14 DAY TRIAL // Chaz Bono has started a legal war with the National Enquirer for a story plastered all over the front page of the latest issue of the tab, which claims he has only 4 years left to live. He's demanding a retraction and an apology, or he'll sue.
The Enquirer claims that a variety of factors are contributing to Chaz's bad health, including being overweight and taking medication for the transition from female to male.
“Chaz Bono: Only 4 Years to Live! Liver Damage Agony,” screams a headline on the cover of the latest issue of the tabloid.
The inside piece even has a “transgender specialist” saying that Chaz can't possibly live longer than 2015 unless he does something drastic about his health and at the very least go on a diet to lose weight.
However, Chaz is not amused: his attorneys have already sent a cease and desist letter to the tabloid, asking for a retraction and an apology immediately, E! Online informs.
They claim the tabloid report is misleading and “discriminatory,” singling out Chaz solely because he's transgender.
“It is absolutely outrageous, false, fabricated, and highly defamatory,” the letter says.
“The salacious and inflammatory headline and article were crafted for the malicious purpose of discriminating against our client's gender and sexual orientation,” Bono's attorneys further say.
Moreover, the “specialist” quoted in the report, a certain Dr. Patrick Wanis is not even a specialist, says the letter. His words are “highly misleading and blatantly false,” Bono's legal camp argues.
The letter is asking for a retraction and an apology from the National Enquirer, or face going to court over the story.
On the other hand, the tab claims it did nothing wrong. However, as a sign of compromise, it offers Bono's attorneys and specialists the chance to speak up on the claims in the upcoming issue.
“We have invited Mr. Bono and/or his medical experts to respond to the opinions of our medical experts in the next issue of the National Enquirer. The published opinions in the current edition are mostly focused on Mr. Bono's serious weight issues, which if not addressed, could substantially shorten his life,” a statement from the Enquirer says.
“The testosterone treatments that Mr. Bono has taken are drugs that medical experts agree contain inherent risks for heart disease and liver dysfunction. We only wish the best for Mr. Bono and hope that he embarks upon a health and diet program that includes proper nutrition and exercise for his own sake,” adds the tab.