Aretha Franklin says she’s filing a $10 million lawsuit against the News Nerd over the “satirical” story the website posted about a supposed fight she had with singer Patti LaBelle, left, according to Susan Whitall in The Detroit News.
Threatening to sue is a lot different than filing a lawsuit.
The story's headline: "Patti Labelle Arrested After Fist Fight with Aretha Franklin."
Whitall writes:
The News Nerd story claimed that LaBelle was “arrested for assault and battery” after she attacked Franklin with “a Mayweather style right and left” at a March 20 concert in Atlanta. The fictional brawl happened because the Queen of Soul supposedly slighted LaBelle at a PBS “In Performance at the White House: Women of Soul” program taped earlier in March.
“The stories were not presented as satire or humor,” Franklin said through her publicist, Gwendolyn Quinn.
“It was presented as a serious news story intended to depict me in a slanderous and derogatory way — defamation of character.”
Actually, the News Nerd sites carries a disclaimer that says: “The stories posted on TheNewsNerd are for entertainment purposes only. The stories may mimic articles found in the headlines, but rest assured they are purely satirical.”
According to The News Nerd story, Franklin snubbed LaBelle at a White House concert, where "the two exchanged obscenities after the event and parted ways."
Then, at a March 20 concert in Atlanta:
Labelle attempted to approach Franklin to resolve their outstanding issues, but Franklin once again turned up her nose. Onlookers say Labelle quickly removed her wig and earrings as she approached Franklin. Aretha, knowing that the removal of earrings is a tell-tale sign that a fight is about to ensue, attempted to prepare herself for the confrontation. Franklin was quickly struck with a Mayweather style right and left and stumbled backwards, landing awkwardly. Bystanders subdued Labelle and escorted her outside of the venue. Franklin suffered only minor injuries.
The above paragraph is satire. LaBelle did not punch Franklin, and there is no evidence Franklin believes removing earrings signals an imminent fight.
