JUDGE RULES AGAINST TRICIA WALSH-SMITH IN THE INFAMOUS "YOU TUBE" DIVORCE CASE

The infamous "You Tube Divorce" case is over, and you can expect the losing side to go ballistic over the decision. Shubert Organization President Philip Smith, the broadway theatre mogul whose actress/playwright wife trashed him in a wild self-made You Tube video, has been granted a divorce from her. And it's not even going to cost him more than $750,000. Here comes the best news for Philip Smith. The judge Smith a divorce from Tricia Walsh-Smith on Monday on the grounds of cruel and inhuman treatment.

The wide-eyed British femme fatale lashed out against Smith in the tearful and furious YouTube video, which has attracted more than 3 million hits. She makes embarrassing claims about their intimate life and then calls his office to repeat those claims to a stunned assistant.

On the video, Walsh-Smith also goes through their wedding album, describing family members as "bad," "evil" or "nasty," and expresses concern about eviction from the couple's luxury apartment.

Judge Harold Beeler blasted Walsh-Smith for her video stunt, which he called "a calculated and callous campaign to embarrass and humiliate her husband" and to pressure him into settling the case on more favorable terms than were stated in their prenuptial agreement.

"She has attempted to turn the life of her husband into a soap opera by directing, writing, acting in and producing a melodrama," the judge said.

He said Monday that the prenuptial agreement, signed three weeks before the couple's 1999 wedding, was valid. This means Walsh-Smith must leave their Park Avenue apartment within 30 days and Smith, president of The Shubert Organization, the largest theater owner on Broadway, must pay her $750,000.

Smith said after the ruling he was "sorry it had to come to this."

"I'm happy with the decision of the judge, and I'm happy with the outcome," he said.

Tricia Walsh-Smith, of course, didn't see the decision the same way.

"I think it's disgusting," she said. "I'm really, really disappointed with the decision."

She accused Smith of "basically throwing me out on the street." One of her attorneys, Joseph P. McCaffrey, said they would appeal.

Smith also filmed a controversial episode of the SUN (UK)'s massively popular broadband television show, THE HEYMAN HUSTLE, hosted by sports entertainment icon Paul Heyman in New York City. In the video, which can be viewed here: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/wrestling/heyman/article1302305.ece, Heyman takes the 52 year old socialite to a pizza/burger dive and gets her to eat cheeseburgers, french fries, and pepperoni pizza. He also encourages her to have sex with all of her estranged husband's friends as a means of revenge.

She was insistent that the courts would enable her to exact revenge with a marvelous settlement. Maybe she should have listened to Heyman.

(Franklin Dowling reporting)

97 MichaelUKSun Published 7/21/08   Message Add to Friends