When the exerpt from Ian Halperin’s new novel “Guy Laliberte: The Fabulous Story of the Creator of Cirque du Soleil” hit shelves from Maclean’s magazine on June 15, it was only a matter of hours before the culprit who’s name is plastered over both the book and the said excerpt had something to say - calling the book a total “piece of priec” and denying much of the reserached material. Now Halperin and his lawyers are asking for up to $250,000 in libel damages from both the man himself, but his company and the Cirque spokesperson, Renne Claude Menard. Now the magazine, who published their June 15th issue with the lead story of “Sex, Drugs and Acrobats,” is retracting the statements made as they said “it’s not a full retraction. It’s not an apology. However, I think they are acknowledging there was some kind of confusion so my interpretation is…that the cover was no t proper,” Cirque lawyer Francois Fontaine said. The editor’s note is two paragraphs and includes Fontaine’s statement about Cirque’s “shock and profound disappointment” at the Maclean’s “cover page” and that the news magazine “does not agree with [Cirque's] characterization – the cover image was in fact available on the Cirque’s own website – and we recognize that the Cirque is a great Canadian creative institution.” It continues: “Halperin’s book is an unauthorized biography of Guy Laliberté.” The published excerpts “refer to past events and do not necessarily reflect upon the Cirque du Soleil itself as an ongoing business enterprise or on its current employees.”
Posted in General on June 24, 2009
