Katie Holmes Settles Star Magazine Libel Lawsuit

Katie Holmes is not a drug addict, despite the excitable exclamations from Star back in January. Remember, their piece that essentially read: ‘ZOMG!!! Drugs are bad, as are $cilons… BTW, Katie doesn’t really do drugs. SIKE!’ The magazine had claimed that Holmes was hooked on Scientology treatments that are well-known to produce trance-like states and hypnotic effects. Specifically auditing, a kind of cod psychotherapy. Instead of just running with that, which would have been a perfectly succinct angle in itself, they insisted on using the byline ‘Addiction Nightmare: Katie Drug Shocker.’ Which was pretty clearly meant to suggest illegal drugs, without resorting to using the words ‘coke,’ ‘heroine’ or whatever. Glancing at the cover implied she had a drug problem. So she sued, calling the story, ‘untrue, unethical and unlawful.’ The $50 million libel lawsuit clarified that Holmes was not addicted to anything; not the treatments, nor the illegal drugs suggested by the cover. And today Holmes won her lawsuit and had the grace to say she considers the suit water under the bridge now it’s been settled. In a statement, she said today, ‘I’m pleased that this lawsuit could be resolved amicably and accept American Media’s apology.’ The magazine printed a laughably-small retraction for the piece, remembering that the original was a featured cover story. But it’s to the point, and it’s mentioned on this week’s cover. The apology reads, in part, ‘Star did not intend to suggest that Ms. Holmes was a drug addict or was undergoing treatment for a drug addiction. Star apologizes to Ms. Holmes for any misperception.’ Specifics were not released, however it is known the publisher made a ‘substantial donation,’ to her charity.