Jennifer Wilbanks, the bride who ran away just before the wedding and falsely claimed she had been kidnapped, has landed a deal for a book and movie rights. The book deal what made by Judith Regan for ReganBooks. The book deal alone would have made headlines but a leaked memo that mentions a $500,000 payment and TV movie deal related to an appearance on NBC's Today Show with Katie Couric has created a media controversy. USA Today reports that NBC has denied offering payment for an interview:
A leaked ReganMedia memo linked the interview to potential TV movie deals and mentioned a $500,000 payment. The company confirmed an employee wrote the memo but noted that it wasn't signed and wouldn't confirm details of the arrangement.
Both Regan and NBC denied any quid pro quo or money changing hands. NBC said that there's no TV movie deal attached and that Couric and her producers simply outhustled others to get Wilbanks.
I once tried to get Stormin' Norman Schwarzkopf to inscribe his autobiography, as a Christmas prezzie for the then boyfriend. The book signing was at my old college. I wandered around looking for him and was told I was too early and to come back later. One my way out of the building I was challenged by one of his security goons. "Do I look like an Iraqi terrorist?" I asked blithely. "Yes you do," he said. All very peculiar. And then came Silverelli...