John Travolta’s cruise ship masseur case could be headed to trial


At this point, I think John Travolta’s reputation as a happily married heterosexual male, or even as someone who engages in consensual sex, is pretty much shot. Given how many times the guy has been accused of sexually harassing male masseurs, spa-goers and various male underlings, it’s hard to find someone who considers Travolta a victim of litigious individuals. There’s only so much denying and attacking his lawyer can do, basically. So that’s why I have mixed feelings about this latest ruling, because it seems like new details about Travolta’s creeping won’t damage his brand, since it’s pretty much already shot.

This case involves a cruise ship employee who accuses Travolta of requesting a massage on board in 2009, and then accosting him for sex, basically. When the man protested, Travolta offered $12,000 for his silence, which he refused. Travolta’s lawyer tried to have the case dismissed, which failed, then he tried to argue that it should go to arbitration, as per the fine print on Travolta’s cruise ticket. The arbitration request was denied by the judge, meaning the case could go to trial.

A California federal judge has dismissed a petition by the 58-year-old actor’s lawyer to have a lawsuit filed against him by a cruise ship masseur decided in arbitration, which would have kept a lid on some pretty graphic accusations.

Travolta was sued last June for assault and battery and infliction of emotional distress by Fabian Zanzi, who accused the Get Shorty star of disrobing while the latter was giving him a neck massage and then “forcefully embracing” him during a Royal Caribbean cruise in June 2009.

After claiming Travolta engaged in contact that was “nonconsensual, inappropriate, extreme and outrageous,” the suit also charged that the thesp offered to buy Zanzi’s silence for $12,000.

Travolta subsequently denied the allegations, and his pit bull attorney, Marty Singer, pointed to a clause in the fine print of his cruise ticket to argue that the legal dispute should be settled by arbitration, which would not only allow the suit to be resolved expeditiously but also in secret.

However, per The Hollywood Reporter, in a 31-page ruling on Friday U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson smacked down that argument, noting there’s no evidence that Zanzi, as a “nonsignatory,” is bound by the arbitration agreement the A-lister entered into with Royal Caribbean.

Consequently, Zanzi’s lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, now looks to be headed for trial—unless, of course, Travolta opts to settle.

Singer was unavailable for comment, but he previously told E! News in a statement that Zanzi’s allegations were “ludicrous” and “completely contradicted” by what the employee told Royal Caribbean back in 2009 when he reported to superiors that “the only physical contact he claimed occurred was allegedly touching my client’s neck.”

[From E! Online]

So Travolta’s people want us to believe he’s entirely innocent of all these consistent allegations by different people, over time, who have no connection to each other. If he settles this case he’ll keep some of the more sordid details out of the press, but that might be tantamount to admitting guilt. I think he should settle and just have his lawyer make some lame excuse about it, as they’ve been doing all along. People think he’s guilty, and it will only remind everyone about Travolta and the mountain of evidence against him if a whole new round of stories comes out with details from the trial. Plus, this Zanzi guy could easily get corroborating witnesses to testify that Travolta did the same thing to them.

But look – Kelly is standing by him! Of course she is, her brain has been washed so many times it’s mush.

These photos are from The Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on 1-18-13. Credit: FayesVision/WENN.com

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39 Responses to “John Travolta’s cruise ship masseur case could be headed to trial”

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  1. Post-It's says:

    He’ll settle. He’ll pay this guy whatever he has to to make it go away. And then he’ll put on his wig and pretend like this never happened.

  2. JL says:

    At this point Travolta is simply doing spin control, the accussations are too many and too consistent to disregard.

    Scientology will pay handsomely to make this go away before people start wondering if John “buddied” up with Tommy boy too.

  3. T.C. says:

    If these were women being grabbed without their consent this guy would be in jail by now no doubt about it. No one wants to believe men can be victims of sexual harrassment.

    • Chordy says:

      Really? People have started caring when women get violated? I knew I missed something by sleeping in this morning!

  4. Jenn says:

    Love the finger pointed to his crotch…

  5. Mia 4S says:

    He will settle and make some statement about concern for his children’s privacy. Which will actually be true…but not the whole truth. John no one cares that you are gay and if you and Kelly choose to live your life this way it’s your call. But when you are taking advantage of men and things are no longer consensual? Well any sympathy I had for you is gone.

  6. Hautie says:

    I am sorry, but I do not remotely see Kelly Preston as a victim.

    If anything I see her as calculating.

    She knew what Travolta was about from the beginning. And she decided to be a part of it all the craziness from the get go.

    And that is her prerogative.

    But she is so digged into being part of the Cult. That Travolta is kind of stuck. He is screwed no matter what happens.

    Yet, I would be surprise if this issue is not settled.

    Because whom ever got proposition for sex…. is out for cash. No matter what is said. Enough cash and he will take it and shut up.

    • hmmmm says:

      I agree with everything you said. She is NOT a victim.

    • Amory says:

      I agree, too. I disliked her after she started her crusade against chemicals with only the “science” of Scientology behind her. The cause is not necessarily wrong, but she realized on her own version of the truth without bothering to educated herself.

    • CF98 says:

      I think Kelly is into the CO$ stuff more than John is and John is in his own way begging to get out of this but doesn’t know how. But yeah I never felt bad for her.

  7. Miss Kiki says:

    Oh JT for the love of Xenu, STOP assaulting masseurs. Whilst your at it scrub off that ridiculous spray on hair.

  8. Working says:

    I read this as “John Travolta’s cruise ship massacre case”. And it didn’t seem wrong!

  9. KellyinSeattle says:

    His hair…chi chi chi chia….
    He should’ve settled long ago; it’s just coming back to bite him on the butt (maybe he likes that…sorry dumb butt joke) 🙂

  10. judyjudy says:

    I can’t get past the hair . The hair! All that money and still…that awful, awful hair.

  11. karmasabiatch! says:

    John…JOHN!

    PSSST!! Jig is up – it’s TIME to come OUT OF THE CLOSET!!! (Sorry for shouting).

    • T.C. says:

      It’s not about him being in the closet. I know a lot of gay men none of them go around almost sexually assaulting strangers. He is a predator going after ethnic men in low positions of power over.

      • karmasabiatch! says:

        T.C. – ITA 100% with what you’ve said.

        However- it’s a stretch to think he’d sack up and admit to sexually assaulting a bunch of dudes, if he can’t even admit his own sexual preference. This is one tired old poser I’d be pretty psyched to see disappear forever. If you’re gonna front like you’re a dude, then man up and actually be a dude. Own it.

  12. lucy2 says:

    Agree his career, and public image, is done – unless he breaks with COS and fesses up to all of it.

    I’d like to know why this, or any of the assaults, was never criminally prosecuted. Regardless, I do hope this goes to trial and justice is served.

  13. Mitch Buchanan Rocks! says:

    I wonder if Kelly is getting paid as much as Melania?

  14. Grace says:

    I am disappointed in John and Kelly. Why can’t they just say that yes John is bisexual but Kelly doesn’t care and for everyone to mind their business?
    Ultimately something bad is going to come out that is going to really hurt Kelly if she keeps up this act. John has been having unprotected sex with gay men. I hope Kelly has been getting tested for STD’s.

    • Sweet Dee says:

      Why? I’d say it’s the (alleged) assaults. I know it’s bad to be gay in scientology and all, but assaults put anyone in disfavor. Well, mostly anyone.

  15. MoxyLady007 says:

    Jenna Miscavige – the niece of Tom Cruise’s love David Miscavige – is on The View telling her story! She was taken away from her parents at 7 and signed a billion year contract. She only saw them for a few hours on Sunday mornings!

  16. Chordy says:

    Can I just say thanks to Celebitchy for being one of the few places that reports this for what it is? This story is not about him being gay. This is about him targeting and violating people in positions of lesser power. Most other sites just engage in the OMG he’s gay giggle fest and gloss over the fact that he is a gross predator.

  17. poppy says:

    her brain hasn’t been washed. it was the chemicals in the carpet cleaner!!!!!!

    john travolta is a horrible person. yes, he has never been convicted but he is a predator. this is how he behaves in relatively public places with their staff? when he isn’t in his own home(s) he seems to get way out of control. i can’t imagine what he’s like when he’s at his own house.

    she is awful in her own way.

    as parents they were so awful. AWFUL.
    Jett had autism and they refused to acknowledge it. when it became obvious to people outside of their little world she blamed chemicals for his “behavior”. kawasaki syndrome my @ss. WTF horrible people have a child prone to seizures yet refuse to give him medication? because of a freak cult. they can say they loved their son but had they not had plenty of money they would have faced charges of neglect at the least.

    he thinks his money is going to make all of his victims disappear.

    in general, both terrible people. maybe why they spend so much time in florida… not as much attention as they would get in LA?
    along with no state income tax and closer proximity to the seaorg headquarters, florida is chock full of dirt cheap prostitutes. the kind that can disappear without anyone noticing or caring. bodies tend to decay very quickly in florida as well.
    i’m not saying he’s killed anyone but i think the situation with him is much worse than anyone imagines.
    and i see that i can’t spell massage. ugh!
    ugh, sooo much anger today. sorry.

    • Emily says:

      They spend so much time in Florida because 1) Clearwater is Scientology headquarters and 2) Florida’s justice system is even more of a mess than California’s. This is the state where a teenager was shot for being black, and his murderer was not arrested. It’s also the state where a young woman was raped, went to the police, and was promptly arrested because she’d been drinking, while the police sat on their asses and didn’t bother to go after the rapist until massive public outrage was generated.

  18. Agnes says:

    The criminal justice system should investigate this. This man is clearly not going to stop.

  19. Renee says:

    That last pose is a riot! He looks like he thinks he’s still Vinnie Babarino and starring in a bad vampire movie.

  20. jetgyro says:

    He just paid the guy off with $1.75 million.