Latest news with #VarsityBlues'
New York Post
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Dawson's Creek' star James Van Der Beek gives heartbreaking cancer update: My kids know when I'm ‘in pain'
James Van Der Beek says his children have become his unexpected caretakers amid his journey with colon cancer. The 'Dawson's Creek' alum publicly shared the news of his diagnosis last November. 'I have colorectal cancer. I've been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,' Van Der Beek, 48, exclusively told People at the time. 'There's reason for optimism, and I'm feeling good.' 5 Van Der Beek shares six children with his wife of 14 years, Kimberly Van Der Beek. vanderjames/Instagram Advertisement The 'Varsity Blues' star has been married to his wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek (née Brook), since 2010. The couple share six children: daughters Olivia, Annabel, Emilia and Gwendolyn, and sons Joshua and Jeremiah. During his July 30 appearance on the 'Today' show, Van Der Beek recalled the experience of discussing his diagnosis with his kids. 'I'm far from an expert, but our approach was just to be as honest as possible, as honest to the degree of their understanding,' he explained. Advertisement 5 Van Der Beek during his July 30 appearance on the 'Today' show. Today 'They know. They can sense that Dad's having a tough day. They know if Dad's in pain,' he continued. 'By not telling them, I think you're confusing them even more.' Van Der Beek said he's learned that children are often stronger than adults give them credit for. 'Allow yourself to be surprised by their resiliency,' he said. 'When you tell them what you're doing, and you tell them the approach, they can see it, and they can feel it. And I think it's also that your journey is their journey.' Advertisement 5 Van Der Beek with three of his daughters. Instagram/vanderjames He spoke about how his children have supported him through his journey, urging others not to 'rob them of the opportunity to show up for you.' 'I have [my] kids making me tea. 'Dad, what do you need?' There's been a lot of beauty that's come out of it,' he said. In an Instagram video posted on March 8, Van Der Beek opened up about being away from his family while undergoing treatment. Advertisement 5 Van Der Beek with his wife and their six children. vanderjames/Instagram 'I was away for treatment, so I could no longer be a husband who was helpful to my wife,' he explained in the clip. 'I could no longer be a father who could pick up his kids and put them to bed and be there for them. I could not be a provider because I wasn't working.' Van Der Beek's wife was in the studio during his appearance on the 'Today' show on Wednesday and appeared briefly on screen. Despite his battle, he said he is 'feeling great' at the moment. 5 Van Der Beek with his wife, Kimberly. James Van Der Beek/Instagram 'There are just so many ups and downs and so many unknowns,' he explained. 'Cancer is — I call it a full-time job.' Van Der Beek is continuing to work despite the diagnosis, having just finished filming 'Elle,' a 'Legally Blonde' prequel series slated for release on Prime Video in summer 2026.
NBC News
6 days ago
- NBC News
Roy Black, lawyer who represented William Kennedy Smith and Jeffrey Epstein, dies at 80
Prominent Miami defense lawyer Roy Black, who gained national attention by winning an acquittal in the 1991 William Kennedy Smith rape trial and was involved in scores of other high-profile cases ranging from Justin Bieber to Jeffrey Epstein, has died at age 80, his law partner said. Among Black's other well-known clients were Rush Limbaugh, race car driver Helio Castroneves and Columbian drug lord Fabio Ochoa. 'For more than 30 years, Roy was my teacher, mentor and friend,' said his law partner, Howard Srebnick, in an email. 'The loss(es) I feel personally and professionally are immeasurable.' Smith's 1991 trial became a watershed criminal defense moment when most of it was carried live on national television, famously with a blue dot obscuring the identity of the accuser on the witness stand. Smith is a nephew of former president John F. Kennedy, former Attorney General and U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and former Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was implicated but never charged in the alleged assault of a woman in Palm Beach during a night of heavy drinking. Kennedy Smith is now a physician involved in an organization dedicated to banning land mines and treating victims of them. In Miami, Black was viewed in legal circles as the GOAT — the greatest of all time, said fellow defense attorney David O. Markus, who compared him to NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. 'He worked harder than any lawyer I know. And he outlawyered every prosecutor who he ever went up against. I will miss him. His impact on criminal defense is beyond measure,' Markus said in an email. The Bieber case involved allegations of driving a Lamborghini under the influence and drag racing, though the pop star eventually pleaded guilty to lesser charges of misdemeanor careless driving and resisting arrest. Indianapolis 500 winner Castroneves was acquitted in a case involving alleged tax evasion. Over the years, Black's clients included Rush Limbaugh; 'Varsity Blues' defendant Amid Khoury, who was found not guilty of rigging college admissions; and Miami police officer William Lozano, who was acquitted in the shooting death of Black motorcyclist Clement Lloyd. The latter acquittal sparked riots in Miami in 1989. Black was part of a group of prominent lawyers who handled Epstein's case, including Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz and former Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Star. Epstein sexually abused children hundreds of times over more than a decade, exploiting vulnerable girls as young as 14, authorities say. In 2019, after Epstein died in a New York jail cell following his arrest on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges, Black sought to stop Epstein's victims from reopening a non-prosecution agreement that allowed Epstein to plead guilty to lesser state charges a decade earlier. Another of Black's law partners, Jackie Perczek, said she learned from him that it was a lawyer's duty to 'fiercely battle the oppressors and support the underdog.' 'This generation and many to come stand on his shoulders,' she said. Black frequently wrote articles about the law for national publications and was regularly on national television shows. He is survived by his wife, Lea, whom he met when she was a juror in the Kennedy Smith trial and who once starred in TV's 'Real Housewives of Miami.' They have a son, RJ, and his daughter, Nora. Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.
San Francisco Chronicle
22-07-2025
- San Francisco Chronicle
Prominent Miami defense attorney Roy Black dies, represented William Kennedy Smith in rape trial
Prominent Miami defense lawyer Roy Black, who gained national attention by winning an acquittal in the 1991 William Kennedy Smith rape trial and was involved in scores of other high-profile cases, has died at the age of 80, his law partner said Tuesday. Black represented clients ranging from pop star Justin Bieber to race car driver Helio Castroneves. Most of the time, he was on the winning side. 'For more than 30 years, Roy was my teacher, mentor and friend,' said his law partner, Howard Srebnick, in an email. 'The loss(es) I feel personally and professionally are immeasurable.' Smith's 1991 trial became a watershed criminal defense moment when most of it was carried live on national television, famously with a blue dot obscuring the identity of the accuser on the witness stand. Smith is a nephew of former president John F. Kennedy, former Attorney General and U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and former Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was implicated but never charged in the alleged assault of a woman in Palm Beach during a night of heavy drinking. Kennedy Smith is now a physician involved in an organization dedicated to banning land mines and treating victims of them. In Miami, Black was viewed in legal circles as the GOAT — the greatest of all time, said fellow defense attorney David O. Markus, who compared him to NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. 'He worked harder than any lawyer I know. And he outlawyered every prosecutor who he ever went up against. I will miss him. His impact on criminal defense is beyond measure,' Markus said in an email. The Bieber case involved allegations of driving a Lamborghini under the influence and drag racing, though the pop star eventually pleaded guilty to lesser charges of misdemeanor careless driving and resisting arrest. Indianapolis 500 winner Castroneves was acquitted in a case involving alleged tax evasion. Over the years, Black's clients included Rush Limbaugh; 'Varsity Blues' defendant Amid Khoury, who was found not guilty of rigging college admissions; and Miami police officer William Lozano, who was acquitted in the shooting death of Black motorcyclist Clement Lloyd. The latter acquittal sparked riots in Miami in 1989. Another of Black's law partners, Jackie Perczek, said she learned from him that it was a lawyer's duty to 'fiercely battle the oppressors and support the underdog.' 'This generation and many to come stand on his shoulders,' she said. He is survived by his wife, Lea, whom he met when she was a juror in the Kennedy Smith trial and who once starred in TV's 'Real Housewives of Miami." They have a son, RJ, and his daughter, Nora. Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.
Winnipeg Free Press
22-07-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Prominent Miami defense attorney Roy Black dies, represented William Kennedy Smith in rape trial
Prominent Miami defense lawyer Roy Black, who gained national attention by winning an acquittal in the 1991 William Kennedy Smith rape trial and was involved in scores of other high-profile cases, has died at the age of 80, his law partner said Tuesday. Black represented clients ranging from pop star Justin Bieber to race car driver Helio Castroneves. Most of the time, he was on the winning side. 'For more than 30 years, Roy was my teacher, mentor and friend,' said his law partner, Howard Srebnick, in an email. 'The loss(es) I feel personally and professionally are immeasurable.' Smith's 1991 trial became a watershed criminal defense moment when most of it was carried live on national television, famously with a blue dot obscuring the identity of the accuser on the witness stand. Smith is a nephew of former president John F. Kennedy, former Attorney General and U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and former Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, who was implicated but never charged in the alleged assault of a woman in Palm Beach during a night of heavy drinking. Kennedy Smith is now a physician involved in an organization dedicated to banning land mines and treating victims of them. In Miami, Black was viewed in legal circles as the GOAT — the greatest of all time, said fellow defense attorney David O. Markus, who compared him to NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan. 'He worked harder than any lawyer I know. And he outlawyered every prosecutor who he ever went up against. I will miss him. His impact on criminal defense is beyond measure,' Markus said in an email. The Bieber case involved allegations of driving a Lamborghini under the influence and drag racing, though the pop star eventually pleaded guilty to lesser charges of misdemeanor careless driving and resisting arrest. Indianapolis 500 winner Castroneves was acquitted in a case involving alleged tax evasion. Over the years, Black's clients included Rush Limbaugh; 'Varsity Blues' defendant Amid Khoury, who was found not guilty of rigging college admissions; and Miami police officer William Lozano, who was acquitted in the shooting death of Black motorcyclist Clement Lloyd. The latter acquittal sparked riots in Miami in 1989. Another of Black's law partners, Jackie Perczek, said she learned from him that it was a lawyer's duty to 'fiercely battle the oppressors and support the underdog.' 'This generation and many to come stand on his shoulders,' she said. Black frequently wrote articles about the law for national publications and was regularly on national television shows. He is survived by his wife, Lea, whom he met when she was a juror in the Kennedy Smith trial and who once starred in TV's 'Real Housewives of Miami.' They have a son, RJ, and his daughter, Nora. Funeral arrangements were not immediately announced.
New York Post
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Varsity Blues' mastermind Rick Singer can resume coaching college hopefuls — if he discloses celeb admission scandal conviction
The mastermind behind the sweeping 'Varsity Blues' college admissions bribery scandal that ensnared celebs Lori Loughlin and Felicity Huffman can resume coaching college hopefuls, as long as he discloses his bombshell conviction. Massachusetts federal Judge Denise Casper ruled Monday that Rick Singer, 64, can start working again at his company ID Future Stars, which does consulting work for students trying to get into top universities. 3 'Varsity Blues' admission scandal mastermind Rick Singer can continue working as a college coach, as long as he divulges his criminal past, a judge ruled earlier this week. REUTERS Advertisement But Singer must post 'prominently' on his website a lengthy disclaimer about his criminal past and provide prospective clients with a notice containing the same disclosure, the judge ruled. Singer was freed in March 2025 after serving a 42-month sentence for his 2019 guilty plea to charges of racketeering, money laundering and obstruction for taking bribes to help students get accepted to elite colleges by faking their test scores and exaggerating their achievements and credentials on applications. 'In March 2019, Rick Singer pled guilty to federal charges-including racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and obstruction of justice-for his role in what was widely-publicized as the 'Varsity Blues' college admissions scheme,' the disclaimer begins. Advertisement The statement must also include the fact that Singer took in $25 million in bribes, $7 million of which he paid to his cronies and another $15 million he used 'for his own benefit.' He also must reveal the length of his prison sentence and divulge the fact he had to fork over nearly $20 million in restitution and assets. And he must link to a press release from the federal prosecutor's office that handled his case. Aaron Katz, a lawyer for Singer, said his client doesn't mind the requirement shedding light on his shady past, according to a USA Today report. 3 Actress Lori Loughlin was one of the celebrities who pleaded guilty to allegedly paying bribes to Singer to help her kids get into school. REUTERS Advertisement Singer has 'no problem advising current and future clients of his past actions … he had been doing so even prior to the court's ruling,' Katz told the outlet. As of Wednesday, the ID Future Stars website did not appear to feature the court-ordered statement. But the site does hint at Singer's wrongdoing in a statement by him, saying: 'I am not afraid to tell people who I am and that I made a mistake, took full responsibility and want to share my expertise, passion, and desire to help shape our next generation's leaders.' 3 Actress Felicity Huffman served 11 days behind bars after she admitting to bribing Singer for her kid to get into a good school. REUTERS Advertisement In his scam, Singer collected purported 'donations' from the rich and famous, including 'Desperate Housewives' and 'Full House' actresses Huffman and Loughlin, that went to his disadvantaged youth charity Key Worldwide Foundation. Instead, he used the money for himself and to pay people off who were complicit in the scheme, including those who could help him fake test scores for applicants. Huffman and Loughlin both pleaded guilty for paying into Singer's conspiracy to help their kids get into prestigious schools. Huffman served eleven days of her two-week sentence and Loughlin served two months in a California federal lock-up. The scandal erupted in 2019 following a federal investigation dubbed 'Varsity Blues,' which ultimately saw at least 50 people convicted for their participation in the scheme.
