back to article YouTube rant missus hauled into court

The British former actress who wowed cyberspace with her no-holds-barred YouTube assault on her estranged hubby has been hauled before a New York court to answer for her ranting. Tricia Walsh-Smith, 49, achieved in a few minutes a level of international fame which she could only have dreamt about during her thespian career, …

COMMENTS

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  1. Simon B
    Happy

    Freedom of speech

    Freedom of speech - nuff said :) well done that gal :)

  2. James
    Paris Hilton

    Benny Hill

    Was she the one that admitted blowing "Uncle" Benny regularly and then not getting a share of his estate when man died?

    Paris - because even if he is a skanger, she is not an old, haggard, has-been old-man-blowing, money-grubbing skanger.

  3. Robert Grant

    Non-sequitur alert!

    Fact: Not being in the Middle East

    => ?

    => ?

    => ?

    => behave atrociously

    (=> defend self with inapplicable anti-chauvinism outburst)

  4. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    Re: Benny Hill

    "Skanger"?

    Good grief.

  5. amanfromMars Silver badge

    The Pit in Despair.

    "I'm not just going to slink off into Central Park."

    Ouch! Low Blow, Referee! Bull's Eye?

  6. Robajob

    Re: Benny Hill

    Thanks, El Reg. Now I've got the music to the Benny Hill Show (Boots Randolph, if I remember correctly) in my head for the rest of the day.

  7. Steve Kay

    Remember kids...

    ...once it's out there, it's out there. You cain't be putting that thar genie back in the bottle.

  8. Daniel

    sad.

    did she actually think that was going to help?

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Re: Freedom of speech

    Freedom of speech does not mean you can say what you want, wherever you want. Shout "fire" in a crowded place is an example of this. The question is, is YouTube a legally acceptable place to spout potential libellous abuse at one's spouse?

  10. Bad Beaver
    Thumb Up

    gawd, he's suck a weakling

    I think I've applauded this woman before. There she goes again. Fix 'em up good, girl!

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    @Robajob

    Thanks. Now *I've* Got the Benny Hill Music in my head.

  12. Sam

    Disturbing mental picture

    re the BH BJ's...did she do them in speeded up time along to the theme music?

  13. Steve

    if it's libel

    Then it should be a civil prosecution for libel and it should be quite easy to prove.

    What's this 'spousal abuse' nonsense?

  14. Adrian
    Paris Hilton

    The ex

    complains he's scared of any publicity ? He's in show biz for f^cks sake. All publicity is good publicity as long as it's not shown on YouTube.

    Someone else who luv's publicity is Paris

  15. Mike
    Heart

    Eh?

    "Is YouTube a legally acceptable place to spout potential libellous abuse at one's spouse?"

    Is a video slander or libel? hmmm.... it's verbal like slander but recorded like libel

    Regardless, accusations that affect someones reputation or defames character without proof usually can result in financial loss, say bye bye to the £44k also, as Americans are so fond of "unlimited damages" (could this affect his career, social life, sexual function?) possibly everything else could be lost to him and his lawyers too, looks like Central Park may be calling........

  16. Paul

    Slander / libel

    It's libel as there's a permanent record of it.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    @ Mike

    Watch the video. Apparently there is no sexual function to affect.

  18. Joe K
    Paris Hilton

    Hilarious

    I highly enjoyed that peek into the mind of a crazy gold-digging harlot who thinks she's owed the world for doing fuck-all.

    The tarot cards were a nice touch too.

    Though as the other half is 74 years of age, isn't this more a case of pensioner abuse, than "spousal abuse"?!

    The guy ain't no Jack Nicholson.

  19. Gilbert Wham

    And for those that *haven;t* got it in their head yet...

    De de dee de diddle-diddle dee dee diddle-diddle diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle-dee!

    And repeat.

    There. sorted.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    @AC

    >Watch the video. Apparently there is no sexual function to affect.

    So, from this, the video indicates (and now you believe?) that he has no sexual function? unless it's actually true, her saying this (and you repeating/paraphrasing, as you didn't use the word "allege", in fact you indicate it's "apparent") could severly affect his quality of life now (as a subject of ridicule) and ability to find a partner in the future, sounds like she could be taken to the cleaners.

    I'd get my coat, but that's probably at the cleaners too.

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    hearing the music in your head

    Just whistle the theme from "Mayberry RFD" and that'll get rid of the BH music.

    Of course, then you'll have it stuck in your head afterwards.

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Coke, Nike, Mobile Phones

    Just wait around 3 months, then you will start seeing all the shitty brainless ad execs doing the whole "viral" thing on this somehow for their clients.

    She should be getting a copyright lawyer.

  23. amanfromMars Silver badge

    Keeping Book

    "Though as the other half is 74 years of age, isn't this more a case of pensioner abuse, than "spousal abuse"?!" ..... By Joe K Posted Friday 27th June 2008 14:26 GMT

    Any advance on arousal abuse?

  24. George Forth

    Freedom vs responsibility

    With rights come responsibilities - you can say what you like, but nobody ever said that right came without consequences. You can say what you like, but not with impunity.

  25. Stan

    @amanfromMars

    Is she on your planet? 'cos she sure as fsck isn't on this one. The guy can't be the sharpest knife in the draw for marrying that contraption, but at least he's smart enough to get rid of her and look after the daughters future before he pop's his clogs. Christ, I feel a whole lot better about life knowing I can just close the browser to not hear her any more.

  26. Jonathan McCulloch
    Paris Hilton

    Unconsumated marriages

    Is it just me or is there some arcane twist of law wot says if you haven't had sex (as she claims) the marriage is not consumated?

    Paris because she's probably done lots of consumation without the marriage bit first.

    -- Jon

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Dead Vulture

    neither

    its not libel or slander if its true, so he better keep that in mind eh?

  28. Andrew Sheehy
    Happy

    Wouldn't she

    ...be fun to wake up to every morning.

    Smiley face because it makes me appreciate my wife even more than I already did.

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Boffin

    ...horrible horrible things...

    But were those reputedly horrible things true? Just because they are horrible doesn't make them untrue, and if they are true they aren't slanderous or libelous.

    And why does the target of the vitriol think that anyone out here would recognize him next week even if we could recognize his puss now? Seems he is guilty of a bit of puffery and wishfulness that anyone would recognize him next week, never mind today.

  30. Mark Quesnell

    RE: free speech etc.

    You might have the right and ability to say anything you want, but you will have to face the consequences. People are saying that if the statements are true then they aren't libel or slander. That might be true, but there still can be consequences - especially if you are going through a divorce with children. Just say something bad about your "soon to be insignificant" other in front of the children and see what a judge can say about it. The consequences very well could effect your visitation/custody rights - even if what you said is true.

  31. oldfartuk
    Paris Hilton

    american dirty laundry

    In english law if the sex act hasnt been completed between a married couple, the marriage isnt consummated, and can be declared null and void by a judge.

    Personally, i believe in that old concept of not washing your dirty laundry in public, a practice that seems to have become unfortunately common these days. Keep it to your self, I dont want to know all the gory details of your matrimonial failures...........

    Paris, the archetypical public washer of dirty laundry.

  32. John Watts
    Happy

    Hmmm ...

    This is the one where she claimed they never had sex isn't it? (I couldn't bare to watch it again).

    If that's the case then the marriage can't have been consummated and if that's the case then he can apply for an annulment surely?

    Then they were never married and she can't divorce him and so can't get a thing. It's that or admit she told a bare-faced lie to the entire world in order to damage his reputation or cause deliberate hurt.

    Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ...

  33. Will Godfrey Silver badge
    Unhappy

    @ {various Benny Hill fans}

    Damn the lot of you. Now *I've* got that stupid tune running round in my head

  34. heystoopid
    Paris Hilton

    As they say

    As they say , you pays for what get and get what you pay for , and ultimately greed for the good life rules amongst all third raters unhappy at going back to their former lifestyle as a nobody !

  35. Charley
    Thumb Up

    Benny Hill?

    Yakkety sax ftw.

  36. Ron Eve
    Paris Hilton

    Interesting friends

    Hmmm.. on the close-up to the poster of the play what she wrote, "Bonkers", I see heading the cast one Sally Farmiloe. Someone not unknown in the marital controversy stakes herself...

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/archer/1437286.stm

    (then click on her link)

    Could they by any chance be related?

    A very rich seam of irony to be mined here, methinks...

    (p.s. in case you're wondering I only watched the vid once, Farmiloe's name sprang out as I know someone who knows her - if you catch my drift..)

  37. Stephen Gray

    I have the solution

    8 grammes of depleted urainium travelling at about 1000 metres per second should do the trick

  38. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Hell has no fury ..

    "we never had sex" .. hell has no fury like a woman scorned ..

    Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd,

    Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn'd.

    http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/179300.html

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Skank

    Her husband is 25 years older than her, and she didn't marry him for his money? Yeah, yeah.

    And what does she get out of making a video of her ranting on about her husband...absolutely nothing..other than a bit of revenge, trying to attack him and make him look bad....totally pointless exercise.....has no benefit to her at all. Well, if you ask me, the hubby is far better off without her! Wise move with the pre-nup, he wasn't stupid was he!

    That's the problem with women when it comes to divorce..they want your money and they want to destroy you.

    The more I think about it, the more I think we should have legalised pre-nups in the UK: it would stop the rediculous divorce cases where the wife can claim half the guys assets and then claim some of his future income ( which even he doesn't know how much that will be) and she claims she helped him develop his business by providing emotional support..that old trusty line, which seems to work every time.

    Our laws (UK) need changing fast.

  40. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    I think she should fly

    ...British Airways

    That'll be the police overcoats and the pilot's jacket, please, and there should be *two* items of luggage, if you wouldn't mind...

  41. Danny

    Gigilo Aunt

    She is expecting a $500,000 pa pension AND she never even slept with him ? Puts some of my dates in perspective.

    Non-consummation is normally only grounds for divorce on grounds of impotence, not for refusal to have sex. I doubt many rich men would testify to that in court simply to divorce their wife. She seems to undermine that possible reason for divorce with her phonecall.

    The publication that carries a defamation is slander or libel determines the nature of the offence - slander on the more ephemeral media, libel on the more permanent records. So it is libel, but only if it is libelous, and since she is in the States then if she is telling the truth then it isn't libel.

    It isn't pleasant to condemn other peoples looks, it only reflects badly on yourself. If I had the chance, I'd consummate a marriage with her. But only once then I'd file for divorce for half that pension.

  42. T. Nielsen Hayden

    If you're "petrified of publicity," don't marry then screw over an actress.

    The man marries an attractive, personable actress who's twenty-five years his junior, tries to screw her over financially, then claims that he's "petrified of publicity"? If he's telling the truth, then he's unbelievably stupid.

    I'm also unimpressed by all the comments casting the woman as a gold digger. Do you imagine the guy thinks he'd be just as successful with women if he were making $35K a year?

    -tnh

  43. Dave

    Benny Hill

    I've been known to use Yakety Sax as my phone ringtone before now. Especially good to assign to your boss or other annoying person, so at least you've had a laugh at the music before having to deal with him.

  44. peter tomlinson
    Thumb Up

    Oh, I don't know

    I think I would keep my equipment all locked up if the rest of her is anything like her mouth. Maybe he found out soon enough to keep his stuff safe and that was in his pre-nup, too.

  45. Andy Worth

    IMHO

    Whatever peoples opinion of the personal character of either the husband or wife may be (and whether correct or not), this woman is a fool for letting out her dirty laundry so publicly before the decision has been made. All it has done is give HIS lawyers fuel for their case.

    As for someone being unimpressed by comments casting her as a gold digger, well sure, this guy has money and otherwise wouldn't be with such a young woman. But then isn't that exactly what a gold digger is? A woman who aims for a man like this, who she thinks will pop his clogs while she is still young enough to enjoy his money?

    Seriously, it looks to me like she is a more or less talentless "actress" who was just well known enough to bag herself a rich, older husband. I have no sympathy.

  46. J
    Alien

    Well...

    "I'm also unimpressed by all the comments casting the woman as a gold digger. Do you imagine the guy thinks he'd be just as successful with women if he were making $35K a year?"

    I don't see your point. Eh?

    Yes, a gold digger. The fact that the guy can't get a woman without paying does not change that, does it?

  47. Jamie Kephalas
    Joke

    it's one thing to

    Its one thing to shout abuse / slander at your spouse / friend / neighbour behind closed doors, but to broadcast it on such a massive medium is just not nice... maybe I'm just too polite.

    I agree, free speech, but come on love, get back in the kitchen.

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