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Lambda vs. Howard K. Stern
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The Advocate
4/16/2009
"Anna Nicole Smith's lawyer?turned?lover Howard K. Stern is suing an author for $60 million for claiming in a book that he's gay. Lambda Legal doesn't like that, because there's 'nothing shameful about being identified as gay.'
"Anna Nicole Show costar Howard K. Stern is suing an author in Manhattan district court for claiming in a tell?all book that Stern is gay. Stern is demanding $60 million in damages, but if the efforts of legal activists are successful, he may not get a cent.
"...Lambda Legal, the country's largest legal organization dedicated to gay rights, recently filed a 'friend of the court' brief in the case, arguing that it is not defamatory under New York law to falsely identify someone as gay. 'It seemed inappropriate ? especially in 2009 ? for [a gay defamation] claim to have weight,' said Thomas Ude, a senior staff attorney with Lambda Legal."