Actor-comedian Orson Bean, 91, hit and killed by car in LA

A man was walking in the Venice neighborhood when he was clipped by a vehicle and fell, Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Brian Wendling initially told local stations. A second driver then struck him in what police say was the fatal collision. Both drivers remained on the scene. Police were investigating and didn't identify the pedestrian to local outlets, which named Bean based on eyewitness accounts.

Bean's style appealed to both Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, and he appeared on "The Tonight Show" more than 200 times.

But his early career was hobbled for a time when he found himself on the Hollywood blacklist in the early years of the Cold War.

"Basically I was blacklisted because I had a cute communist girlfriend," he explained in a 2001 interview. "I stopped working on TV for a year."

Meanwhile, his politics turned more conservative. He became related to a leading right-wing commentator, Andrew Breitbart, when his daughter, Susannah, married him. Breitbart died in 2012 and Steve Bannon, later a top adviser to Donald Trump, took over Breitbart’s eponymous website, for which Bean had penned occasional columns.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/actor-comedian-orson-bean-91-114135652.html

CPL is usually all kinds of loud, why the sudden wavering of his "Innocence?" Not sure what they really have on you eh little Mikey?

Michael Avenatti still not sure if he’ll take the stand, lawyer says

Michael Avenatti is still weighing whether or not to take the stand in his own defense, his lawyer revealed Friday.

The comments came as testimony wound down for the week in his Manhattan federal court trial for allegedly attempting blackmail Nike out of more than $20 million.

Yet defense attorney Scott Srebnick hinted that Avenatti would only seriously consider testifying if prosecutors were barred from cross examining him on his other alleged crimes — including allegedly fleecing porn star Stormy Daniels out of $300,000.

Srebnick told Judge Paul Gardephe that the decision would impact “the advice we’re going to give Mr. Avenatti about whether he should exercise his right to testify.”

Gardephe has not yet ruled on the request.

https://nypost.com/2020/02/07/michael-avenatti-still-not-sure-if-hell-take-the-stand-lawyer-says/

France's ice skating chief resigns over sex abuse scandal

Paris (AFP) - The under-fire president of France's ice skating federation Didier Gailhaguet resigned on Saturday over a damaging sex abuse scandal engulfing his sport.

"In the spirit of conciliation I took the sensible decision to resign with philosophy, dignity but no bitterness," the 66-year-old announced after a meeting of the federation's federal council in Paris.

His resignation after nearly two decades in charge comes as French ice skating reels from claims of rape against a former national coach, Gilles Beyer.

In an autobiography published on January 30, former world championship bronze medallist Sarah Abitbol accused Beyer of raping her several times from 1990 to 1992 when she was between the ages of 15 and 17.

That bombshell claim led to further accusations of assault.

Skater Helene Godard, accused Beyer, 62, and another coach Jean-Roland Racle of sexual abuse when she was a minor.

And sports daily L'Equipe reported that the mother of another young skater claimed that Beyer sexually harassed and blackmailed her in 2017 and 2018 in return for coaching her daughter.

Gailhaguet had initially refused calls from Sports Minister Roxana Maracineanu to move aside, telling a news conference on Wednesday that he had "absolutely not protected Gilles Beyer".

"I found out about 90 percent of these incidents in the press and in a book… 10 days ago," he said.

In his resignation address to reporters he denounced "the ministerial dictatorship and in particular the shameful threat of withdrawing support" from the federation made by Maracineanu.

On Thursday the lawyer representing Beyer told AFP that his client was prepared to talk to prosecutors investigating claims of sexual abuse of minors in figure skating.

"Gilles Beyer has been placed on the chopping block for days by the media but he will save any comment for the prosecutors," Thibault de Montbrial said.

Under Gailhaguet's watch, Beyer, already Abitbol's coach, took over as manager of the French national team.

There were previous complaints of inappropriate behaviour, and in 2000 an inquiry led the then sports ministry to remove Beyer from his technical role at the federation, but he remained a coach at one of France's top skating clubs.

Beyer held an executive position at the federation until 2018.

Gailhaguet's lengthy time at the helm of French ice skating which began in 1998 was interrupted by a three-year international ban following the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics cheating affair.

And in 2004 he was forced to stand down as federation boss over a critical auditor's report, only to be reinstated as FFSG chief in 2007.

Maryvonne Del Torchio, who heads the federation's council, will take over as president in a caretaker capacity.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/frances-ice-skating-chief-resigns-over-sex-abuse-130954285–spt.html

Huff and Puff actually took the time to write this? Nah, Pedowood will have far LESS paparazzi than Canada. Facepalm.

Harry And Meghan Are Reportedly Moving To LA, But Will That Solve Their Privacy Problem

Since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they were stepping back as working members of the royal family, people have speculated as to where they would live.

While Madonna is busy offering up her NYC home to Meghan and Harry ― and Caitlyn Jenner said last week that she heard the couple is looking at homes in Malibu ― People magazine is reporting that they are making the jump from Canada to Los Angeles for the summer, citing anonymous sources close to the Sussexes.

Meghan was born in LA, and her mother, Doria Ragland, also lives there. But as Meghan and Harry try to preserve their privacy, is the home of Hollywood and all things celebrity the right place for them?

https://www.yahoo.com/huffpost/meghan-markle-prince-harry-los-angeles-130000153.html

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Senate exemplifies trend of sticking with 'one's own home crowd'

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg pointed on Friday to the US Senate, fresh off a near party-line acquittal vote to conclude the impeachment trial this week, as an example of the dangers of partisan polarization.

Asked about modern challenges facing the rule of law, Ginsburg cited "a loss of the willingness to listen to people with views other than one's own. And that is facilitated by electronic means, to associate with only one's – you could call it one's own home crowd, and to tune out other voices."

"I can give an example of our own legislature: The US Senate was once a model of civility and good fellowship, readiness to compromise for the good of the public," Ginsburg continued. "Today it's divided sharply, but when I remember back to how it once was, I am hopeful."

Ginsburg's remarks come following the Senate's dramatic resolution to the weeks-long impeachment trial with a vote to acquit President Donald Trump largely along party lines, save for Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah breaking ranks on one of the two articles. The famously progressive justice made the comments after receiving the World Peace & Liberty Award from the World Jurist Association and the World Law Foundation on Friday, one in a bevy of recent and upcoming public appearances.

Ginsburg also pointed to "the problems of indifference, of tribal-like loyalties, lack of observance of the golden rule, 'Do unto others,' " and intolerance in modern society. But she said she took heart in remembering the "true bipartisanship spirit prevailing in our Congress" during her own confirmation hearings after President Bill Clinton nominated her in 1993.

"So I am hopeful that people of goodwill in both of our parties will say, 'We have had enough of dysfunction. Let's work together for the good of all of the people who compose the nation,'" she added.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/07/politics/ruth-bader-ginsburg-senate-partisan-polarization/index.html