The Anthony Pellicano Trial Of The Century: Ovitz's Cheesy Threats
We're a little tired of waiting for the Anthony Pellicano Wiretapping Trial of the Century to yield some of the Hollywood-players-frog -marching-out-of-Kate-Mantilini's excitement we've been anticipating for months to finally materialize. Today, at least, we're tossed a proverbial bone as the NY Times reports that prosecutors are poking around an old dispute between Michael Ovitz, the former Most Powerful Man in Hollywood (and current Most Powerful Man in Line At Starbucks, If He Avoids The One In Brentwood), and Cathy Schulman, a producer who once worked for Ovitz at the now-defunct AMG:
According to a lawyer involved in the case, Ms. Schulman told F.B.I. agents in an interview in June 2004 of conversations in which Mr. Ovitz recounted to her details of her private discussions with major Hollywood figures as soon as a day after they had occurred, and told her that he had sources who could provide him with such information.
The lawyer said Ms. Schulman told investigators that on Dec. 1, 2001, she had met secretly with Ron Meyer, the head of Universal Studios, to discuss issues involving a joint venture partner, Studio Canal, and Artists Management.The next day, Ms. Schulman told the F.B.I., Mr. Ovitz confronted her about the meeting. Ms. Schulman asked how he knew about it, to which Mr. Ovitz responded: "I have eyes and ears everywhere. There's nothing you can do that I won't find out about."
An AMG lawyer blamed the information leaks on a gossipy secretary, denying any shady Pellicano involvement. But Schulman became suspicious that some kind of surveillance was being conducted when Ovitz, rather than leaving his bold, if cheesy, attempt at intimidation well enough alone, added, "What, no courtesy flush this morning, Cathy? I expect better from a classy lady like you."
