Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is so worried a charity ball for disadvantaged children in New Zealand will tarnish his empire's reputation that he has reportedly taken legal steps to axe the event.
The Playboy Ball organizers have been told by lawyers acting for Playboy Enterprises the ball breaches Playboy's trademark by using the word “playboy” and by using “bunny themes”, The Press newspaper reported Saturday.
The ball is a fund-raiser for Koru Care Christchurch, a charitable trust which offers sick and disabled children a trip to Disneyland in Los Angeles.
The legal letter claimed ball organizer Craig Douglas was trading off Playboy's reputation “and is likely to tarnish that reputation”.
Douglas laughed at the suggestion he could be tarnishing the reputation of an empire known for its magazines featuring naked women.
“This event is going to be lavish and exquisite. It's all about class.”
“Apparently, the person who wrote back to us had no authorization to tell us that was OK, but as far as we're concerned, we're covered.”
Speaking of class, prosecutors said Friday that a 63-year-old priest has confessed to phoning in a fake bomb threat to a Madonna concert in the Dutch capital city last week.
“He was hoping to stop her from performing her famous ‘crucifixion’ act,” Amsterdam prosecution spokesman Robert Meulenbroek said, referring to a scene in the 48-year-old pop star's latest show.
The scene, a mock re-enactment of the crucifixion of Christ, offended some Christians during earlier concerts in Italy and Germany. Two Amsterdam concerts went ahead as planned on Sunday and Monday, despite a handful of protesters.
Meulenbroek said it was likely prosecutors would seek a community service punishment for the priest, since it was very likely this was his first such offense.
“Maybe he should have to learn all her lyrics by heart” as punishment, he quipped.
Lindsay Lohan may be in luck. British police said Friday they had recovered a handbag reported to contain US$1 million in jewelry that went missing from the American actress' luggage cart at Heathrow Airport.
It was not immediately clear whether the jewels were still inside.
Back on earth, Brad Pitt, ever the social activist, says he won't be marrying Angelina Jolie until the restrictions on who can marry whom are dropped.
“Angie and I will consider tying the knot when everyone else in the country who wants to be married is legally able,” the 42-year-old actor reveals in Esquire magazine's October issue, on newsstands Sept. 19.
Another celebrity parent, actress Sarah Jessica Parker, once the poster girl for style and single women in New York, says there's something in her life that takes higher priority than the latest designer fashions — her family.
But while New York is abuzz over its annual fashion week, which runs Sept. 8-15 this year, Parker says her family is her top priority and she won't be attending any shows.
“I don't have time. My son starts school this week and I have to take him every day,” Parker said, talking about her 3-year-old son James with actor husband Matthew Broderick.
Though he's one of the most successful pop stars in history, Elton John says he's given up on the idea of making hit records now that he's 59.
“Our day in the sun has gone, as far as radio play goes,” John told an audience Wednesday night. “And we're OK with that.”
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