Judith Regan vs. Michael Wolff
Posted on December 15, 2008
Judith Regan has absolutely furious at journalist and author Michael Wolff. In fact, she so mad she's getting ready to sue him. Wolff has written a number of uncomplimentary articles about Judith. Now he's writing a book about Rupert Murdoch and Fox and wants Judith to sit for an interview. Needless to say, the answer was no. So Wolff pitches her again, via email.
"Michael Wolff has been obsessed with me and my sex life for close to 30 years," she tells us. "I'm finally going to give him what he wants - he's going to get [bleeped] by Judith Regan."The drama! The swearing! The allegations of unrequited love! When does the trial start? Because we want a first row seat.Shortly after Doubleday signed him to write "The Man Who Owns the News," Wolff sent an e-mail to Regan, whose storied career at Rupert-owned HarperCollins had ended. She was fired amid controversy over her plan to publish O.J. Simpson's memoir, "If I Did It ..." "Once again, I beseech you: Talk to me," Wolff wrote Regan. "Considering the dreadful things I write about you when you don't talk to me, it really can't get any worse by talking to me. ... Come on, you know how this works. You're now the News Corp. whipping girl -- so at least put it back to them."
Regan refused. The result? In his book, Wolff allows that Regan succeeded "spectacularly" in producing best sellers for Murdoch. But Wolff also describes Regan as "a nut," "unemployable anywhere else" and "a reviled figure." He also reported in his main text that one of Murdoch's top lawyers accused her of making anti-Semitic remarks. Only in an unnumbered end note does he acknowledge that News Corp. later apologized to Regan, accepting that she never made those remarks (and reportedly paid her $10.75 million).
