Hollywood Trial Of The Century: Ovitz Gets Testy
Friday's courtroom action in The Hollywood Trial of the Century saw a cross-examination weary Michael Ovitz get cranky with plaintiff's attorney Steven Schulman. An embattled Ovitz had no choice but to reflexively resort to the kind of Jedi mind tricks that once had made him "the most powerful man in Hollywood" when repeatedly questioned about his sale of a private jet to Disney during his tenure as president. Unforunately for Ovitz, it seems that his mind-clouding powers have been dulled by his years away from the agenting trenches:
"You're taking something that's incredibly simple, and for some reason you seem to be taking us all around in circles," Ovitz said to Schulman. "I do want to be helpful, but I just don't know what you're asking here."
Schulman protested, "You're teaching me, Mr. Ovitz, to be more direct in my questions?"
Ovitz paused on the witness stand before protesting to Schulman: "I'm trying to figure out if this is another one of your trick questions." The terse exchanges continued through the day, where at one point Schulman and Ovitz started talking over each other: "You don't know?" "I answered that question." "You don't know?" "I answered that question." "I'm entitled to an answer, Mr. Ovitz."
Ovitz then further displayed how diminished his mojo has become by inserting his fingers into his ears, humming the theme song to The Love Boat, and refusing to answer any questions that didn't concern what he'd had for breakfast on Friday morning.
