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

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

31. Oprah you fat whale give Doody his money. Doody was so funny in Grease, my favorite scene in the movie was when Doody, Sonny and Kenickie mooned the camera at the school dance.

Posted at 4:42PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Sugar Cookie

32. She needs to pay up...honestly I think this whole situation could been avoided if she wasnt acting so cheaply!

Posted at 4:48PM on Jul 16th 2008 by beth

33. what childish insults. you people are TOO funny. try paying attention to your pathetic lives for once in your lives .OPRAH rules!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 4:44PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Beulah

34. #25 if i own a company you can bet your ass i am aware of the situation. If and when it became public i would be all over it covering my PR ass, the fact she hasnt means she doesnt care in my book. she simply does not care unless you fit her profile so to speak. and i agree with the person about if it were a minority she would care and have paid. the more this country promotes differences in humans the more racism will continue to be around. you are not african american unless you are from africa. if you were born here, then you are american period. my heritage comes from Italy, Czech, & Irish, but i am simply american (unfortunately). and it is not like 7500 for 3 people each is a lot of money for her.

Posted at 4:45PM on Jul 16th 2008 by stupid people

35. Oprah didn't hit her stride until she became the benevolent give away queen to a theatre full of screaming, greedy people. There is no substance to Oprah any longer. ...and you can bet she collects EVRY cent due HER for any kind of royalty. Also, she needs a haircut, Jesus, she is looking like DIana Ross these days and that big swab of hair looks odorous from here.

Posted at 2:47PM on Jul 17th 2008 by Rreedy

36. Sue the crap out of her. Oh because she's Oprah, is can do what ever the hell she wants? Hell NO! that lesbian bitch she what she deserves. Sue her a$$ that damn bitch. Teach her a lesson and no it's nto because she's black and a woman she uses that trump card all the time!

Posted at 4:54PM on Jul 16th 2008 by sue the bizznitch

37. the fact you refer to yourself as a youngblackbro #30 pretty much tells us all we need to know about you. so what exactly has she given the world. care to shed some light? i mean everything she has done has benefited her, IE LOOK HOW MUCH FREAKING MONEY SHE HAS!!!! giving means just that, but she gives and takes alot apparently. and i contribute by not breaking the law, having a job, a family, and be a civil human being. i dont refer to myself as a youngwhiteboy now do i? you are in part why there is still racism alive and well.

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

38. TMZ's world play sucks big time.

Posted at 9:17AM on Jul 17th 2008 by Travis

39. Today on her hideous show, Oprah is having "her favorite gynecologist" so "the most embarrasing questions can be asked."

I am going to have to stop watching ABC 7 altogether as I can't stand to even see or hear this vile woman on all the clips advertising her show for the day. The sooner Oprah Winfrey is no longer with us, the better off the world will be.

Posted at 4:57PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Off With Oprah

40. 28. what childish insults. you people are TOO funny. try paying attention to your pathetic lives for once in your lives .OPRAH rules!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 4:44PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Beulah

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Practice what you preach. My guess is you are a fat housewife that sits infront of the tv eating Big Mac's while watching that fat whale of a woman. And Oprah sucks a$$.

Posted at 5:00PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Sugar Cookie

41. PS Has anybody else noticed her marked absence from the Obama campaign? Since her ratings started sinking? Why is she hiding out??? Oprah, you can't count on the white vote. Period.

Posted at 6:58AM on Jul 18th 2008 by Rreedy

42. Oprah is not a give away queen. The cars were donated by GM for publicity. Some of the people had to sell them because they couldn't afford to pay the taxes. Same thing when she has her favorite things show. She makes all her money here but builds a school in Africa. While the kids in her school sleep on 1000 count sheets, there are children in the Appalacian states that are starving. But then a lot of those children are white. She never endorsed anyone for president until there was a black candidate. We here in the Chicago area have long known how racist she is.

Posted at 5:07PM on Jul 16th 2008 by lily

43. It is a real pity that Oprah won that big lawsuit in Texas over her disparaging remarks about the beef industry! She is drunk with power and now we have Phil Mc Graw as well.

Posted at 5:07PM on Jul 16th 2008 by Off With Oprah

44. STUPID PERSON

My statement really hit hard with you truth hurts,you sure was quick to go on the attack.Pay me know mind I'm just stateing the truth.Get back to your worthless hating others life at some point you will have to deal with your own inter hate.

Posted at 5:08PM on Jul 16th 2008 by youngblackbro

45. what color is she.....well there you go......

Posted at 5:09PM on Jul 16th 2008 by dallas

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