The Mammoth Book of Hollywood Scandals (55 page)

For Madonna, who was by then living in New York with her family of four children, this must surely have been a worrying development. Fortunately Hoskins was found a week later, not far from the facility from which he had escaped. However, his name was in the headlines again just weeks later when it was discovered that he had once leased a locker, the contents of which had been sold to a new owner after Hoskins had failed to keep up with the lease payments.

The new owners were not aware that the previous owner was the man made notorious through his Madonna obsession. On opening a box, they were in for a shock. There inside were countless items of Madonna memorabilia, along with box cutters, condoms and a creepy mask. The stash confirmed that Hoskins was surely not the harmless, homeless man he had claimed to be in court, and that, very possibly, his threats to “slice Madonna from ear to ear” were not far from the truth.

Born on 9 September 1960, Hugh Grant is known for his roles in hit films such as
Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill
and
Bridget Jones’s Diary
. However, while most actors long for the attention that only a hit movie can bring, Hugh’s role in a real-life arrest gave him the kind of notice that almost every actor dreads: the Hollywood scandal.

Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley were the UK’s golden couple, frequently photographed together at film premieres and red-carpet events. During the 1994 premiere of
Four Weddings and a Funeral
, Hurley wowed everyone by wearing a Versace gown held together only by safety pins. She had been lent the dress by the fashion house, and it turned out to be a highly lucrative loan, with her appearance in the gown raising her profile and leading to modelling jobs and a contract with Estée Lauder.

After that it became a trend that at every premiere they attended, Hurley would be dressed ever more elaborate gowns; fans waited impatiently to see what she would wear next, and she never disappointed. The couple could do no wrong, and their stars continued to rise when they created their own film company, Simian Films, which the actors intended to use to develop film projects.

However, the couple’s relationship changed forever in June 1995 when Hugh Grant travelled to Los Angeles to publicize his first major studio film,
Nine Months
, co-starring Julianne Moore. Hurley did not travel with him; instead, she stayed behind in London to work on her own projects and await his return.

On the evening of 27 June, a bored Grant decided to leave his Los Angeles hotel and drive his BMW down Sunset Boulevard. Eventually he arrived at the red-light district, where he encountered a lady of the night by the name of Divine Brown. At first she avoided him, thinking he might be a policeman, but eventually he stopped the car and proceeded to introduce himself as “Lewis”. Brown later said that she thought he sounded like Prince Charles, but had no idea that the baseball-cap-wearing man was the British actor Hugh Grant. To her he was just another job, and to that end they retired to a quiet side street, where after some small talk, they proceeded to get to know each other a little better.

However, it wasn’t long before two policemen were drawn to the car because the brake lights kept turning off and on, apparently as a result of Grant’s foot tapping on the car’s peddal. The policemen were said to be slightly amused but decided to put an end to the events unfolding inside by knocking on the window and shining a light inside the vehicle. Understandably the couple’s shenanigans were interrupted and before they opened the door to the officers outside, Brown quickly told Grant to tell them no money was exchanged. The couple then greeted the officers who took both of them into custody.

Hugh was arrested for the misdemeanour of lewd conduct in a public place, pleaded no contest and was fined $1,180. He was also placed on two years’ summary probation and had to undertake an AIDS awareness programme. Brown was released and it was only after she got home and saw the mug shots of both herself and Grant on the news that she realized exactly who she had encountered that night; she was quite surprised, to say the least.

Within hours the news of Hugh’s arrest and accompanying photographs were making headlines around the world, much to the entertainment of just about everyone. Reporters flocked not only to catch a glimpse of Grant himself, but also his girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley, who was so besieged that she had to hide in her house with the curtains drawn and the doors firmly locked. For days photographers camped outside, while she stayed inside, furious about the drama created by her boyfriend on the other side of the world.

Unfortunately for Grant, while he may have wanted to rush back home to flee the spotlight, instead he had to go ahead with his promotional tour for
Nine Months
. However, he managed to get through it with his humour intact. He decided not to ignore the questions that came his way and, instead of skirting around the issue, he actually made no bones about his arrest when interviewed by Jay Leno. “I did a bad thing,” he said. “And there you have it.”

Meanwhile, the media could not believe their luck at the scandal erupting around them, and neither could Divine Brown. The
News of the World
bought her a gown similar to the one Elizabeth Hurley had worn to the
Four Weddings
premiere, dressed her in it and splashed her all over the front pages of the UK newspaper. She was invited on to chat shows such as
Jerry Springer
, appeared on
Judge Judy
and gave newspaper interviews around the world, gaining quite a following in the process.

The scandal not only brought her attention, but ultimately made her a millionaire; her children went through private school; she bought her own house and shopped for jewels and clothes on Rodeo Drive. She started her own record company; gave up prostitution for good; and moved to Atlanta for a quieter life. Even today, nearly twenty years later, Brown still appears in documentaries and on television, talking about the night her life changed forever.

But what of Hugh Grant? He eventually returned home to his girlfriend, and although we can only guess at what was said, the chances are that it was nothing of a positive nature. The relationship floundered and a grim-faced Hurley was photographed at the Los Angeles premiere of
Nine Months
in a subdued white dress, no smile to be seen. The couple were golden no more, and although their relationship continued for another five years, they eventually called it quits in 2000.

Quite surprisingly, however, Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley have since put aside their differences and have remained good friends. They have amazed everyone by being godparents to each other’s children and have frequently enjoyed family holidays together. Hugh’s career was not tainted by the experience and, in fact, initially went from strength to strength; he became a huge star in the States, and appeared in movies such as
Bridget Jones’s Diary
(2001) and its sequel, as well as
Two Weeks Notice
(2002) with Sandra Bullock.

One person who believes that the incident did Grant a favour is former prostitute Divine Brown. Speaking to the
Daily Mail
in 2010, she said that she believed Grant was not very famous in the States at the time of his arrest. “It was me that helped his career,” she said. “I know he helped me upgrade my future and my family, but I upgraded his, too.”

At first glance, John Denver, the popular country singer and conservationist, may seem to have more to do with his beloved Colorado than Hollywood. In actual fact, having made countless movies and TV appearances, he can certainly be included among the stars who have walked the Los Angeles boulevards in search of fame and fortune.

Born Henry John Deutschendorf Jr on New Year’s Eve, 1943, John was a military forces’ child, moving around the country with his parents as a result of his father’s job. The child was shy and retiring, and he had very few friends due to the fact that the family were never in one place for more than a little while. So instead of putting his energies into making friends with people to whom he would soon be saying goodbye, the boy decided to spend time concentrating on his love for music, learning to play the guitar and singing a great deal.

His love for music resulted in Denver being a member of the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus for several years, though another school move put paid to that. He then harboured dreams of becoming a successful singer, and during high school decided to take himself off to Hollywood in order to begin his career. This was news to his family, however, who immediately ordered him back from the city in order to finish his highschool education, much to his dismay.

After joining and leaving several bands in Texas during the 1960s, the young man took off once again to Hollywood, this time ignoring his family’s pleas to come back home. He changed his last name to Denver after the capital city of his favourite state and set about making a living by singing in Los Angeles folk clubs. He then won a place with the Mitchell Trio, which was a real turning point in his life and enabled him not only to record albums but also to write songs and practise his craft while being paid for what he loved to do best. By the time the band split, several years later, John Denver had acquired a huge amount of experience; he had also seen his song “Leaving on a Jet Plane” recorded by music heavyweights Peter, Paul and Mary, and was beginning to receive a great deal of acclaim for his solo work. However, there was still much more to do and Denver embarked on a tour which saw him play free concerts in schools, cafés and anywhere that would let him play.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this part of John Denver’s career was the fact that nobody had suggested that he should go on tour; he had done it on his own initiative, seemingly just for the love of playing and meeting new fans. He often turned up at radio stations in order to play and talk, and he would also sell his albums before and after other artists’ gigs. It was a gamble that paid off, and the tour was so successful that his record company, RCA, then decided to invest more money in his album,
Rhymes & Reasons
, which then led to an extension of his recording contract.

John Denver’s peak was in the 1970s and it was during this period that he wrote some of his most famous songs, including “Annie’s Song”, which went to number one in the USA during 1974. This song has remained one of the quintessential Denver records, and was featured on a television commercial in the UK in late 2012, leading the single to appear once again in the charts, almost forty years since its first release. What is astonishing is that the track was actually written by Denver in about ten minutes while on a ski-lift in 1973. He later explained that he was caught up in the moment, enjoying the nature around him when inspiration suddenly took over. As soon as he had finished skiing he headed straight home and wrote the song down, dedicating it to his wife, Annie.

Annie and John had married in late 1967 but the marriage had been thwarted by problems, particularly insecurities from both sides which were related to John’s burgeoning career and travel commitments. When they had first met, the singer was a nobody; a fledgling singer with a band that was not huge in any way. However, by the 1970s he had become almost legendary and Annie just did not know how to handle the sudden fame and everything that went with it. She later complained that she had no idea who she was at this time, which is understandable given the sudden brush with fame she had encountered.

As a result of their problems, the pair had recently separated and the singer moved out of their new home in Aspen to get his head together. Soon, however, the couple decided they really were deeply in love with each other and it was after this reconciliation that “Annie’s Song” was born. The 1970s also saw John and Annie becoming parents to Zach and Anna Kate whom they adopted when it was thought that John was sterile. A nomad at heart, Denver was given a stability by the children he had rarely known and also awakened a side of him that he had not explored very often – being happy.

The movie industry called on Denver when they were in need of a good song, and his music has been featured in many films and series including
The Simpsons
(1994). As an actor John’s work in Hollywood saw him star in television shows such as
McCloud
in 1974 and
The Muppet Show
in 1979. His appearance in the TV movie
The Christmas Gift
(1986) allowed him to play a slightly more serious role as a widowed father of one, but perhaps his most famous part came nine years earlier, when he starred alongside George Burns in
Oh, God!

John often portrayed hippieish, laid-back and happy-go-lucky characters. This reflected the man in some ways, as he had a deep affinity with nature and never ceased promoting conservation and humanitarianism until the day he died. However, deep inside, in the privacy of his own soul, he was an insecure person who often wondered what he was doing and where he was going with his life. He freely admitted to having “incredible lows”, and once said that when he got depressed, “I question whether life is worth living.” This surprising negativity often presented itself in drug-taking, infidelity and even suicidal tendencies, but fatherhood balanced him somewhat – at least for a while.

During the late 1970s John Denver became known for his many television appearances, which included acting as a host for the Grammy’s in 1978 and 1979. However, while things had appeared rosy with Annie for a time, their troubles began once again, partly because of his touring schedule but also his inability to completely turn off from work. John later told an interviewer that he would often be at home physically, but his mind would still be on the road. This was understandable given the amount of time he was away, but it didn’t help matters, particularly when he arrived back at the house in the hope of being lavished with attention from his family, only to find that Annie needed to look after the children instead of him.