The Chris Moeller Archives

The wiretapping trial of the century

When authors Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler were popularizing the concept of the cynical and hard-boiled private detective with their series of Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe books (respectively), they never romantized their protagonists' profession, except by surrounding them always in pithy dialogue and sometimes with attractive, dangerous women. Still, we're sometimes reminded just how filthy the private detective business really is.

A contemporary case is playing out this month in a courtroom in Los Angeles. PI-to-the-stars Anthony Pellicano and a handful of his associates are on trial for racketeering and conspiracy, wiretapping, witness tampering, identity theft, and destruction of evidence. For an added Hollywood touch to the proceedings, the sleuth is acting as his own attorney.

Testimony and evidence involving comedian Chris Rock has been entered into court records, but my favorite testimony thus far involves another comedian, Garry Shandling, who took the stand Thursday to describe how Pellicano allegedly wiretapped his phone while under the hire of Shandling's former manager, Brad Grey.

A report of Shandling's often-entertaining and, it would seem, very level-headed testimony are transcribed here, but I've extracted a couple favorite passages as well from the linked report:


When Mr. Shandling was asked to state his occupation by prosecutor Kevin Lally, Mr. Shandling joked wryly, "That's a bad sign. I'm a comedian." The judge then admonished him that he was not a comedian today and Mr. Shandling responded by articulately, calmly and movingly telling the jury about how he'd been allegedly victimized by Mr. Pellicano and by his clients, Mr. Grey and Mr. Grey's lawyer, Bertram Fields.

...

(W)hen Mr. Pellicano asked Mr. Shandling when he considered himself successful, Mr. Shandling looked puzzled and replied, "I don't think in those terms." When Mr. Pellicano asked Mr. Shandling what Mr. Shandling considered to be the most monumental moment of his career, Mr. Shandling replied, "when I guest hosted The Tonight Show." Mr. Pellicano nodded and then asked again, "what was another monumental change?" Mr. Shandling stared back and then with classic, comedic timing, spat back, "I consider monumental a good enough word to use one time." The courtroom erupted in laughter, but Mr. Pellicano didn't even smile. He just looked down at his notes and asked another disjointed, confusing question that the Judge had to correct for him.


Comedians such as Shandling, David Letterman, Jerry Seinfeld, and Roseanne Barr are always falling over themselves in giving credit to Johnny Carson and "The Tonight Show" for the success of their careers, but now one of them has actually entered it into our public court records.

posted by CM @ 4:21 PM