Entertainment
Jay-Z’s Rape Accuser Files Motion to Dismiss His Defamation Lawsuit Against Her
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The woman who accused Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter of sexually assaulting her in 2000 is now asking a judge to dismiss the rapper’s lawsuit against her.
The woman, identified in court docs obtained by PEOPLE as Jane Doe, alleged in a December 2024 complaint that Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs raped her at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty when she was 13 years old.
Though Doe’s attorneys voluntarily dismissed the case in February, Jay-Z filed his own lawsuit against Doe and her legal team, Tony Buzbee and David Fortney, a month later. He sued Doe and her lawyers, alleging malicious prosecution, abuse of process, and civil conspiracy. He also sued Doe separately, alleging defamation. He claimed in his complaint that the initial allegations of rape against him were knowingly “false” and “malicious,” and Doe’s lawsuit was “strategically and tactically calculated” in an attempt to extort him.
On Tuesday, April 22, Doe filed a motion to dismiss Jay-Z’s lawsuit, alleging that he “fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.”
Her attorneys argued in the motion that Jay-Z’s malicious prosecution claim fails short since he alleges “the […] lawsuit was initiated and prosecuted for malicious reasons, not that any process was wrongfully used after issuance.”
“Carter has not alleged facts that would support an abuse of process claim,” the motion states.
The filing says the civil conspiracy claim against the accuser should also be dismissed as her lawyers “have shown that, as attorneys, they are not liable for civil conspiracy under these allegations.”
“Since a conspiracy requires more than one party, Doe cannot be liable for civil conspiracy,” the motion continues.
Doe requests that the defamation claim against her be dismissed, stating that the allegations in her complaint and comments to the media are “absolutely privileged” under California law “and cannot form the basis for a defamation claim.”
Doe’s motion further claims that based on Jay-Z’s own allegations in his complaint, he was not damaged by any potentially defamatory statements, because he alleged that an NBC News piece “disproved” Doe’s claims and and because he claimed that “[n]o person of ordinary care and prudence” would have believed that Carter sexually assaulted Doe.”
In his filing, Jay-Z alleged Doe’s “frivolous” lawsuit caused him “to suffer actual and special damages, including, but not limited to, harm to his personal and professional reputation, harm to his business entity, Roc Nation—which resulted in his business suffering substantial losses in excess of $20 million—out-of-pocket loss, and emotional harm, humiliation, and harassment.”
Jay-Z is seeking assumed, actual and punitive damages.
PEOPLE reached out to Jay-Z, Doe and Buzbee for comment.
Jay-Z’s attorney Alex Spiro previously addressed the rapper’s decision to sue Doe and her attorneys, telling Good Morning America in March, “The truth had to fully come out. This person cannot be allowed to sort of hide from the reality that this was a false accusation.”
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Spiro also addressed a recording purported to be Doe denying that Jay-Z ever sexually assaulted her, and that Buzbee “pushed” her to name Jay-Z.
“She says in no uncertain terms, Mr. Carter did not do this,” Spiro said last month. “It is effectively a lie and the only reason Mr. Carter is even involved in this was because she was pushed to involve him, pushed to include him by a lawyer.”
Buzbee responded, telling GMA that Spiro’s claims were a “blatant lie.”
Entertainment
‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 finale: Helaena, Ormund’s fate revealed

Warning: Spoilers ahead! Do not proceed unless you’ve watched the Season 3 finale of “House of the Dragon.“
“House of the Dragon” ended its penultimate season with fire and blood.
In the Season 3 finale of the “Game of Thrones” prequel show, which aired Sunday night, Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban) seemingly died in an apparent suicide by jumping out of a castle window.
All season long, Helaena, who was pregnant, was basically a prisoner of her half-sister, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy).
As Rhaenyra took the throne and asserted her rule, she kept a tight leash on Helaena, who had been on the other side of the war.
Shut in the castle, Helaena — a “dreamer” who could see the future — became increasingly more distressed. Shortly before her death, Helaena had a contentious meeting with Rhaenyra in which she criticized the queen, telling her “all the things you care about are ugly.”
As she refused to eat, Rhaenyra had guards force-feed Helaena.
Helaena’s death wasn’t explicitly shown but, at the end of the episode, she slowly walked to the window. Later, her dead body shown below it.
Before her death, Helaena had been working on a piece of embroidery, stitching images from her visions of the future. Rhaenyra was aware of Helaena’s powers and, after her death, glanced at the embroidery.
One of the images Helaena had stitched showed her plummeting from a castle window. Another image showed Rhaenyra holding a sword on the Iron Throne, surrounded by flames.
The episode ended with the queen studying the prophetic image of herself.
“House of the Dragon” is set almost 200 years before “Game of Thrones,” and follows Targaryen siblings in a civil war over who is the rightful monarch.
The main conflict is between Rhaenyra and her half-brother, Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney).
As Aegon was Helaena’s brother and husband — those Targaryens and their incest — that meant she was on his side of the feud by default, despite her not being active in the war.
To make things more complicated, Season 3 added a third contender for the throne: Aegon’s long-lost brother and Rhaenyra’s half-brother: Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth).
In the middle of Season 3, Daeron’s evil guardian, Ormund Hightower (James Norton), took over the market town, Tumbleton, and hatched a plan to put Daeron in power.
In the finale, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) — both uncle and husband to Queen Rhaenyra — and his army marched on the town, sparking a bloody battle with Ormund and his forces.
Ormund was fatally slain by Roderick Dustin (Tommy Flanagan), also known as Roddy the Ruin, who fights on behalf of Rhaenyra and Daemon.
Roderick died in the process of killing Ormund — and got his arm cut off during the tussle (ouch).
Before Ormund died, however, he persuaded Ulf White (Tom Bennett) — a dragon rider on Rhaenyra and Daemon’s side — to turn traitor.
Daemon and his forces thought Ulf would fight with them but, instead, he flamed them with his dragon, leading to mass death and destruction.
Tumbleton was reduced to rubble and carnage by the end of the Season 3 finale, though Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) and Daeron seemingly both survived.
Season 3 ended with Rhaenyra still tentatively holding her grip on power, losing half-sister Helaena and one of her loyal dragon riders in Ulf — and her future ahead looks bumpy.
Her other dragon rider, Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew), lost his wife in the battle at Tumbleton, so he likely won’t be too happy about continuing to fight for Rhaenyra.
Aegon, who had been MIA all season, also met up with his brother, Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), and pitched him a plan to join forces and overthrow the queen.
The HBO series will end with the forthcoming Season 4, which will premiere at an unannounced date, most likely in 2028.
Before Season 3 premiered, showrunner Ryan Condal said he understood fans’ frustration with the two-year gaps between seasons.
During a pre-season Television Critics Association press conference that Page Six attended, he said, “It just takes a long time to make.”
He explained that “prep and shooting” take a year, followed by an additional “seven months [to] eight months” for the special effects team “to make dragons.”
Condal urged haters to “do the math.”
“It’s not possible to come out every year,” he said. “I’m very sorry, but you guys decided to be fans of the show called ‘House of the Dragon.’”
Entertainment
‘Highlander’ star Christopher Lambert, 69, collapses at Pittsburgh Comic-Con

“Highlander” actor Christopher Lambert suffered a medical emergency while attending the Steel City Comic-Con in Pittsburgh.
At the annual convention on Saturday, the French actor, 69, was signing autographs for fans when he “suddenly collapsed,” a witness told TMZ.
Lambert was then placed in an ambulance and transported to a local hospital.
The Steel City Con also released a statement about the incident, saying Lambert “had to leave the event due to a personal issue.”
The comic book and pop culture convention also announced that Lambert’s photo op was canceled.
A rep for the “Mortal Kombat” star told TMZ that he is “perfectly ok” and resting in his hotel room.
The spokesperson claimed that Lambert did not get enough sleep the night before the convention and hadn’t eaten much during the day, which prompted his blood sugar to drop.
It’s unclear whether Lambert will attend the convention on Sunday; however, the outlet was told that he will be well enough to make his scheduled appearance at FAN EXPO in Chicago next week.
Page Six has reached out to Lambert’s rep for comment but did not immediately hear back.
Last year, Lambert suffered a health scare when he injured his back after falling down a flight of stairs at his hotel.
Due to the severity of the injury, the “Highlander II: The Quickening” star had to drop out of an appearance at the Swedish festival SciFiWorld last March.
“As an actor, filming and promoting his films are an absolute priority and has always been, and while he has the highest respect for people organizing events and fans who attend,” his reps said at the time.
“Unfortunately this time he will not be able to attend the comic con,” they added.
Entertainment
QVC host reacts to viral on-air blooper

QVC host Toni Brattin has publicly commented on her viral on-air blooper that saw her mistakenly refer to a “blowout” as a “blowjob” during a wig presentation.
“When we’re doing a show, your mind is going 50 directions,” she told TMZ in a remote interview published Thursday.
“You’re thinking of your models, you’re thinking of the mannequin heads going through the colors, you’re thinking of the next positioning to get all the information out to the customers that they’re wanting, right?”
Brattin explained, “So your brain is really kind of multi-functioning, and you’re kind of in autopilot when you’re talking because you’ve said this so many times.”
Brattin admitted that in the moment, “You almost say to yourself, ‘Did I just say what I think I said?’”
“It was one of those moments, and of course, you can’t grab those words back,” she went on. “They’re out there.”
“I tried to real quick correct it and say the correct terminology — ‘a blowout at your salon’ — but by then, obviously, everyone caught it,” Brattin continued. “I was hearing snickering and then when you’re not supposed to laugh, it just makes it that much more funny.”
Brattin noted that the QVC team was “so kind” following the incident, which she explained “of course” wasn’t “intentional.”
“I mean, I’ve only been doing this for almost 30 years,” she said. “So to have a blooper like this just innocently come out, you have to go with it.
Brattin said the team told her, “I hope you’re able to not be mortified and that you can laugh about it today and in the future,” and told her she did “a great job throwing it over to [her] show host.”
Brattin was showcasing a “Salon Select Wig” from the back on Wednesday, teasing the wig with her fingers and noting its silky wave pattern and smooth texture, when she blurted out, “Again, it looks like you went and got a blowjob at your … blowout … at your salon.”
The wig designer, clearly flustered by the suggestive verbal slipup, froze up before dropping to the studio floor after the mortifying incident, as a model and co-host Teri Conn attempted to stifle giggles.
Following the gaffe, the TV personality’s husband didn’t miss a chance to make a joke of it.
During a “CBS Mornings” interview earlier this week, she recalled him waiting for her in the green room, where he told her “there’s a bar of soap waiting for you in your dressing room.”
“You know, we all make mistakes from time to time,” she added. “This one, after 30 years, just happens to be my biggest blooper ever.”
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