The National Enquirer apologized to Britney Spears in its British edition Tuesday for reporting that she was ready to divorce white-trash deadbeat Kevin Federline.
Articles published by the tabloid on June 5 and June 12 proclaimed: “Britney marriage is over!” and “Britney and Kevin: And now their divorce!” respectively. The stories were based on vague, uncredited sources supposedly close to the couple. Way to drag celebrities through the mud for no reason, a$$holes. You hacks are a disgrace to journalism and blogging.
According to Fox News, a beacon of journalistic standards in its own right, the retraction and apology said that National Enquirer officials “now accept that their marriage is not over and they are not getting divorced. These allegations are untrue and we now accept Britney’s position that the statements are without foundation. We apologize for any distress caused.”
American Media Inc., the publisher of the Enquirer, agreed to terms on a settlement with Paul Tweed, the lawyer representing Spears in both Great Britain and Ireland. The settlement requires a published apology, but no cash damages.
Too bad, because Federline loves cash he doesn’t have to work for.
Spears reportedly pursued action on that side of the Atlantic because British and Irish laws are far more plaintiff-friendly.
The pop princess and the backup dancer / aspiring rapper / mooch of a husband wed in September 2004 and have a 10-month old son, Sean Preston, who will soon grow old enough to realize how f–ked up his life is. She is now pregnant with their second child, who is due to enter the world (and be traumatized) this fall.
“The couple are very satisfied with the Enquirer‘s prompt and good-faith response,” Tweed said.
The apology and retraction was published today in the edition of the Enquirer published in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and will be published Wednesday in the Republic of Ireland version.
The Hollywood Gossip would like to take this opportunity to note that it will never, ever retract a story about Britney Spears. Particularly if it involves nude pics. Thank you.