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‘The Voice’s’ Blake Shelton Sues ‘In Touch’ Over Rehab Cover Story

By Amy Feinstein
Published on: 01:22 PST, Oct 20, 2015

It would seem that In Touch magazine is in big trouble with The Voice’s Blake Shelton. He is in search of millions after the magazine printed an article, with the lede on the cover that Shelton was going to rehab and that he had “hit rock bottom” since splitting with his former wife, Miranda Lambert. The cover also said he drinks vodka before noon and slurs his words. The magazine also blames “the things he did” while impaired as the reason for the break up.

The Inquisitr reported that the demise of the Shelton/Lambert relationship might not be quite as rosy as the former couple would like fans to think. While items in the press said all was amicable, Lambert’s things were packed and put on Shelton’s porch waiting for her to pick them up. Allegedly, he was away, and asked his help to pack it up and get it out of the house. But that gives no indication that there was rehab involved.

TMZ says that Shelton has no intention of backing down, and is pursuing the suit aggressively.The suit filed by Shelton is also against In Touch‘s parent company, Bauer Media. Some, but not all, of the points that Shelton is refuting are listed in his complaint.

  • “Blake has hit rock bottom”
  • “His friends are terrified that he could end up dead at this rate”
  • “Blake’s drinking and womanizing are what helped torpedo his 4-year marriage”
  • Mr. Shelton was “caught” by Ms. Lambert with “a bunch of naked women” in their home
  • “His close friends have talked about an intervention”

Shelton wants at least $2 million to settle.

The Wrap says the Voice judge has had enough of being slandered, and plans to shut all of this unfounded gossip down once and for all. Shelton doesn’t claim to be a saint, but In Touch crossed a line.

“Mr. Shelton is not in rehab and has no plans to go to rehab, which Bauer would have known had it bothered to contact any of Mr. Shelton’s representatives prior to publication of its misleading Rehab Story,” the lawsuit reads.

There were more claims in the story which said that friends were worried he would “wind up dead,” and that Miranda Lambert found him in their home with a “group of naked women.”

“Blake Shelton has had enough,” the lawsuit — filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court — said.

The suit could be landmark case that will put tabloids on notice about fact checking. Most celebrities don’t pursue these suits because they either believe that there is no bad press, or think that if they ignore it, it will go away. Shelton has decided that his reputation is worth fighting for.

Taste of Country also believes that Shelton is pushing this so hard because the information contributed to the demise of his marriage.

“The lawsuit says Shelton has sought a retraction of the central story in question, but has received no response. In addition to the monetary sum sought by Shelton’s lawyers, the singer and his team are seeking an injunction that would prevent In Touch from repeating any of the allegations named in the story.”

Blake Shelton is a busy man, working on an album and serving as a coach on the Emmy award winning reality show, The Voice. The In Touch story has been a great professional distraction.

Do you think Blake Shelton is right to sue In Touch?

[Photo courtesy of NBC News]

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