A documentary about the lawsuit that pitted celebrity wrestler Hulk Hogan–whose actual name is Terry Bollea–against news and gossip site Gawker is coming to Netflix.

“Nobody Speak: Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and Trials of a Free Press,” which premiered at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, explores the case that awarded Bollea over $140 million in damages, drove Gawker’s founder Nick Denton to file for bankruptcy, and resulted in the site shutting down.

Bollea first filed a defamation suit against Gawker in Florida state court in 2012, after an editor at the site posted a segment of a sex tape Bollea had made with his best friend’s then-wife. Although Bollea had already spoken publicly about the tape and stills from it had been published elsewhere, he testified that Gawker violated his privacy by releasing the video footage. In his testimony, he tried to distinguish between his roles as a private figure and as a public persona.

In March, a jury granted Bollea $115 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages. Gawker filed a motion for a new trial, which was denied in May. Gawker Media subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June, closed Gawker.com in August, and sold its six sister sites to Univision.

It was revealed in May that Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel, the cofounder of Paypal, had secretly been helping Bollea fund his lawsuit. Thiel had previously condemned Gawker; the site outed him as gay in 2007.

Meanwhile, the case sparked a handful of journalists to speak out against allowing wealthy or powerful individuals to intimidate or cause the decline of publications–particularly when President Donald Trump has said he wants to change libel laws to make suing news organizations easier.

According to Business Insider, the film highlights the threat that billionaires like Thiel pose to the freedom of the press. Director Brian Knappenberger told the news site: “This notion of [Thiel’s] nine-year grudge and this epic tale of revenge was so spectacular.”

Denton and A.J. Daulerio, the former Gawker editor who posted the sex tape clip, as well as Bollea’s lawyer will appear in the film, although Bollea declined to appear.

Bollea v. Gawker, which consistently made headlines since the case began, is sure to make for a fascinating movie.

Victoria Sheridan

Victoria is an editorial intern at Law Street. She is a senior journalism major and French minor at George Washington University. She’s also an editor at GW’s student newspaper, The Hatchet. In her free time, she is either traveling or planning her next trip abroad. Contact Victoria at VSheridan@LawStreetMedia.com.

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Just as Dracula drank blood from young humans to stay alive forever, scientists in California have found that injecting blood from young people into old mice rejuvenates the rodents. The young blood improved their memories, cognition, and physical shape. Earlier experiments had already shown that putting young mouse blood into old mice worked the same way. The older mice’s brains started looking younger and there was a definite rejuvenation effect. But for the younger mice it had an eerily reverse result, slowing them down and making their brains age faster.

After positive results from the mouse-only experiments, researchers at California company Alkahest were curious whether it would work with human blood too. So they injected some year-old mice (that is at least middle aged, in mice terms) with blood plasma from 18-year-old humans. And bingo! After three weeks of injections twice daily, the mice were running around and performing as well on memory tests as three-month old animals. It was also discovered that the brains of the treated mice created new neurons, a phenomenon called neurogenesis that is important to learning and memory.

Teens can be annoying but I hope we don’t drain their blood just to save some old mice https://t.co/V5hBHXdvCQ

— Ryan Teague Beckwith (@ryanbeckwith) November 15, 2016

Neuroscientist Tony Wyss-Coray led the mice-on-mice 2014 study at Stanford University and started Alkahest when he became interested in performing the experiments on people. And who doesn’t want to be young forever? Though it is unlikely that this technique would remove your wrinkles or make you live forever, scientists do believe that it could help people suffering from Alzheimer’s or other age related diseases. It has actually already been tested on people with Alzheimer’s, and Wyss-Coray is expecting to have some results by the end of 2016.

Hide now, teens. Or wear good blood armor https://t.co/xh9jysO4Mg

— Scott Stein (@jetscott) November 15, 2016

In August, a startup company called Ambrosia, also based in California and led by Jesse Karmazin, launched a program that will charge people $8,000 for a one-time injection of young blood plasma plus lab tests. Participants don’t need to be sick nor old–anyone over the age of 35 can join.

Though the concept is legal, it has drawn criticism for being unethical, with a huge cost and no certain results. “There’s just no clinical evidence [that the treatment will be beneficial], and you’re basically abusing people’s trust and the public excitement around this,” said Wyss-Coray. He also warned that it’s not a good idea to swap blood with someone at home, in case anyone felt inspired, since the blood needs to be screened for diseases and the plasma needs to be separated out. “Certainly you can’t drink the blood. Although obviously we haven’t tried that experiment,” he said.

Karmazin said he was inspired by vampire-like Russian scientist Alexander Bogdanov, who in the 1920s injected himself with young human blood that he claimed made him look younger. By August, Karmazin had enrolled three elderly people interested in his experiment, which is registered at the federal website ClinialTrials.gov. But according to some scientists, this experiment and an increasing number of other studies are dubious and are granted a fake legitimacy by being listed on that site. There are also concerns that the study isn’t being well run–there is currently no placebo group, and it will be very difficult to measure any progress if participants are as young as 35.

But as always, the rich and famous are interested in staying young forever and Karmazin’s project has caught the eye of billionaire and Trump transition team member Peter Thiel, who in August said he wants to try it. He has also spent millions of dollars on startup companies researching anti-aging medicine. And why save his money? After all, he’s not getting any younger.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Young Blood Rejuvenates Old Mice: Could it Work on Humans? appeared first on Law Street.

What is Duffgate 2016?

Misappropriation or mistake? Hilary Duff and her new boyfriend Jason Walsh wandered around town this weekend to take part in Halloween festivities. But when this picture hit the stands…it kind of sucked out all the fun.

Hillary Duff made her first public appearance with boyfriend Jason Walsh, but many questioned their costume choices. https://t.co/p2HpdDGt2Z pic.twitter.com/l0msDyRKIm

— EntertainmentTonight (@etnow) October 30, 2016

What could have been an innocent costume choice is not so innocent anymore because of these implications…

why did hillary duff and her boyfriend think it was a okay to dress up as a pilgrim and a Native American

— yesica (@yfjgtr) October 30, 2016

But are people really being too harsh?

Hillary Duff joins the ranks of T Swift and Amy Schumer in the “most tone deaf to privilege and racism” competition.

— Nat 8 Days Purser (@NatPurser) October 30, 2016

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: October 31, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

It’s been a busy few weeks for Peter Thiel. First, news broke that Thiel’s nemesis Gawker is shutting down (and blaming Thiel for its demise). Now, everyone is talking about a new startup that Thiel is backing, that would seemingly make it easier for plaintiffs to pay for civil lawsuits.

The startup is called Legalist. It focuses on litigation finance, which is a fancy way of saying that it funds lawsuits by other people, and then takes a cut of the settlement–up to 50 percent. Legalist isn’t the first company to come up with this idea by any means. But it thinks it has a better shot at identifying the winning cases, by using algorithms to “analyze millions of court cases to source, vet, and finance commercial litigation.”

On its website Legalist explains:

Unlike other litigation finance companies, Legalist uses data-backed methods to select, vet, and invest in litigation. Our algorithms trawl tens of millions of past court cases to accurately and efficiently assess litigation risk. As a result, Legalist is able to make faster decisions, on more cases.

The company was founded by two Harvard undergrads, Eva Shang and Christian Haigh; they were at least partially funded with a $100,000 Thiel Foundation grant. However, it does seem like Legalist is distinct from the kind of lawsuit that Thiel bankrolled against Gawker, brought by Hulk Hogan. Shang told the Guardian: “I used to work for a public defender in DC. We’re not funding criminal cases, nor would I be funding any suits against the media.” She instead floated the idea that Legalist could be used to help in a case like a “bakery damaged by a burst pipe bogged down in costly litigation.”

While Legalist’s aims appear to be good, the fact that Thiel is at all involved has garnered a lot of attention, and it’s not hard to imagine why. Thiel bankrolling Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker, and Gawker’s subsequent bankruptcy and downfall, have worried a lot of people. For example, Trevor Timm of the Daily Dot wrote an excellent and thoughtful (albeit snarky) list of questions for people “cheering Gawker’s demise.” Dan Kennedy, an associate professor at Northwestern’s School of Journalism said as part of an answer in an interview:

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 Legalist: Peter Thiel Backed New Startup that Helps Fund Lawsuits appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now?

Peter Thiel Opens Up About Gawker

The Daily Beast isn’t the only outlet that has allegedly violated the personal privacy of its subjects. Peter Thiel published an op-ed on Monday discussing his feelings toward Gawker Media for outing him in 2007.

It wasn’t so many years ago, but it was a different time: Gay men had to navigate a world that wasn’t always welcoming, and often faced difficult choices about how to live safely and with dignity.

Thiel wanted to come out to the public on his own terms but, unfortunately, Gawker “violated his privacy and cashed in on it.”

Since then, Thiel has made it his aim to bring down Gawker by any means possible. Those means have come in the form of bankrupting the company through a series of lawsuits against Gawker. Thiel secretly funded Terry Bollea’s, or Hulk Hogan, high profile suit, and subsequently bankrupted Gawker and its founder Nick Denton.

via GIPHY

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: August 16, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Good Guy Apple Replaces Pistol Emoji With Water Gun

Apple is finally getting rid of the pistol emoji after a year of pushback from anti-gun activist groups. Most notably, New Yorkers Against Gun Violence, which launched a campaign aimed specifically at “disarming the iPhone.” In an open letter, the group asked Apple to remove the gun emoji “as a symbolic gesture to limit gun accessibility.” The gun emoji and other weapons emojis have been blamed for inciting violence among young people. This week, Apple announced that it would be replacing the pistol with a toy water gun as an ethical measure in its next iOS. Although this is a great step for the tech giant, there is still a lot of work to do in gun violence prevention. Apple will release iOS 10 this fall.

Apple will replace its pistol emoji with a squirt gun: https://t.co/gLdlFU7Jni pic.twitter.com/7TBUHRi6tu

— New York Magazine (@NYMag) August 2, 2016

Rant Crush

RantCrush collects the top trending topics in the law and policy world each day just for you.

The post RantCrush Top 5: August 2, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

This year, Law Street Media is attending both the RNC and DNC conventions, and bringing Law Street readers the inside scoop. We’ll be doing day-by-day rundowns and exclusive features. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Snapchat for even more content.

Here’s a look at the fourth day of the festivities, courtesy of Law Street reporters Kevin Rizzo and Alec Siegel:

Still Not Many Protesters, But Those Who Came Out Weren’t Messing Around

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Image courtesy of Alec Siegel for Law Street Media

Peter Thiel Talked About Gay Rights

Businessman Peter Thiel took the stage and spoke about his identity as a gay man. He made history, stating: “Every American has a unique identity. I am proud to be gay. I am proud to be a Republican, but most of all I am proud to be an American.”

While Thiel’s speech applauded Trump for not getting distracted with social issues, the GOP platform runs contrary to that message. We’ll have to see if the Republicans heed Thiel’s advice come fall.

Donald Trump Finally Took to the Stage

Check out a look at the facts (and the not-so-true) facts in Trump’s speech here.

We Got Really Excited About Balloons

At the end of Trump’s terrifying speech, a bunch of balloons were released from the ceiling. This was a highlight.

I think I just took more than 50 pictures of balloons

— Kevin Rizzo (@kevinrizzo10) July 22, 2016

But the balloons also felt a little out of place after Trump’s long and serious acceptance speech. In total Trump spoke for over an hour, giving prepared remarks on topics ranging from crime and lawlessness to trade deals.

Bernie Was Watching too

#RNCwithBerniepic.twitter.com/x5nuSI6AuN

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 22, 2016

Sanders live-Tweeted Trump’s acceptance speech and laid down some pretty strong criticism. Here’s his most popular Tweet:

Trump: “I alone can fix this.”
Is this guy running for president or dictator? #RNCwithBernie

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 22, 2016

He even reached across the aisle to bash Trump:

Looks like Ted Cruz was right about one thing. Trump does not understand what the Constitution is about. #RNCwithBernie

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 22, 2016

In the End, We’ve Got Our Matchup

Image courtesy of Kevin Rizzo for Law Street Media

As the RNC comes to a close we turn our heads to Philadelphia, which hosts the Democratic National Convention next week. Hillary Clinton is expected to announce her running mate as early as today, at which point the tickets for both major parties will be established. Check back here for more of Law Street’s convention coverage next week.

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 What’s up at the RNC?: Law Street’s Day 4 Coverage appeared first on Law Street.

The drama between Hulk Hogan and Gawker continues after news broke Wednesday that Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel secretly bankrolled Hogan’s legal bills for his lawsuit against the site.

On Monday, the New York Times reported that there may be some validity to the conspiracy theories speculating that the former WWE star had a financial backer funding his costly three-year legal battle with the gossip news site.

Then on Tuesday, the rumors quickly turned into reality when Forbes reporters Ryan Mac and Matt Drange claimed to have uncovered the financial backer’s identity. In an article published Tuesday night the pair wrote:

According to people familiar with the situation who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, Thiel, a cofounder and partner at Founders Fund, has played a lead role in bankrolling the cases Terry Bollea, a.k.a. Hogan, brought against New York-based Gawker. Hogan is being represented by Charles Harder, a prominent Los Angeles-based lawyer. A spokesperson for Thiel declined to comment.

Hogan sued Gawker after the gossip blog published a portion of Hogan’s leaked sex tape with Heather Cole, who at the time was married to Hogan’s best friend, radio personality Bubba “the Love Sponge” Clem. In late March, Hogan was awarded $140 million in damages.

According to the Times,

Questions about the independence of Mr. Bollea, who never mentioned a third-party backer, first emerged when his lawyer removed a claim from his complaint that had the effect of eliminating Gawker’s insurance company from the case. That struck many legal observers as odd, given that most lawyers seeking large payouts want to include claims that are insured against because doing so increases the chances of a settlement.

If Thiel is the one financing Hogan’s legal bills, it would make some sense. Thiel, who is gay, has been outspoken about his hate for Gawker ever since the site crossed ethical boundaries when it tried to out him in a piece titled “Peter Thiel is totally gay, people.”

As it stands there’s still a lot we don’t know about the pair’s potential partnership. For example, is Thiel Hogan’s only backer? How did they become involved with one another? Will Hogan pay Thiel back if he wins? After all, it is not illegal for a third party to fund someone’s legal bills. In fact, this arrangement is not at all uncommon, and often happens when the third party has an ulterior motive.

Since Hogan’s case ended, Gawker has been hit with several new lawsuits filed by Hogan’s lawyer, Charles Harder, that target certain writers, and on Wednesday a judge denied Gawker’s motion for a new trial in the Hulk Hogan case.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

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