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'Idol' Parody Hits Sour Note at the Box Office

Hugh Grant, as Not Simon Cowell, with Sam Golari, Mandy Moore and Adam Busch, in
Hugh Grant, as Not Simon Cowell, with Sam Golari, Mandy Moore and Adam Busch, in "American Dreamz," the "Idol" spoof that got very few votes at the box office in its opening weekend. (By Glen Wilson -- Universal Studios)
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Warwick insisted he's not bothered by the film rip-off.

People have been copying the show since the second episode "and making a pretty lousy job of it," he said. "American Dreamz," he added, is "just another one for the pile."

* * *

A producer for Maury Povich's syndicated talk show filed a multimillion-dollar sexual harassment lawsuit against him and members of his staff Monday, claiming she was subjected to sexual remarks and made to watch pornographic movies and expose her body, the Associated Press reports.

Bianca Nardi, 28, of Fort Lee, N.J., says in court papers that she had a heavy workload because she had to do jobs that should have been performed by staffer Donna Benner Ingber, who was having an "intimate and sexual relationship" with Povich, according to the AP report.

Povich is married to former TV news anchor Connie Chung, who co-hosts "Weekends With Maury & Connie" on NBC cable network MSNBC.

NBC Universal, in a statement sent to The TV Column, said the company had been served with the complaint. "We do not believe that Ms. Nardi was a victim of unlawful sexual harassment and intend to defend this lawsuit vigorously," the statement said. "NBC Universal is committed to maintaining a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment."

According to Nardi's suit, she joined the show's staff in June 2000, was promoted twice and worked there until this month, when she took a temporary medical leave.

Throughout her employment, Nardi's court papers say, Paul Faulhaber, executive producer of "The Maury Povich Show," ordered her to wear provocative clothing. Court papers say Faulhaber, also a defendant in the suit, directed her to wear concealed cameras and microphones for undercover assignments such as going to bars to secretly videotape married men agreeing to have sex with her, and forced her to watch porn with him, court papers said.

She complied for fear of being fired and when she did complain, Faulhaber retaliated by making her do other demeaning jobs, the AP reports, citing court papers.

The lawsuit also names NBC Universal Television and Povich's production company, Mopo, as defendants.


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