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Because everything at AMI these days is fluffy and wonderful — five magazines on the block, Bonnie Fuller on the contract-renegotiation warpath, layoffs at Star — here's some more good news: actress Reese Witherspoon has filed suit against Star for publishing a "fictional" story claiming she was pregnant. The counsel for Laura Jean Reese Witherspoon (whoa) charges that the mag exploited Reese's squeaky clean persona "in a callous effort to boost the tabloid's sagging sales."

Star staffers "Maggie Harbour" and "Suzy McCoppin" are named as defendants (though the plaintiff admits to being unaware of their real names); the issue in question is the most recent, June 26, and Team Witherspoon takes specific issue with the "super-sized, prominently colored print" claiming that Reese is "Going for Baby No. 3!" The documents then go on to detail a whole slew of falsehoods, right down to whether or not the actress' "loose-fitting, empire-waisted dress" indicates a bun in her oven.

A statement from Witherspoon's lawyers claim the mag was warned before the article was published; now she's seeking general, special, and punitive damages (apparently, there's three kinds!), plus an award of Star's gross revenue from said issue. Which, given the way things are going, probably won't be that much.

Lawsuit available here.

UPDATE: AMI just released a statement from general counsel Mike Kahane:

It is a frivolous lawsuit. It has no legal merit and we intend to vigorously defend it and have every confidence that we will prevail.


Reese Says 'I'm Not Pregnant' — Sues Star [TMZ]