Archive for the 'Reality TV' Category

Hulk Bodyslams Alimony & Custody Claims

Saturday, December 1st, 2007

When it comes to the terms of his divorce from wife Linda Bollea, Hulk Hogan is more than convinced he knows best.

The wrestler, whose real name is Terry Bollea, has filed a counterpetition to his wife’s divorce suit. In his filing, the Hulkster contests his missus’ call for unspecified alimony and child support, as well as her bid for primary custody of the duo’s speed-demon son, Nick, claiming the 17-year-old should be able to decide for himself with which parent he wishes to reside.

The Hogan Knows Best stars, who have been married for 24 years, also have a daughter, aspiring pop star Brooke, but she’s 19 and not subject to custody arrangements.

In his filing, the 54-year-old mustachioed patriarch left no point undisputed, even questioning the marriage date Linda listed on her divorce petition, filed last week. While she jotted down Dec. 12, 1983 as the big day, the semiretired WWE icon claimed it was actually Dec. 18. Public records back up his timeline.

One thing there doesn’t seem to be much disagreement on is when things went sour for the duo. Per court documents, they separated in September, a month after their son’s car crash left his passenger, Iraq veteran John Graziano, hospitalized in a coma.

In her petition, Linda sought legal custody of Nick until his 18th birthday next July, although she said she was open to “liberal visitation” for the grappler.

In his reply, Terry countered that “it would be in the best interest for the parties to have shared parental responsibility.”

Linda, 48, has also requested half of the couple’s shared assets, which include more than $9.5 million in real-estate holdings, as well as unspecified amounts of alimony and child support. She also wants him to cover all her legal expenses. Hulk, meanwhile, said in his filing that Linda was more than capable of supporting herself and helping to support their son.

He did, however, indicate he would continue to provide health insurance for the family.

As for Linda’s claim to half the couple’s assets, Hulk’s petition mentions “numerous liabilities, contingent liabilities, obligations and debts which must be resolved as part of any equitable distribution that may be accomplished by the court.”

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Dog the Bounty Hunter show suspended

Saturday, November 3rd, 2007

A reality TV show starring celebrity bounty hunter Duane “Dog” Chapman was pulled from the air indefinitely on Friday, two days after a private phone conversation in which he used a racial slur was posted online. Cable channel A&E suspended production of the fifth series of Chapman’s popular show, “Dog the Bounty Hunter,” as the phone call was made public on Wednesday, but on Friday the network went a step further.

“In evaluating the circumstances of the last few days, A&E has decided to take ‘Dog The Bounty Hunter’ off the network’s schedule for the foreseeable future,” an A&E spokesman said.

“We hope that Mr. Chapman continues the healing process that he has begun.”

He said no decision had been made to cancel the program, which is shown in more than 10 countries, and the network will review the situation again in a couple of weeks.

Honolulu-based Chapman, 54, who says he is a devout Christian, has apologized for using the epithet “n—–” to describe a black woman being dated by his son, Tucker, and vowed to do whatever he can to repair the damage.

Chapman’s lawyer was quoted in various media reports on Friday as saying that the conversation posted on The National Enquirer tabloid’s Web site had been leaked by Tucker Chapman — one of the crime-fighter’s 12 children.

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