Held onto staff's prize money for Bell story
Copter pilot Bob Tur announces sex changeA story by Michael Cieply and James Bates in the L.A. Times details some of the payments and expensive gifts -- watches, motorcycles, overseas trips -- that stars demand to appear at charity events.
The William Morris Agency sent Bill Cosby an agreement guaranteeing him a $75,000 fee and $10,000 in expense money to receive the Humanitarian Award at a UCLA cancer research benefit set for early this year. The pact also spelled out that he'd receive a luxury sedan and "100% Headline Billing" for the event.
Cosby's agent insists the fee was going to be donated back. Gerald and Betty Ford took $200,000 for appearing at a benefit to raise money for 18 charities, including Cure Autism Now and the Starlight Children's Foundation. The details are coming out as part of the continued unraveling of the Aaron Tonken fundraising scams in Hollywood.