Thaindian News

June 25, 2010 (Pen Men at Work): The ex manager of the well known comedienne Joan Rivers is about to haul her to the court on charges of non payment and cheating him of his rightful commission. Billy Sammeth, the manager, who had left Joan’s employment almost a year back is in news now for having sued the 76 year old actress.

Billy, was furious by the new documentary which supposedly gave the general public an insight of her life. Titled, Joan Rivers: A Piece Of Work, the documentary received kudos from one and all. It was screened at Tribeca Film Festival in Manhattan amidst much appreciation.

Sammeth claims that Joan had cheated him out of $179,000 which he was entitled too. He was also enraged at being shown in a poor light in the documentary. The public ridicule as well as the money that he lost compelled him to charge Joan with a$2 million federal suit.

Apart from his earnings that remained unpaid, the humiliation of being projected in such a manner was too much to bear, claimed Sammeth. He has also claimed 10% of the $200,000 that Joan Rivers earned after appearing the ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ last year.

Billy is currently being represented by Susan Chana Lask who emphasizes that Joan terminated Billy and then went on to say that he was missing. Billy Sammeth had represented Joan for a total of eight months and had managed to enhance her career. From just 12 concerts a year in 2002 she went on to do as many as 40 concerts. She also had the opportunity of appearing in Donald Trump’s ‘Celebrity Apprentice’. Lask went on to explain that it had been Billy who had brought to her recently elevated status.

Joan has expressed her faith in the judicial system of the land and dismissed Sammeth’s words as the ramblings of a bitter and unemployed man.