Valerie Harper sued by Lombardo and producers...- Page 2

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 10:35am

Matthew Lombardo posted this statement -

"Everyone who knows me knows that I have nothing but love and admiration for Valerie Harper and I share everyone’s delight that her cancer is in remission.
The truth is Val's husband Tony Cacciotti initiated this lawsuit (not me) very much like he did when he got his wife fired 20 years ago from her television series and then subsequently sued NBC. I am deeply saddened Val has allowed him to legally pursue these meritless allegations and pray that she will put an end to this negativity and concentrate on staying healthy for many years to come."

[newintown]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 10:40am

"I did see LOOPED on Broadway. Harper was quite amazing. Act One was actually not bad."

I have to disagree with you; having also seen that play on Broadway, I'll state that I thought the entire thing was a mess of a turd, featuring writing so artificially banal it made the worst sitcom look like Arthur Miller's work.

Harper was great fun to watch, but there were no redeeming aspects to the simply awful writing, leaving a less-skilled actor (Brian Hutchison) to struggle and drown.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 10:42am

Well, I liked LOOPED very much. I thought it was campy fun with a terrific performance from Harper.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 11:31am

I enjoyed LOOPED and so did the audiences in attendance. Howling with laughter the entire time. Harper gave a master class whether you liked the play or not.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 11:38am

"The truth is Val's husband Tony Cacciotti initiated this lawsuit (not me) very much like he did when he got his wife fired 20 years ago from her television series and then subsequently sued NBC. "

So he's using the age-old defense of "but they started it"? A suit does not require a counter-suit, especially not one seeking excessive punitive monies. Bringing up Harper's old lawsuit doesn't help his case, as far as I'm concerned. Is he trying to paint her (or her husband) as lawsuit happy because she's had two in 25 years (as far as I know - I suppose there may be more). That lawsuit was found to have merit, and she won it, for the most part. So what's his point?

"I have to disagree with you; having also seen that play on Broadway, I'll state that I thought the entire thing was a mess of a turd, featuring writing so artificially banal it made the worst sitcom look like Arthur Miller's work.

Harper was great fun to watch, but there were no redeeming aspects to the simply awful writing, leaving a less-skilled actor (Brian Hutchison) to struggle and drown."

Ok, you caught me. I was being nice. It is a true testament to Harper's skills that she elevated that material. That's some heavy lifting, boy. I like to imagine Michael Mulharen sitting up in the booth thinking of his paycheck.

Did you happen to see HIGH? I hesitate to ask what you thought of that, newintown.





Valerie's Family lawsuit Updated On: 4/28/14 at 11:38 AM

[newintown]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 11:43am

No, ghost, sadly, I missed that one. But having read the script and being familiar with the actors' work, I could probably play a good version in my head, if I wanted to suffer some day.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 11:53am

ghostlight2--you must be a lot of fun on jury duty.

[ghostlight2]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 1:15pm

"ghostlight2--you must be a lot of fun on jury duty. "

Thanks? (Though seriously I have no idea what you mean by that).

"I doubt Joe Sixpack and Sally Housecoat will care."

Google "Valerie Harper Matthew Lombardo lawsuit" and FIVE pages of results will come up. Pick one and take a look at the comments. Regardless of who's right or wrong, or what person, lawyer or insurance company filed this countersuit, it was very misguided. Sometimes you simply cut your losses and pay up.

Lombardo will never dig out from under this.

[DAME]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 1:29pm

So many misinformed and quick to judge comments on this thread. How would you react if you were being unjustly sued and your money and your producers money is at stake? Not to mention your reputation? By walking away do you mean he should just allow Valerie and husband to sue him and that he should just fork over whatever they are asking for just because? He is counter suing for a reason. This is what any lawyer with a right mind would advice him to do.

I love Valerie Harper... And wish her nothing but the best. But honestly when she got sick and kind of went on a media blitz about it.. it kind of turned me off a little bit. I don't know why.. and I am not passing judgement. It was like she was promoting a play or a guest appearance. And suddenly she was everywhere. I hope she continues to get better and that all this silly lawsuit nonsense disappears. LIFE IS TOO SHORT.

Updated On: 4/28/14 at 01:29 PM

[newintown]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 1:42pm

I'd like to extend my thanks to you for creating a rather icky and grammatically unusual post.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 1:49pm

This is primarily about Pennsylvania state laws, but here is a good start to understanding why you do NOT always countersue the person suing you (despite what some posters on this board try to claim):

One of the questions most frequently asked of a lawyer is this: “Can I sue the other guy for suing me?” Almost no one believes they deserve to be sued. Nearly every person named as a defendant in a lawsuit believes, and often rightly so, that the plaintiff’s case against him is so plainly frivolous that no one could possibly see it any other way. Surely the judge will quickly slice the case down to its rotten core, and award attorney’s fees plus damages for pain, suffering and the inconvenience to the unjustly accused. This is the all-but universal assumption of the first-time defendant. Yet the assumption is almost always wrong. -- Wolf Baldwin Associates

Also, LawFirms.com unequivocally states that clients should resist countersuing simply on principal or because it's "the common thing to do." So there's that.

Much More Here...

[DAME]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 1:49pm

Who? Me?

[DAME]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 1:51pm

Well headband,

Obviously no ne here really knows much about it. So everyone needs to remove their hands from their hips and stop acting like they do. This is all business. Part of what makes it so icky.

Updated On: 4/28/14 at 01:51 PM

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 1:51pm

Tú no, DAME. Otra persona con un nombre de usuario a partir de Pal y terminando con Joey.

[DAME]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 1:52pm

La gente le gusta mesclar la mierda.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 1:56pm

De acuerdo. El cien por ciento!

Well... Either way, it will be interesting see what comes of all this. What a mess for all involved.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 2:14pm

Does anyone else find the "Pas devant les domestiques" switch to a foreign language a bit tiresome?

[DAME]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 2:17pm

Sorry Reggie. I guess that is kind of rude. You didn't miss anything.

Updated On: 4/28/14 at 02:17 PM

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 2:21pm

Cela n'a pas d'importance.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 3:39pm

Does anyone else find the "Pas devant les domestiques" switch to a foreign language a bit tiresome?

Sólo un coño haría eso. (Y no me refiero a ti, Damey!)

[DAME]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 3:45pm

Gracias papi.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 5:09pm

Tony is to Valerie as Marty is to Shirley. People don't want to work with them because their husbands are nightmares.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 4/28/14 at 11:32pm

I think Lombardo is an android.


Nothing about him looks real.

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 4/30/14 at 3:14pm

Tony is a control freak. Back when he met Valerie he essentially tried turning her into some fitness obsessed Jane Fonda. He probably told her she was too fat to work.

[Idiot]

Posted: 4/30/14 at 6:09pm

One of Lombardo's claims would almost (I said almost) justify his countersuit; specifically that "she intentionally failed to notify them in 2012 that her cancer had returned with a vengeance ... all in a sinister plot to keep her job." Still... leave a possibly dying woman alone and keep your rage to phone calls with your friends. Or post here.