Dindi Gallardo sues comic book legend Frank Miller, girlfriend

Former actress and beauty queen Dindi Gallardo has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit with the Manhattan Supreme Court against her employer, legendary comic book creator Frank Miller, the New York Post reported Wednesday (Thursday Manila time).

The report said the former Binibining Pilipinas-Universe, now 41 and using her real name
Joanna Gallardo-Mills, is “seeking unspecified monetary damages from Miller and his
much younger actress girlfriend Kimberly Cox for discrimination and mental anguish.”

Dindi singled out Cox who “smeared her work area with feces, destroyed her printer with a hammer, threw phones at her, and even left a used feminine hygiene pad by her desk.”

In an earlier interview with Cristina DC Pastor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer only last May,
Dindi proudly disclosed that she has been living in New York for the last 10 years and last year married restaurant consultant Eric Mills.

She also said she “works for a famous artist whose blockbuster movies many of us are familiar with.”

Due to a confidentiality clause in her contract, she could not disclose the details of her
employment, including her employer’s identity which turned out to be Miller, the revered comic book writer considered to be in the same league as Neil Gaiman (“Sandman”) and Alan Moore (“Watchmen”) and is responsible for bestselling graphic novels such as “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns,” “Sin City” and “300,” all of which were adapted for the big screen.

The Post report said that Dindi was hired as an executive coordinator back in 2008.

“I love New York. I love my job. I can’t get into major details. My boss—he’s pretty big. I’m
like his right-hand person. I work with his team of lawyers, agents, accountants. I’ve been with him 3.5 years,” Dindi said in the same Inquirer interview in reference to her current life and work.

Unfortunately, there’s at least one person in the workplace who didn’t like her and that was Cox, who apparently also works in the same office. The Post report also revealed that the latter had issues with Dindi’s “funky” English accent and continued to make life difficult as they shared the same Hell’s Kitchen living/work space.

When Dindi finally complained to Miller, the report said “he eventually agreed to let her work out of her home to keep her away from Cox.” Miller has yet to react to the lawsuit.

Dindi’s lawyer, Matthew Blit who is described by the Post “as a high-powered employment attorney” commented that “Nobody should have to work under those conditions.”

Cox claims in the same report that Dindi was already offered “a very heavy settlement” but
declined to accept it.

Most of the comments in the news item were sympathetic to Dindi and scornful of Cox.

“The Cox woman seems jealous of pretty exotic ex beauty queen Joanna to the point of paranoia and considered Joanna a threat to her cosy situation with Miller. Good luck Joanna,” said Facebook user Beaudine de Massy.

“Joanna Gallardo-Mills was a former Ms. Philippines who represented the country in the Miss Universe Pageant 1993 in Mexico City. Ms. Cox, ugly as she is in her photo and in her attitude, should really feel insecure,” Richard Caballero weighed in.

“That’s very un humanitarian. It doesn’t matter if Joanna Gallardo-Mills was from the
Philippines. I do believe that NO ONE, no matter what country they came from should be treated like the way she was treated. I hope she’ll get the justice that she deserves,” posted Carina S. Gardow.

source: interaksyon.com

'Celeb Rehab' Star Exposed Baby to Meth ... Says Husband

Kari Ann Peniche's estranged husband claims the couple's 10-month old baby tested positive for meth ... and now he's begging a judge to strip Kari's custody rights ASAP claiming the "Celebrity Rehab" star poses a serious threat to their child's health.

Justin Williams has filed documents in L.A. County Superior Court .. claiming he took his 10 month old son for a hair follicle drug test earlier this month after he began to suspect Kari Ann had fallen off the wagon and was using drugs around the kid.




Justin says the tests came back POSITIVE for meth.

In the docs, filed by his attorney Marlo Van Oorschot, Williams says he was initially concerned because the baby "has a habit of sucking on Kari Ann's hair and clothes and I became concerned that he could be affected by drug residue."

Justin also claims he found evidence that Kari -- who's struggled with addiction in the past -- had been using drugs in the past 2 months.

Now, Justin believes the baby is in danger when he is with Kari Ann .. explaining, "I do not want him to continue to be exposed to smoke from meth or to accidentally ingest illegal drugs while with Kari Ann."

Justin is demanding sole legal and physical custody -- and wants to BAN Kari Ann from any sort of unsupervised contact with the kid. He also wants Kari Ann to submit to weekly drug tests .. and if she tests positive, he wants the judge to revoke her visitation entirely.

We reached out to Kari -- so far, no comment.

source: tmz.com

Janice de Belen happy for son Luigi’s personal transformation

MANILA, Philippines – Actress Janice de Belen is grateful that her son Luigi Muhlach has overcome a tough phase in his life, having been a victim of drug addiction.

Apparently, the turning point for Luigi to better himself was starting a family. And although Janice initially had misgivings about this, she now couldn’t be prouder of him.

“…kung ito ang ikagaganda ng buhay niya, kung ito ‘yung ikaayos niya, then so be it. Hindi ganun kadali ang maging magulang when you don’t know what to do. Wala talaga siya sa libro, ‘yung eksaktong gagawin. Hindi mo makikita ‘yun eh. You have to go with your instincts, more than that you have to pray that what you’re doing is right, at tama ‘yung magiging outcome,” Janice told “The Buzz” on April 15.

Luigi’s struggle with drug use, as with his eventual rehabilitation, were revealed via his heartfelt interview on “Showbiz Inside Report” on Saturday. Luigi, Janice’s son with award-winning actor Aga Muhlach, admitted that after his mother and stepfather John Estrada separated, “medyo nagbulakbol ako nun.”

He got into drugs and other vices while he was in college.

Although it was painful for her, Janice was forced to send Luigi to a rehabilitation facility, where he stayed for a month.

“Naawa ako sa kanya, parang gusto kong magbago ‘yung isip, pero... you need to do what needs to be done. Kahit masakit, ganun talaga eh. Mas masakit siguro kung wala kang ginawa bilang magulang...,” said she.

Luigi admitted that he was furious at his mom at the time, and went to rehab with a heavy heart. He nevertheless acknowledged his wrongdoings.

“Actually s-in-urprise ako ng mom ko eh. Pinasok niya ko do’n but stop, wala na ko no’n, malinis na ko non,” said Luigi.

The TV host-actress likewise recalled how chaotic her relationship with Luigi was, saying, “There was a point na naiisip ko na ito bang nangyayari sa’ming mag-ina ay resulta ng mga nagawa kong pagpapaluha din sa aking mga magulang? Siyempre naisip ko kung ito na ba ‘yung karma ko?

“The other half of my brain is telling me it could be a phase. Hindi nga kaming dalawa magkaintindihan. ‘Yung kontrapelo kayong mag-ina. Maybe he was going through certain things na hindi ko naiiintindihan.”

Janice couldn’t hide her tears on “Showbiz Inside Report,” where she serves as one of the hosts, after the airing of Luigi’s interview. She went on to vent out her frustrations as a mother and single parent who also took care of her four other kids to John Estrada.

“Nung time na nagda-drugs siya it was so hard for me na maniwala sa ibang tao at tanggapin na hindi ko siya napalaki nang maayos. Kasi ‘pag single parent ka, ‘pag maayos ‘yung nangyayari sa anak mo, hindi mo naman nakukuha ‘yung credit nang solo eh. Pero ‘pag napariwara ‘yung anak mo, ikaw lang mag-isa ang may kasalanan niyan. I’m just thankful na nagawa ko lahat ito. Kasi parang… iba eh. Ikaw ‘yung responsable sa pagkatao nung tao…” she related.

Learning that he was going to be a father at 22 years old became, in his own words, a “wake-up call” for Luigi. In 2009, he tied the knot with Patricia, whom he’s thankful to have met at what could very well be the lowest point of his life.

“I didn’t want a broken family,” he quipped.

The couple now has two children. Luigi is also etching his own success through a restaurant he has put up.

His message to his parents?

“Thank you. Tough love ang nangyari sa’min. I’m thankful na naging ganun sila sa’kin,” said he.

Charlene’s reaction

Apart from Aga and Janice, Charlene Gonzales, the former’s wife, is also happy for Luigi.

“I’m just so happy to say that after everything that he’s been through, he has has become an even better person today,” said she during a live discussion on “The Buzz.”

Notwithstanding the difficulty times, Charlene said “Aga and I were there for Luigi.”

She, however, admitted that “it also came to a point na pinag-usapan din namin ito ni Aga and Janice that we also have to let him fall in order to become a better person, in order to become stronger and to learn, and to overcome ‘yung battle na pinagdaanan niya sa buhay.”

“As a stepmom, at first talagang medyo mahirap talaga. Kasi... hindi mo talaga alam kung saan mo ilulugar ang sarili mo ‘di ba? Parang hindi mo alam if what you do will be taken in right or bad context,” the former beauty queen added.

source: mb.com.ph