Remember hoverboards? They were briefly popular a couple years ago, until it was discovered that they sometimes caught on fire and were also really hard to ride without falling all over yourself. But hoverboards aren’t totally out of the mainstream yet (although I suppose that depends on how you define mainstream.) One hoverboard manufacturer, Sidekick Group, is suing Jennifer Lopez, claiming that she didn’t follow through on her obligation to promote the company on her social media platforms.

According to the company, Sidekick Group, Lopez signed a contract in 2015. The company provided JLo with 42 custom hoverboards to be used in her Las Vegas Show at Planet Hollywood. In return, Lopez was supposed to promote the company on her social media platforms–specifically Instagram and Twitter–at least once every three months. That would be a big boost for the company, given that Lopez has over 100 million followers between the two social media platforms. But the company claims that Lopez didn’t follow through on her obligation. The company is now suing Lopez for roughly $55,000, which it claims is what the customized hoverboards are worth.

That relatively low ask has raised some eyebrows. Forbes has Lopez’s net wealth for 2016 listed at almost $40 million. It seems as though Lopez, or the producers of her show, could have purchased the hoverboards without needing to come to any sort of agreement for promotion.

Media outlets have pointed out that Lopez did follow through on the promise at least once, when she tweeted footage from her show, complete with background dancers on the hoverboards.

The #AllIHave dancers killing it on their @SideKickWheels. Check them out at https://t.co/fkGTynZmrz #JLoVegas pic.twitter.com/1hHOAtuTmn

— Jennifer Lopez (@JLo) May 26, 2016

J-Lo’s team doesn’t appear to have responded to any requests for comment about the lawsuit, and it’s unclear why she may not have posted about the hoverboards. But, we’ll see if she has to pay up, or if this lawsuit just rolls off of her (pun intended.)

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Jennifer Lopez is currently locked in a pretty nasty legal battle with her first ex-husband, Ojani Noa. Noa, who was married to the actress and singer for eleven months in 1997-1998, is in possession of a number of salacious home videos featuring J-Lo. He wants to release them, but she doesn’t want them to see the light of day. Now, they’re stuck in a seemingly interminable legal battle over the issue.

J-Lo’s people have been fighting the release of the tapes for approximately six years now. According to Noa, they contain personal incidences like J-Lo arguing with her mother over gambling. But what appears to have garnered the most attention is the fact that Noa is claiming that he’s in possession of a sex tape of the two of them from their honeymoon. Noa’s business partner Ed Meyer told In Touch:

There is revealing video of her with a lack of clothing and in sexual situations, especially in the hotel footage from the honeymoon.

While J-Lo’s team has been fighting Noa’s team in court for six years, the videos have been kept closed under court order. But J-Lo’s lawyers recently withdrew from the case during arbitration. According to Meyer, that resulted in a loophole that will allow them to release the videos. But Noa and Meyer don’t plan on just releasing the videos, they also plan on profiting from them. Meyer has said: “We are going to produce a DVD and also have a streaming release of the J.Lo home video footage.” It’s seemingly not just about the money, though. Meyer has implied that the attempted release of the videos are in some way vindictive and personal, stating: “The videos contain salacious material and are going to shock her fans. We have unfinished business.”

While the release of celebrity sex tapes, or celebrity nude pictures, have become sadly the norm, the threatened release of J-Lo’s sex tape, as well as other aspects of her private life are still horrifying. While Lopez’s marriage to Noa clearly didn’t have a happy ending, that does not entitle him, or his business partner, to exploit her private life and shame her for her sex life with Noa. Regardless of Meyer and Noa’s plans, Lopez’s team will probably continue to attempt to block the release of the video–we’ll see if they’re ultimately successful.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post J-Lo vs. Her Ex-Husband: Former Couple in Court Over Sex Tape appeared first on Law Street.

In today’s world of constant media consumption, it’s easy to form an opinion on just about everything. From sports, to religion, to Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom’s impending divorce, everyone wants their say. (I, for one, am very sad about the divorce.)

Close enough.

Even celebrities are getting in on the opinion smorgasbord fun! Some are genuine participants in the political sphere for better or for worse, like Alec Baldwin and Donald Trump. But sometimes their political statements go a little awry, which leads me to the theme of today’s list: 5 celebrities who cross over into the political arena…but fail miserably!

5. Jennifer Lopez Sings Happy Birthday to a Dictator 

Let’s start off with a fun dalliance into global politics! Jennifer Lopez, pop star extraordinaire, was in Turkmenistan for a show earlier this year. Now for those of you who don’t know, Turkmenistan is really, really bad at human rights. In fact, it’s run by dictator Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, who is only leading the country because the former “President for Life” Saparmurat Niyazov died. Turkmenistan has been ranked as having the second worst Freedom conditions, behind only North Korea. So, based on all that information, you would think it would be inappropriate for J-Lo to sing Happy Birthday to Berdimuhamedow, right?

Wrong! She got the request while on stage in Turkmenistan, and her press team didn’t think to check into this Berdimuhamedow guy. She later apologized, but word to the wise: try to avoid singing to dictators. It’s frowned upon.

4. Justin Bieber on Voting

So this one is actually a couple years old, but it’s one of my favorites. The always poised and thoughtful Bieber was doing a Rolling Stone interview back in 2011. Now, to be fair, he was like what? 11? 12? (Edit: Google has informed me he would have been 16. I thought he was 16 now.) So he was 16, ok. That’s old enough to have some concept of politics. Especially if you’re a 16 year old with a huge following and the potential to be a role model to many young adults. So, when Justin Bieber was asked who he would support if he was old enough to vote, he stated with, “I’m not sure about the parties. But whatever they have in Korea, that’s bad.”

Hypocritical to use Miley Cyrus in a post cricizing J-Biebs? Yes. Perfect gif? Also, yes.

I don’t care if you’re 16. If the most intuitive political opinion you can give is that Korea (I’m just going to throw the kid a bone and assume he meant North Korea) is bad, something is wrong. Speaking of North Korea…

3. Dennis Rodman Hugs a Dictator

Dennis Rodman, well-known retired NBA player, visited North Korea in February 2013. The trip was sanctioned by the US, because it’s well known that North Korea’s crazy-in-chief, Kim Jong-Un, loves basketball. The trip was intended to be a goodwill cultural mission. The trip was not intended to end in a weird and uncomfortable bromance between Dennis Rodman and Kim Jong-Un.

He meant well I guess? But this is just so weird. If we shouldn’t sing Happy Birthday to dictators, we definitely shouldn’t EMBRACE dictators.

I’m sure Rodman thought he’d solved global political tensions with that hug.

2. Snooki’s Tanning Tax Analysis

I know, Jersey Shore is old news.  But a countdown of embarrassing political comments wouldn’t be complete without our dear, orange Snooki. In 2010, Snooki was angry. A 10 percent tax had been put on some tanning services.

Snooki angry.

Snooki spoke out about this unjustifiable, unwarranted, ridiculous tax on her lifestyle, stating “I don’t go tanning-tanning anymore because Obama put a 10 percent tax on tanning. McCain would never have put a 10 percent tax on tanning. Because he’s so pale, I feel like he’d probably want to be tan.” Now, technically speaking, there is a new tanning tax. The Affordable Care Act does levy a 10% tax on indoor tanning, similar to certain taxes on harmful substances, like cigarettes. But, Snooki, if one of your biggest political gripes is about having to pay a little more to go tanning, you’re probably not paying a ton of attention. And I think it’s important to point out that stating that McCain might want to go tanning might classify as insensitive, given that he did have pretty serious skin cancer a few years back. 

1. Kenneth Cole Is a Huge Jerk

Kenneth Cole is an American shoe and clothing designer who ranks number one on this list thanks to two awesomely ignorant tweets. In 2011, he made headlines with a tweet about the Egyptian revolution:

The tweet in question.

This year, he did it again with a slightly more subtle (though equally horrifying) reference to Syria.

This is, of course a reference to the “Boots on the ground” phrase used by President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry in regards to whether or not they may send in intervening ground troops. Because when people are dying the most appropriate response is to try to sell more shoes. You’re a winner, Kenneth.

So, a tip to all the readers out there: when you become rich and famous, remember to use a little common sens, tact, and a filter. Otherwise I will find you, and probably mock you.

—

Anneliese Mahoney (@AMahoney8672) is Lead Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

Featured image courtesy of [Adam Groffman via Flickr]

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

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