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A week in which a golfer was denied his prize money, a homeless man got a windfall and a 12-year-old landed a great job
Challenged:
Judge Judy’s salary, in a suit by one of the owners of her hugely lucrative TV show. Turns out the eye-popping figure in question — $47 million a year (all U.S.) — is being deducted from the program’s gross profits. After that accounting change was made, notes the Hollywood Reporter, the money that previously flowed to the defendants, Rebel Entertainment, dried up completely.
Denied:
College student and golfer Lee McCoy, whose fourth-place finish at a PGA event in Florida came with $292,800 (U.S.) in prize money. Unfortunately, McCoy is an amateur and, as such, isn’t eligible to collect any actual winnings. “I think I got like 350 bucks in my bank account right now,” he said, “so it’s mostly gas money.”
Walking:
B.C. father Ryan Thirlwall, who trudged 125 kilometres from Nanaimo to Victoria wearing a pink tutu, in an effort to promote antibullying campaigns. The 28-hour walk also raised funds for the Boys & Girls Club of Victoria. Thirlwall told the CBC he wants schools to hold similar events, and he challenged Justin Trudeau to don a pink tutu and post a picture online to show his support.
Dumped:
Maria Sharapova, who was “suspended” from her job as UN goodwill ambassador after revealing that she had tested positive for a banned substance. UN guidelines say someone appointed to that position can be let go if he or she “engages in any activity incompatible with his/ her status or with the purposes and principles of the United Nations.”
Accepted:
Lindsay Lohan’s contention that the massively successful video game Grand Theft Auto V illegally used her image for a character named Lacey Jonas. The New York Supreme Court handed the actress a surprising victory by denying a motion for dismissal by Take-Two, the company behind GTA. That sets the stage for a potentially juicy sequel: the discovery phase of the lawsuit.
Rewarded:
Matthew Hay-Chapman, a homeless man, who received a $100,000 reward for information leading to the capture of two escaped convicts. The 55-year-old, who lived in a San Francisco park, recognized one of them from photos in newspapers he had scavenged, Fox59 reported. He plans to use the money to start anew and help out his grown children.
Running:
Giorgia Meloni, for mayor of Rome. The pregnant politician’s candidacy sparked a fierce debate about sexism in Italian politics after her opponent Guido Bertolaso and former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi both declared that she should stay home and be a mother. “What I strongly believe is that no man can tell a woman what she can and cannot do during her pregnancy,” Meloni said.
Pumped:
Émile Burbridge, 12, as the “chief play officer” for Toys “R” Us Canada. His job duties include testing new toys, giving feedback, and appearing at public events. Plucked from among hundreds of candidates, the pre-teen from St-Bruno, Que., told The Canadian Press he is well aware of his coveted position. “It’s like being (elected) the president of good fortune,” he said.