Celebrity Justice
Pearl -- Oprah Treated Me Like Doody!

Barry Pearl -- that's Doody from "Grease" to you - says "Oprah's Big Give" is plenty generous ... except when it comes to paying up for movie clips they use on the show.

Here's how it works -- in order to use a clip from "Grease" on TV, it must be licensed first from Paramount and then a fee needs to be negotiated with each of the actors. Pearl says Harpo skipped that crucial part.

He says when he asked for a reasonable fee from O's production peeps for a clip that was on "Big Give," they scoffed -- and called his residuals "found money." Thing is, residuals are much more than "found money" for Barry -- it's his livelihood. So when he saw "Summer Nights" playing on a TV in John Travolta's episode of "Give" -- without his consent -- he asked O's company Harpo for $7,500 for himself and three other Greasers in the clip.

That's when Barry says things got, well, Ken-icky.

Harpo countered with $5K, and when he and his agent then countered again, Harpo low-balled him with a SAG-endorsed offer of just three times the weekly wage ... from 31 years ago, i.e, peanuts. They also told Barry to be happy with peanuts, because the cash was "found money." Not so giving!

Barry is suing mad -- and his lawyer is firing off a letter to Harpo as we speak.

Harpo Productions tells TMZ: "The clip in question was included on the "Big Give" series for less than five seconds. We have been involved in discussions with SAG, Paramount and Mr. Pearl's representative in good faith. We have made a settlement offer that is in accordance with SAG guidelines, with appropriate penalties, which should bring this matter to a swift and satisfactory resolution."

Tags: Grease, Oprah

Relevant Posts

Reader Comments

(Page 2 of 8) Previous 15 Comments | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

16. I guess paying bills isn't as fun as giving away a studio full of cars. I feel the same way myself, but i pay my bills just the same.

Posted at 4:29PM on Jul 16th 2008 by claptrap

17. How does a person earn billions as talk show host? How does that work?

Are Jon Steward or David Lettermen billionaires?

Posted at 4:52PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Mark

18. Oprah is a jackass...

Posted at 4:23PM on Jul 16th 2008 by ozzman

19. Beulah, if I get sucessful, I'll buy you a dictionary.

Posted at 4:26PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Pizza slice lost in Oprah\\\'s folds.

20. 7. you people are just jealous cause Oprah's sucessful. Try getting off welfare and maybe YOU can be sucessful yourselves!

Posted at 4:08PM on Jul 16th 2008 by beulah

``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You must be Oprah's lesbian lover.

Posted at 4:27PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Oprah is a fat tub of goo

21. also #7

I am guessing you are a fan because you are a big disgusting slob too...
Beulah is after all a fat girls/ whales name.

Posted at 5:33PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Fat Greedy Oprah

22. Oprah will probably eat herself to death. Cause of death = morbid obesity, gluttony!

She needs this money so she can afford her silk tea bags! May this whale of a rich b--ch Orca, die a miserable lonely death surrounded by her hideous magazines.

Posted at 4:29PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Off With Oprah

23. I used to think Star Jones was the worst black female alive today but after this, I am thinking it is Oprah Winfrey or at least a tie with the despicable Star!

Posted at 4:32PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Off With Oprah

24. If he was black she would have gave him money.

Posted at 4:33PM on Jul 16th 2008 by sheesh

25. What a stingy bitch! I hate Oprah. I hate her face.

Posted at 4:34PM on Jul 16th 2008 by kitten with a whip

26. Oprah needs to pay up. She would expect to get paid it the ball was in the other court. Shes just a bitch anyways. Shes a backer of Obama, whats that tell ya. The man wont acknowledge the flag or the National Athem. They deserve each other. She is so over..ELLEN RULES!!

Posted at 4:36PM on Jul 16th 2008 by justbnme

27. Oprah is such an effing bitch.

Posted at 12:07PM on Jul 17th 2008 by piper

28. IF HE WERE BLACK OR PRRAHS BFF GAYLE OLD LARD ASS WOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM ALL HE WANTED. REVERSE RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL AND LIVING AT HARPO

Posted at 4:37PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Spike

29. Hey dumb@sses! Oprah probably doesn't even know about this situation. Do you REALLY think she handles the payments on that show? There are production people for that. Instead of trying to take this as an opportunity to spew your vicious hate at her, educate yourselves about television production.

Losers!

Posted at 4:38PM on Jul 16th 2008 by toobadsoosad

30. I am aware of that. I still hate Oprah. And her face. She is a pretentious douchebag.

Posted at 4:42PM on Jul 16th 2008 by kitten with a whip

Previous 15 Comments | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments