Once mighty media mogul Sumner Redstone is now a helpless and confused invalid obsessed with steak and sex, an explosive probate petition filed by his ex-girlfriend claims.
The Viacom and CBS chairman’s former lover and longtime companion Manuela Herzer made the shocking claims Wednesday as she touched off a court battle to return to Redstone’s inner circle and resume control of his future medical care.
Herzer was kicked out of Redstone’s mansion on Oct. 12 and claims the shakeup was initiated without the 92-year-old billionaire’s full understanding and against his best interests.
Herzer has voiced concern that Redstone’s salaried driver is now the one handling his day-to-day domestic needs and that caregivers might be overmedicating the broadcast baron to contain his agitation, court paperwork obtained by the Daily News reveals.
VIACOM EXEC SUMNER REDSTONE, 92, SPLITS WITH YOUNGER GIRLFRIEND SYDNEY HOLLAND
Redstone’s lawyers quickly dismissed Herzer’s claims as a “farce” and filed opposition paperwork Wednesday stating the Tinseltown titan ousted Herzer of his own accord. They said Herzer is on a “warpath” over possible changes to Redstone’s estate planning and only cares about the fate of his fortune once he dies.
“Ms. Herzer’s claim that she filed this lawsuit out of concern for Mr. Redstone is preposterous. It is a meritless action, riddled with lies, and a despicable invasion of his privacy. It proves only that Ms. Herzer will stop at nothing to pursue her personal financial agenda,” Redstone’s lawyer Gabrielle Vidal said in a statement to The News.
The swift response from Redstone’s camp includes a statement from his primary physician claiming the once towering tycoon remains mentally acute though his speech is impaired.
The doctor said a CAT scan performed on Redstone in the last few weeks did not show any evidence of stroke and revealed “minimal if any atrophy.”
“Mr. Redstone’s brain scan was quite good for a 92-year-old,” Dr. Richard Gold said in his sworn statement.
By contrast, Herzer’s filing describes Redstone as a “living ghost” who started on a precipitous decline when he discovered in August that his young lover Sydney Holland had been unfaithful during their five year relationship, Variety.com previously reported.
It claims Redstone “demands, to the extent he can be understood, to engage in sexual activity every day, even though [his doctor] has repeatedly recommended that he abstain from daily sexual activity,” according to Variety.
As recently as last month, Redstone had a “romantic partner” visit his home, but because he could not communicate clearly, a male nurse was needed to direct “the intimate actions,” Herzer’s filing claims.
The Herzer petition also claims Redstone is “obsessed” with eating steak but has diminished interest in former passions such as baseball and a memoir he started with a ghost writer.
“He cannot converse, except for brief grunted responses to directed questions and, even then, he is nearly impossible to understand,” Herzer claims in her filing.
“He cannot initiate a conversation” and suffers from “spontaneous crying spells for no discernible reason,” the petition reported by Variety claims.
The allegations about Redstone’s sex drive gave a new dimension to recent legal wrangling about security camera footage and sparked speculation that a sex tape might exist.
In a letter dated Nov. 2 and filed as an exhibit in the case, a Redstone lawyer demanded that Herzer hand over any recordings that depict the reclusive magnate.
“Sumner did not (and does not) consent to audio or visual recording in his home,” lawyer Amy Koch wrote in the letter reviewed by The News.
A Herzer lawyer replied two days later that Redstone personally approved the installation of several cameras in his home to supervise his nursing staff at night.
“At no time was any camera directed on Sumner, but rather on the nurses in attendance and nurses’ station,” Herzer lawyer Carol Johnston wrote in her Nov. 4 reply.
Before she was ejected from Redstone’s life, Herzer, 50, was designated to assume control of his medical care if he became incapacitated in the eyes of his doctor.
Upon Herzer’s dismissal, Redstone named Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman, his friend of more than 30 years, as his new healthcare agent, his paperwork states.
Herzer’s portrait of Redstone as fragile and confused was further challenged by Redstone’s doctor when the physician’s sworn statement touched on past dealings with her.
Dr. Gold said he never put restrictions on Redstone’s libido, contrary to Herzer’s filing.
“Prior to October 12, 2015, while Ms. Herzer was living in Mr. Redstone’s house, I was in regular contact with her. I did not recommend to Ms. Herzer or Mr. Redstone that Mr. Redstone limit his sexual activity,” Dr. Gold said.
More importantly, “Ms. Herzer never raised any concern about Mr. Redstone’s decision making capacity,” he said.
In a similar statement, Dauman said he visited Redstone at his home on Nov. 3 for about an hour and a half.
“Sumner told me that Manuela had been threatening to litigate, and that all she wants is his money,” Dauman said in his statement obtained by The News.
“Sumner and I spoke about business matters, including the upcoming Viacom board meeting,” he said. “We reminisced about corporate history and personal matters. We also watched some basketball together and talked about a movie he had most recently screened.”
Herzer’s lawyers want Redstone examined by an outside doctor. They also want to depose Redstone, Dr. Gold, Redstone’s estate lawyers and members of his staff.
Redstone’s lawyers are asking for a dismissal of the case.
“Stripping away the celebrity factor in this proceeding, all that’s left is a demand that an elderly man be subjected to the discomfort and indignity of examination by strangers because a former friend claims to know better that the relevant treating physician and geriatric psychiatrist,” the response from Redstone’s lawyers reads.
A hearing is scheduled for Monday.
