Here’s the full video ^^ of Solange Knowles attacking Jay-Z again, if you want to watch it for the millionth time! TMZ’s “get” is one of the biggest stories of the year, and yes I know it’s only May. But you have to give TMZ some credit – they’re willing to pay for this kind of thing, and this kind of thing changes the entire gossip landscape. I’ve heard some people actually lament the fact that this tape got out, that it was an invasion of privacy for all parties. I kind of disagree…? If they were in an elevator in their apartment building, yes, that would have been an invasion if someone leaked that security video. But they were at The Standard Hotel. I don’t know, as far as journalistic ethics go, I’m not going to get on my high horse about it. It’s a grey area, let’s say that.
Anyway, we’re starting to learn more about the process of how this video was leaked. As I said at the time, it was obviously someone taking cell phone video of the security camera’s feed, which means it was in-house for The Standard. Yesterday, E! News and Page Six did some reporting on how much the video leaker got for the video – Page Six says TMZ paid $250,000 after it was “shopped for five days to the highest bidder.” E! news says the video went for something less than that figure, something more like $50K to 100K. As for the “five day bidding war” – at some point, Jay-Z found out about the existence of the leaked video, and “Once it was out, Jay Z’s people felt they couldn’t control it. They were reluctant to try and publicly fight this.”
The Standard has been understandably freaking out about this all week. The hotel prides itself on hosting elite clientele and A-list celebrities, and that clientele will bolt if they feel like they don’t have any privacy there. The Standard’s spokesperson has been issuing statements all week, and sources said: “There are only a handful of people who’d have access to that tape. The Standard owns that tape.” Late yesterday, The Standard finally figured out who leaked the video and they issued a statement:
“The Standard has identified the individual responsible for breaching the security policies of the hotel and recording the confidential CCTV video released by TMZ. The Standard has already terminated the individual and will now be pursuing all available civil and criminal remedies. The Standard will next be turning over all available information to the criminal authorities.”
Wow. The leaker is going to be facing some legal issues for a long, long time. I’m sure the lawyers around here will be able to confirm: while I don’t doubt that leaking this video is probably some kind of crime, would prosecutors really pursue it? I guess The Standard is taking the position that the video constitutes stolen property, although I’m not sure that will hold up. I think the main problem for the leaker is any kind of civil litigation from The Standard, like a violation of a non-disclosure agreement or a contract violation.
Also, there’s a question I have: if The Standard has video of a criminal act taking place in their establishment (like Solange Knowles violently assaulting her brother-in-law), what is their criminal liability in not offering that evidence to the authorities?
Photos courtesy of Bey’s IG, WENN.
Well whoever leaked the tape will probably have to spend his earnings with legal fees,unless he was quickly smart with what to do with it.
Well, there was an assault in the elevator and if hotel security did not intervene or question the people because they are celebrities, that seems like a security breach. I wonder if the person who took the video could claim a whistleblower defense. They’d still have to spend money on legal fees, but it might keep them out of jail.
Yeah he’s probably at the bad end of this whole ordeal. I’m thinking the only charges he would get would be from the hotel, and it may be big charges in order to make an example of him. I don’t see Beyoncé or JayZ pressing charges against him, but you never know.
As for privacy, I personally don’t mind if the whole world sees me in elevators from security cameras lol…but I’m sure it can cause problems for people who are cheaters, having sexual relations, etc.
I am a lawyer (who does not practice in NY state) and this involves criminal and civil charges. In answer to the poster’s statement about confidentiality, the accused might have signed documents with the hotel ( employment contract) but even if they did not there could be an implied right of ownership of the data as well as certain duties to uphold based on the job they held. This person was most likely working in the security department to have that kind of access (or a manager). Because the taking of the video can likely be attributed to theft, and because the accused profited from the sale it is felony theft and the degree of the charges will rise based on the amount of the sale. There are also numerous option for additional charges based on how the video was obtained, distributed, ect. With regard to civil charges, it will be cake to prove damages from all parties injured (the peeps in the elevator and the hotel especially if it can be proven that the hotel knowingly failed to report a crime).
Even if the person got $250K for it, they lost their job and benefits and will now give most to a lawyer. Can’t imagine it was worth it!
Nope. And frankly they had no business doing it. You have a job to do and it be one thing if you honestly thought that what occurred was an assault. You should go to the cops. But the person shopping it around for 5 days was trying to make money on it. Do not feel one bit sorry for them.
I don’t feel sorry for them either. I’m betting they thought it was this huge windfall, and it’s going to probably end up costing them quite a bit.
“if you honestly thought that what occurred was an assault. You should go to the cops”
Exactly. Leaking this video wasn’t about bringing light to a crime, it was for financial gain.
I am sure the Standard has a REALLY well written employee agreement…the person who sold this was really stupid, IMO. Might bring them short term gain, but it will be a burden in the long run. I’ve known some agreements that penalize financially for every.single.website or newspaper or news program that airs the confidential inforamtion. If they had something like that in place here, the person could be on the line for MILLIONS of dollars.
I do. Once again the people with the deeper pockets skate, while the little guy gets screwed. Why aren’t the authorities investigating the assault on Jay? Solange should have been brought to the station to explain what happened on the video, at the very least. But no one is talking about pressing charges against her, only the messenger.
+1 Well said
Can someone with a background in law comment on this? I’m really curious…
SophiaJames probably the person who works at The Standard had to sign some type of contract and I would bet there is something on there about privacy and what not since it is a hotel. One of my closet friends works as a maid for The Marriott in San Francisco. She told me that The Standard since it is a four star hotel which has famous stars and others staying there all of the time probably definitely had something written into any employee’s contracts that if they divulged anything of a private nature they could lose all benefits, be terminated, and be perused for legal action. I doubt a prosecutor could do anything since it does not sound like the the person who sold the tape was trying to blackmail Jay-Z or Beyonce with it. If he/she was then that person could be sued for extortion. However, the most that is going to happen is that the person is going to be hit with a civil lawsuit by The Standard to make an example of them so no one else ever gets a bright idea to do this in the future.
I don’t see any criminal charges being pursued. It won’t matter though because The Standard will ruin this person financially with the civil suit. They probably only mentioned criminal charges because they want their clientele to know they are throwing absolutely everything they can at this person.
Kaiser, I’m assuming your question is not specifically about this instance, but more about in general, if the hotel has security footage of a crime, then yes, they should notify police. In the case of an assault, security should respond themselves as soon as they become aware of it and also notify police. However, if the victim refuses to press charges, it doesn’t matter anyway. No one is going to waste time or resources prosecuting someone for assault when the victim won’t speak out.
In this situation, given the high profiles involved, they were probably instructed to look the other way. It’s not like JayZ is going to have his sister in law arrested for assault & battery.
Why isn’t V. Stiviano in trouble for recording a private conversation, and then releasing it (no idea if she was paid or not) to TMZ and the world basically? It is illegal to record someone without their knowledge. Every phone call you make these days has a recording that states “that this call may be recorded for …” to put you on notice that you are being recorded. And why, because Solange and the others are high-profile, should this assault be swept under the rug by the authorities? I am not siding with anyone in these instances, I just honestly cannot feel ok with all of these double-standards.
@ MW
You make some very good points. Yes, it is illegal to secretly record a conversation. I think in V. Stiviano’s case, Sterling knew he was being recorded…he just didn’t know she would allow the whole world to hear the recording.
@mw and @idk
A private citizen absolutely CAN record a private conversation without the other party’s knowledge. It is LEGAL!! Think about it. If it were illegal, then all those secretly taped reality shows (punk’d, restaurant stakeout, etc.) would not be on television. I mean, people post videos of unknowing parties all the time. This is all fine and legal.
I know people all think they have a general right to privacy, but in reality, you only have a right to privacy against the GOVERNMENT. If the government/government official records your private conversations, etc., then there’s a problem.
@ Sadie
It depends where you live. In most areas, you can not record a conversation without consent. There are places where it is illegal. Where I live, it is illegal though. With regards to shows like punk’d etc. the participants sign a release form before the episode is allowed to air. The release form allows permission to use the footage on the show. If you refuse to sign it, they blur out your face.
@MW, laws on consent in relation to audio recordings vary by state. California is a two-party consent state, meaning that anyone being recorded by a third party has to consent to the recording. V. Stiviano has said that Sterling knew she was recording him because, due to his failing memory, it was customary during their conversations.
Thanks – I do live in CA so I guess I thought recording without knowledge and permission was a Federal offense and applicable to all states. Sterling and Stiviano are in CA though, but he does not seem to be terribly interested in retaliating against her for publicizing the tape(s). It all just beings up a lot of questions in my mind.
The person who leaked this only got 250k ?? LOL, good luck with that.
I mean its a decent ‘sum’ but TMZ made that back within 5 minutes of posting the video. Shoulda pushed for a mil or 2. You’re gonna at least need that much to disappear from the face of the earth so the Cops/Jay/Bey camp can stay off your back.
That person is losing their job and is going to have a bunch of legal fees to pay. Let’s see how far 250k will get them.
Couldn’t even live of that for 3 months in London or NY.
I swear the pics of K-Stew cheating got double this.
Goodness gracious, what type of lifestyle do you live? I know plenty of people who could stretch $250k much farther than three months in NYC!
Good for them.
$250,000 after taxes and the inevitable legal fees won’t be that much. And if this is someone who isn’t adept with money, he will end up like most lottery winners, burning through it very quickly (I’ve had friends with six figure trust funds deplete them in under two years because they didn’t realize how quickly their spending added up).
Dude is going to be hard up to find a job given that he was a gross misconduct term in his last position.
Don’t know what planet you’re from, but you can absolutely live on (far, far less than that) for 3 months in London or NY. Do you think the average annual salary in NY or London is more than a million dollars???
Exactly. A crime was committed in their hotel and taped on their video surveillance and no one called the police? How safe would people feel in that hotel then? What is the point of cameras in an elevator if no one cares what happens in it?
I might sound naive..but i wouldn’t name that a ‘crime’. No one was hurt in the end and if they had to report anything that is recorded on those tapes the police could easily book a room and sleep there every night.
Yeah, I’m not going to feel especially unsafe if they’re selling videos of me in a lobby or elevator. Just don’t do weird shit in the elevator.
the hotel’s reputation was greatly damaged by this, may not be a criminal case but they def. have grounds for a civil case I would think.
it was an assault and battery, plain and simple. which is a crime.
it’ amazing that celebrities would flee from the hotel out of fear that their privacy will be compromised. privacy to do what? commit crimes in peace?
@word – excellent points. wth have security cameras if no one apparently gives a crap if crimes are committed?
I’m just saying that since they’re family things probably went too far as often happens between family members when they’re arguing. When some people argue with some family member they sometimes take the argument to a completely different level. I wouldn’t call it crime because he was a heated argument and yes she punched and kicked but he wasn’t hurt and if JayZ thought he was being attacked in such a violent way he could have started legal actions himself. I’m referring to this specific case, not any other case of assault. Maybe they asked Jay Z if he was ok and if he wanted to press charges and he refused!
I think if the hotel reported this case it would have been very bad publicity and transforming a heated row between famous family members into something bigger and then it would have been much much worse to keep quiet. This person will get into some trouble only because he probably had to sign some papers regarding the privacy of the guests. So yes the hotel can definetely proscute him/her.
Newsflash: That video clearly shows assault and battery, which IS a crime. I don’t much care for any of the three involved there, but Solange Knowles was out of line and if she weren’t related to someone famous she’d likely already be facing legal consequences of her own. And if this was a man hitting a woman there wouldn’t be any debate over whether it’s a crime. It was wrong, period.
How do you guys know that they didn’t speak to Jay, Bey or Solange about what was on the footage and ask Jay if he wanted to press charges? And if he declined then they just let it go? There’s a lot of speculating but the truth is we don’t know what went down other than what we saw.
It’s more than a little ironic if Solange gets away with A&B, but the person who outed it gets punished.
@ blue marie – When would the security have had time to stop and “talk” with Jay-Z after the incident? They are seen walking out of the elevator and straight into their cars. When security saw an assault taking place, they should have been waiting right outside that elevator to question the attacker and attackee and witnesses. If you were attacked in an elevator, wouldn’t you want security to get a hold of the person who attacked you? Or would you be ok with them just letting the attacker go off to another party or go home. Security should have at least made sure the victim was ok. It shouldn’t matter they were family, or the victim was male, or that they were celebrities. In the end it’s assault and that’s a crime.
@Paola
Crimes are still committed by one family member to another. In that case, the term “domestic violence” shouldn’t exist. Or how about child abuse? A crime is a crime. There are plenty of crimes where the victim is not physically hurt but emotionally hurt. Rape doesn’t always leave physical scars but is sure leaves mental and emotional ones right? I think people aren’t upset about this because it was a woman hitting a man and that man is her relative and they are celebrities. If it was a man hitting his wife who just happened to not be famous, would people still be thinking this is “no big deal”? I blame security for not doing their jobs.
I did say i was referring to this case specifically.
JayZ is no fragile boy, If he wanted to press charges I’m sure he would have done it with or without the help of the Hotel staff. We’re reading something bigger in this story than what it really is.
I would think that if the police asked for the tape in regards to a criminal investigation, that the hotel would be obligated to turn over the tape. However, I don’t know if they have any obligation to go to the police if none of the people involved in the incident wished to press charges.
But I am just speculating on this!
@ word .. I didn’t see them walking to their cars, I just saw them getting off the elevators. His security guard could have contacted the hotel or vice versa. And yes, I would want security to get the person that attacked me however me being attacked and what happened here is not the same thing. I don’t walk around with my own private security guard. Maybe the hotel security was told to take a backseat to private security. *shrugs* I dunno..
@ blue marie
There is footage of them leaving the elevator and getting into their cars. You are right, perhaps the body guard did contact hotel security but it doesn’t seem like he did as they quickly left in their cars, but who knows? It’s hard to know because none of us are high profile celebs, we don’t know how these things work.
@paola,
Yeah, you do sound naive. She hit him. That’s a crime. You can’t go around hitting people, whether they are related to you or not.
I’m wondering if the hotel has sat on other crime videos. What if there were rapes recorded? Assaults on women or children? They seem to be saying that privacy trumps criminal behavior.
@paola I agree. She slapped him and was prevented from doing much else by the bodyguard, so more properly it was attempted assault. There seems to be lot of hysteria over this incident that the parties involved do not feel themselves. It’s over. Move on.
It’s actually not a crime to not report a crime. When I found that out, I was kind of depressed:
http://www.expertlaw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36912
“As a general rule, arising from common law, you have no obligation to report any crime you witness. The primary traditional exception is that you have a duty to protect people with whom you have a status relationship (e.g., your spouse, your minor children).
Misprision involves acts of concealment, not just a failure to report criminal activity.
Every U.S. jurisdiction now also has “mandatory reporting” laws, which require certain people (e.g., teachers, doctors, counselors) to report acts of child abuse.”
In Georgia a few years ago there was a horrible case where this young couple murdered a minister who had given them a ride in his minivan. One of the couple’s parents watched the entire thing (they shot him in the driveway after he had driven them home) but didn’t call 911 and the police said they couldn’t charge her with anything.
I’m a criminal defense attorney not licensed in New York. (This was NYC, rt?). The law varies from state to state, but I generally agree with the poster who googled. If the police were actively investigating and the Standard failed to turn this tape over- that might result in an obstruction charge or interfering with a criminal investigation, but failing to bring the incident to the attention of the authorities is not going to result in criminal liability. @suterlaw
Very interesting!
I think unless Jay Z decided to press charges, there would be no ‘criminal liability’ on their end.
That would be my guess as well.
I doubt Jay/Beyonce will do anything but the hotel could sue and make an example out of him. I’m sure he signed some NDA’s before working there.
They should be punished!
And whomever said that privacy was dead was NOT kidding.
The person who released pics of Michael Jackson’s naked dead body didn’t go to jail and nothing can be worse than that..
I don’t see any reason for this person to go to jail apart from the Knowles/Carter family wanted to teach a lesson to this person. And i can see JAy Z and Beyoncè wanting to start a legal action against this person for showing their family is no better than all the others.
If i’m honest I would have probably done it too. In the heat of the moment it sounds like some really easy money and having a chance to record a juicy fight in a lift is so very tempting. Even if you then lose your job. Am i a terrible person? Maybe.
You’re not a terrible person Paola. A lot of people would have sold that vid, even some of the pearl clutchers.
Frankly whoever that person was should go to jail. That was awful that someone did that as well.
Frankly it have to be someone working security for The Standard who did this since it was a CCTV on the elevator. So whoever did this will probably be blacklisted from any type of security jobs in the future. They barely make a lot I bet and once word gets around they are screwed. Plus paying legal fees and any civil fees that he/she is forced to cough up, that money is gone.
If Solange didnt do what she did, there wouldn’t be a video to sell. Dont kill the messenger. Keep your problems at home – dont expose them in an elevator.
If we’re sending people to jail for leaking videos/pictures…half of the country should be in jail. Like the people who hack computers and steal naked pictures? Jail time. The guy who leaked MJ pics? Jail time. Please. B and J have problems like everyone else. Sucks for them. They aren’t perfect.
Paola – I would have sold it too.
They’ll be hard-pressed to find any job after this. If they leave their time at the Standard off their application/CV, a Google search will likely explain the omission to prospective employers. And if the person leaves it on, a reference check will reveal a gross misconduct termination/ineligible for rehire status, which is, especially in an employers market, an automatic “do not hire.”
Not terrible just opportunistic.
I think they want this story to go away. That won’t happen if they sue.
A coworker and I were talking about this – if the opportunity presented itself, I would have thought about selling it too. They were in a hotel elevator! I’d feel differently if they were in their hotel room, or at their own place.
And let’s be honest – I don’t make anywhere NEAR $250k, and I doubt the person who taped it makes anywhere near that either. Losing their job? Big whoop. Now they have more time to spend their money…
‘Now they have more time to spend their money…’
Haha. He’ll barely be able to sniff that cash with the looming lawsuit that will swallow that sh-t whole. The dude broke all sorts of rules and contracts he most likely signed with the hotel. The Knowles-Carters gain nothing from going after him but the hotel will definitely make an example of him. And what’s 250k after taxes ??
Also they’re probably going to blacklist him at all of the celebrity frequented hotels. Celebs need assurance that any messiness that happens between hotel walls stays within hotel walls.
The employee wasn’t in the elevator. He accessed CCTV footage that was property of the hotel and sold it for personal profit. That is theft of company property. While the hotel likely won’t pursue it criminally, they will certainly pursue him civilly. That $250k will be poof before he knows what hit him.
I don’t think it is the B&J camp that is going after this person. It is their employer, the hotel, because it harms the reputation of their establishment.
I absolutely think they should be prosecuted in some way. The hotel could easily sue them for damages even if Bey & Jay dont pursue it since the act did hurt their reputation. I dont care who it is, you should be able to be in an elevator without worrying about the staff selling whatever they happen to capture with company cameras.
Hope whoever did it is prepared to pay some hefty legal fees.
BEING in an elevator and committing a crime in an elevator are two different things. this video would not sell for $1 if it was the three of them, and their security detail, just riding in an elevator.
Have you considered the possibility that the person who leaked this video could have negotiated w/TMZ that if there legal problems, that TMZ would help them w/that? I’m tending to think the leaker isn’t a total dumbass.
‘I’m tending to think the leaker isn’t a total dumbass.’
LOL. That’s cute.
Kimbob – I agree. I’m sure this person thought of all the ramifications prior to selling this tape. I’m also sure TMZ made a deal with them regarding any litigation that may follow. Eithery way, I hope this security person never works as a security person again. They obviously think it’s no big deal when someone gets attacked during their shift.
It’s also possible that the hotel released a false statement to save face and regain their clients. They might not have caught the individual.
I don’t think there’s any legal ramifications for the individual unless, as mentioned, Jay Z presses charges and it becomes evidence in a case…didn’t that lady who walked into a mall fountain while on her cellphone try to sue the mall/security for posting it on youtube? I could be wrong but I don’t remember her winning.
It was a stupid decision on the guards’ part because he not only lost his job (probably a decent paying union gig) but he will probably be in court for the next few years over this and end up spending most if not all of the cash on lawyers.
He or she sacrificed their future so that we could get the good gossip and for that I say thank them!
It was an assault that should had been reported. Who would do it when celebrities are involved? By selling the video, the employee profited by breaking the confidentiality agreement he/ she signed to work there. But what do I know?
I’m kind of startled to discover there are so many commenters that are so up in arms over the employee that sold this elevator video to TMZ. I tend to believe they’re “one percenters,” but maybe I’m wrong. I mean, maybe these people haven’t experienced the backlash of corporate America. Corporate America is RUTHLESS!
I’m fairly certain this individual seriously weighed the consequences of his/her potential action before shopping around this video. This person probably thought, “Let’s see, I’m making $X/hr., or $XK/yr. & I’m being offered $250K from TMZ? This is a no-brainer.”
I have been quite personally affected by this economy. Most of Corporate America now wants to hire people part-time, & not pay benefits…this is the trend. I’m sure this person wasn’t feeling the love from The Standard. I’m almost certain The Standard is part of this lovely trend. Where would my loyalties lie? Um, not w/The Standard.
If there are budget cuts, the lowly worker is the first to feel them. Employers have absolutely no loyalty to their employees anymore, so I guess that’s why I’m a bit surprised by all the discussion of ethics, etc.
Nah I don’t think that’s accurate in this case. First off I doubt this was a low paid worker because most high end hotels in NYC are in unions and even menial workers make a lot of money and would be considered comfortable.
Second he almost certainly signed a confidentiality agreement and violated the rules of his company. To me it’s not that I agree with the hotel but I think it was a stupid decision and he must have known he would get caught. I’m enjoying the result of the gossip but he didn’t do an admirable thing . It’s not like he turned footage into law enforcement. It was just pure greed.
I’m sure that he wasn’t making much as a security guard but really what is 250k going to do for him if he does get sued ??? He might get a trip to Cabo out of this if he’s lucky.
Look at all the ‘dude I’d do the same thing’ comments…You best believe that it would be worth it to the hotel to make an example out of him so other employee’s don’t get any ideas about breaking contracts to make a quick buck. It won’t be “Oh whats the worst theyre gonna do to me? Fire me?” no it’ll be “Whats the worst they’re gonna do to me? Fire me, blacklist me job wise and leave me in a pile of legal debt so whatever money I made from selling info will be gone and I still owe the hotel money and lawyer fees” I don’t think hotel employees (or internet commenters) are about that life.
You don’t have to have loyalty to your employers (especially if they treat you like sh-t) but there is always someone out there willing to scoop your job when you mess up and this dude royally f-cked up. This is great gossip for us on the internet but we still have jobs to go to in the morning. I doubt this guy is getting another job at a hotel anytime soon. And I hope he doesn’t live in NY because 250k there is chicken change and he sure as hell won’t be cashing any unemployment cheques.
Thing is, I don’t think the person who leaked this really cared about their job all that much…obviously. Working for The Standard maybe left a lot to be desired? Maybe the person is greedy. Maybe this person had some type of agreement/contract drawn up w/TMZ that they’d help if there were legal ramifications. We don’t know right now, & might not ever know.
The Standard is only worried about the financial fallout from this leak from their high-end clientele, thus the blustering and hiring Marty Singer to try & obliterate this former employee.
JayZ had the chance to make some noise about this before it got out, but he didn’t. I may be very wrong…who knows…but I don’t think much is going to come out of this as far as the leak. I say screw The Man (corporate establishment). For whatever reasons, this former employee had motivation to do what they did, & I guess they thought it was worth it.
I’m quite enjoying the fruits of this person’s labor, really. Anymore you can’t just go all LL Cool-J, Mama said Knock You Out in an elevator…it’s going to get filmed.
What Luca26 said.
For hotels of this caliber you have to sign a confidentiality agreement. As one of my friends told me most hotels have unions and it is written into agreements with them. You can and will be sued by a hotel for breaking confidentiality agreements.
He or she was really dumb to sell that tape to TMZ for $250,000 and I sincerely doubt Harvey Levin agreed to pay for any legal ramifications that would pop up about this. I bet TMZ gets named in this civil suit too. Frankly TMZ is no better than Rupert Murdoch for going and paying people off at courthouses and divulging information for entertainment. And believe me I know this is a gossip site but what people like Murdoch and TMZ get into all in the name of journalism and news makes my skin crawl.
Back to whoever this guy/girl was after takes they may, may have around $200,000 left. Have fun fighting that civil suit and not getting another job anytime soon.
@Kimbob,
You are speaking the truth. This corporation seems to care more about privacy than what went on in their elevators. Maybe the security person got fed up with seeing all the unreported crimes that they had seen on the screen? Perhaps it was one scandal swept under the rug too many.
I also agree with you about the corporate landscape. Whole departments have been eliminated and moved overseas. They then train foreign workers for the jobs and try to pay them peanuts. But the people overseas aren’t stupid. They will take that ‘free’ education and fly to another company that will pay them for their newly acquired knowledge. Meanwhile, we’re out of jobs here and they’re scratching their heads wondering why they can’t keep their foreign workers.
Thanks, Delorb. I was working in the legal field. Had a job w/a company that was part-time. My hours were decreasing to like, sometimes 1.5 hrs./day, & I got a job offer from another legal company promising me great things. I took that job, & at month 5, was notified BY E-MAIL that the company was pulling out of my state. That’s how all of the employees were notified in my state…by e-mail!
I am certain that company knew they weren’t going to be in my state for long when they hired me. The company didn’t care about their employees…at all. It’s really rough out there in this economy. How do companies expect loyalty when it’s so obvious they don’t care about their employees? Corporate cut-throats.
ITA regarding Corporatism. Big Business has shamelessly grabbed governmental powers the world wide, and most have a hard time finding full time employment at a place like The Standard, let alone making a living wage.
Gossip likes to see people get their comeuppance. I don’t begrudge someone making their living in Gossip, and that includes the Lifgate Leaker.
‘Maybe the security person got fed up with seeing all the unreported crimes that they had seen on the screen? Perhaps it was one scandal swept under the rug too many.’
Or maybe he saw Bey and Jay in an elevator and saw dollar signs. Why are folks turning this into some noble act of rebellion against ‘The Man’ ? Please, he wanted money and got some. The end. He took the tape into TMZ knowing it’d make big bucks. Do you honestly think that he would’ve leaked the tape if it was some Z-lister in there like Corbin Bleu or one of the wolves from Twilight ? Hell no, it wouldn’t be worth losing his job for.
You honestly think he risked his job and getting blacklisted as a security guard from every celeb hotspot in NY because he was sick of ‘unreported crimes’ ?? That is hilarious…
@OC,
“Why are folks turning this into some noble act of rebellion against ‘The Man’ ?”
Because people like you are just as quick to label this guy or girl as a money grubber. So quick to put out there that HE’S the problem when there is a beat down playing on a continuous loop. So quick to blame Jay, when he’s the person being hit.
Well, that’s a job well done by the powers that be, because they’ve gotten you to not pay attention to the man behind the curtain. That Kool Aid tastes great at first.
@Kimbob,
You’re welcome. There was a time when corporations weren’t trusted by the common man. The message changed (they have deep pockets for PR), but their ways didn’t. They are just as bad as they were back during the sweatshop, robber baron days.
This whole go after the guy who leaked the Carter Knowles dust up smacks of feudalism gone amok.
The Big Wigs have been allowed to opt out of keeping our roads paved, our schools funded, our air clean, or providing anyone with any reasonable opportunity to make a living. Instead, throwing people in prison for stealing a loaf of bread is back in fashion with a vengeance.
The Social Contract is broken, and we owe our ‘Betters’ nothing.
You hit the nail on the head. Damn straight!
+2
Police dash-cam video is routinely leaked to the media and there’s never any blowback.
Wonder who get’s to keep all that money?
You are right. Reece Witherspoon didn’t sue did she? That video of her getting arrested didn’t go her any favors.
That information might be subject to FOIA requests. It could be like how the recordings of 911 calls are public record.
Police dash cams are a part of public record. Security cameras at a business are not.
Well, since it’s California….nothing will probably happen.
They were in New York.
And what’s with Solange ? She’s assaulting someone and that’s also illegal.
Assault ?? Not to some folks here. Solange is a woman and Jay-Z is supposedly an ‘abuser’ based on a 4 second gif so that means he deserves it. Oh and Beyonce is a fake ‘robot’ who smiles so we have to revel in ‘her perfect facade crumbling’. Come back when Benedict Cumberbatch gets hit by a woman. That would definitely be assault because he’s the most perfect man ever.
@originalcrystal
1000% agree!
Or if Tom Hiddleston assaulted, I would personally hunt that woman down 😉
I know right. I don’t like Beyonce either but everyone like well JayZ assaulted and cheats on Beyonce all of the time to me make no sense. Solange flat out assaulted him. I don’t care if he called her out of her name (which I highly doubt) she was the only one acting rachet up on that video. Fact is Solange could be and should be charged with assault.
@starrywonder
LOL. The excuses were just ridiculous. People haven’t even got proof that he’s cheating (though it wouldn’t surprise me) but apparently that’s a good enough reason for Solange to act a banshee ass fool towards him. Had Tom Sturridge decided to kick and spit at Kristen Stewart in an elevator because she cheated on his best friend Robert people here would be out for blood. People are so desperate to see Beyonce ‘fail’ (it’s pathetic really) that a video of her sister and husband arguing is becoming the most ‘amazing’ thing ever and she’s not even doing anything in it. You’re not even allowed to call Woody Allen a creep because ‘there’s no proof!!!’ but calling Jay-Z an abuser and a cheater is fine because ‘blind items!!!’. Some folks here really make me laugh.
@Original,
I’m a huge Benedict fan (as well as Beyonce), but you are speaking the truth here. For some reason, Solange can go off on Jay (hitting and kicking him several times) and she’s the victim.
So many have even been falling over themselves trying to absolve her of her assault on him. She’s on drugs! She has mental problems! Jay is cheating! She’s just protecting her sister! As if a man can use ANY reason when he assaults one of us.
Now we get the person who leaked the video as the worst person on the planet and how they should NEVER EVER get another job for the rest of their lives. The nerve of them for releasing video of famous people fighting!
Eye-roll!
I don’t know…they were in an enclosed space but they were still in public. If you don’t want people to know about your drama, don’t beat-up your brother in law in a hotel, maybe?
Okay so if this individual does get into legal trouble for selling “stolen property” then would tmz not face ramifications for purchasing said stolen property?
Good point! I think TMZ would face ramifications. I bet their team of lawyers are working extra to cover themselves.
Yes they would and I believe that is already being whispered that they are going to be named in the lawsuit. Not that i mind. TMZ is disgusting and for always putting out pro Kardashian stories and talking to the Lohans ugh.
This is a female-run site. The mods/writers are all female.
And as a survivor of domestic violence, and a paralegal, I agree with the writers. Assault is a legal term and nowhere in the law is it delineated that an assualt has to result in significant harm to be deemed an assault. It doesn’t matter if the kick didn’t connect.
Wow. I’m surprised at how many gossip lovers are appalled that a video of fatcats having a family altercation in an elevator got released.
You can bet that many who want the Liftgate Leaker to face prosecution have somehow tacitly accepted NSA observation and warantless wiretaps of ordinary people going about their business. It almost feels like only the wealthy have the clout to keep their personal lives private.
http://www.ipolitics.ca/2014/04/11/government-downplays-warantless-disclosure-changes-in-digital-privacy-act/
I don’t see TMZ suffering any serious legal ramifications. TMZ makes sure they have lawyers covering up their asses, head to toe. I’ve never heard of TMZ ever suffering from legal issues. Considering all the times they have exposed and defamed celebrities, they’ve never been under major, legal heat in terms of how they’ve obtained footage/audio/photos of an incident. I bet TMZ is making efforts to obtain the audio of the Solange/Jay Z security tape.
Lord, please let there be audio
Yeah… I’ll go ahead and admit I’m glad the poor sucker sold the video, cuz those people think they’re some kind of Ubermensch-Holy-Royalty-of-the-Earth, and this brings them down about 50 notches. Solange fights dirty, man- those kicks flailing out all over crazy like that… I downright enjoyed watching it. Scandal gossip gold…
Maybe we can get some country to give the former employee asylum to protect them from the wrath of the powerful, à la Edward Snowden.
‘cuz those people think they’re some kind of Ubermensch-Holy-Royalty-of-the-Earth, and this brings them down about 50 notches.’
How does this bring them down ’50 notches’. The Carter’s will still go on a sold out stadium tour and will be on every forbes list next year. Solange will still get mad respect from the alternative r&B/indie crowd that sees her as the second coming because she’s the anti-beyonce. They’ll do just fine.
You probably thought K-Stew would stop getting roles after the cheating scandal right ??? Hahaha.
Nah, by taking them down 50 notches I don’t mean it’ll hurt their business or tour sales or whatever, nor do I wish them actual ill or anything like that. It’s just that they, especially Beyoncé, present themselves in this totally-evolved all-awesomeness “keepin’ it real, i’m just that perfect” kinda way that I find TOTALLY annoying (can you tell? 😉 – like no sense of humor about themselves or anything- what with photoshopping thigh gap in into “candid” instagram pics, demanding that less-than-flattering concert pics be taken out of the media, turning the mics way down for the other Destiny’s Child members at their Superbowl performance, obnoxious stuff like that that most people nevertheless seem to forget. I still think she’s an awesome performer and all that and I totally doubt this will affect their bottom line- and deservedly so, I think people enjoy the music and concerts and stuff, and this has nothing to do with that.
What bugs me is really only the Queen Perfection persona she presents to the public about all aspects of her life . By taking them down notches, I just mean that that kind of embarassing family violence (my own family has plenty of dysfunction, but I’ve never seen anyone thrashing around like that or trying to break someone’s face) looks frankly ghetto. I know I’m opening up a whole can of worms by saying that, but that’s the impression I get. In that sense, it’s to Beyoncé’s credit that she stayed calm throughout the thing, whatever was going on. Perhaps she actually is sorta regal in her way, even if the perfection of all aspects of her existence is false.
Also, I didn’t care about the Kristen Stewart thing, except for being juicy gossip… I guess that she is less annoying to me because she’s always seemed (way) less invested in presenting any sort of public ideal of perfection- there’s a kind of sincerity there, almost, in sulking around on the red carpet and walking around totally grunged out and saying obnoxious stuff to interviewers. Maybe she plays that up, but at least it’s never holier-than-thou.
If this genius goes to trial, he/she would be publicly id’d.
Yes, it absolutely is a violation of Bey, Jay and Solange’s privacy. And that person probably signed a contract stating that they could no such thing as they did. I mean, wouldn’t you be kind of pissed if you saw a video of yourself online in an elevator (even if you were doing something innocent like picking your nose)?
I mean don’t get me wrong, its entertaining gossip…but yeah not totally surprised that guy who leaked it is getting into major trouble.
Confidentiality agreements, contracts… In corporate America, it’s known as an NDA. 🙂 (Non disclosure agreement). I should know, I just had to sign one since my company recently got acquired by a very well known corporation (and most of you have probably used its services at one time or another). I’m sure luxury hotels have NDAs their employees must sign too. If you violate that NDA by doing something stupid such as say, recording security footage on your phone and then getting paid by the media to distribute it, you will be terminated and most likely prosecuted. It’s violating all kinds of things you willingly agreed to when you signed the NDA so I do not feel the least bit sorry for this employee. Good luck getting a job after that!
And I do think this was an invasion of privacy. They started fighting in the elevator away from prying eyes. Most people forget there are cameras in elevators, it’s not something you think about when you get in (I know I don’t). This fight was not never meant to be public but people are greedy and like to exploit things. I know I wouldn’t want my family’s dysfunctional dynamics to be made public in such a way and I feel sorry for Jay Z, Beyonce, and Solange.