In the movies, Omar Sharif is mostly seen as a noble, dashing hero type. However, in reality, Omar Sharif is a little drunk man who goes round insulting and punching Mexican parking attendants.
That’s what a Guatemalan parking attendant is claiming, at least. Juan Anderson is suing Omar Sharif after he claims Sharif called him a "stupid Mexican," and punched him in June. Omar Sharif denies the charges.
Assaulting subordinates seems to be all the rage in America. First
Russell Crowe was given a conditional discharge for lobbing a telephone
into a hotel worker’s face, and now 1960s pin-up Omar Sharif (DVDs) is being
accused of getting medieval on a Guatemalan parking attendant’s ass.
According to the lawsuit filed against Omar Sharif by Juan Anderson,
on the night of June 11th Sharif was “belligerent and intoxicated” when
he left a Beverly Hills
steakhouse and found that his Porsche was not
waiting for him.
Anderson, the restaurant parking attendant at the time, then claims
that 73-year-old Omar Sharif demanded that his car be found and tried
to hand over a 20 Euro note. When Anderson refused the note, Omar
Sharif is said to have called Anderson a "stupid Mexican" and then
punched him in the face. Pretty good going for an old guy.
If these allegations are true, it won’t have been the first time
that Omar Sharif has got a bit handy. In 2003 he headbutted a French
policeman after getting into a fight with a casino croupier.
Omar
Sharif was not in the Beverly Hills courtroom after this latest bust-up
– the plea was entered by his lawyer – and another hearing has been set
for January 10th.
Read more:
Sharif Denies Assault Charge – Guardian
[story by Stuart Heritage]