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Randy Travis sues to stop release of naked arrest video

 

In February of 2012, a video of Randy Travis being arrested (see above) made its way into the hands of the public and the world laughed. Then they moved on because the public has a short attention span.

Squirrel!

Yes, that was an "Up" reference. 

Now Randy has filed suit to keep a second, probably much more embarrassing thing from happening again. 

You probably remember that Randy was arrested last August in Texas for DWI and just happened to be completely naked when police found him. In January, Travis pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated. He ended up receiving two years probation, a $2,000 fine and a 180-day suspended jail sentence. The judge also ordered the country singer to spend at least 30 days in treatment, complete 100 hours of community service, and to have a device installed in any vehicle he drives while on probation.

Unfortunately for Randy there now appear to be news agencies who are anxious to get their hands on the video of his naked arrest. Randy probably thought he was safe when the judge in the case decided the video should be destroyed and the arrest transcript not be released to the public. Unfortunately, the attorney general doesn't agree with the judge and has made the decision that some of the information should be released under a public information act request.

TMZ apparently has friends in high places in Texas. 

On Tuesday, Randy filed suit with the Travis County (what're the chances?) district clerk against the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Office of the Attorney General seeking $100,000 and an order that will keep all information regarding his August arrest from being released to the public. 

You know, I had no desire to see the video but now that he's trying to keep it secret I'm dying to see it. I know that's wrong but it's the truth. I mean it's got to be pretty dang juicy to have Randy siccing his lawyers on public officials to keep it from coming out. Seems to me the video would go away a lot faster if it's just allowed to come out and then disappear into infamy like every other celebrity drunken arrest video.

Randy Travis performs at memorial service for slain sniper, Chris Kyle

On February 2 at a gun range in Texas, Chris Kyle, America's most lethal sniper who also happened to be an author, was allegedly gunned down by a veteran he had tried to befriend. Chris' friend was also shot and killed at the same time. 

Today, thousands of mourners packed Cowboys Stadium to pay their respects. Randy Travis was also on hand to sing for those in attendance. It's not clear how Randy came to sing at the service, but according to reports Chris' wife had mentioned that Whisper My Name was a meaningful song for the couple so Randy sang it as well as Amazing Grace.

Randy told the gathered mourners that he hadn't had the chance to meet the 38-year-old former Navy SEAL, but wished that he had. Funeral services are set to be held tomorrow for Chris. 

Randy Travis says Merry Christmas, pleads not guilty to assault charges

It sounds like Randy Travis may finally be putting this terrible year behind him after having numerous booze-filled meetings with police and trips to jail in 2012. 

Back in August, Randy was ticketed for simple assault against the ex-husband of his girlfriend/fiancee in front of a Texas church. On Friday, Randy made an appearance in court for the assault and plead not guilty. 

Randy's lawyer, Larry Friedman, had said at the time that Randy had simply "come to the rescue" of his fiancee while she was arguing with her estranged husband. 

Randy is now set to head to trial in March of 2013. 

There's still no word on the consequences of Randy's other big case from 2012, the one where he got arrested naked after crashing his Trans Am. Word at the time of the arrest was that he could be facing 10 years in jail. Let's hope things go well in both these cases.  

(TMZ)

Randy Travis says he's given up the booze

Hey, look who is living clean and has reportedly given up the bottle.  

It's Randy Travis!

Randy's attorney Larry Friedman tells TMZ that Randy has “eliminated alcohol from his daily life.”

According to the lawyer, Randy accepted that he had a problem and decided to improve his health and started by getting rid of his demons in a bottle.  

“[Randy] works out 3 hours every day and is in the best shape of his life,” Friedman says … adding, “He has a high protein diet and takes a lot of vitamins.”

Let's just hope that regular visits to a drug and alcohol counselor and/or psychiatrist are a part of his new healthy living plan. 

As most fans will remember, Randy has been arrested multiple times this year in various alcohol-induced incidents including a naked arrest back in August and was definitely in need of a lifestyle change. Let's hope he's actually hit rock bottom and is on his way back up now.  

{TMZ}

Fans rejoice, Randy Travis heading to CMT Crossroads

It was announced yesterday that Randy Travis will be joined by folk artists The Avett Brothers for the next installment of "CMT Crossroads" and I couldn't be happier. 

Okay, I would definitely be happier if Randy had went away for a few months of intensive treatment and therapy and demon-releasing (you know, 'cause we all have our demons we have to fight on occasion) and this was going to be his triumphant return, but since that hasn't apparently happened yet, I'm still pretty happy that he hasn't been shunned and cast away and is still alive and well enough (hopefully) to successfully perform on T.V. 

Go Randy!

Randy and The Avett Brothers installation of "CMT Crossroads" will premiere Friday, November 23 at 11:00 p.m., ET/PT.

Pet of the week: Randy Travis

You have to love an animal rescue with a sense of humor. 

Meet Randy Travis the little black and white kitten. Planned Pethood in Toledo, Ohio took this little guy to the local news channel to try and find him a home. Story goes the 3-month-old kitten was picked up off the streets with a gash in his side. Because he was found on the street with injuries, someone decided to call him Randy Travis. 

Come on, it's cute! 

Looks like Randy The Kitten's television appearance was successful because he's no longer listed on the Planned Pethood website, but there are loads of other dogs and cats up for adoption if you're interested. 

All kidding aside, there is a reason I came across this story. Randy Travis The Singer has a concert he's performing tonight. I was actually pretty surprised to hear that since I thought all his appearances had been canceled for a while. According to The Windsor Star, Caesars Windsor in Canada where Randy's scheduled to appear is keeping him under tight wraps and have denied all requests for media and photo passes. Needless to say, with all of Randy's recent trouble, It's understandable but still disappointing. The article also mentioned that Randy had performed last week and had this to say:

Bloggers who saw Travis at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino at Verona, N.Y., and Tioga Downs in Nichols, N.Y., last week stated he was seated throughout the concert and complained of broken ribs. Comments about the quality of the music varied widely from “awesome” to “disappointed.”

One blogger at the Turning Stone concert said Travis gave a rambling account of his recent troubles about midway through the show.

When I read that I headed over to YouTube to see if there was any video of Randy's performance last week. That's when I came across Randy Travis the kitten. 

Just so you know, that's how I come across a lot of my stories -- by random accident. 

If anyone's attending the concert tonight and would like to give a review, I'd love to hear it. 

Now back to the cuter of the two Randy Travises.

Randy Travis' girlfriend's husband seeks restraining order

Photo of Randy Travis and Mary Beougher via National Enquirer

I think I smell a lawsuit coming. 

Yesterday I told you about the TMZ story about Randy Travis getting ticketed for assaulting some guy in the parking lot of a church while drunk after butting into a family dispute. Then later came the People.com story that says that Randy wasn't actually drunk and the guy he was ticketed for assaulting was the estranged husband of Randy's girlfriend. 

Neither of those stories mentioned who the alleged assault victim was or who Randy's girlfriend was that he was reportedly defending. 

Well late last night I got an unexpected email from Randy's sparring partner's attorney, a Mr. Gregory Shamoun of Dallas, who seemed a bit peeved that Randy was being portrayed as the knight in shining armor. 

The story told about Randy Travis defending his paramour is a total fabrication.

I am the victims attorney. Travis assaulted my client and threatened to kill him. The "knight in shining armor" although wearing cloths at night this time, acted out with a violent rage. A TRO hearing is set on Monday with an Injunction trial on Friday next week. Perhaps "the knight" can find his clothes and rest assured he will desperately need some "armor" when on the witness stand under oath.

A passionate fella indeed. 

A TRO hearing is a hearing for a temporary restraining order. Not sure about an injunction trial is and I'm pretty much too lazy to go and figure it out. 

Since none of the stories I had read yesterday mentioned the wife and estranged husband's name, I asked Mr. Shamoun and he confirmed that Dallas cosmetic dentist, Dr. Ritchie Beougher, is his client and his estranged wife Mary Beougher is Randy's girlfriend he was reportedly defending. 

He agreed to give me an update or possibly a statement from Dr. Beougher if he released one so we'll see if that happens.

Despite the above, my thoughts on all of this still remain the same....I hope Randy gets some help soon. 

Update on Randy Travis: He was simply defending his girlfriend from her husband

As I posted about earlier today, Randy Travis was in a scuffle early this morning in a church parking lot in Texas. According to TMZ, Randy was extremely intoxicated and was taken to the hospital. 

Now People.com has further details that at least make the incident sound less like a sad country song and more like a guy defending his girlfriend from her estranged husband. 

Okay, still sounds like a sad country song, but defending someone's girlfriend is at least better than being drunk and butting into some stranger's argument. 

From People.com:

"We got a phone call at around 10 or 10:30 [Thursday] night about a personal family issue occurring between an estranged husband and wife. The wife was reportedly the girlfriend of Randy Travis," Officer David Tilley, of the Plano, Texas, Police Department, told PEOPLE on Friday morning. 

"Randy intervened and reportedly an assault took place between Randy and husband. There were no injuries reported," said Tilley.

The beleaguered country singer was cited for a Class C simple assault, "which is a minor misdemeanor offense similar to a traffic violation," Tilley told PEOPLE. 

Afterward, he says, everyone refused transportation to the hospital. 

As for speculation that Travis might have been under the influence of alcohol, Tilley said, "There was no indication that he was intoxicated on the report. I'm not sure where these stories are coming from. It's nothing more than what we run into on a regular basis." 

A rep for the musician could not be reached for comment. 

 

So Randy Travis is in trouble again

Unfortunately it appears that his DUI arrest two weeks ago and the possibility of facing a few years in prison WASN'T rock bottom for Randy Travis. 

Dang.  

TMZ is now reporting that a very intoxicated Randy was in a fight in a church parking lot of all places early this morning in Texas. And here's the kicker, the fight appears to be one that he got involved in that didn't even have anything to do with him. 

From TMZ:

Law enforcement sources tell us ... cops responded to the church around 1 AM after receiving a tip about two men fighting in the parking lot. 

We're told Travis was taken to the hospital after the fight. One source tells us Randy appeared to be "extremely intoxicated."

We're told the fight was over a girl. 

TMZ later learned that Randy was cited for "simple assault" and that police believe Randy was the primary aggressor. Cops also say this was a family argument that Randy butted into.

Anyone else starting to think that maybe Randy needs some prison time in order to save him from himself? The only good thing about this whole incident is that it doesn't appear that Randy drove himself to the scene of the fight. 

UPDATE: Apparently I missed the part that said Randy was hospitalized after the fight, probably due to the extreme intoxication. 

The fact that this is Randy's second police incident in a church parking lot is pretty significant. I hope he finds what he appears to be searching for soon before it's too late. 

UPDATE #2: Randy was actually defending his girlfriend, probably not drunk, and didn't go to the hospital. Oh, and it was 10 p.m. not 1 a.m.

Lorrie Morgan celebrates Naked Day in honor of Randy Travis

Too soon? 

Nahhhh.