Proceedings will start Monday morning in a St. Petersburg courtroom.
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Both sides claimed success after the trial’s opening. “You must pay close attention, however you must avoid forming any final opinion”.
Testifying Monday in his lawsuit against the Gawker website, Hogan said his friend, radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge Clem, told him in a phone call that his wife Heather wanted to have sex with him.
During cross examination, Gawker attorney Michael Sullivan seized on a number of inconsistent statements Hogan has made about the scandal.
Unable to contain his excitement at the possibility of earning $100 million thanks to his tawdry affair, Hogan posted a statement on Twitter last week saying, “Time for the real main event!”
“The reason they kept it up: power and profit”, said Vogt.
Hogan’s personal attorney David Houston, who will testify in the trial, said the first day went “exceptionally well”.
It “doesn’t matter how big they are”. To be sure, this is all serious stuff, but the trial, which is live streaming via Gawker right now, is a blast.
Hulk Hogan will finally get his day in court. Terry Bollea wears it because of confidence issues – he’s embarrassed because he has a big, bald head. But he was ultimately betrayed by his friend. Hulk Hogan is a cultural icon and one of the most recognizable celebrities in the world, although lately he’s more like a divorced uncle who moved to Florida, spends most of his time at Planet Fitness and is slightly racist. “What wasn’t his choice was that it was being recorded”.
Gawker defended its actions in a statement Monday. “Don’t know how really to say no, even though I’m learning how to say no to my kids”. Another, later reference to his kids evoked a similar reaction. Some background: The Hulkster is now seeking $100 million in damages from the website Gawker for posting an edited version of his sex tape without his consent. Gawker’s lawyers also wondered why Hogan, on camera, asked whether he was being taped if he had no idea that a camera was actually running – the implication being that Hogan may have known what was happening, which would open up plenty more gross, weird doors.
“Mr Daulerio knew that celebrity sex tapes had become a cultural phenomenon by 2012”, Berry said, before explaining that the public has been left wondering if sex tapes are “a publicity stunt”.
“There were only nine seconds of sex, rest of it was conversation”, Mr. Berry said. Lawyers for the company also note the sex tape itself had already been covered by other media outlets.
“Why does Gawker post excerpts from a sex tape it doesn’t make money from?”
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A loss could put Gawker out of business, though the website will appeal an unfavorable verdict, another attorney for the company said.
