A screaming Robert De Niro was in the spotlight again in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday as he reluctantly asked his former personal assistant to scratch his back — before exploding, “You got me!”
The 80-year-old Oscar winner was defensive on the stand for a second day running as he tried to fend off accusations from longtime former staffer Graham Chase Robinson, 41, that he was a terrible boss who put him through years of unwanted life. touching, abusive language and degrading misogynistic tasks.
Asked about the incident in which Robinson claims De Niro forced him to scratch his back instead of using a back scratcher, the “Raging Bull” star admitted it probably happened twice — but only when he itched where he could. t achieve.
“OK, twice? You got me! I said this is bullshit,” fumed De Niro, who was wearing a dark gray polo shirt and navy blazer.
“It was never done with any disrespect,” continued the legendary actor.
“Shame on you, Chase Robinson!” he shouted at his accuser, who was in court.
At one point, De Niro even admitted that he might have asked Robinson to Uber him a martini from the upscale Nobu sushi lounge at 11 p.m.
Robert De Niro, who arrived in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday, faced his former assistant, Graham Chase Robinson. Alec Tabak
When asked about calling her twice while she was attending her grandmother’s funeral because she wanted him to buy bus tickets for her teenage son, the actress replied, “So?”
De Niro insisted that he was “never abusive” to Robinson – but admitted he might have called her a “f–king spoiled brat” after she missed a date because he didn’t wake her up.
“I can too. I am disappointed,” he said. “He didn’t wake me up and make me miss this thing in Malibu.”
De Niro’s lawyer objected in one instance to the questioning his famous client was forced to undergo, alleging “improper prosecution.”
De Niro quipped from the stand, “Prosecution? Am I charged?”
Robinson, 41 – who allegedly stole from De Niro – has claimed his former boss subjected him to years of unwanted touching, abusive language and discrimination. Gregory P. Mango
As laughter erupted in the courtroom, including from the jury, the actor said, “Got to say it, sorry.”
His lawyer’s objection was overruled.
The Hollywood A-lister faces Robinson in a civil trial after accusing the once-trusted employee of raiding the coffers of his Canal Productions company, stealing millions of De Niro’s ‘frequent flyer miles’ and watching Netflix while at work.
Their long-running legal battle first began when the “Taxi Driver” actor’s production company sued him in August 2019 — just months after Robinson abruptly resigned after 11 years.
Asked about the incident in which Robinson claimed De Niro forced him to scratch his back instead of using a back scratcher, De Niro revealed that it may have happened twice, but only when he got an itch in a place he couldn’t reach.AP
Robinson quickly responded with her own $12 million lawsuit, accusing the legendary actress of subjecting her to sexual harassment and bullying while expecting her to work 24/7 and assume the role of “office wife.”
One of his lawyers, Andrew Macurdy, who has painted Robinson as a dedicated and loyal employee, told jurors on Tuesday that he first tried to quit in November 2018 but that De Niro had threatened to give him a bad reference.
“You said I threatened him? I didn’t do that. He works for me, I treat him with respect,” De Niro shot back in the stands.
Asked if Robinson was a disloyal employee, De Niro replied: “Disloyal? I do not know. Whatever. I want it back because he stole something from me and I want it back.
“This whole case is bullshit, it doesn’t make sense,” he sniffed. “I want my stuff back, that’s all I’m asking for. Return my stuff, return my air miles. Enough is enough.
“He has taken something from me and not done the right thing. I asked him to return it but he didn’t do the right thing. He asked me for a letter of recommendation, which I would never have signed under any circumstances,” he added.
In one exclusive exchange, Macurdy accused De Niro and his company of rushing to file the actor’s lawsuit in an attempt to discredit Robinson after he threatened legal action if the actor didn’t pay his severance claim.
“You want to embarrass him,” the lawyer alleged, questioning whether the star was trying to smear Robinson’s reputation in the press.
De Niro faces Robinson in a civil trial after accusing the once-trusted employee of raiding the coffers of his Canal Productions company, stealing millions from his frequent flyers and watching Netflix while at work.Gregory P. Mango
De Niro responded, “I don’t care about the press, I care about him returning my stuff and doing the right thing.
“I don’t want to spoil it,” he insisted. “I have no control over the press. He is more newspaper oriented than I am. He should have thought, ‘I will return the air stone.’ Case closed, done.”
The actor testified that he told his assistant at the time that he could transfer “1 to 2 million” Delta SkyMiles from the company account to his personal account for emergency situations.
He said he trusted him to act in good faith based on an “honor system.
“I wanted him to do it for a reason — not take 5 million miles,” De Niro added.
Robinson, who began working for De Niro in 2008, claims in his suit that he was “forced to resign” from the $300,000-a-year job in April 2019.
In his resignation email, which was read to jurors, Robinson wrote: “All the years I worked for you, I was loyal, protective (to the point of alienating others), honest and above all hard work (80 -90 hour weeks).
“I poured my heart and soul into this job and as a result other parts of my life and opportunities were put on hold. You always come first.”
De Niro, in his suit, claims Robinson abruptly quit when “suspicions arose” about his “honesty, integrity, work ethic and motivation.”
When asked by his own lawyer, Laurent Drogin, how he felt after accepting Robinson’s resignation, the actor replied, “I feel relieved.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
