Monday, March 24, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
Story conferences at the National Enquirer must call to mind Cirque du Soleil, all ethical contortions and legal high-wire walking. Case in point: a February story on the killing of Ennis Cosby. "The grieving mom: She hires $ million gunmen to hunt son's killer," went the subheadline. Bill and Camille Cosby are, predictably, flexing their lawyers, demanding a retraction. "The Cosbys would never take the law into their own hands," their spokesman says. The Enquiring minds responded with their customary retract this! Executive Editor David Perel is sticking to his gunman story, saying it referred to the Cosby's hiring of private dick Gavin DeBecker to help find the killer. "The firm is licensed to use guns," Perel explains, slipping his ethical knee behind his head with astonishing limberness. "And at times they do carry guns." Thus does a pricey gumshoe become a million-dollar gunman. Except for one thing: "I am not licensed to carry a gun," DeBecker says. "And that headline is clearly inaccurate." Pshaw! "There is no way we're backing off the factual basis of our coverage," Perel says, an ethical pretzel now. "It is my fondest wish that the capturing of Ennis' alleged killer will bring some closure to the family."
Larry stays home
The Oscars vs. Larry Flynt: He's an unregenerate pornographer in real life, but he didn't play one in the movies, so, at tonight's Oscar ceremony, there's no room on the In List for Larry Flynt. However, Woody Harrelson, nominated as Best Actor for "The People vs. Larry Flynt," will be there, as will many other people connected to the film. Columbia, the studio behind the oft-nominated movie, gave away its allotted tickets without saving any for him. If he wasn't confined to a wheelchair, Flynt wouldn't be taking this sitting down. "I just think what Columbia has done is real cheesy," he said.
Moore and less
Demi Moore must be puffing her chest with added pride today: She and her film took a full six Razzie Awards at this weekend's ceremonies, practically sweeping the annual event honoring the worst in film. Proclaiming "Demi Does Dullest," the Golden Raspberry Foundation handed the film honors for Worst Picture, Worst Actress, Worst Screen Couple (Moore and Burt Reynolds), Worst Director, Worst Screenplay and Worst Song. Moore's only competition in the actress category came from ... herself, in "the Juror." In a year ripe with candidates, the Worst Actor category came to a tie between Tom Arnold in "Big Bully" and Pauly Shore in "Bio-Dome." Worst Supporting Actress: Melanie Griffith in "Mulholland Falls." Worst Supporting Actor: Marlon Brando in "The Island of Dr. Moreau." You may think that's real cheesy, but we're still not backing off the factual basis of our coverage.
Compiled by Scott Dickensheets
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