Tyra Banks is seeking more than $50,000 in connection to a court battle over her ice cream company, which she claims was nothing more than a “celebrity shakedown.”
The “America’s Next Top Model” creator was first sued by landlord Christopher Powell in October for more than $2.8 million in damages, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
The initial suit, filed in Washington, D.C., accused Banks and Louis Bélanger-Martin — her boyfriend and business partner — of skipping out on rent for a D.C. location initially intended to house Banks’ flagship ice cream shop, SMiZE & DREAM.
According to Powell, the supermodel and Bélanger-Martin signed a 10-year lease back in April 2024, then abruptly abandoned their plans two months later and refused to pay rent.
Powell claimed he shelled out thousands of dollars to spruce up the location and turned down other prospective tenants while Banks pivoted to opening the flagship store in her new home of Sydney, Australia.
He also accused Banks of having “weaponized” her fame so that he wouldn’t take legal action against her.
Though Powell dismissed his lawsuit back in December, Banks is now seeking more than $50,000 in sanctions for “having to defend herself in the first place,” according to TMZ.
Calling Powell’s attempt to drag her to court a “celebrity shakedown,” Banks claims she terminated the lease for valid reasons and says the landlord should have been well-aware she relocated to Australia, given the headlines the move made.
Banks’ filing comes amid a resurgence of backlash after she repeatedly passed the buck for controversies on and around her modeling competition show, when taken to task in the new Netflix docuseries “Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model.”
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British comedian Russell Brand pleads not guilty to new rape and sexual assault charges
British comedian Russell Brand pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to new counts of rape and sexual assault.
Brand, who was already facing similar charges involving four women, denied the new charges in Southwark Crown Court. The alleged offenses took place in 2009, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
Brand, 50, was charged in April with two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. Prosecutors said those offenses involving four women took place between 1999 and 2005 — one in the English seaside town of Bournemouth and three in London. Brand pleaded not guilty to those charges in a London court earlier this year.
A trial scheduled for June is expected to last four to five weeks.
The “Get Him To The Greek” actor, known for risqué stand-up routines, battles with drugs and alcohol, has dropped out of mainstream media in recent years. He built a large following online with videos mixing wellness and conspiracy theories, as well as discussing his religious devotion.
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Martin Short’s daughter, Katherine, reportedly dies by suicide at 42
Katherine Short, the daughter of actor Martin Short, has reportedly died by suicide at age 42.
Law enforcement sources told TMZ she was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at her Hollywood Hills home shortly after 6:40 p.m. Monday.
LAPD and the fire department responded to the scene, though it’s unclear who called 911.
“It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short,” a representative said in a statement to People. “The Short family is devastated by this loss, and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.”
Katherine, the adopted daughter of Short and his late wife, Nancy Dolman, was born on Dec. 3, 1983. According to her website, she worked as a social worker in Los Angeles after graduating from NYU with a bachelor’s in psychology and earning a master’s degree in social work from USC.
She was also involved with a nonprofit organization called Bring Change to Mind, which aims to “empower young people to build connected, empathetic and supportive school communities where conversations about mental health are welcome and stigma-free.”
Katherine mostly stayed out of the public eye, but appeared at a handful of events with her famous father over the years. They walked the red carpet at the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in 2011 and attended a pre-Emmys event in 2021.
Dolman, Short’s wife of 30 years, died from ovarian cancer in 2010. In addition to Katherine, they also shared two other adopted children: Oliver, 39, and Henry, 36.
Martin Short is currently on a comedy tour with Steve Martin. It’s unclear whether dates scheduled for later this week in Milwaukee and Minneapolis will go on as planned.
From combined wire services
