How do tabloids such as TMZ get away with reporting damaging information on celebrities costing reputation?

Political Junkie

Celebrities sue tabloids and tabloid television programs all the time. Sometimes it doesn't work out, though, since most celebrities do things they know they ought not to since they are under a constant microscope.

daramint

I guess that if any celebrity does something inappropriate let's say on the streets or in a restaurant or any other public place and TMZ is not making up any info. then they couldn't get sued.

Songbyrd JPA âœ¡ Jewish Lawyer

This is how. Harvey Levin was a second rate law school professor in the early 80's. Asked to choose show biz or his students, he choose show biz. He also is a total coward during and earthquake. True and true. I was there and I saw it. "Oh my G-d, the building felt like it was going to fall." I smiled as I walked past.

avgjoe

If they are reporting truth in their apparent statement then it is OK but if they are not it sometimes will ruin a celebrity. It is solely up to the celebrity to expose these individuals if they don't and try to further their exposure to further a film or TV show then it is entirely their own problem.

i_amme_ur_not

There have been quite a few cases in which it's been legally decided that since celebrities are in the spotlight, most of their life is fair game.

Dominic

As "public figures" celebrities are held to a different standard in the U.S. (Great Britain has more stringent slander/libel laws).

For example, a radio DJ in Chicago was sued for statements made about a rival DJ and his wife. Although he made similar statements about both he was ordered to pay damages in regards to the wife but not the DJ because the DJ is a "public figure" and is not entitled to the same protections.

It's a rather complicated legal issue when you get into the minutia...its also pretty boring.

Dimunitive Juarez Griffin

As long as it's true, celebrities would lose that lawsuit.

That, or if TMZ believes it's true at the time of the report, and stops reporting it if it is proven false later, then the celebrity would lose the lawsuit then, too.

Slander and Libel require that the plaintiff (celebrity in this case) proves that the defendant (TMZ in this case) KNOWINGLY LIED about the situation. If it is true, or if they thought it was true and stop saying it if proven false, then TMZ is fine under the law.

Kyle

depends on if it is true or not, if it untrue then it slander and defamation of character which a celebrity can be sued, but if a celeb is caught with something or doing something that has sources and facts backing it up then it's fair game

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