Zahn Cites Celeb Status in Lawsuit

AP via NYTimes.com ^ | 7/24/02

[GeneD]

Filed at 1:56 p.m. ET

GREENWICH, Conn. (AP) -- Paula Zahn's lawyer is arguing that the CNN anchor shouldn't have to give a deposition in a lawsuit filed by her landscaper, partly because she's a celebrity.

Memrie Lewis is suing Zahn and her husband, Robert Cohen, for failing to pay in full for extensive landscaping at the couple's Greenwich home, according to documents filed in Stamford Superior Court.

Lewis said the couple has not paid about $108,000 for services rendered. She seeks about $200,000, including interest and compensation.

Nicole Anker, the lawyer representing the couple, filed a motion last week seeking a protective order, arguing that Zahn should not be deposed because she has ``celebrity status'' and is unfamiliar with the landscape work, having delegated it to her husband, the Greenwich Time reported Wednesday.

Anker would not comment on the case when contacted by The Associated Press.

Eric Posmantier, Lewis' attorney, filed a motion Tuesday objecting to Zahn's request for a protective order, arguing that her fame should not prevent her involvement in the deposition.

[Dog Gone]

unfamiliar with the landscape work, having delegated it to her husband.

No question who wears the pants in that household, zipped or otherwise.

[ozzymandus]

Hey, how come her name ain't Cohen like her husband's?

[afraidfortherepublic]

That's a pretty novel legal excuse...

Not so novel -- isn't that real close to the one Clinton used to try to escape giving a deposition in the Paula Jones case?

[skimmilk]

This is ridiculous. How can Zahn use her celebrity status as an excuse? That's so freakin' low.

The stuffed raccoon has a bit more stuffing in the head than I thought.

[Dog Gone]

Reasonably similar. But even Willie only argued that he shouldn't have to do it while he was President. Paula plans on being a celebrity forever.

[RightOnline]

"I'll bet you my house Paula Zahn was all in favor of Bill Clinton being sued while he was a sitting president."

LOL................well, darlin', as a not-so-closeted lib, methinks Ms. Zahn was aghast at the very idea. :)

[NativeNewYorker]

Lots of rich folks make it a point of honor to screw their help.

They also change/add to plans along the way, helter-skelter, and then fight tooth-and-nail against paying for the changes.

I've heard the stories...

[NativeNewYorker]

Hey, how come her name ain't Cohen like her husband's?

1) Arafat wouldn't allow an anchorette named Cohen on his network.

2) She doesn't "look" Jewish.

3) If everyone knew she was married to a multizillionaire real estate developer/landlord, her street cred as a lefty would drop.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

But what if she encounters the germs of a commoner in the court room? Might that not be somewhat traumatic for her?

Quite right. The peasants are revolting!!

[NativeNewYorker]

Legally it is, from the Greewich Times piece:Zahn, who is named in the lawsuit as "P. Ann Cohen,"...

[stromsfriend]

Paula's too busy playing golf in her studio and pauying her hairdresser $300k a year over at CNN to pay some peon for services rendered.

When Paula Zahn left FNC for CNN, FNC Chief Roger Ailes said: "A dead raccoon could get higher ratings." Now, 10 months later, a Fox spokesperson "chortles": "She's doing less than a dead raccoon."

CNN's "American Morning" has an average of 439K viewers while "Fox & Friends" has 714K viewers. From an "insider" on Zahn's show: "Her producers have tried everything -- and everybody -- to get her ratings up." Those appearing on "American Morning" -- Jack Cafferty, Anderson Cooper, Bill Hemmer, Bill Bennett, Arthel Neville, and Leon Harrison. A source "joked": "CNN is checking to see if Larry King can get up that early." But CNN spokesperson Christa Robins says: "We couldn't be happier with Paula Zahn. The rating share is up 200 percent among 18-to-34 year olds, with more than twice as many viewers overall. She's the single highest area of growth on our network." (from: National Journal's Hotline - 7/23/02)

[NativeNewYorker]

She's the single highest area of growth on our network.

[skimmilk]

A graph is worth a million words.

Zahn's the single highest area of growth because all the other shows on CNN suck. She isn't worth all the money CNN shelled to get her on.