Posted by | Ray Cornelius
Page Six is reporting that the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin is threatening to sue celebrity writer David Ritz over his upcoming biography about her life titled, Respect.
As previously reported, the new tell-all-book chronicles her personal and professional life and paints a very different picture of the beloved singer including diva tantrums, illicit sex, celebrity feuds, and addictions to alcohol and fried chicken. According to Ms. Franklin, these allegations are a bunch of lies!
“There’s a very trashy, trashy book on the street …It’s lies, lies, lies and then more lies.” Franklin adds, “I’m talking to a criminal attorney. If this isn’t defamation, I don’t know what would be.”
Reportedly, the new book includes information that was not published in her memoirs From These Roots, which Ritz penned in 1999. It also includes decades of personal interviews with the singer’s friends, family, business associates and industry allies. Ritz told Page Six, the book is not intended to show disrespect to Franklin’s enduring musical legacy.
“I spent 25 years researching ‘Respect.’ I see my book as homage to Aretha’s artistic genius and an empathetic portrait of a woman who has survived and thrived in the complex culture of show business.”
Franklin is currently promoting her new album, Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics.
Stay tuned…
Photo Credit: illinoisentertainer.com
