1 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Greetings, good people of Hollywood Land, and welcome back to 2 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,840 Speaker 1: another dip into our archive of stories here at the 3 00:00:07,880 --> 00:00:11,520 Speaker 1: intersection of Hollywood and true crime. This week we're bringing 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: you our episode on Hugh Grant. These days, you know 5 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:19,160 Speaker 1: Hugh Grant as the patron saint of irreverent, curmudgeonly English actors, 6 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 1: embracing his dark side in films like Heretic and turning 7 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: Red Carper interviews into Internet mean gold. But thirty years ago, 8 00:00:27,240 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: when he was on the come up as the leading 9 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,360 Speaker 1: man to end all leading men, Hugh found himself busted 10 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:35,920 Speaker 1: by the vice squad in Los Angeles for lude conduct, which, yes, 11 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,320 Speaker 1: that's a sensational headline. But even wilder is the lesser 12 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: known story about how he once wore a wire to 13 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:46,239 Speaker 1: help expose a widespread, highly illegal phone hacking scandal that 14 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,239 Speaker 1: brought down a tabloid newspaper that was well over one 15 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty years old. Hear that story coming up 16 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: right now, and then join me later this week in 17 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: the Rap Party as we talk about this in more detail, 18 00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: plus your calls, texts, emails. 19 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 2: And more. Hollywood Land is a production of Double Elvis. 20 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 2: I'm a roll O but not my name. I'm going 21 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 2: to leave my native land. Wanda lead my behind a 22 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 2: long time Paul. The stories about Hugh Grant are insane. 23 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 2: He almost tanked his promising movie career when he was 24 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 2: caught with a sex worker in his car on Sunset Strip. 25 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:33,400 Speaker 2: He was arrested for assaulting paparazzi outside of his house 26 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 2: with a tupperware container full of baked beans. He wore 27 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 2: a wire to interview a tabloid reporter and wound up 28 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 2: cracking open a shocking phone hacking case that implicated both 29 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: the London Police and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Incidentally, 30 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 2: Hugh Grant once played the Prime Minister, and he made 31 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 2: great films, unlike that clip I've played for you at 32 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 2: the top of the show that wasn't from a great film, 33 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 2: that was a fair use sample from the Live of 34 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 2: Congress of Lester Wills performing I'm a Rover in nineteen 35 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 2: thirty eight. I played you that clip because I can't 36 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 2: afford the rights to a clip from Joel Schumacher's Batman Forever. 37 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 2: And why would I play you that specific slice of 38 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 2: bat nivel cheese? Could I afford it? Because that was 39 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 2: the number one Movie in America on June twenty seventh, 40 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety five, and that was the day that the 41 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 2: LAPD dragged Hugh Grant and a Hollywood sex worker out 42 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 2: of a car and placed them both under arrest for 43 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 2: lu conduct. On this episode Sex on the Sunset Strip, 44 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 2: Assault with Baked Beans, Catwoman in bondage Cheese and Hugh Grant. 45 00:02:42,800 --> 00:03:07,520 Speaker 2: I'm Jake Brennan and this is Hollywood Land. On a 46 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 2: warm June night, along Los Angeles's Sunset Strip, the working 47 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 2: girls applied their trade. The mile long stretch that had 48 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,800 Speaker 2: once been alive with the psychedelic sounds of the West 49 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 2: Coast hippie movement was now prime real estate for sex workers. 50 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 2: Anything you wanted, from high end to rough trade, you 51 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 2: could find it on the strip. That kind of commerce 52 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 2: brought attention from the LAPD Vice squad, for the most part, 53 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 2: cops who were willing to look the other way. There 54 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 2: weren't enough hours in the day to bust every girl 55 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 2: was strutted along the strip. The cops only pounced as 56 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 2: something out of the ordinary caught their attention, which is 57 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 2: why they noticed the white BMW parked illegally off the 58 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 2: main drag. The brake lights flash on and off, like 59 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 2: somebody was trying to send a message in Morse code. 60 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 2: Maybe it was a distress signal. More likely, it was 61 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 2: some junkie having a seizuret They approached quietly and carefully. 62 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 2: One thing about being a cop on the strip. You 63 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 2: never knew who he'd be dealing with or what state 64 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 2: they'd be in. When they shine their flashlights in the window, 65 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 2: the driver turned towards him, caught off guard. A woman's 66 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 2: head bobbed in the driver's lap. His foot was twitching 67 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 2: on the brake pedal in rhythm. The woman noticed that 68 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 2: the man was tensing up, and not in a good way. 69 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 2: She looked up into the cops flashlight beam. The driver 70 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 2: rolled down the window. He gave the cops the wide, 71 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 2: sheepish grin that was set to make a star. He 72 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 2: looked familiar. They seen his face somewhere before, But the 73 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,320 Speaker 2: cops weren't big on rom coms. They didn't know this 74 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 2: guy from any other John. They busted Sunset Stretta. The 75 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 2: movie was a piece of shit, and Hugh Grant knew it. 76 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 2: He probably knew that while they were shooting, but he 77 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:52,520 Speaker 2: sure as hell knew when he had to sit down 78 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 2: and watch it. The reason he felt compelled to sit 79 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 2: down and watch it the week before its release was 80 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:00,279 Speaker 2: that he suspected it was a piece of shit, and 81 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,559 Speaker 2: now there was no denying. Nine months Hugh Grant's first 82 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 2: big Hollywood movie was a piece of shit. His co stars, 83 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 2: Jeff Goldblum and Tom Arnold, they knew it too, but 84 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 2: they didn't have quite the skin of the game that 85 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 2: Grant did. Hugh Grant had racked up quality roles in England, 86 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 2: but Hollywood hadn't paid attention until the breakout success of 87 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 2: Four Weddings in a Funeral in the year before. At 88 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 2: the time it was the highest grossing British film ever. 89 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 2: It marked Grant as bankable. His stuttering, flustered fopsticks sold tickets. 90 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 2: A bookish bad boy who wasn't really that bad, Grant, 91 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:38,799 Speaker 2: like many actors before him, was lured across the pond 92 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 2: by the promise of bigger paychecks. Unfortunately, the first film 93 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 2: he took on was written and directed by Chris Columbus. 94 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 2: This was before Columbus took the world to Wizarding School 95 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 2: in nineteen ninety five. He was best known for launching 96 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 2: McCauley Culkin's career with Home Alone nine Months seemed like 97 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:01,400 Speaker 2: the perfect showcase for Hugh Grant's term. Columbus wanted him 98 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 2: playing the same character he had played in Four Weddings, 99 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,320 Speaker 2: a roguish but safe charmer whom women would drag their 100 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 2: boyfriends to the movie theater to see. But the movie 101 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 2: was saccharine, all sweet with no fizz goldbloom, and Arnold 102 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:16,600 Speaker 2: tried to comfort him. It wasn't the end of the 103 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 2: world for Grant, though they might be. He wanted to 104 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,320 Speaker 2: hop on a plane back to London, back to his 105 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:26,679 Speaker 2: gorgeous girlfriend, Elizabeth Hurley, the face of Este Lott her makeup. 106 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 2: She was coming next week for the premiere. The Red 107 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 2: Carpet and Paparazzi and the talk show Junket, all in 108 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 2: support of this movie that, it turned out, was a 109 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 2: giant piece of shit. His girlfriend was in ocean away, 110 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 2: his Hollywood career was dead on arrival. He was hanging 111 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,359 Speaker 2: out with Tom Arnold. It wasn't much for Hugh Grant 112 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 2: to do but get shitfaced in the afternoon. There's a 113 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 2: moment when having drinks turns into serious drinking, but you 114 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 2: can only see it in the rear view Hugh Grant 115 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 2: stumbled out of an La bar and onto the sidewalk, 116 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 2: wondering where the sun had gone up there when he 117 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 2: stepped into the bar. This was California. Goddamn it, there 118 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 2: was supposed to be sunshine. He fumbled for his keys 119 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 2: and got in his white BMW. He knew the way 120 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 2: to his hotel, but the only thing waiting back there 121 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 2: was the mini bar. The night of feeling sorry for himself, 122 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 2: he drove toward the fabled sunset Strip. He trawled slowly, 123 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 2: looking at what was on off her. None of these 124 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 2: women could hold a candle to Elizabeth Hurley. Who could? 125 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,520 Speaker 2: But she wasn't here was she? He was alone with 126 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 2: the memory of the horrible movie he just made. So 127 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 2: Grant stopped at a red light. A woman walked up 128 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: to his car. She was thin and pretty in a 129 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 2: red dress that bared her midriff. He rolled down the window, 130 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 2: not necessarily intending to solicit sex, maybe just a conversation. 131 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 2: To be polite. Weren't Fritts supposed to be polite? The 132 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,160 Speaker 2: summer air carried a whiff of perfume into the car. 133 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 2: He didn't recognize it. It wasn't Este Lauder. The only 134 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 2: brand his girlfriend wore. It was sweeter somehow. The woman 135 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:00,240 Speaker 2: didn't recognize you, Grant, but he had a nice smile 136 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 2: in that cute accent. She asked if he wanted company. 137 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:06,440 Speaker 2: Grant told her to get in. She said her name 138 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 2: was Divine Brown, which, as far as the streets were concerned, 139 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:14,280 Speaker 2: it was the afternoon's alcohol sloshed around inside Grant's brain. 140 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 2: Divine Brown. A name like that felt like a sign, 141 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 2: which is probably why she picked it. He told her 142 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 2: it had always been his fantasy to fuck a girl 143 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 2: like her. She said, for one hundred dollars he could 144 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 2: take her back to his hotel and make that a reality. 145 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 2: Grant realized he'd blown through his cash at the bar. 146 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 2: He only had sixty bucks on him. Divine Brown said 147 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 2: they could find an ATM on the way to the hotel, 148 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 2: but Grant couldn't wait the booze, the perfume this moment. 149 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 2: He wanted whatever he could get from her right now. 150 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,680 Speaker 2: Divine Brown told Hugh Grant pull over and she'd show 151 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:51,680 Speaker 2: him exactly what sixty dollars would buy him. The cops 152 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 2: might not have recognized Hugh Grant, but someone at the 153 00:08:54,360 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 2: station did his face grinned at passerbys from posters and 154 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 2: billboards for nine months upcoming release. Someone slipped the right 155 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 2: cop the right amount of money to get a copy 156 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 2: of Hugh Grant's mugshot along with Divine Brown's, and they 157 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:11,280 Speaker 2: were both charged with lewd conduct. The problem wasn't just 158 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:13,719 Speaker 2: that the blowjob had been for money, but that it 159 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 2: happened in public, and Hugh Grant's whole life was about 160 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 2: to become very public. British tabloids kept the phones at 161 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,839 Speaker 2: the Los Angeles Police station ringing off the hook. The 162 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 2: mugshots were ready to print, but they wanted more. They 163 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 2: sent messengers armed with checkbooks, looking to get the story 164 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 2: direct from the mouth of Divine Brown. A sixty dollars 165 00:09:34,160 --> 00:10:03,959 Speaker 2: blowjob was about to change your life. Devine Brown walked 166 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 2: out of the Los Angeles Police station that morning, not 167 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 2: knowing who she engaged in leud conduct with. All she 168 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 2: knew was that she was facing both jail time and 169 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 2: fines she could not afford to pay. The press mobbed 170 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 2: her house. They wanted pictures of the twenty three year old, 171 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 2: but more than that, they wanted an exclusive interview. Movie 172 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 2: stars and prostitutions sold papers days before the client list 173 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 2: of convicted Hollywood madam Heidi Flie leaked. Charlie Sheen was 174 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 2: among the notable names, and his face ended up on 175 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 2: front pages and connection to the prostitution ring. But catching 176 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:45,240 Speaker 2: Charlie Sheen paying for sex didn't make for a shocker headline. 177 00:10:45,640 --> 00:10:49,559 Speaker 2: Hugh Grant, however, a supposed class act with his super 178 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 2: hot girlfriend, and throw in the fact that the UK 179 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 2: celebrity scene was a fishbowl. Grant was poised to make 180 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 2: it big in the colonies, but he was already huge 181 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 2: at home. News of the World, a British tabloid, was 182 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:04,480 Speaker 2: ready to pay Divine Brown one hundred thousand dollars for 183 00:11:04,520 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 2: an interview, provided she didn't talk to anybody else. Oh 184 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,080 Speaker 2: and the company that owned News of the World, the 185 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 2: company also owned twentieth Century Fox, the studio that was 186 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 2: about to release Hugh Grant's Hollywood debut. But I'll get 187 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 2: back to that. Divine Brown took the money. The rest 188 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:22,920 Speaker 2: of the reporters cleared off back to the police station 189 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 2: where Hugh Grant was about to be released. All they 190 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 2: got from Grant that morning was a prepared statement. Last night, 191 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:32,439 Speaker 2: I did something completely insane. It read I have hurt 192 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:35,079 Speaker 2: people I love and embarrassed people I work with. For 193 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 2: both things, I am more sorry than I could ever 194 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 2: possibly say. No explanation, no excuses. It was simple, almost elegant. 195 00:11:42,600 --> 00:11:45,280 Speaker 2: The accent helped, Or maybe it was that Hugh Grant 196 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 2: looked like a guy capable of mischief, but not malice. 197 00:11:49,160 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 2: People wanted to believe Hugh Grant. They wanted to forgive him. 198 00:11:53,160 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 2: The planned press junkeet for nine months became the Hugh 199 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 2: Grant apology tour. On talk shows and television interviews, he 200 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,760 Speaker 2: gave the same answer, I did a bad thing, a 201 00:12:01,840 --> 00:12:05,439 Speaker 2: crazy thing. I'm sorry. It helped that the lured details 202 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 2: of that bad thing hadn't come to light. Divine Brown 203 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,040 Speaker 2: was enjoying what amounted to hush money. News of the 204 00:12:11,040 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 2: World had the interview and they sat on it nine months. 205 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:18,240 Speaker 2: Hit screens. That Friday, July twelfth, nineteen ninety five, Elizabeth 206 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 2: Hurley flew in from London for the La Premiere, looking 207 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 2: stunning in a white dress, but her face was set 208 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 2: a scowl. As paparazzi snapped pictures and shouted questions, Grant 209 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:31,880 Speaker 2: slumped his shoulders and flashed that charming grin Elizabeth Hurley 210 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 2: held onto his elbow. He couldn't be sure, but this 211 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 2: actually might be a crash he could walk away from. 212 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 2: Critics panned the movie, but audiences lined up to see 213 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,640 Speaker 2: the man who'd been in all the papers getting caught 214 00:12:43,640 --> 00:12:46,439 Speaker 2: with a sex worker before his major film debut might 215 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,240 Speaker 2: have been a good thing. It was certainly a good 216 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 2: thing for Divine Brown. After the film safely landed in 217 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:55,559 Speaker 2: theaters and earned back its budget, News of the World 218 00:12:55,600 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 2: finally ran the exclusive interview. There weren't a ton of 219 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:02,319 Speaker 2: details she did share didn't make Hugh Grant look like 220 00:13:02,360 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 2: a proper English gentleman. Once the exclusivity arrangement with News 221 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 2: of the World expired, Divine Brown was free to tell 222 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 2: her story to whoever she wanted. She went on The 223 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 2: Danny Bonaducci Show and The Joey Buttafuco Show. Those are 224 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 2: actual shows, by the way, hosted by actual people with 225 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,319 Speaker 2: those actual names on actual TV. She talked to Howard 226 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 2: Stern too. She did a shoot for Penthouse in a 227 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 2: semi documentary porn movie that restaged the incident in the 228 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 2: arrest called Sunset and Divine the British Experience. She made 229 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 2: enough money to give up sex work, by herself a house, 230 00:13:33,240 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 2: and start a new life. All told, Divine Brown cleared 231 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 2: about a million dollars off of that botched sixty dollars 232 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 2: blow job. Good for her, not so good for Hugh Grant. 233 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 2: In addition to the sort of details of the incident 234 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,839 Speaker 2: plastered all over the tabloids, the press finally get around 235 00:13:47,840 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 2: to talking to Elizabeth Hurley, Grant's girlfriend, said she felt 236 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:54,320 Speaker 2: like she'd been shot when she heard the news. The 237 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 2: couple was still together, but with Hurley side of things 238 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 2: in the mix, people asked themselves, why were they feeling 239 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 2: sorry for him and they should actually be feeling sorry 240 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:06,720 Speaker 2: for her. Grant's career hung in the balance. With a 241 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 2: moderate hit and the sex scandal on his resume, no 242 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 2: one would have been too surprised if audiences filed Hugh 243 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:16,199 Speaker 2: Grant under d for dirtback right next to Charlie Sheen, 244 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 2: who was right about then trying to explain under oath 245 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 2: about the tens of thousands of dollars in checks he'd 246 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,880 Speaker 2: written to Heidi Flice's high end sex workers. That was 247 00:14:23,880 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 2: the state of play. As Hugh Grant got ready for 248 00:14:26,200 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 2: the biggest interview of his apology tour, his appearance on 249 00:14:29,560 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 2: the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, who was supposed to 250 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 2: be about the movie, but there was no way they'd 251 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 2: talk about that fucking movie. In the green room beforehand, 252 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 2: Grant called a reporter who profiled him days before his 253 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 2: life went off the rails. Then they hit it off 254 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 2: as much as people did and canned promotional interviews, and 255 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 2: the reporter asked how Grant was doing. Almost feel as 256 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 2: if I deserve a good whipping. Grant said it had 257 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 2: the feel of a well written line, well delivered. That's 258 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 2: because it was a rehearsal. Grant used the same words 259 00:14:58,800 --> 00:15:02,080 Speaker 2: on the Tonight Show. Letto's first question for him was, 260 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 2: what the hell are you thinking? Grant laughed and grinned, 261 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 2: and when the applause died down, he skipped excuses and 262 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 2: went with the approach that had kept his ass out 263 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 2: of the fire so far. I did a bad thing. 264 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 2: I'm so so sorry. He was penitent and chastised and charming, 265 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 2: and audiences forgave him. It even seemed like Elizabeth Hurley 266 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 2: forgave him, not that she was talking to the press. 267 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 2: Paparazzi camped outside of the couple's home they shot photos 268 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:32,320 Speaker 2: of an extra mattress being delivered, something for Grant to 269 00:15:32,320 --> 00:15:35,480 Speaker 2: sleep on while he was in the doghouse. From then on, 270 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 2: as Hugh Grant established himself as a rom com gold mine, 271 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 2: the press was right there watching and with the help 272 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 2: of some low tech hacking equipment. They were listening to 273 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 2: We'll be right back after this. We're, We're, we're. A 274 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 2: tupperware container of leftover big being soared through the air. 275 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 2: It was a respectable throw, but the aerodynamics of the 276 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:08,280 Speaker 2: tupperware were for shit. A can of beans would have 277 00:16:08,320 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 2: nailed the guy for sure. From the doorway of his house, 278 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 2: Hugh Grant shouted, do you know who I am? He 279 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 2: regretted it immediately. Who fucking says that out loud? The 280 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:20,360 Speaker 2: photographers knew who he was. That's why they were camped 281 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 2: out in front of his house. That's why they were 282 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 2: there every day and most nights on a slow news day. 283 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 2: Staking out Hugh Grant's house was a solid bet for 284 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 2: London paparazzi, especially lately. In the previous month, March of 285 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 2: two thousand and seven, Grant's ex, Elizabeth Hurley, tied them 286 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 2: up with somebody else. Grant and Hurley were together for 287 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 2: thirteen years, most of them after the Sunset Strip bust. 288 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 2: The month before that, Grant broke off a long term 289 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 2: relationship with a London socialite. The paper seemed to know 290 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 2: about the breakup before it happened. The Daily Mail ran 291 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:55,600 Speaker 2: a piece about Grant's late night flirtatious phone calls with 292 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 2: a Warner Brothers executive with a posh British accent and 293 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 2: the stress on his relationship. Except there was no posh executive. 294 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 2: There was a secretary at a film studio who left 295 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 2: Grant messages to set up calls with execs. She happened 296 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:12,880 Speaker 2: to be British and a bit posh. She was also 297 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:16,159 Speaker 2: in middle aged and happily married. Grant wondered where the 298 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,440 Speaker 2: Daily Mail got that detail, one piece of truth and 299 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:23,120 Speaker 2: a steaming pile of conjecture. He sued the Daily Mail 300 00:17:23,160 --> 00:17:26,719 Speaker 2: for libel in won. Hugh Grant racked up libel suits 301 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:30,160 Speaker 2: like BAFTA awards. It turned out the papers knew about 302 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,400 Speaker 2: the woman's accent because they were listening in on Hugh 303 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:35,639 Speaker 2: Grant's voicemail, a fact he wouldn't find out for years. 304 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 2: Grant was an eligible bachelor in a rough spot. Emotionally, 305 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 2: you never knew who might come by the house to 306 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 2: comfort him, only to slink out in the morning. He 307 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 2: was used to seeing photographers everywhere he looked. In the 308 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:51,439 Speaker 2: aftermath of his arrest in nineteen ninety five, he and 309 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,960 Speaker 2: Elizabeth Hurley were treated to a firm in Sussex to 310 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 2: work things out. Paparazzi voorded the property line aimed telephoto 311 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:02,040 Speaker 2: lenses the size of rocket launch at the windows. Tabloid 312 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,160 Speaker 2: readers voted Grant as most recent acts as celebrity couple 313 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,320 Speaker 2: they'd most like to show them around London. The tabloids 314 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:11,760 Speaker 2: obliged by following the couple everywhere, pestering them with the 315 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:15,679 Speaker 2: chattering of cameras. In terms of his career, Hugh Grant 316 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:19,199 Speaker 2: had everything an actor could want. The apology tour following 317 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 2: his arrest on the Sunset Strip One Audience Is Over 318 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 2: nine Months was a box office hit despite his questionable quality, 319 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 2: and when Grant made his next stab into big Hollywood 320 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:32,399 Speaker 2: rom com everything fell into place. Nodding Hill with Julia 321 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:36,479 Speaker 2: Roberts had all the charm of Grant's indie breakthroughs plus 322 00:18:36,520 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 2: the star wattage of one of America's favorite actresses. It killed. 323 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 2: He started off his career scraping to pay the bills. 324 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 2: In nineteen ninety five, the year he got arrested, Grant 325 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:50,440 Speaker 2: released five movies he could slow down, pick his projects 326 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 2: based on quality and not just paycheck. They weren't all gold, 327 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 2: but the good outweighed the soso, with hits like Bridget 328 00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:00,879 Speaker 2: Jones's Diary and Love actually proving to be the career polls. 329 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 2: He just finished shooting Music and Lyrics, another wrong com 330 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 2: but this one had musical numbers inspired by Wham and 331 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 2: written by Adam Schlessinger, the genius songwriter behind the indie 332 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 2: pop band Fountains of Wayne. Shout out to Adam, who 333 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 2: wrote the Oscar nominated title song that my friend Mike 334 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:18,879 Speaker 2: Viola sang for That Thing You Do and who sadly 335 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:22,640 Speaker 2: passed away in the early days of the COVID nineteen pandemic. Anyways, 336 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:26,000 Speaker 2: back to that movie Music and Lyrics, Hugh Grant was 337 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 2: cast as a washed up eighties pop star opposite Drew Barrymore, 338 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:32,680 Speaker 2: who was fifteen years his junior. Keep been looking forward 339 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 2: to working with him. She didn't know him at the time, 340 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 2: but Barrymore had taken the time to send him a 341 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 2: letter of support in the wake of the Divine Brown scandal. 342 00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:42,240 Speaker 2: She knew better than anyone how it felt to have 343 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:45,159 Speaker 2: your fuck ups printed in the tabloids. But when they 344 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 2: got together on set, the clash between the pair was obvious. 345 00:19:48,680 --> 00:19:51,280 Speaker 2: Along with the age gap, there was an enthusiasm gap. 346 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 2: Barrymore later described herself on set as like a labrador 347 00:19:54,760 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 2: and heat excited with joy. Grant was less so, particularly 348 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:03,200 Speaker 2: when after one scene the younger actress had the nerve 349 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 2: to give him notes on his performance. Grant snapped in 350 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 2: the full curmudgeon mode. His performance got sharper and more abrasive, 351 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:14,040 Speaker 2: but the combination worked. Friendly relations on set didn't always 352 00:20:14,080 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 2: translate to the screen, but a little bit of friction 353 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,199 Speaker 2: could produce sparks. Crackle was the word Grant liked to 354 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 2: use for it in interviews when he recounted which of 355 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 2: his leading ladies finished their shoot hating his guts most 356 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 2: of them. As it turned out, Grant and Barrymore worked 357 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:31,919 Speaker 2: things out eventually, and they even had a drunken public 358 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 2: makeout session at the Waverley in New York two years later. Surprisingly, 359 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,800 Speaker 2: no one was there to photograph it. But on this morning, 360 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,359 Speaker 2: in April of two thousand and seven, it seemed like 361 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:44,639 Speaker 2: the cameras would never go away. All Hugh Grant wanted 362 00:20:44,760 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 2: was to be left alone, to hide behind the dark 363 00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:50,360 Speaker 2: sunglasses and be blissfully anonymous for the time it took 364 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:52,679 Speaker 2: to take a walk or grab a cup of coffee. 365 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:55,920 Speaker 2: The only thing stopping him was one guy, just one 366 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 2: guy out there on the sidewalk with his fucking camera 367 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:01,600 Speaker 2: waiting to pester hug. The second he walked out the door, 368 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 2: Grant came out, swinging, well kicking. Hugh Grant ran across 369 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 2: the street and started kicking the photographer in the shins. 370 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 2: It was pretty clear why Grant was known for rom 371 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 2: coms and not for action roles, but he managed s 372 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,960 Speaker 2: shelanda swift one to the groin and the photographer crumbled 373 00:21:17,960 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 2: to the pavement. Grant stood over him, victorious, taunting do 374 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 2: you have kids? To the guy moan, I hope your 375 00:21:24,359 --> 00:21:28,160 Speaker 2: kids die of fucking cancer. Just then another photographer came 376 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,040 Speaker 2: around the corner. Grant was hyped up on adrenaline. Do 377 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 2: you want some? Yeah? Do, the photographer replied. The very 378 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:38,720 Speaker 2: large photographer, The built like a brick shithouse photographer, Hugh 379 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,240 Speaker 2: Grant hoofed it back to the house, pissed off and 380 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:44,520 Speaker 2: scared shitless all at once. On his doorstep he saw 381 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 2: a tupperware container full of baked beans. Some drunk must 382 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 2: have left it there the night before. In that moment, 383 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,159 Speaker 2: it must have felt as though the universe left it 384 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:54,239 Speaker 2: there for Hugh Grant so he could use it as 385 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:57,480 Speaker 2: a weapon in his war against the paparazzi. He picked 386 00:21:57,520 --> 00:21:59,800 Speaker 2: up the baked beans and chucked them at the photographers. 387 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,640 Speaker 2: The lid came loose in midair. Nukewarm beans rained down 388 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 2: on the photographers and spilled across the sidewalk. As the 389 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 2: paparazzi tried to clean the beans off their camera lenses, 390 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 2: Hugh Grant saw his opportunity to get the last word 391 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 2: in you know who I am? Shit watched him no crackle. 392 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:19,960 Speaker 2: Grant shot back inside the house and slammed the door 393 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,120 Speaker 2: behind him. The next knock was the police. I had 394 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:26,719 Speaker 2: some questions about an assault with a less than deadly weapon. 395 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 2: December twenty ten, Hugh Grant's car was making a noise 396 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:54,400 Speaker 2: that cars this expensive weren't supposed to make. It sputtered 397 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 2: and died on the side of a road. In rural Kent. 398 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:59,120 Speaker 2: He looked ahead of him, He checked the rear view. 399 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:02,840 Speaker 2: Nothing for miles. Grant got out of the car and 400 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 2: the December wind bit at him. He looked down the 401 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 2: road again, both ways, as if something might have appeared 402 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:11,520 Speaker 2: in the last few seconds. Still nothing. He was about 403 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 2: ready to say fuck it and hope it back the 404 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: way he came when he spotted a white van on 405 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:18,919 Speaker 2: the horizon, clipping down the road toward him. He stood 406 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,400 Speaker 2: on the shoulder waving. The van slowed down as it passed, 407 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 2: and then pulled over a couple of yards ahead. The 408 00:23:25,119 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 2: driver got out holding a dark object. Grant prepared for 409 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 2: the worst. He thought it might be a gun. Worse, 410 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:34,639 Speaker 2: it was a camera with his long lens aimed right 411 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 2: at him. These fucking people couldn't fucking help themselves, could they. 412 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 2: Why is Hugh Grant parked on the side of the 413 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 2: road this time? Let's find out and let's document him 414 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,119 Speaker 2: with a fucking camera. The driver came at him, clicking 415 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,520 Speaker 2: picture after picture. Grant told the guy I know on 416 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:52,760 Speaker 2: certain terms to fuck off, and the driver stopped shooting 417 00:23:52,760 --> 00:23:54,679 Speaker 2: long enough to offer Grant to ride the rest of 418 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 2: the way into town. Hugh Grant offered the driver the 419 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 2: opportunity to go fuck himself. Then heized how deep in 420 00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,199 Speaker 2: the middle of nowhere they were and how unlikely it 421 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:06,240 Speaker 2: would be for anyone else to pass by, so Grant 422 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 2: got in the van. The driver's name was Paul McMullen. 423 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:13,400 Speaker 2: Grant didn't recognize his face, but he recognized the name. 424 00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:16,439 Speaker 2: McMullen used to write for News of the World, the 425 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 2: biggest tabloid in England, the same one that got that 426 00:24:19,200 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 2: exclusive story with Devine Brown all those years ago. McMullin 427 00:24:23,119 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 2: wasn't just a writer, but a paparazzi too, which is 428 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 2: why he had such a nice camera in the glove 429 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 2: box of his van. These days, he ran a pub 430 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 2: in Dover. The reason Grant recognized mcmullin's name was that 431 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 2: Paul McMullen was one of a group of the News 432 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 2: of the World employees who blew the whistle on the 433 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 2: tabloid's habit of hacking into people's phones. Politicians, celebrities, royals, 434 00:24:43,359 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 2: anyone whose phone might have information of interest to the paper, 435 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:52,199 Speaker 2: anyone including a girl named Millie Dollar. Millie Dolar was 436 00:24:52,320 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 2: thirteen when she went missing on her way home from 437 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:57,400 Speaker 2: school in Surrey in March of two thousand and two. 438 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:03,080 Speaker 2: The disappearance dominated British news. The missing girls sold papers 439 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,120 Speaker 2: trying to scoop their competitors. News of the World hacked 440 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 2: into Millie's voicemail and listened to her messages, but her 441 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 2: mailbox was about to fill up, which meant no room 442 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 2: for new messages to listen in on. They deleted old 443 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 2: messages to clear out space, messages that could have been 444 00:25:18,600 --> 00:25:23,040 Speaker 2: evidence in Millie's disappearance. Worse than that, when Milly's parents 445 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 2: saw that old messages were being deleted from her phone, 446 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:28,199 Speaker 2: they took it as proof that their daughter was still alive. 447 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,239 Speaker 2: Millie Dollar's body was found that fall, fifty miles from 448 00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 2: where she disappeared. Maybe that was the last straw. Knowing 449 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 2: the News of the World tampered with evidence and a 450 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,840 Speaker 2: murder investigation, Knowing that they might have destroyed evidence, they 451 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 2: could have let the Milli Dollar being found alive. Knowing 452 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 2: they gave those poor parents false home, McMullin went to 453 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:52,040 Speaker 2: another British newspaper, The Guardian, and laid out the whole thing. 454 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 2: How top level people at the paper encouraged reporters to 455 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 2: use illegal tactics to get the scoop. On orders from 456 00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:02,920 Speaker 2: the Prime Minister's Office, the London Metropolitan Police launched an investigation. 457 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:05,760 Speaker 2: Although they seemed to be moving at a glacial pace, 458 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 2: and now Paul McMullin was giving Hugh Grant a lift. 459 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 2: When they got into town, McMullin asked Grant if they 460 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 2: could take a quick selfie for the wall of his 461 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:19,919 Speaker 2: pop He said. Grant couldn't exactly say no. Mcmollin had 462 00:26:19,960 --> 00:26:23,399 Speaker 2: saved him from a long, frigid walk. He smiled weakly 463 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:25,960 Speaker 2: as mcmollin took the photo. If you're ever in Dover, 464 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 2: mcmollin said, stop by the castle in The picture was 465 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:33,200 Speaker 2: in the Daily Mail the following Sunday. These people couldn't 466 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:37,040 Speaker 2: help themselves. Five months later, Hugh Grant did happen to 467 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 2: be in Dover and he thought he'd pay McMullin a visit. 468 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:42,440 Speaker 2: Grant had been thinking about that time. The tabloids knew 469 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:44,359 Speaker 2: he was getting phone messages from a woman with an 470 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:47,639 Speaker 2: upper class accent. He had questions about phone hacking that 471 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:50,920 Speaker 2: McMullin might be able to answer. He could stop by 472 00:26:51,000 --> 00:26:54,240 Speaker 2: the castle in order a pint and ask, or he 473 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 2: could take a page from the tabloid playbook and go 474 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,640 Speaker 2: in wearing a wire. So that's how he did, at 475 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 2: ease and unaware he was being recorded. Paul McMullin revealed 476 00:27:04,280 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 2: there wasn't just News of the World that actively hacked phones. 477 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,959 Speaker 2: The Daily Mail, a more respectable publication that reported on 478 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:13,960 Speaker 2: real news, was also in the habit of buying scoops 479 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 2: acquired through illegal means. Turning on the boyish charm that 480 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:20,359 Speaker 2: made him a star, Grant asked if the editors at 481 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 2: the papers knew. McMullan chuckled a good question. He said, 482 00:27:24,200 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 2: you're not taping, are you. Grant squeaked out a high 483 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:31,199 Speaker 2: pitched no. McMullin kept going. He said, not only did 484 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:35,320 Speaker 2: the editors know, the Prime Minister knew, every prime minister 485 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,199 Speaker 2: knew all the way back to Thatcher. He said, they 486 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:40,399 Speaker 2: got dirt from the papers and knew exactly how it 487 00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 2: had been acquired. They had to play nice otherwise the 488 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:44,960 Speaker 2: dirt the papers had on them would be in the 489 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:48,399 Speaker 2: morning news. And it wasn't just the government. McMullen said, 490 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:51,199 Speaker 2: the cops were in on it too, one fifth of 491 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,399 Speaker 2: them on the Metropolitan Police Force currently tasked with investigating 492 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 2: the phone hacking scandal had taken bribes from tabloid reporters. 493 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 2: No wonder the investigation was moving so slowly. It was 494 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:04,840 Speaker 2: all in the game, Loan said. It was the price 495 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:08,199 Speaker 2: people like Hugh Grant paid for being a celebrity. What 496 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,400 Speaker 2: about million dollars? Was she a celebrity? What price did 497 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:15,879 Speaker 2: she pay? Grant wanted to know. McMullin stared into his beard. 498 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:19,600 Speaker 2: By that point, the hidden recorder in Grant's pocket felt 499 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 2: like it was overheating, like it would catch fire to 500 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:25,360 Speaker 2: his clothes and blow this whole top secret operation sky high? 501 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 2: Was that even possible? Didn't matter? He wanted out the 502 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 2: castle in, out of this fucked up version of all 503 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:35,360 Speaker 2: the president's manie apparently cast himself in. But he had 504 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 2: one more question. Did he ever listen to my phones, 505 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 2: my voicemails. McMullin shook his head. But I wrote about 506 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 2: you plenty of times, and they paid me three thousand 507 00:28:45,040 --> 00:28:47,320 Speaker 2: pounds for that shot of us when your car broke down, 508 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:51,280 Speaker 2: So the pints are on me. Hugh Grant thanked McMullin 509 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 2: and rushed out of the pub. Then he sold the 510 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:57,440 Speaker 2: recording to the New Statesman, A UK magazine, which ran 511 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:00,280 Speaker 2: a transcript as fast as they could get it to press. 512 00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 2: Within three months, News of the World, England's source for 513 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 2: celebrity scandal since eighteen forty three, went out of business, 514 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:11,200 Speaker 2: collapsed under the weight of allegations. Allegations that were brought 515 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 2: to light by none other than an actor who had 516 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 2: been at the center of one of those front page 517 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:20,080 Speaker 2: celebrity scandals just years earlier, a turnaround so dramatic that 518 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:24,360 Speaker 2: it ought to be in pictures. I'm Jake Brennan and 519 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 2: this is Batlands. Hollywood Land was created by Years Truly 520 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:45,720 Speaker 2: and is produced in partnership with Double Elvis. Follow like, 521 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:48,440 Speaker 2: rate and review hollywood Land wherever you get your podcasts 522 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:50,520 Speaker 2: and get in touch with us on social media at 523 00:29:50,600 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 2: double Elvis. If you like hollywood Land, check out my 524 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 2: other show, the award winning Disgraceland, which looks at the 525 00:29:56,400 --> 00:29:58,480 Speaker 2: world of music through the lens of true crime. Just 526 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:07,800 Speaker 2: search for Disgraceland wherever you get your podcasts. That's there's 527 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 2: a live h