Welcome to Outrage Watch, HitFix's semi-regular rundown of entertainment-related kerfuffles. Not anxious enough already? Get your fix of righteous indignation below, and stay posted for outrage updates throughout the week.
James Woods is taking our collective outrage at Twitter trolls to a whole other level.
The two-time Oscar nominee is suing Twitter user “Abe List” (operating under the handle @abelisted) for $10 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actor filed the complaint at L.A. Superior Court on Wednesday, citing defamation over a tweet claiming he was a “cocaine addict.”
“[Abe Lists]'s reckless and malicious behavior, through the worldwide reach of the internet, has now jeopardized Woods' good name and reputation on an international scale,” the complaint states. “AL, and anyone else using social media to propagate lies and do harm, should take note. They are not impervious to the law.”
The tweet in question came in response to a tweet by Woods about “media priorities,” according to THR. “@RealJamesWoods @benshapiro cocaine addict James Woods still sniffing and spouting,” it read.
“[James Woods] is not now, nor has ever been, a cocaine addict, and AL had no reason to believe otherwise, Rather AL's outrageous claim is the culmination of a malicious on-line campaign by AL to discredit and damage Woods' reputation, a campaign which began as early as December 2014,” the complaint continues.
Other tweets had @abelisted referring to Woods as a “ridiculous scum clown-boy,” a “joke,” and a “prick,” among other choice descriptors. The account in question, which allegedly had “thousands” of followers, since appears to have been deleted.
Will Woods' lawsuit make you think twice before spewing hatred and vitriol online now, bullies? Thought not.