LAT: Tabloid Tried to Suppress Schwarzenegger Videotape

[DeepModem Mom]

Tabloid Tried to Suppress Videotape
American Media bought a risque Schwarzenegger movie soon after the future governor joined the recall campaign.

By Peter Nicholas, Times Staff Writer


SACRAMENTO — Soon after Arnold Schwarzenegger entered the 2003 recall campaign, a tabloid publisher that was recruiting him as a consultant tried to suppress a risque 1983 Playboy video starring the future governor.

The video, which had first aired years before on the Playboy Channel, shows him grabbing a scantily clad woman and making other sexually suggestive gestures.

American Media Inc., publisher of the National Enquirer, paid Thomas Wells of Los Angeles $2,000 for a copy of the video under two agreements that barred him from discussing it with anyone but the company.

After the Enquirer secured Wells' tape in September 2003, the tabloid did not mention it in any articles. The video was being sold on the Internet at the time; it is not clear whether the company knew that when it made the purchase.

The Wells contracts, reviewed by The Times, were at least the second instance of American Media paying for confidentiality agreements with people who might have been in positions to embarrass the candidate over his dealings with women....


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-video12sep12,0,3102028.story?coll=la-tot-promo&track=morenews

[Newsjock]

1. Looks like we found his area of expertise

... "You know something," Schwarzenegger says in the film, "after watching the (dancers) shake it, I can absolutely understand why Brazil is totally devoted to my favorite body part: the ass."

[Pathwalker]

2. American Media is a CIA company.

nuff said.

[ovidsen]

3. People had VCRs in 1983

I'm surprised this tape isn't more widely distributed, a la the Paris Hilton video. I'd love to see it. Well, not really. I'd just like to see it all over the Internet.

[Merlot]

4. Me too...seeing it all over the internet would be perfect

The guy who was paid $2000 - what an idiot! He could have gotten 100 times that amount, or he could have sold it on line and made a pretty penny as well.

[goclark]

5. I wish they would show it in the Enquirer now or talk about it

Millions of people read that tabloid and I've noticed it has a real REPUB slant.

[WCGreen]

6. Well, that really explains the republicna Base now doesn't it....

[AndyTiedye]

8. They Probably Made Him an Offer He Couldn't Refuse

[Barkley]

7. Don't Blame Me, I Voted for Gary Coleman -nt

[MurrayDelph]

9. I have a copy of it

I guess I am going to have to hook the VCR up to the computer and upload it somewhere...

[MisterP]

10. oh, the carrot video

maybe that's why he's orange

[struggle4progress]

11. kick