People in the News for May 7, 1998

Thursday, May 7, 1998 | 10:49 a.m.

There are three pillars of People in the News: Humanity, modesty and ... what's that third one again? Oh, right: brutal irreverence toward anyone more famous than Norman Fell. And yet, where Martha Stewart is concerned, we can't help but back off, ever since she led us to the bliss of doily-making. So we say, Go ahead, Martha, run down as many gardeners as you like! And then sue them! The prim lifestyle maven has filed an $825,000 suit against landscaper Matthew Munnich, who claims she nearly ran him over in her sport-utility vehicle. The two tangled outside her East Hampton, N.Y., home, when Stewart apparently found Munnich building an unsightly fence for her neighbor. As she drove away, he claims, he had to leap into some bushes to avoid being run over. Munnich has been preparing a suit against her, but Stewart struck first. Her action claims Munnich tried to extort $250,000 from her in return for not suing, and further charges defamation. Says Munnich's lawyer, "I think this whole thing is mean-spirited." He claims to have delayed Munnich's suit as a courtesy to Stewart's lawyer -- and now this! "This is the result of my courtesy. ... It wasn't bad enough that she assaulted my client with her car, now she assaulted my client and me with this lawsuit." You go, girl!

Tiny babbles

Billionaires ought to be a little more thick-skinned about these things: Ted Turner has declined an honorary degree from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn., after students there accused the Atlanta Braves owner of racist baseball-team-naming. Turner was to speak at next week's graduation, along with U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. "We can't sit by and let this happen," said one student. "At Mac there are three pillars: internationalism, multiculturalism and community service. We need to uphold those." Turner, no doubt in a this-is-the-result-of-my-courtesy funk, backed out. "I do not want to detract from the recognition your institution will bestow on the secretary-general," Turner wrote. Students must be jubilant -- another victory for political correctness! You go, kids!

Compiled by Scott Dickensheets