August 13, 1991: Selleck takes on outing, sues the Globe.August 13, 1991: Selleck takes on outing, sues the Globe At the height of the outing scandals of the early 1990s, actor Tom Selleck added fuel to the fire by suing the tabloid the Globe for libel after it reported an activist group's allegation that he was gay. The Advocate reported that Selleck filed the $20-million defamation defamation In law, issuance of false statements about a person that injure his reputation or that deter others from associating with him. Libel and slander are the legal subcategories of defamation. Libel is defamation in print, pictures, or any other visual symbols. lawsuit because the Globe allegedly "made him the subject of hatred, contempt, ridicule, and obloquy." The July 2, 1991, Globe piece reported that the New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. group Outpost had, in a clear parody of Absolut vodka ads, posted posters throughout the city calling Selleck and other celebrities "absolutely queer." The Globe did not independently assert that Selleck was gay. Advocate reporter John Gallagher John Gallagher may be:
n. 1. The main impact or force, as of an attack. 2. The main burden: bore the brunt of the household chores. of any resultant litigation An action brought in court to enforce a particular right. The act or process of bringing a lawsuit in and of itself; a judicial contest; any dispute. When a person begins a civil lawsuit, the person enters into a process called litigation. ." In fact, at the time of the lawsuit, Outpost members were fiercely protecting their own anonymity. "Media law professors said that if the [activists] are identified, they could become targets of defamation lawsuits like Selleck's and be sued for copying the vodka ads and using photos of the celebrities without permission," Gallagher wrote. Several weeks later, Selleck and the Globe settled for a printed apology and an undisclosed amount, widely rumored to be $5. |
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