Comments on: Kate Hudson Wins Libel Award After Being Called Skinny

By: McGehee

McGehee — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 21:11:13 +0000

I dunno. '92 and '96 aren't that recent.

By: Anderson

Anderson — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 19:49:49 +0000

And to belabor the cliche mill once again, sheâ??s talking softly, but showing she knows how to use a big stick.

Kate in 2008!

"We've Done Worse. In the Recent Past, No Less" could be one slogan.

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 19:09:41 +0000

There's also the potential for damage to her professional reputation. Eating disorders imply a certain lack of control, something producers and directors don't want to have to deal with, if they can avoid it. A claim floating about that she was "difficult" could gravely influence casting decisions. Perhaps she's persuing a "broken windows" campaign against scurrilous rumor-mongering. Let them get away with the piddly stuff and they'll move right into the heavier slurs. And to belabor the cliche mill once again, she's talking softly, but showing she knows how to use a big stick.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 18:55:29 +0000

Anderson: Yeah, fair point on settlement vs award. And true on the drug thing. One would just think that kind of crap is so par for the course for celebrities that she wouldn't have bothered.

By: Anderson

Anderson — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 18:39:45 +0000

JJ, it appears that the tabloid settled out of court--the expression "libel damages" may've misled you, but the article says that the paper agreed to pay an undisclosed amount & print an apology, not that a court ordered same. Not sure if that makes any difference to your analysis. I think Hudson has sufficient reason to oppose any efforts to depict her as anorexic or whatever, particularly since such claims are often associated with drug use (cf. Lindsay Lohan). FTR, Hudson is definitely on my laminated list, whatever her weight.