Celebrity Justice
Rich and Famous Party Under Different Statutes

Posted Jul 31st 2008 2:43PM by TMZ Staff

So the rules for Cristiano Ronaldo and Leonardo DiCaprio -- and the rest of the celebuniverse -- are just a little different than ours.

L.A. County Commish Carol Hallowitz sided with Villa and yanked the three citations the club had gotten from the city of West Hollywood for staying open past 2 AM. Villa argued that because they've got such a gilded clientele -- who have the paps and entourages to worry about -- that they can't be expected to abide by the same rules as other bars.

Villa cited the example of Cristiano "Euro Greasy" Ronaldo -- who stayed well past 2 AM to try to avoid the papswarm -- as evidence. (Too bad it didn't work.)

Somehow, Hallowitz agreed, saying because Villa has "very high-end clients who spend lots of money" and is crawling with pappers, they're just "doing their job" by letting their clients stay past 2.

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Filed under: Celebrity Justice, Cristiano Ronaldo


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1. Eff the rich and famous. Just like the clubs let folks under 21 drink and then let them loose on the streets (examples: Brittney, Lindsay, Paris, Nicole, etc.) were all in bars getting toasted under age. How about fining the clubs for serving alcohol to minors? Irresponsible. Disgusting. What a dirty shame.

Posted at 3:00PM on Jul 31st 2008 by sarahhp

2. The fix was in there. The legal system is such a racket.

Posted at 3:05PM on Jul 31st 2008 by R.Zimmerman

3. Customers should be allowed to leave orderly after 2:00am. Hat's off to Villa's attorney Ronald Richards who did a great job in court. I was there.

Posted at 3:11PM on Jul 31st 2008 by villa fan

4. Not REALLY a dirty shame. The more we come on sites like TMZ and demand photos, the more the paparazzi wil stalk celebrities, and the more they'll have to be given special priviledges to ensure their "safety."

So it's our fault, really.

Posted at 3:18PM on Jul 31st 2008 by DS

5. Those celebs make a choice to go out to those clubs so they should have to deal with the paps in their face. It comes with the territory. They need to get over themselves.

Posted at 3:24PM on Jul 31st 2008 by Lindsay

6. That old saying if you have money and power you can buy your way out of anything is so true in this city of L.A. their empty,superficial people I've ever met, ,L.A. is one of the most architecturally ugly cities and attracts the same types of people ,so why should you expect anything else from their corrupt Government officials .

Posted at 3:34PM on Jul 31st 2008 by studly

7. O SURE-they want to be treated like anybody else when they've done something illegal or totally stupid but don't eff with their partying for God's sake.

Posted at 3:59PM on Jul 31st 2008 by Anna Molly

8. Celebrity justice strikes again. The solution is simple. Drive your car to Villa and hang out until the drunks depart. If they "happen" to get in an accident with you, demand a sobriety test, have a camera ready, and "poof"--justice is done.

Posted at 4:38PM on Jul 31st 2008 by Lana Caine

9. The law is the LAW! Just because you have money or celebrity does not "entitle" you to break the law. If you don't want to deal with the paps at 2:00 a.m. in the morning, then leave the clubs earlier. In most other states (exception: New York, fr one) the cops show up if the bar is NOT closed at 2:00 a.m. and the club is usually fined. Why aren't the L.A. police officers doing their job enforcing the underage drinking problem in the L.A. clubs? Are they getting a kick-back from the clubs to ignore the under-age celebs who haunt these places. These underage celebs should not be allowed through the front door! And yet, in Virginia, if a parent gives their own child alcohol, that parent is sent to jail!!!! The judges and the police departments need to crack down on Hollywood's horrid behaviors!

Posted at 4:46PM on Jul 31st 2008 by LINDA

10. Why would staying past 2am dissuade the Paparazzi? They know who is in these Clubs, and their job is to sit around and wait for them, so obviously this is not a valid excuse! This lady is obviously in someone's pockets. What kind of political system do we have that lets politicians get away with such blatantly biased and unfair rulings? Because Villa's clientele is "upscale" they should get to party later than the rest of us? Should they also be allowed to drive drunk and run over anyone trying to take a picture of them who gets in their way? Maybe they should just pay off the most persistent Paps trying to take their picture. They just are trying to earn a decent living in an area where the gap between the wealthy and the working class is enormous. Share the wealth or just shut up and get your picture taken. You wouldn't be one of those "upscale" celebrities partying at Villa if you didn't have Paparazzi photographing you. But of course the world revolves around them too much for them to think about what anyone else has to go through!

Posted at 4:57PM on Jul 31st 2008 by Why am I even bothering?

11. Since their clientele is so "high end" and is spending so much money there they obviously have enough money to pay the fines that they get when they break the law!

Posted at 5:03PM on Jul 31st 2008 by Pathetic!!!!!!

12. If they left when they were supposed to, maybe they wouldn't be so drunk by the time they DO leave

Posted at 5:05PM on Jul 31st 2008 by cmjnm

13. So, the empty headed media whoring celebrities get more rights than us regular folk; they don't have to abide by the same laws as us? WRONG. This judge's decision is unconstitutional, illegal & unenforceable. If I were the people who complained the 1st time, I'd get an attorney to file an appeal (pro bono, of course) and I'd win. No where in the constitution does it say a club where pampered poodle media whores drink at is allowed to stay open later "just because they spend money".

If this isn't the perfect example of why Los Angeles SUCKS, I don't know what is...

Posted at 5:12PM on Jul 31st 2008 by You gotta be kidding me...

14. This is an outrage. THIS IS THE STUPIDEST THING WE'VE EVER HEARD. And celebs have the nerve to turn around and complain about their tough lives????

HALLOWITZ, you must've been paid off.

WHEN ONE OF THESE DRUNK CELEBS KILLS SOMEONE AFTER 2 AM, THE BLOOD IS ON YOUR HEAD, HALLOWITZ.

Los Angeles is heading for class warfare. The celebs have their own justice, the sheriff panders to them, the city council has a taskforce to protect them in a time where people can't get protection from real crimes.

PEOPLE, SUE THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES AND WEST HOLLYWOOD WHEN YOU ARE DENIED THE SAME SERVICE GRANTED TO CELEBS. SUE FOR DISCRIMINATION.

Posted at 5:50PM on Jul 31st 2008 by CORRUPT LOS ANGELES

15. This is so laughably grotesquely corrupt. "Law enforcement" no longer even bothers trying to pretend they follow the law with celebs. This Hallowitz just gave the bird to the residents of LA/West H.wood.

The argument doesn't even make sense. Celebs get to keep drinking past 2 am at this club because of paparrazzi? The paparrazzi still know they're in the club. In fact, their job is easier because it's only "celebs" left. And so what if there's paparazzi? Then the celebs should stay out of known pap spots!!!!!! It still is no reason to break the law for these celebs.

This makes no sense and is clearly just a flimsy effort to let boozing celebs booze longer.

Celebs, please just move away from L.A. if you're so hassled by paps. This city has become miserable to live in because of celebs and their selfish antics, and the government that caters to them.

Posted at 5:59PM on Jul 31st 2008 by L.A. needs new "government"

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