Latest news with #HappyGilmore2
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ex-WWE Employee Who Accused Vince McMahon of Sexual Abuse Reaches Settlement With Former Exec John Laurinaitis
A former employee of WWE who sued the company, ex-CEO Vince McMahon and former senior exec John Laurinaitis — alleging she was subjected to sexual abuse and trafficking at the hands of the two men — reached a settlement with Laurinaitis and dismissed her claims against him. The notice of Grant's dismissal of claims against Laurinaitis, filed Wednesday, is available at this link. More from Variety AEW Commentator Jim Ross Announces Colon Cancer Diagnosis: 'I Appreciate Your Concern and Support' CW Boss on NXT's Move to the Broadcast Network: 'It's Been an Absolute Game Changer' Becky Lynch on Filming 'Star Trek', Meeting Adam Sandler On 'Happy Gilmore 2' and Feud With Lyra Valkyria: 'It's Insane How Much I've Been Wronged' In a joint statement Wednesday, representatives for Grant and Laurinaitis, former head of talent relations for WWE, said: 'John Laurinaitis has agreed to cooperate and provide evidence in Janel Grant's lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE. His agreement to a confidential settlement is a pivotal next step toward holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking. Mr. Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life. We cannot provide any additional details at this time.' Representatives for McMahon, WWE and TKO Group (parent of WWE) did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In January 2024, Grant's attorney's filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut naming McMahon, WWE and Laurinaitis as defendants. According to Grant's lawsuit, McMahon and Laurinaitis — on WWE property and using company funds — both engaged in sexual assault and trafficking of Grant 'both for their own pleasure and as a pawn to secure talent deals with prospective wrestlers they were recruiting.' McMahon 'repeatedly used sex toys named after other WWE employees, wrestlers and performers to sexually groom Ms. Grant for trafficking to those same people,' according the lawsuit. In a statement in January 2024, McMahon said in part that 'Ms. Grant's lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth. I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.' In April 2022, the WWE board announced an investigation into allegations of misconduct by McMahon and Laurinaitis. In August 2022, Laurinaitis' employment with WWE was terminated. McMahon stepped down as CEO amid the WWE probe. In January 2023 he returned to WWE as executive chairman to lead efforts to sell the company, which later that year merged with UFC to form TKO Group. TKO Group is majority-owned by the now privately held Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. (parent of WME Group). McMahon in January 2024 resigned from the board of TKO Group in the wake of Grant's lawsuit. Best of Variety 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ex-WWE Employee Who Accused Vince McMahon of Sexual Abuse Reaches Settlement With Former Exec John Laurinaitis
A former employee of WWE who sued the company, ex-CEO Vince McMahon and former senior exec John Laurinaitis — alleging she was subjected to sexual abuse and trafficking at the hands of the two men — reached a settlement with Laurinaitis and dismissed her claims against him. The notice of Grant's dismissal of claims against Laurinaitis, filed Wednesday, is available at this link. More from Variety AEW Commentator Jim Ross Announces Colon Cancer Diagnosis: 'I Appreciate Your Concern and Support' CW Boss on NXT's Move to the Broadcast Network: 'It's Been an Absolute Game Changer' Becky Lynch on Filming 'Star Trek', Meeting Adam Sandler On 'Happy Gilmore 2' and Feud With Lyra Valkyria: 'It's Insane How Much I've Been Wronged' In a joint statement Wednesday, representatives for Grant and Laurinaitis, former head of talent relations for WWE, said: 'John Laurinaitis has agreed to cooperate and provide evidence in Janel Grant's lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE. His agreement to a confidential settlement is a pivotal next step toward holding McMahon and WWE accountable and bringing justice to Ms. Grant after years of sexual abuse and trafficking. Mr. Laurinaitis looks forward to moving on with his life. We cannot provide any additional details at this time.' Representatives for McMahon, WWE and TKO Group (parent of WWE) did not immediately respond to requests for comment. In January 2024, Grant's attorney's filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut naming McMahon, WWE and Laurinaitis as defendants. According to Grant's lawsuit, McMahon and Laurinaitis — on WWE property and using company funds — both engaged in sexual assault and trafficking of Grant 'both for their own pleasure and as a pawn to secure talent deals with prospective wrestlers they were recruiting.' McMahon 'repeatedly used sex toys named after other WWE employees, wrestlers and performers to sexually groom Ms. Grant for trafficking to those same people,' according the lawsuit. In a statement in January 2024, McMahon said in part that 'Ms. Grant's lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and is a vindictive distortion of the truth. I intend to vigorously defend myself against these baseless accusations, and look forward to clearing my name.' In April 2022, the WWE board announced an investigation into allegations of misconduct by McMahon and Laurinaitis. In August 2022, Laurinaitis' employment with WWE was terminated. McMahon stepped down as CEO amid the WWE probe. In January 2023 he returned to WWE as executive chairman to lead efforts to sell the company, which later that year merged with UFC to form TKO Group. TKO Group is majority-owned by the now privately held Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. (parent of WME Group). McMahon in January 2024 resigned from the board of TKO Group in the wake of Grant's lawsuit. Best of Variety 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Christopher McDonald Praises Adam Sandler Amid 'Happy Gilmore 2' Comeback
If any actor checks in at No. 2 behind Adam Sandler for the tremendous success the original Happy Gilmore movie had, it's Christopher McDonald, aka Shooter McGavin. You'd be hard-pressed to find any fan of the movie who didn't either love or love to hate McDonald in the original 1996 film. McGavin was Gilmore's rival in the movie, and the two played off each other incredibly from start to finish. Now, McDonald will return for another round, joining Happy Gilmore 2, and it's safe to assume that every fan of the original hopes to see the iconic "Shooter McGavin" celebration. McDonald recently spoke with People about his return for the sequel, and had some specific praise for Sandler. While the longtime actor said he couldn't reveal any plot details, stating he "signed an NDA," he admitted he was "over the moon" about being asked to join Happy Gilmore 2. The 70-year-old actor has never shied away from joking with fans and playing up his "Shooter McGavin" role in real life. McDonald even got a gold jacket at the PGA's Waste Management event in February and celebrated with fans by pulling out his iconic celebration. This goes perfectly with McDonald telling People that he's "been an ambassador for this movie for so long, 29 years later." While he held off on giving away spoilers, McDonald did tip his cap to Sandler and Netflix, stating that "they've outdone themselves" with the movie. '[Happy Gilmore 2 is] about family and friends and love and basically a lot of heart, which I love about Adam Sandler's movies,' McDonald said. 'What I love about Adam Sandler is his heart. He's got so much love for people... And he's done some amazing work in the last few years. So I'm very happy for him.' It's hard to find anything much better than McDonald returning to reprise his role as McGavin, but hearing the actor's high praise for Sandler almost 30 years after their beloved on-screen rivalry is special.
News18
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Rapper Kid Cudi To Testify At Sean ‘Diddy' Comb's Hearing, Details Here
Last Updated: In her lawsuit, Cassie Ventura claimed that Sean Diddy Combs wanted to blow up Kid Cudi's car out of anger. Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Kid Cudi are all set to come face-to-face, not for a musical battle but the ongoing legal trial against the Bad Boy Records founder. Kid Cudi, who will be giving a testimony in the ongoing sex trafficking case against Diddy, is expected to take the stand in the lower Manhattan courtroom on Thursday. The update came after the Wednesday hearing when the jury informed the judges and the defence team about the Man on the Moon rap star's absence in the court, with the feds unveiling that Cudi would be in the witness box on Thursday. Kid Cudi's appearance comes days after his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, during her week-long testimony delved into the details of their brief romantic relationship. She also touched upon the allegations about Combs blowing up Cudi's car in the past. It is yet to be seen how Kid Cudi's testimony sheds more light on the investigation in connection with Ventura's claims and charges against Diddy's involvement in racketeering and sex trafficking. Cassie Ventura's Lawsuit – Diddy And Kid Cudi During her testimony, Ventura revealed that Sean 'Diddy' Combs wanted to blow up Kid Cudi's car, forcing her to break up with the Happy Gilmore 2 star. She also testified to meeting with Diddy and Cudi in Los Angeles to discuss the end of their relationship. Ventura's lawsuit came with more shocking details, revealing how Diddy discovered her relationship with Cudi during a freak-off, prompting him to lunge at her with a corkscrew, as per Forbes. While Ventura managed to escape and flee to Cudi's home, she was threatened by Diddy's staff to come back. She was later subjected to physical assault upon attempting to run out of the house. It was during the Paris Fashion Week in February 2012 when Diddy admitted that he wanted to blow up Kid Cudi's car. The explosion did happen, leaving Ventura 'terrified and in disbelief." Cudi, whose real name is Scott Mescudi, won two Grammy Awards for his collaborative songs with Kanye West and Rihanna. His Man on the Moon album trilogy was also a big hit. Cudi has also appeared in several films, including Crisis and X. Sean Diddy Combs is currently charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy; two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution amid a number of other lawsuits. The trial began on May 5. First Published:
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kid Cudi To Testify Thursday In Sean 'Diddy' Combs' Sex-Trafficking Trial About Threats Against Him & Cassie Ventura
It's not exactly the rap battle anyone ever likely envisioned, but May 22 will see Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Kid Cudi going head-to-head as the Happy Gilmore 2 star gives testimony in the Bad Boy Records founder's sex-trafficking trial. Kid Cudi (a.k.a. Scott Mescudi) will take the stand in Judge Arun Subramanian's lower Manhattan courtroom on Thursday, prosecutors confirmed today. More from Deadline Violent & Jealous Sean 'Diddy' Combs Demanded $20K 'Recoup', Cassie Ventura's Mother Testifies In Sex-Trafficking Trial; Family Had To Take Out Home Loan To Pay Multi-Millionaire Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds "Disingenuous Charade": Blake Lively Mocks Justin Baldoni's Long Delayed HR Probe Of Her Sexual Harassment Claims Starting off Wednesday's hearing before the jury was in the room by informing the judge and defense team that the 'Man on the Moon' rap star would not be testifying today, the feds unveiled at the end of the day, after the jurors had exited, that Kid Cudi would now be in the witness box on Thursday. According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey (Yes, as we've noted before, daughter of former FBI Director, U.S. Attorney and Trump foe James Comey), the feds expect Kid Cudi to be a brief witness. Along with the Grammy winner, the prosecution intends to call a total of five witnesses on Thursday – all to be dealt with quite quickly, they insist. RELATED: Joining the likes of Cassie Ventura, a couple of male escorts who were paid to have filmed sex with Ventura in the much-discussed 'freak-offs,' Ventura's mother and some law enforcement officials, Mescudi will be the 13th witness for the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York in Combs' criminal case. Like every day of the trial, jury selection and pre-trial hearings, Combs was in court today, and will be tomorrow. Predicted to last eight weeks, the criminal trial of the much-accused Diddy follows his arrest last September on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking, transportation to engage in prostitution and more. Incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest, after a trio of failed $50 million bail attempts, Diddy has always insisted he is innocent. He has taken the same position in the dozens of civil suits of abuse and assault that have been filed in the court dockets over the past several months. Rejecting a plea deal from the government, Combs could face life behind bars if found guilty in this criminal trial. RELATED: From the moment Cassie Ventura filed her very quickly settled ($20 million) abuse and assault suit against ex-boyfriend Combs in late 2023, the name of Kid Cudi has been connected to the self-described 'toxic relationship' between the 'Me & U' singer and the 'All About the Benjamins' performer. As various filings, plus testimony from Ventura and her mother have stated, the singer and Mescudi had a short romantic relationship in 2012. Along with various threats against the duo, a jealous Combs promised to blow up Kid Cudi's car in his own driveway to keep him away from Ventura. As Ventura's 2023 filing bluntly said: 'Around that time, Kid Cudi's car exploded in his driveway.' At the time, reps for Kid Cudi confirmed the car destruction from a decade before. Cudi will testify right after the jury has heard more from former Diddy executive assistant George Kaplan. In court Wednesday under the duress of a subpoena, like fellow Combs ex-EA David James who testified earlier this week, Kaplan entered the witness box around 11:45 a.m. PT. Detailing his gofer duties today to the court, Kaplan is known to have left Combs' employ after a year, in some part due to the violence he is said to have seen. Before Kaplan, this third day of the second week of Combs' May 12-starting trial heard testimony from psychologist Dawn Hughes and Homeland Security Investigations special agent Gerard Gannon. The latter was involved in the raid on Combs' Miami residence in the spring of 2024. Along with the Combs' trial, Kid Cudi will be back in lower Manhattan next month in a completely unrelated manner. Co-starring Kiernan Shipka, Brittany Snow, Haley Joel Osment, Cary Elwes and Brandon Scott, the rapper's short vampire themed film Neverland is set to have its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 7. Directed by Ti West and produced by Jordan Peele, the short is connected to Kid Cudi's latest single of the same name. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' So Far 'Nine Perfect Strangers' Season 2 Release Schedule: When Do New Episodes Come Out? Everything We Know About The 'Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping' Movie So Far
