Suits test luck in Irish courts
Showbizzers suing Belfast tabloid publishers
Showbizzers ranging from Britney Spears and Whitney Houston to Paula Abdul and producer Steve Bing are suing tabloid publishers in the city's courts, even if the offending pubs have only a tiny circulation, distributor or Web site host in the U.K.
A recent case involving boxing promoter Barney Eastwood saw the highest award in Irish legal history of £450,000 ($850,000).
As part of the U.K., Belfast libel laws require a lesser burden of proof, so many cases that would never see the light of day Stateside have a chance across the Atlantic. With cases going to trial faster and a better chance of a quick cash settlement, the advantages of flying to Belfast have caught Hollywood's eye.
Logistically, there's a direct flight to Belfast from New York, making it easier for celebs to jet in and provide testimony. Sure, five-star hotels are pretty thin on the ground, but the four-star Europa is right in the city center, and five miles out of town in Holywood there's the Culloden, a favorite haunt of rock stars that goes for $1,600 a weekend.Today, Belfast is no longer a war zone and celebs will easily find a number of new clubs, restaurants and bars to occupy their time away from court. They can even visit the Merchant Hotel to sample what is reportedly the world's most expensive cocktail: a $1,400 Mai Tai.
Most important to the celebs, there is less likelihood of a media circus in Belfast -- at least for the moment. Locals are glad to see the city doing well after years of being off the tourist radar, so they're determined not to scare off their celeb visitors.
