David Hans Schmidt (aka "The Sultan of Sleeze") was found dead at his home on Friday, the victim of an apparent suicide. Schmidt was on house arrest and awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to extortion charges. The FBI busted the notorious sex tape peddler earlier this year after he contacted Tom Cruise and threatened to release his wedding photos unless he was paid $1.3 million. The Arizona Republic says:
Schmidt carved out a unique career, riding media controversies from his office some 350 miles east of Hollywood. He boasted about living a high life from the deals that put second-rate stars into Playboy and Penthouse. He openly solicited photographs and videos of stars, hoping to cash in on their sale. He bragged to reporters about the restaurants he would dine in, the cars he would drive, the names he could drop.But in the end, Schmidt might have been his best client, hiding what his twin brother, Doug, described as a lifelong depression behind that air of bravado and opulence. Schmidt was found dead in his townhouse Friday. The depression was something he hid behind a high-energy, take-no-prisoners public persona. (Source)
aybe it's just me, but this story sounds a little fishy. Who hangs themselves anymore? That's so old school. I can think of about a dozen better ways to kill yourself than that. For example, try listening to Britney's new single more than once and see if you don't find yourself bleeding from the ears. Or you could raw dog Pamela Anderson and see if you last the week. Lastly, you could inhale a whiff or two of Paris' new perfume . . . guaranteed to cause massive choking. Oh, and speaking of massive choking . . . GO METS!
