Former RHOC star Alexis Bellino is getting divorced, and that divorce seems poised to impact the lives of two current Real Housewives.
Specifically, Alexis’ ex is suing Tamra Judge and Shannon Beador to the tune of $ 1 million.
Jim Bellino sounds pissed. What on earth did they do?
RadarOnline reports that Jim Bellino is suing Tamra Judge and Shannon Beador for $ 1 million, and the tabloid got that news right from the horse’s mouth.
“I am filing a lawsuit over certain defamatory, highly intrusive, and damaging statements made about me, my family, and business,” Jim Bellino announces.
Jim goes on to say that these statements have been made “by Tamra Judge and Shannon Beador in recent media interviews.”
By which he is clearly referring to Tamra Judge referring to Jim Bellino as a “shady motherf–ker” who is “going to jail” on Heather McDonald’s podcast.
“Those interviews — given by Judge and Beador as part of a desperate campaign to extend their ’15 minutes of fame,"” Jim writes, not understand what the 15 minutes phrase means.
Jim says that their statements “were filled with malicious lies and outrageous and highly offensive comments about me, my family and business.”
“Among other lies,” Jim claims. “Judge and Beador claimed that I was ‘going to jail,’ that my divorce from Alexis was a ‘sham’ and that my trampoline business is closed as a result of lawsuits and that ‘people get paralyzed there."”
A woman did sue the Bellinos in 2015, claiming that she had been injured at their Anaheim trampline park.
“I understand Judge and Beador have begun ‘spinning’ that they were merely repeating rumors,” Jim says. “And that they were merely “poking fun” at certain individuals during their interviews, including me.”
But he’s decided to make a fuss anyway.
“I am not amused,” Jim says. “And will be seeking full compensation for the damages to my reputation and my business and all of the pain and suffering that Judge and Beador have put me and my family through during a very personally difficult time in my life.”
Jim Bellino’s legal representation also had something to say.
“Plaintiffs are not amused,” his attorney’s statement reads. “By and through this action they seek compensation for the existing and continuing damages resulting from defendants defamatory and outrageous statements.”
The statement claims that the expected victory will be “in an amount to be proven at trial but believed to be well be in excess of $ 1 million.”
One wonders how a statement made on a podcast in June could rack up millions in damages.
“Plaintiffs also seek an award of substantial punitive damages to make an example of Ms. Judge and Ms. Beador,” the attorney threatens.
They hope to exact retribution “and to deter them from similarly oppressive, fraudulent, and malicious conduct in the future.”
A source close to Shannon and to Tamra says that, well, Jim shouldn’t hold his breath.
Tamra and Shannon are “definitely not going to apologize,” the insider says.
“They were just talking about allegations that are already public,” the source explains.
But Jim Bellino had more to say than just to threaten two women for gossiping.
“We would like to thank the many individuals who have expressed support for us,” Jim says. “As we worked through one of the most difficult times of our personal lives.”
Jim is referring of course to his divorce from Alexis Bellino.
“To those who have shown that they truly care,” Jim says. “We are happy to report that we have reached an amicable resolution of our divorce proceedings.”
Amicable, maybe, but it doesn’t sound like the results were especially good. And, perhaps, they weren’t even fair.
But Jim says that we’ll never get to know, because “we expect to keep confidential in order to protect our privacy and keep the most sensitive and intimate details of our lives from becoming grist for a malicious ‘rumor mill."”
Considering that Alexis Bellino was recently tearful on social media, in part because of her new budget and new lifestyle, it sounds like Jim got a bigger piece of the pie.
“We have been unfairly and viciously targeted by certain individuals in recent weeks,” Jim claims.
His language comes on really strong.
Jim has no love for those “who have severely aggravated the pain we have had to endure through false, defamatory, and highly objectionable statements to the media.”
Time will tell if a court agrees that Shannon and Tamra’s offhand gossip did that much damage. if this suit even makes it that far.
“We look forward,” Jim says. “To holding those individuals fully accountable through the legal process for the substantial damages that they have caused and continue to cause to our family.”
Whether you think that Jim’s crusade against Tamra and Shannon is justified or silly, it definitely isn’t the most ridiculous lawsuit in Real Housewives history.
That, folks, would be Joanna Krupa suing Brandi Glanville for saying that her vagina smelled bad. But let us remind you that Joanna won that case.
