Brooks seeks return of gift to hospital
Lawyers for country singer Garth Brooks told jurors Wednesday that a hospital’s internal documents back his claim that a $500,000 donation was intended for a women’s center to be named after his late mother.
Brooks wants the Integris Canadian Valley Regional Hospital in his hometown of Yukon, Okla., to return the money, donated in 2005. He claims in a lawsuit that hospital administrators reneged on their pledge to name a part of a medical complex after Colleen Brooks.
Jurors began hearing testimony in the case Wednesday afternoon.
Integris lawyer Terry Thomas told the lawyers that the hospital agreed to nothing, and even sent Brooks a receipt telling him he had received nothing of value for his contribution.
Lisa Riggs, a lawyer for Brooks, told jurors the hospital lured the singer, deliberately and falsely claiming it would build the women’s center and display Colleen Brooks’ name “like the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles.”
Brooks attended the trial with his wife, country singer Trisha Yearwood.
Colleen Brooks died of cancer in 1999.
Deen pledges money to ADA
Celebrity chef Paula Deen on Wednesday pledged a portion of her earnings from a lucrative endorsement deal with diabetes drugmaker Novo Nordisk to the nonprofit American Diabetes Association.
The queen of Southern cooking and author of numerous cookbooks disclosed Tuesday that she’s had Type 2 diabetes for three years.
In a segment of ABC’s food chat show “The Chew” that aired Wednesday, Deen said she and her two grown sons, Bobby and Jamie, are working with the drug company’s Diabetes in a New Light campaign and plan to donate some of their earnings to the ADA.
Deen, who turns 65 today, didn’t specify how much money she planned to give to the ADA. The ADA on Wednesday said it was unaware of Deen’s offer.
Deen’s sons are both paid Novo Nordisk endorsers as well. Bobby Deen is the new host of his own Food Network show, “Not My Mama’s Cooking,” which promotes recipes for a healthier lifestyle.
Bobby Deen told “The Chew” his family’s participation in the Novo Nordisk campaign is “a good thing, a totally positive thing.”
The birthday bunch
Actress Jean Stapleton is 89. Singer Phil Everly is 73. Actor-singer Michael Crawford is 70. Country singer Dolly Parton is 66. Singer Dewey Bunnell (America) is 60. Actor Desi Arnaz Jr. is 59. Actress Katey Sagal is 58. Rock musician Jeff Pilson (Foreigner) is 54. Actor Shawn Wayans is 41. Actress Jodie Sweetin is 30. Olympic gold medal gymnast Shawn Johnson is 20.