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Kenzo Tribouillard / AFP – Getty Images
Dominique Strauss-Kahn leaves Paris' courthouse after a hearing Tuesday on a tell-all penned by an ex-lover.
French politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn lost his bid to have a court ban a kiss-and-tell book by an ex-lover who has described him as a sex-obsessed "half-man, half-pig" -- but he will collect damages.
In a ruling late Tuesday, a judge green-lighted publication of "Beauty and Beast" by Marcelle Iacub, a lawyer and columnist who had a seven-month affair with the former head of the International Monetary Fund, Le Monde reported.
The court agreed to Strauss-Kahn's demand that a disclaimer declaring his privacy had been invaded be included in every copy. It also ordered the author, the publisher and a magazine that printed excerpts to pay him $98,000, the newspaper said.
Hours before his partial victory, Strauss-Kahn appeared in a Paris courtroom to complain of the "horror" of having his love life exposed, The Guardian reported.
Christian Hartmann / Reuters
"Belle et Bete" ("Beauty and Beast") by Marcela Iacub details her seven-month affair with Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
"Is anything allowed in order to make money?" he asked, branding the book a cheap shot against "a man already down on the ground."
The affair chronicled in the book unfolded while Strauss-Kahn was embroiled in scandal over allegations he sexually assaulted a hotel maid in New York. Criminal charges were dropped by prosecutors who questioned the woman's credibility; Strauss-Kahn later settled a civil claim out of court.
Iacub's book, which is due to go on sale Wednesday, doesn't name Strauss-Kahn, but she has said it's about him. Excerpts published in Le Nouvel Observateur -- accompanied by an interview in which she referred to him as "half-man, half-pig" -- are decidedly unflattering.
"You were old, you were fat, you were short and you were ugly," the 48-year-old former mistress wrote, according to the Guardian. "You were macho, you were vulgar, you were insensitive and you were stingy. You were selfish, you were brutal and you had no culture. And I was mad about you."
Strauss-Kahn's lawyers contend he was seduced into a money-making trap and they tried to persuade the court with an email in which Iacub purportedly confessed the romance was a plot cooked up by her co-workers.
Iacub said she didn't remember the email, disavowed its contents and issued a warning to the Socialist leader once touted as presidential material before scandal doomed his career.
"I don't think it's in [Strauss-Kahn's] best interest for me to start searching through my emails," she said, according to London's Daily Telegraph.
Strauss-Kahn, who is under investigation in connection with a French sex ring, had asked for a disclaimer to be printed in every copy of "Beauty and Beast" already distributed, a ban on more copies being printed, and $130,000 in damages.
As he left the courthouse, he said there was one more thing on his wish-list: "To be left alone."
Leave a Comment:
The book cover is perfect... lol
"French politician Dominique Strauss-Kahn lost his bid to have a court ban a kiss-and-tell book by an ex-lover who has described him as a sex-obsessed "half-man, half-pig" -- but he will collect damages."
DSK is half beast and half pig.
As he is rich and had lots of money to distribute as he was IMF President, he got away with crimes which deserveed jail sentences.
What a caliber of politicians!
Courts should punish such beasts and liabilities to societies without mercy.
The story of two pigs.
Pork Billy.
Why would anyone admit to fornicating with this piece of sh*t?
Admits porking the pig for money - sam reason she had for porking the pig. A Banker;s decision.
You were old, you were fat, you were short and you were ugly," the 48-year-old former mistress wrote, according to the Guardian. "You were macho, you were vulgar, you were insensitive and you were stingy. You were selfish, you were brutal and you had no culture. And I was mad about you."
Wow. Reminds me of Monika Lewinsky. She has horrible taste and decided to write a book about how she regrets entering into a consensual relationship--with a pig? This woman really likes to advertise her utter lack of judgement.
Quick, call Al Gore. We have found one of the parents of Manbearpig!
Jonathan - you beat me to it. Manbearpig is seriously the first thing i thought about in this article.
Well done.
Another comment. The guy is French. I thought being half-man, half-pig was a requirement to be French.
touche'
Love how women can love pigs as long as they have money. Now who's a pig.
Another whacked out scorned woman. He probably dumped her because she got fat.
Yet another comment. I'm surprised he didn't surrender when told about the book.
being a public figure has it's price. And now he wants to be left alone? Hahahahah. I am sure the maid wanted to be left alone too pig.
If the snout fits!LOL
I hope he dies a slow painful death from some sexually transmitted disease, it would serve him right.
It's amazing how many people allow their libido's to overpower their brains; especially the men. The damage and career destruction famous men have brought on themselves because they couldn't leave some young woman alone is beyond belief.
No bad deed goes unpunished
Be they man or woman, short, old-- who can help that. Fat, that can be resolved if it's a problem.
But rude, vulgar, insensitive-- i wouldn't last a meal or a car ride before i checked out. I wouldn't even get that far with somebody like that. This person had a 7 month sexual affair with a person they describe with these words-- you both have issues
The "horrors" of your love life exposed? W in T F are you into-- getting freaky and fun is one thing -- but "horror"? --- nope, not interested in any of that. I don't care who you are, what you own/control, how you look. Horror can't get in. Lose it, leave it whatever -- better yet just get the hell outta here. I'm watching Wheel of Fortune tonight, staying home.
I agrree whole heartedly with two previous posters: (1) Yes, it is AMAZING how some young, pretty women can fall in love with (HA!) and become the wallowing partner of an ugly, old, disgusting pig...as long as that pig has money. (2) The pig probably did leave her because she got fat and/or old. Sorry you pig ...uh...lovers, shall we call it...it's part of the game and you knew it when you started playing: Pigs aren't interested in your brains or personality -- they only want dumb, attractive girls that don't mind becoming piggish enough themselves to wallow around with. You lose those looks and you gotta get out of the pig pen.
I hate it when the lowest of humanity get compared to pigs. Pigs have more class.
She didn't mind until she thought she could make some money!
So, he wants to be "left alone!!??" How about that poor woman he assaulted in NY??? I'd say hound him until he breaks down in tears.
Takes one to know one.
He has the nerve to say "is anything allowed in order to make money" then say the book was a cheap shot against " a man already down on the ground" then ask the court for $130,000.00. HE IS A PIG.