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Angry YouTube Wife Loses Divorce Case

By SAMUEL MAULL
,
AP
posted: 38 DAYS 15 HOURS AGO
comments: 57
filed under: National News, Law News
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NEW YORK (July 21) - A Broadway mogul whose wife trashed him in a widely viewed Internet video was granted a divorce from her Monday.
A Manhattan judge gave Philip Smith a divorce from Tricia Walsh-Smith on the grounds of cruel and inhuman treatment.
Walsh-Smith lashes out against Smith in the tearful and furious YouTube video, which has attracted more than 3 million hits. She makes embarrassing claims about their intimate life and then calls his office to repeat those claims to a stunned assistant.

On the video, Walsh-Smith also goes through their wedding album, describing family members as "bad," ''evil" or "nasty," and expresses concern about eviction from the couple's luxury apartment.
Judge Harold Beeler blasted Walsh-Smith for her video stunt, which he called "a calculated and callous campaign to embarrass and humiliate her husband" and to pressure him into settling the divorce case on more favorable terms than were stated in their prenuptial agreement.
"She has attempted to turn the life of her husband into a soap opera by directing, writing, acting in and producing a melodrama," the judge said.
He said Monday that the prenuptial agreement, signed three weeks before the couple's 1999 wedding, was valid. This means that Walsh-Smith must leave their Park Avenue apartment within 30 days and that Smith, president of the Shubert Organization, the largest theater owner on Broadway, must pay her $750,000.
Smith said after the ruling he was "sorry it had to come to this."
"I'm happy with the decision of the judge, and I'm happy with the outcome," he said.
Walsh-Smith, a former actress and playwright, didn't see the decision the same way.
"I think it's disgusting," she said. "I'm really, really disappointed with the decision."
She accused Smith of "basically throwing me out on the street." One of her attorneys, Joseph P. McCaffery, said they would appeal.
Renowned divorce attorney Raoul Felder briefly represented Walsh-Smith after she made the video. Felder previously said his client was "acting out of passion."
"This is a victim who is holding her head up," he said. "I think she comes off well."
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-07-21 21:06:35
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Jraahpeters

01:09 PMJul 26 2008

She's just a ****...no man is going to side with his new trophy tramp wife over his kids...No real man anyway...she's just a *****

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Jraahpeters

01:06 PMJul 26 2008

I would gladly pay the money just to rid myself of this ****.

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(0)

Jraahpeters

01:05 PMJul 26 2008

I would gladly pay the money just to rid myself of this ****.

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(0)

TerWats3

06:58 PMJul 23 2008

BIG reason for prenuptual agreements. Here's a woman who signed on the dotted line, THEN decided it wasn't enough, THEN turned psycho and tried to trash the man in front of millions. What was she before she met Smith? An actress? Playwrite? Never heard of her. Smart move, Philip. And the woman's attorney? He calls her a "victim"? A victim of what, not getting a couple mil more for his one-third? Sounds like the attorney and the "victim" should get married.

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The Herd1969

06:33 PMJul 23 2008

Lucky him, to have his case decided before a New York County SUPREME COURT Judge. Had it gone before a FAMILY COURT (AKA - "WOMENS COURT)," that Judge would have awarded HER $59.999 Million, and ordered him to vacate his residence in FIVE (5) DAYS.

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Electricfemme333

05:29 PMJul 23 2008

RICH DIRTY OLD MAN PROBABLY THOUGHT HE'D MARRIED ANOTHER ROLLOVER. SUPRISE. . . . .BUY HEY, NOW WE ALL KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT HIM. IF EVERY WOMAN DID THIS FOR EVERY LOSER GUY, RICH OR NOT, THEY MIGHT GET MORE HONEST IN THE UP FRONT.

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(2)

Wiseone1W

09:33 AMJul 23 2008

What the hell has she to complain of? She came into the marriage with nothing but her looks and left with $750,000 after eight years of shopping with an unending credit line and living in paradise. If she properly invests that money, she will never have to work again. Sounds to me like she made out pretty well.

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(1)

PrairieCal

11:01 PMJul 23 2008

What a poor excuse she is for a human being. And her looks are gone too ... IF she ever had any.

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(1)

CARMPENCE

08:06 PMJul 23 2008

Good for him. She got what she deserved. I would have given her nothing. What a ..tch.

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(1)

GEORGII1

07:22 PMJul 22 2008

$750,000 and a 30 day eviction, and he's worth 60 million? Doesn't sound like she was two bright. I also noticed in the tape she says something about half million a year, but apparently that's not what they agreed to in the pre-nup. I hope while she was doing all that furniture shopping she was putting something away for a rainy day, because a new apartment in that area will cost more than what she settled for. And, that apartment looks small - small kitchen, dining - the whole thing small.

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