Celebrity Justice
Ex to "Scrubs" Star: Here's Why You're Dr. Cox

TMZ has learned, a "Scrubs" star has scrubbed his child support obligation because of the WGA strike.

John C. McGinley, who plays Dr. Cox on "Scrubs," was paying his ex-wife, Lauren Lambert, $9,000 a month in child support since their 2001 divorce. McGinley, whose 10-year-old son (with Lambert) has Down syndrome, has been praised for advocating Down syndrome research. But we've learned McGinley has told Lambert he has decided to cut his child support payments in half because of the writer's strike. Sources say he's told her it's "not fair" for him to pay his full obligation anymore because his show is not in production.

We're told Lambert is incensed, especially because McGinley, who is remarried with a child on the way, can afford "a big house in Malibu."

Sources say McGinley is supposed to pay half his monthly child support on the first of each month and the other half on the 15th. McGinley paid half on January 1 but paid nothing on the 15th and doesn't plan on it. Sources say Lambert may ask the judge to hold her ex in contempt.

McGinley's lawyer, Lynn Soodik, tells TMZ, "He's following the court order which allows him to reduce support if the show isn't being shot." But we've learned the court agreement states McGinley can reduce support only after "the final episode." The final episode is scheduled for the end of this season, so the fat lady hasn't sung.



Reader Comments

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16. Gee, you'd think the revenue from those Miller Beer ads would be supplementing his income just fine...it's not like the beer business is in jeopardy! :( Jerk...

Posted at 8:16PM on Jan 17th 2008 by Wendie

17. Well, first off, I am surprised by some of the comments. I myself have a 7 year old with moderate-severe cerebral palsy. Depending on the degree of her son's disability, he may need more care, medication, supplies, therapy, doctor's fees, etc. Heck, the money I put out every month for gas to take my son to his appointments is crazy!! The list goes on & on people. I'm not judging saying she's getting too much or too little. But, I know first hand how hard it can be to take care of a child with disabilities & how much it can cost. I'm not choosing sides, but like I said, depending on his particular case, it's hard to tell what the costs are to care for him every month. I'm hoping that they'll be able to come to an agreement & continue to love their son & care for him.

Have a great evening all & God bless.

Posted at 7:23PM on Jan 17th 2008 by mom with a disabled child

18. Stiff Willie... my understanding from reading the article is that HE remarried, not her. And even if SHE remarried, he still has to pay child support... ALIMONY or spousal support is terminated when the spouse receiving support is remarried. Child support does not end until the child turns 18, or later should he go to college, which in this case is not likely. That being said, I know for a fact that while they have not shot the finale of the show, the show is not currently in production, and they may never come back. They may just decide to end the show "as is" and not shoot a finale... so indeed, the fat lady may have sung. And FYI they stopped production in December... question is, how much does he get in residuals? If it's significantly less than what he made before, he should be able to have child support reduced. IMHO

Posted at 7:29PM on Jan 17th 2008 by PM

19. At 1st I thought he was a weasel, but then I thought if someone can't support a child on $4500 a month, they need to take some serious money management classes.

Posted at 7:36PM on Jan 17th 2008 by whatever

20. If I'm not mistaken if the wife remarries she has additional income coming into her household so child support should have been reduced! She is trying to live way above her means off of her ex husband! Heffa got married and living like a Queen while he isn't working! Good for him he only gave her half! I pay my ex $1600 a month for two kids. The work I do it's good in the summer yet I have to struggle to make ends meet in the winter! I get my kids every other weekend but before I was getting them on day during the week one week and two the following! When will this country say " hay Some father's love and want to take care of their kids but we have to live too! trust me i could go and hide like a deadbeat but I choose not to because i want my kids to know and remember who I am
All I have to say is all men are not deadbeats! But you have to give it to the women to call a man a deadbeat when he only pays half of the child support! Let me guess you can't live off of $4,500 a month. I understand they have a son with special needs but how much you want to bet she is getting help from the government and state she lives in!
Men wake up and take a stand! If you feel you are getting raped by the system UNITE!

Posted at 1:29AM on Jan 18th 2008 by ExRANGER96SSG

21. the gravy trains about to stop,,,untill the show resume,,.

Posted at 7:43PM on Jan 17th 2008 by RoughDaddy

22. I hate the way people automatically call him a deadbeat when they don't know ANYTHING about his relationship with his son other than the two paragraphs written above.

Funny his ex didn't bitch about not having enough money to care for her son - only that she was mad that he could afford a new house. Sounds bitter to me. I also don't see anything in the article that says he's ever been delinquent in his payment prior to this either. So - he is as of today 3 days late on a payment - DEADBEAT - AHHHHHHH! Whatever!

Why don't people go rant about the REAL deadbeat dads out there who are paying ZERO to support their kids and quit feeling sorry for someone who receives $108,000 a year in child support.

Posted at 7:44PM on Jan 17th 2008 by littlestich

23. I thought the child had CP but it doesn't matter. I think he's just trying to make a point, that if he's not working he should be treated like anyone else and get a break for a while until his revenue resumes. He probably CAN afford it but he deserves the same consideration as anyone else. He is a very devoted father by all accounts, he even took the Scrubs job so he could live closer to his son.

I agree the ex-wife seems a bit spiteful. Down's syndrome is difficult but seriously unless your child is in the hospital, uninsured, on a respirator, limbless and on 1 lung (being facetious, of course), but really there is no reason she can't "squeeze by" on 4500.00 a month. Please! She shouldn't insult everyone's intelligence.

Posted at 7:48PM on Jan 17th 2008 by annie2

24. When my ex is out of work, he doesn't pay child support, but he DOES catch it back up!!!!! John better do the same thing!!!!

Posted at 7:52PM on Jan 17th 2008 by Julie

25. Good point, Julie!

Posted at 7:57PM on Jan 17th 2008 by annie2

26. To the mom with a disabled child #13, bless your heart. You are the only one who gets it. I doubt most people understand how very expensive medical care can be and most insurances do not pay 100%. Just to be in a nursing home in a shared room can cost you a minimum of $5000 a month..that is no meds, no laundry..no extras whatso ever. A disabled child with downs syndrome has a life time of medical care along with whatever else comes along and for those of you whp don't get it, it ain't cheap. He made that child and he is responsible for the suppost of that child, strike or no strike..remarriage or no remarriage..kids with the new wife or not. And any of you who aren't in those womens lives would think twice if it were you with the disabled child. God bless you mom!

Posted at 8:19PM on Jan 17th 2008 by completely disgusted

27. I agree with other comments - $5000 a month is plenty to care for a child, even one with medical problems. I doubt some parents even spend that much on their children in a whole year (whether or not they can afford it). If she needs more money, let her go get a job like the rest of us!

Posted at 8:06PM on Jan 17th 2008 by Maddie

28. My daughter has mental & physical disabilities and there is NO WAY I spend $4500 a month on her. This includes medications, therapists, doctors, food, etc. If I had been getting $9000 a month I definitely would've been putting some away for the future.

Posted at 8:15PM on Jan 17th 2008 by a parent of disabled child

29. People don't understand that it costs a LOT to take care of a child with Downs. I can see $4,500 disappearing pretty quickly if he's enrolled in a good school, which I'm sure he is.

Posted at 8:40PM on Jan 17th 2008 by Hyde

30. The parties have an order which specifies what happens at end of season, but not upon a writers' strike. Doesn't seem to me that poor John would be left destitute, given said strike, if he didn't continue to pay. He's not hard up. He's just upset that he has to keep paying while continued income isn't coming in.

That said, that's when he goes to court and petitions the court to have he support lessened until such time as the strike is settled. The court doesn't take kindly to fools who just decide it upon themselves to stop paying.

Nice twisting of the words, Lynn Soodik, but that's not what the order says. And you might want to read those statutes about your client seeking modification, instead of just stopping payment.

Posted at 9:09PM on Jan 17th 2008 by So much for THAT dad

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