freaky friday (this is a rarity)

lemme preface this post with this article:

FRIENDS of Liza Minnelli have waded into the bitter dispute with her estranged husband, David Gest, saying the producer controlled every aspect of the Oscar-winning actress’s life and clashed with her when she tried to regain control.

Minnelli filed for divorce from Gest late on Wednesday, just hours after he launched a $10 million (£6 million) lawsuit against her that claimed she regularly battered him.


Denying the accusations of assault, she accused him of being "cruel and inhuman".

With friends lining up on both sides to tell their tales, the acrimonious divorce looks set to rival their glitzy New York wedding for column inches.

Yesterday, Cindy Adams, a gossip columnist with the tabloid New York Post and a bridesmaid at their wedding, gave an insight into Minnelli’s version of the 15-month marriage.

Adams said that although Gest, 50, had helped Minnelli through encephalitis, weight gain and a relapse in alcohol addiction, the television producer became involved with her as a means of gaining fame.

When Minnelli, 57, recovered and tried to retake control of her life the arguments started, Adams said. The marriage began to go wrong, with Gest threatening it would "turn ugly".

Adams said: "His court papers say she’s addicted to alcohol. Trust me, he's an addict, too. The guy’s currently in publicity withdrawal. To David, being without a front page is like Liza without fake eyelashes.

"Did I ever believe this marriage would go longer than, maybe, two or three scrapbooks? Nobody did."

The couple met in the autumn of 2001 when Gest was producing a television show for Michael Jackson, who was later their best man. Within months they were a couple and she had gone from being overweight and a heavy drinker to a Hollywood diva once more.

"He pitched stories about they’re so in love that they’re adopting a baby. He’s brilliant. Manipulative but brilliant.

"He watched what she ate, what she drank, whom she saw. He saved her, but he controlled her. There's a limit to how much you can contain an explosive force."

When Minnelli was taken to a clinic in Pennsylvania, Gest claims in his lawsuit the actress beat him in a drunken rage. But Adams said: "Even in rehab, she spoke to me on the phone. She called him ‘baby’. She said how grateful she is to him. How much she loved him."

Gest’s suit describes him as a victim of domestic violence. He says he must take 11 prescription medications daily to manage the "constant, unrelenting pain" caused by the attacks.

Raoul Felder, Gest’s lawyer, said his client had planned to file for divorce but Minnelli had acted first. He said he had not seen the divorce papers, but claimed his client had stronger grounds. He said: "I have enough grounds for 14 divorces here."

Minnelli denied the claims. She said: "Oh, my God, it’s not true. It’s stupid, I never hit him, it’s rubbish.

"I hoped very much that the end of my marriage would be handled with mutual respect. The allegations in the lawsuit are hurtful and without merit."

yes.. this man claimed he was beat by a woman. and now... the piece de resistance:

yes... that is da brat with nasty, shingles infected david guest.