Pitt-Jolie ex-bodyguard strikes fear of tell-all

Courtney Hazlett The Scoop

News that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s former bodyguard Mickey Brett might pen a tell-all or sell a television show based on his work with the couple sent panic through much of the Hollywood A-list set.

“If this kind of thing can happen with Brad and Angie, it can happen to anyone,” said one publicist who has worked with a roster of A-list clients. Brett has worked with Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Richard Gere in the past, but the threat Brett seems to pose to celebrity confidentiality doesn’t end there.

“If Mickey isn’t stopped — even if it’s lies that he puts out there, it plants a seed,” said the publicist. “And it doesn’t necessarily have to stop with security, it takes a village to get these people out the door. Stylists, assistants, you name it, there’s a lot of trust at play.”

Jolie and Pitt’s attorney Marty Singer told the New York Daily News that among other things, Brett wasn’t a reliable source, was bound by a confidentiality agreement and his ghostwriter made up many of the stories contained in a proposal obtained by the paper. Brett’s attorney countered by telling the paper, “Our client disputes what has apparently been said by Mr. Singer, but is not in a position to comment further at this stage.”

Brett's ghost writer, Robin McGibbon, insists to the Daily News that he did not embellish the bodyguard's stories.

“Mickey was definitely going to consider a book or TV deal if the offer was good enough,” says McGibbon. But at this point, he said, “there’s not going to be any book."

Will Chuck be re-upped?
Several shows air their season finales this week, but few are garnering as much attention as “Chuck,” which on April 27 aired what some fear may be its series finale as well.

Video   Chuck ending, or ending for now? April 27: Is this the end of the season for "Chuck," or is it the end of the critically acclaimed but ratings challenged show? NBC's Mark Barger reports. NBC News Channel

Like many shows with a strong but small following, viewers who didn’t want to see the show go the way of “Pushing Daisies,” organized a campaign meant to show the NBC decision-makers they wanted it back in the fall. (Msnbc.com is a joint venture between Microsoft and NBC Universal.)

Skeptical of how significant the groundswell of support might be and not exactly seeing much of a protest outside 30 Rock, I sent a Twitter query asking to see support. Never before have I witnessed such a swift response. One person said she’d “be gutted” if “Chuck” was tossed from the airwaves; another person pointed out that there isn’t enough “nerd-heroism” on TV, and via Facebook, this compelling argument show producers might want to take note of: “It is serialized, but you can miss a week without feeling totally lost (or ‘Lost?’), which is unique among today's dramas not involving a courtroom or a crime lab of some sort,” said John Buford.

To be clear, no decision one way or another has been made, but one insider I spoke with said not to be alarmed. “The fact that some of the execs are still listening to what people have to say is a good thing. There might be hope.”

Chatting with ‘The Merry Gentleman’s’ Tom Bastounes
The release of one-time Batman Michael Keaton’s directorial debut, “The Merry Gentleman,” which stars Tom Bastounes, could benefit from some prescient timing this weekend. As the world watches disturbing details about the alleged Craigslist killer become evident, this little film, which was picked up at Sundance this year, tells the tale of a man who is a serial killer (played by Keaton) who is in a relationship with a woman who is completely oblivious to the fact. Bastounes plays the cop who puts two and two together, and in a phone interview he said “the timing obviously is something you cannot plan.”

As a summer blockbuster like “Wolverine” rears its head this weekend, a little film like “Gentleman” is the kind you want to root for. Bastounes, a Second City alum who was in the same touring company as Jeremy Piven and Steve Carell, explained what was unique.

“The pacing is different — it’s slow and the characters develop. You don’t get the chance to let the story evolve like that in most films.” True enough. “Gentleman” was made for less than $5 million and offers up something that feels new. As the economy makes Hollywood financing increasingly scarce, let’s hope these are the kinds of films that continue to be given a chance.

Courtney Hazlett delivers the Scoop Monday through Friday on msnbc.com. Follow Scoop on Twitter: @ courtneyatmsnbc.

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