Luthien Tinuviel
06-18-2005, 09:05 AM
LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) The words "Sign of the Apocalypse" are thrown around much too frequently, but try this one on for size: A woman, on the verge of her wedding, flips out, flees to Albuquerque, makes up a wild story of kidnapping and sexual assault, freaks out her family and loved ones, wastes countless hours of television news coverage, costs authorities in her Alabama town more than $40,000 trying to find her, pleads no contest to lying to the police and ultimately gets to profit hugely from the entire sordid affair. You can take all the rivers of blood and raining frogs you like, because the story of Jennifer Wilbanks sounds like a pretty good sign of the Apocalypse.
Wilbanks, famous only for being a less attractive, less appealing, less believable version of a character Julia Roberts played in a bad movie with Richard Gere, has sold the rights to her story to ReganMedia, a company currently being sued by porn star Jenna Jameson.
ReganMedia plans to develop television movie projects around Wilbanks', um, life.
"My vision for the future of ReganMedia is to continue to acquire all media rights to many high-profile personalities and to reach the broadest possible audience with their compelling stories," says Judith Regan, president of ReganMedia. "I am looking forward to developing the scripted project with Wilbanks and Mason. Theirs is an unexpected and compelling story of love and forgiveness that has certainly taught me a thing or two."
No amount of compensation is mentioned in ReganMedia's statement, but some people in Wilbanks' home town figure any amount is too much.
"I just think it's sinful that we are allowed to profit over wrongdoings," Shirley Lasseter, mayor of Duluth, Alabama, tells the AP. "I think every cent she makes needs to be given to organizations for missing children and adults so it can be used to help someone in a situation which she created falsely."
Wilbanks has reportedly paid Duluth back $13,249. For her plea she was given two years probation, ordered to continue her mental health treatment and sentenced to 120 hours of community service. She also had to pay the town sheriff's office $2,550.
Katie Couric is spending quality time with Wilbanks and fiance John Mason on Tuesday, June 21 in an exclusive primetime interview.
Wilbanks, famous only for being a less attractive, less appealing, less believable version of a character Julia Roberts played in a bad movie with Richard Gere, has sold the rights to her story to ReganMedia, a company currently being sued by porn star Jenna Jameson.
ReganMedia plans to develop television movie projects around Wilbanks', um, life.
"My vision for the future of ReganMedia is to continue to acquire all media rights to many high-profile personalities and to reach the broadest possible audience with their compelling stories," says Judith Regan, president of ReganMedia. "I am looking forward to developing the scripted project with Wilbanks and Mason. Theirs is an unexpected and compelling story of love and forgiveness that has certainly taught me a thing or two."
No amount of compensation is mentioned in ReganMedia's statement, but some people in Wilbanks' home town figure any amount is too much.
"I just think it's sinful that we are allowed to profit over wrongdoings," Shirley Lasseter, mayor of Duluth, Alabama, tells the AP. "I think every cent she makes needs to be given to organizations for missing children and adults so it can be used to help someone in a situation which she created falsely."
Wilbanks has reportedly paid Duluth back $13,249. For her plea she was given two years probation, ordered to continue her mental health treatment and sentenced to 120 hours of community service. She also had to pay the town sheriff's office $2,550.
Katie Couric is spending quality time with Wilbanks and fiance John Mason on Tuesday, June 21 in an exclusive primetime interview.