Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Celebrity Dramas

Aired March 12, 2003 - 10:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: If you thought the dispute over "The Sopranos" couldn't get any bigger fuhgetaboutit. I knew I was going to have say that word. HBO, CNN's corporate corporate cousin, has filed a $100 million countersuit against the "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini to force the actor to come back to work. It comes after the TV mob boss filed a complaint against HBO, claiming it breached his contract for a fifth season. Observers say, the dispute all comes down to money. What a shock.
Joining us now to talk about the case is Harvey Levin from "Celebrity Justice."

Hello to you, Harvey.

HARVEY LEVIN, "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": Hi, Heidi.

COLLINS: Thanks for being with us. So what's this all about? He makes like $400,000, they offered him double that, but he wants more.

LEVIN: A mere pittance compared to "Frazier" where the stars get $1.6 million an episode, so "Variety" says. Here's the deal, James Gandolfini signed a typical Hollywood contract and that says is that HBO can use his services for season one, season two, season three, all the way up to season six. But each year they have to give him notice whether they're going to pick him up for the next season. Somebody forgot to send him that written notice.

And his position is, well, guess what, I don't have to back, you breached the contract, I don't have to come back. And what that really means is James Gandolfini is making $400,000 an episode. This gives him leverage to ask for a lot more money. The person who forgot -- can you imagine for a second being that person, who forget to send that letter, how much trouble their in right now?

COLLINS: So, Harvey, it does spell out in the contract that it has to be in writing, this notice that goes to Gandolfini?

LEVIN: It's really typical that these contracts provide that. The question is, does that mean that the contract is over because they didn't do what they were supposed to do? Gandolfini has gone to court and asked a judge to declare he has the right to walk or not walk, his option.

COLLINS: So what do you think? Could this be the end of Tony Soprano? Clearly he loves the role and the show is doing well. I'm going to be very surprised. LEVIN: I'm not going to say fuhgetaboutit, because I don't how to use the inflection. But no way, this is all about money, and my guess is what's going to happen is that James Gandolfini has more bargaining power than he had before this deadline passed. And he'll probably settle. He wanted $750,000 and he's getting $400,000, and my guess is he will do better because of this than they he would have had it not happened.

COLLINS: Sure. So what do you think the next step is? How are they going to go about settling this?

LEVIN: These suits and countersuits are so typical in Hollywood, I can't tell you, it's like sending a fax to somebody. Now what's going to happen, they're going to sit down, they're going to pound it out, and within a week or so, we'll find out he made a deal and he's going to make boku bucks.

COLLINS: Boku bucks. Already, Harvey Levin, thanks so much, from "Celebrity Justice."

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired March 12, 2003 - 10:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: If you thought the dispute over "The Sopranos" couldn't get any bigger fuhgetaboutit. I knew I was going to have say that word. HBO, CNN's corporate corporate cousin, has filed a $100 million countersuit against the "Sopranos" star James Gandolfini to force the actor to come back to work. It comes after the TV mob boss filed a complaint against HBO, claiming it breached his contract for a fifth season. Observers say, the dispute all comes down to money. What a shock.
Joining us now to talk about the case is Harvey Levin from "Celebrity Justice."

Hello to you, Harvey.

HARVEY LEVIN, "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": Hi, Heidi.

COLLINS: Thanks for being with us. So what's this all about? He makes like $400,000, they offered him double that, but he wants more.

LEVIN: A mere pittance compared to "Frazier" where the stars get $1.6 million an episode, so "Variety" says. Here's the deal, James Gandolfini signed a typical Hollywood contract and that says is that HBO can use his services for season one, season two, season three, all the way up to season six. But each year they have to give him notice whether they're going to pick him up for the next season. Somebody forgot to send him that written notice.

And his position is, well, guess what, I don't have to back, you breached the contract, I don't have to come back. And what that really means is James Gandolfini is making $400,000 an episode. This gives him leverage to ask for a lot more money. The person who forgot -- can you imagine for a second being that person, who forget to send that letter, how much trouble their in right now?

COLLINS: So, Harvey, it does spell out in the contract that it has to be in writing, this notice that goes to Gandolfini?

LEVIN: It's really typical that these contracts provide that. The question is, does that mean that the contract is over because they didn't do what they were supposed to do? Gandolfini has gone to court and asked a judge to declare he has the right to walk or not walk, his option.

COLLINS: So what do you think? Could this be the end of Tony Soprano? Clearly he loves the role and the show is doing well. I'm going to be very surprised. LEVIN: I'm not going to say fuhgetaboutit, because I don't how to use the inflection. But no way, this is all about money, and my guess is what's going to happen is that James Gandolfini has more bargaining power than he had before this deadline passed. And he'll probably settle. He wanted $750,000 and he's getting $400,000, and my guess is he will do better because of this than they he would have had it not happened.

COLLINS: Sure. So what do you think the next step is? How are they going to go about settling this?

LEVIN: These suits and countersuits are so typical in Hollywood, I can't tell you, it's like sending a fax to somebody. Now what's going to happen, they're going to sit down, they're going to pound it out, and within a week or so, we'll find out he made a deal and he's going to make boku bucks.

COLLINS: Boku bucks. Already, Harvey Levin, thanks so much, from "Celebrity Justice."

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com