Even though he's well known for starring in romantic epics like Lawrence Of Arabia and Dr Zhivago, Omar Sharif is also apparently quite handy at punching out parking attendants, denying it for 18 months and then eventually pleading no contest.
Which, really, is what this is all about. In June 2005 Omar Sharif punched a Guatemalan valet and called him a "stupid Mexican" in LA for not accepting a 20 Euro tip, and yesterday he pleaded no contest to it. And, as a result of the plea, 75-year-old Omar Sharif has been sentenced to two years of probation, 15 anger management sessions and a $100 fine – which Omar Sharif promptly attempted to pay in Euros before battering the judge and calling him a "stupid lousy Swiss Jew eskimo."
Not really, Omar Sharif didn't even attend the hearing. But if he had, stuff probably would have happened exactly as we described it.
Who said that fighting is a young man's game? Well, Pete Doherty obviously, but who listens to him any more? Instead, indiscriminate violence is becoming an increasingly elderly pursuit. If Russell Crowe (42) isn't hitting people with telephones then Joe Pesci (64) is punching fans or Paul McCartney (64) is allegedly stabbing women with glasses or Dame Edna (72) is thumping photographers. None of these people, though, can hold a candle to Omar Sharif who – at 75 – is the great grandaddy of the random smackdown.
Omar Sharif's problems started in June 2005, when he was accused of punching a valet in Beverly Hills. The incident apparently began when a "belligerent and intoxicated" Omar Sharif tried to tip Guatemalan parking attendant Juan Anderson with a 20 Euro note – Anderson then refused to accept the strange-looking money, so Omar Sharif understandably punched him and called him a "stupid Mexican." And yesterday Omar Sharif's lawyers pleaded no contest to misdemeanour battery – landing the actor with a sentence of probation, anger management, a $100 fine and medical fees. But that didn't mean that Omar Sharif is guilty, though, according to E! Online:
[Harland Braun] the attorney said that Sharif would have fought the charge, but the long-distance was just too much for the actor. "He would have had to fly on a round-trip ticket to testify. We we were trying to work it out for him to testify by satellite, but it seemed to me too onerous to have a 75-year-old man come to Los Angeles just for this," added Braun… Meanwhile, Braun said the no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt and can't be used against the actor in a civil case. Sharif is still facing a civil suit brought by Anderson in October seeking up to $750,000 in damages.
Far from being appalled that an elderly millionaire can abuse his position enough to physically attack subordinates while shouting racial slurs at them, we're actually quite taken with Omar Sharif's brute strength and agile fighting technique. So that's why hecklerspray is setting up the Elderly Celebrity Cage Fighting League. First up, Sumner Redstone battles the might of Rip Torn, then Mr Blackwell has a ladder match with noted physical chemist Dr Martin Pope. We also wanted Sean Connery for the league, but we got the impression he'd probably only want to fight women. We didn't actually ask him, but we just get that vibe off him, you know?
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Diego says
That’s one 75 year old egyptian i don’t wanna mess with
Roy Le Pre says
Sigh! Poor misguided Mr. Shariff – silly old buffoon. May an ASBO descend upon him if/when he does that in Britain. They’re so effective, don’t the Americans know? We have nothing of such abuse in this blessed plot! I propose John Prescott be the referee for any such scraps between senescent members of the public. Organised through and by the said E.C.C.F.L., of course.