I can't write, but [showrunner] Michael [Patrick King] knew that,» she says.
slapped by Will Smith at the Oscars in March, and Dave Chappelle, who was tackled by a stranger at the Hollywood Bowl earlier this month — comedians across the country say violence from audience members is an increasing problem.Curtis Shaw Flagg, 37, president of The Laugh Factory in Chicago, told The Post he’s seen an alarming uptick in incidents over the past year, as people feel increasingly emboldened to lash out if a comic displeases them.“Not long ago, we had a patron stand up in the middle of a performance and say, ‘I will be outside waiting for you, I’m going to kill you,’” Flagg said. “After the show, we did a sweep of the outside and there was no sign of the guy, and the comic left unharmed. But nobody felt safer.”In recent weeks, the Laugh Factory chain — which has clubs in Hollywood, Las Vegas, Chicago, Reno and Long Beach — has added cameras and metal detectors to its venues, and in some locations, they’ve doubled their security personnel. “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Flagg said.
David Muir is going back to his roots for the most special of reasons! The star was raised in upstate New York's Syracuse area.ALSO: HELLO! launches Jubilee T-shirt collection to celebrate Queen Elizabeth in styleThough his alma mater is the nearby Ithaca College, David no doubt grew up surrounded by Syracuse students, and now as a seasoned journalist and news anchor, he has a special message for them.The reporter had the honor of being Syracuse's class of 2022 commencement speaker at their graduation.WATCH: David and Kelly Ripa's friendshipMORE: David Muir shares heartbreaking Covid story that leaves fans in tearsHe certainly took the position seriously, sharing on Instagram some images from the special occasion ahead of his speech, which was no doubt inspiring. He dressed appropriately for the event, looking dapper in a toga, shiny leather shoes, and slicked back hair.The ABC host endearingly captioned the snap with: "Thank you for inviting me home.
Latto is bringing the energy to the Billboard Music Awards. ET's Cassie DiLaura spoke to the 23-year-old rapper at the 2022 awards show in Las Vegas Sunday about her BBMAs performance and working with Mariah Carey on the remix to her hit track, «Big Energy,» which samples Carey's 1995 hit, «Fantasy.»«It's so emotional,» Latto said of hitting the BBMAs stage for the first time. «I keep telling myself, don't cry.
Amber Tamblyn is celebrating her 39th birthday by fighting for reproductive freedom.
Variety takes a closer look at some of this summer’s most anticipated new and returning premieres. Mark your calendars! “Hacks” (HBO Max)Following an Emmy-winning first season, Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance and Hannah Einbinder’s Ava leave Las Vegas, hitting the road in a tour bus — with new material in the works — when Season 2 kicks off. New additions to the season include guest stars Laurie Metcalf, Ming-Na Wen, Martha Kelly, Margaret Cho, Susie Essman and Devon Sawa.
sexual assault trial in Boston.Nearly five years into the #MeToo era, former prosecutors, legal experts and victims’ advocates say prosecuting sexual misconduct cases has proven to be no easier than before the reckoning that ignited a firestorm of accusations against powerful, seemingly untouchable men.Cases such as Batali's, if nothing else, reinforce how the criminal justice system remains “an extremely imperfect tool” for addressing the needs of survivors, said Emily Martin, a vice president at the National Women’s Law Center, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group.“Failure to get a criminal conviction doesn’t mean that abuse didn’t happen or that it was okay,” she said. “It will often be extremely hard to prove sexual misconduct beyond a reasonable doubt, especially given the gender stereotypes that lead many people to be especially distrusting when women share their experiences of sexual assault.”Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Ian Polumbaum, who helped prosecute Batali, declined to comment specifically about the case Wednesday but said sexual assault cases are among the most challenging to prosecute.“Sexual assault victims are trusted less than nearly every other crime victim,” he said.
2ND UPDATE, May 10: Lauren Pazienza, the woman accused of fatally shoving Broadway vocal coach Barbara Gustern on a New York sidewalk in March, pleaded not guilty to the charges Tuesday and is being held without bail.
Mario Batali has been found not guilty of indecent assault and battery stemming from an alleged 2017 incident.According to multiple reports, the Boston Municipal Court Judge announced his ruling on Tuesday and agreed with the defense team's argument that the accuser had credibility issues. The trial lasted all of two days after Batali on Monday waived his right to a jury trial, meaning his fate was in the hands of the judge.Among the issues that stymied the accuser's credibility is that Batali's lawyer pointed to the accuser's recent admission of trying to avoid jury duty by claiming to be psychic.
CNN, Judge James Stanton described Batali’s actions “not befitting of a public person of his stature” back in 2017, noting the accuser’s “significant credibility issues” that supported the defendant’s “contention that her motive was financial gain.”Natali Tene, the 32-year-old woman who testified yesterday, said Batali’s behavior took place during her attempt to take a selfie at the restaurant in 2017. In her testimony, Tene described what happened, saying she “felt confused and powerless to do anything to stop the celebrity chef.”Anthony Fuller, Batali’s lawyer, said the assault did not happen, and said the accuser has financial incentive to lie about it. Fuller also detailed that the woman seeks more than $50,000 in damages in a separate suit against Batali that’s pending in Suffolk County Superior Court in Boston.Fuller also produced evidence to counter the woman’s claim in the form of receipts from the Boston Eataly, which Batali once owned.
Mario Batali was found not guilty.
Mario Batali was found not guilty of indecent assault and battery on Tuesday, following a swift trial in which the celebrity chef waived his right to have a jury decide his fate.
Elizabeth Wagmeister Senior CorrespondentMario Batali has been cleared of charges that he groped a woman at a Boston bar in 2017, as a judge ruled on Tuesday that the celebrity chef is not guilty of indecent battery and assault.Batali — the famed TV chef and restauranteur behind Eataly, who fell from grace in 2017, following a series of sexual misconduct allegations — was on criminal trial this week in Boston with a woman who was accusing him of forcible kissing and groping. Batali was facing two-and-a-half years in prison, if found guilty.The quick trial spanned two days. Batali waived his right to a trial by jury, and did not take the stand.
NEW YORK -- An author's online essay on why she used plagiarized material in a novel pulled earlier this year has itself been removed after editors found she had again lifted material.Jumi Bello's “I Plagiarized Parts of My Debut Novel. Here’s Why" appeared just briefly Monday on https://lithub.com.
The AP‘s report, the 32-year-old testified that she “felt confused and powerless to do anything to stop the celebrity chef.”“This happened to me and this is my life,” the woman added during questioning by prosecutors. “I want to be able to take control of what happened, come forward, say my piece and have everyone be accountable for their actions.”The woman also mentioned other women who stepped forward to voice similar experiences with Batali, saying she felt embarrassed by what happened until she heard their stories.Anthony Fuller, Batali’s lawyer, said the assault did not happen, and said the accuser has financial incentive to lie about it.
Celebrity chef Mario Batali's accuser testified Monday in the sexual misconduct trial. The trial began in Boston on Monday after Batali waived his right to a jury trial. A judge will decide the chef's fate at the conclusion of the trial.
Celebrity chef Mario Batali has waived his right to a jury trial and is opting to have a judge decide his fate in his sexual misconduct trial in Boston. Batali confirmed the decision to Boston Municipal Court Judge James Stanton as the trial opened Monday morning. Batali pleaded not guilty to a charge of indecent assault and battery in 2019, stemming from accusations that he forcibly kissed and groped a woman after taking a selfie with her at a Boston restaurant in 2017.The woman says Batali noticed her photographing him and invited her to take one together, then touched and kissed her repeatedly without her consent.