LINER, 1 Glendon Avenue 14th Flooi Les Ange-1&5. CA 95924.Stanton L. Stein (SEN 4599?) lsIein@iinerlaw.oom Ashley R. Yeargan (SEN 259523) ayeargan@linerlaw.oom LINER LLP 1100 Glendon Avenue, 14th Floor Los Angeles, California 900243513 Telephone: (310) 500?3500 Facsimile: (310) 500?3 501 COPY ORIGINAL FILED Suponoi Court oi California we Annalee OCT 19 20:5 Sheri1 F1 genome O?ieerfCleri-c ?w Shaunya Holden. Deputy Attorneys for Plaintiff Blake Tollison Shelton SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY 01+? Los ANGELES, CENTRAL DISTRICT 30598239 COMPLAINT FOR BLAKE TOLLISON an Case No. individual, Plaintiff, (I) DEFAMATION (2) FALSE LIGHT INVASION OF PRIVACY VS . BAUER PUBLISHING COMPANY, BAUER MAGAZINE, BAUER MEDIA GROUP, BAUER, HEINRICH BAUER NORTH AMERICA, BAUER MEDIA GROUP USA, and DOES 1?20, inclusive Defendants. DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL 5 {167100 1 -255623?v6 COMPLAINT ?ler-doc Avenue 14th Floor _os Angeles. CA 8 kWh-J woodmanPlaintiff Blake Tollison Shelton Shelton? or as and for his Complaint against Defendants Bauer Publishing Company L.P., Bauer Magazine, L.P., Bauer Media Group, Inc., Bauer, Inc., Heinrich Bauer North America, Inc., Bauer Media Group USA, LLC (collectively, ??Bauer?) and Does 1 through 20 inclusive (collectively, ?Defendants?), alleges as follows: INTRODUCTION 1. Blake Shelton has had enough. For the second time in as many months, Bauer has maliciously plastered Mr. Shelton?s face on the cover of its tabloid In Touch Weekly (?In Touch?) and made false accusations all in an effort to drive magazine sales. After falsely accusing Mr. Shelton of being unfaithful to Miranda Lambert, Bauer recently released a cover bearing the heading ?The Real Story: REHAB For Blake? (hereinafter the ?Rehab Story?), which, among other things, falsely and maliciously indicates that Mr. Shelton is in rehab. 2. Mr. Shelton isnot in rehab and has no plans to go to rehab, which Bauer would have known had it bothered to contact any of Mr. Shelton?s representatives prior to publication of its misleading Rehab Story. Instead, on the heels of wildly successful sales of its false cover story alleging Mr. Shelton had an affair, and that affair caused the end of his marriage, In Touch went straight to publication with a Second false and salacious cover it knew would hook readers who seem to have an endless appetite for intimate details of celebrities supposedly in crisis. 3. Mr. Shelton, who is not a litigious person, was prepared to let the first cover go, as he and his peers often do because the 24!? news cycle and proliferation of Internet ?news? sites makes it physically impossible to react to each and every falsehood published about them. Further, publications that had re~posted that first story took it down immediately upon being noti?ed that it was false, and In Touch had assured Mr. Shelton that it was going to leave him alone. Apparently, that was not the case. 4. Accordingly, Mr. Shelton hereby commences this action both to set the record straight he is not in rehab, his ?close circle? is not trying to seek an intervention, and he is, in fact, hard at work on The Voice and other projects and to recover damages for the harm Bauer has done to his reputation, and to punish Bauer for its malicious conduct and concoction of false 5002100 I 45 SEEING 1 COM LAINT 1?130 oar: don ?ve-nun?: Floor cos keg-ales. CA Will-?and misleading stories about him for the purpose of driving magazine sales. PARTIES AND VENUE 5. Plaintiff Blake Shelton is an individual who primarily resides in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, but provides services in Los Angeles, California and has been harmed in Los Angeles, California. 6. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that defendant Bauer Publishing Company, LP. is a limited partnership organized under the laws of the State of New ersey, with its principal place of business in New Jersey, and is engaged in business in Los Angeles, California. 7. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that defendant Bauer Magazine LP. is a limited partnership organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal place of business in New ersey, and is engaged in business in Los Angeles, California. 3. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that defendant Bauer Media Group, Inc. is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal place of business in New York, and is engaged in business in Los Angeles, California. Plaintiff is further informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that Batter Media Group, Inc. also maintains an of?ce. in Los Angeles. 9. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that defendant Bauer, inc. is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal place of business in New ersey, and is engaged in business in Los Angeles, California. 10. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that defendant Heinrich Bauer North America, Inc. is a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal place of business in New York, and is engaged in business in Los Angeles, California. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that defendant Bauer Media Group USA, LLC is a limited liability company incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware and is engaged in business in Los Angeles, California. Bauer Media Group USA, principal place of business is unknown to Plaintiff. 2 COMPLAINT Floor -05 Angel-ES. CA 930251 35? 8 Gler?oor. Aver 12. Plaintiff is unaware of the true names and capacities of the defendants sued herein as Does 1 through 20, inclusive, and therefore sues these defendants by ?ctitious names. Plaintiff will seek leave of the Court to amend this complaint to allege their true names and capacities when ascertained. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that each fictitiously named defendant is responsible in some way for the acts, occurrences and events alleged in this complaint, and is liable to plaintiff there-fore. Bauer Publishing Company, L.P., Bauer Magazine L.P., Bauer Media Group, L.P., Heinrich Bauer North America, Inc., Bauer Media Group USA, LLC (collectively, ?Bauer?), and Does 1 through 20 are sometimes referred to collectively herein as ?Defendants.? 13. Plaintiff is informed and believes, and based thereon alleges, that at all times relevant herein, Defendants have operated as a joint venture dividing revenues and profits between them and seeking by their joint efforts to maximize gains and minimize losses. As such, each and every Defendant herein is equally responsible in whole or in part for each and every act alleged herein. 14. Defendants own, control, publish andfor contribute to the publication of tabloid magazines, including Life dc Style and In Touch, which are distributed in print throughout the world, including in Los Angeles, California. On their website, they describe themselves as the Seller of Magazines at Retail in the Country.? They place their magazines at supermarket checkout counters and in other stores and outlets throughout the country, including in Los Angeles, California. Defendants rely on photographs of celebrities and catchy, salacious (and false) headlines to draw the attention of people waiting in line at stores or passing by magazine stands, many of whom do not, in fact, actually purchase their magazine and walk away with whatever message the eye?pepping cover conveys. 15. in addition to their print publications, Defendants often publish reproductions of their tabloid covers, sometimes with portions of their related stories, on'their Internet web sites in order to promote the sale of their tabloids. Such publications are also available to Internet users located in Los Angeles, California. If! 506??.00 i -255?23 we 3 COMPLAINT ea: Goon Avenue with Floor '_os Angela's, CA 513024.353 has. mongerinan SUMMARY OF RELEVANT FACTS a. ram 16. Mr. Shelton is a country music superstar boasting three gold records, twenty number one country singles, and five Grammy nominations. Mr. Shelton is also known for his role asjudge and coach on the Emmyuwinning television program, The Voice. Mr. Shelton?s team has won the show?s contest four out of eight seasons. Contrary to In Toach's Rehab Story, Mr. Shelton has been hard at work. Bauer published the Rehab Story on September 16, 2015. On Saturday, September 19, 2015, Mr. Shelton performed live at the iHeartRadio Music Festival. His appearance was widely publicized in advance of the concert. On Monday, September 21, 2015, the ninth season of The Voice- premicred. On Wednesday, September 23, 2015, Mr. Shelton gave his fans a free concert in Nashville. Mr. Shelton is also busy preparing for the October 23, 2015 release of Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits, Mr. Shelton?s second greatest hits album. In addition, Mr. Shelton continues to ful?ll his commitments as a spokesperson for Nissan, Gildan, and various other business endeavors. 13. Mr. Shelton?s reputation and persona are essential to his success. Mr. Shelton actively cultivates his persona, including via social media. For example, through Mr. Shelton?s Twitter account, @blakeahelton, Mr. Shelton promotes his music and television projects, and endorses various businesses with which Mr. Shelton is affiliated. Mr. Shelton also uses social media to communicate directly with fans and often makes jokes about comments from Internet trolls. Mr. Shelton posts to Twitter multiple times a day on average on topics ranging from sports to the Miss America pageant. B. The First In Touch Cover 19. Shelton with the headline, ?Blake?s ?Other Woman? Tells All? (the ?Affair Story?). Inside, the On its August 10, 2015 cover of In Touch, Bauer depicted a close headshot of Mr. ?Other Woman? phrase was repeated with a sub-headline that said: ?Her ?ing with Blake Shelton nearly destroyed Cady The Affair Story falsely portrayed Mr. Shelton as an adulterer who had a relationship with a woman named Cady Groves that caused the end of his marriage to Miranda Lambert (?Ms Lambert?). In the text of the story, In Touch remote that ?cheating L2556237v? 4 COMPLAINT rec-r. Avenue 14th Flo-3r Les negates. q=332439 8 1' 0'0 mule-allegations are The Affair Story went on to state that Ms. Groves ?doesn?t deny that she and Blake, 39, had an affair? (which is tantamount to a statement that they did), and purported to quote ?one of her friends? (unidentified, of course) as saying that Ms. Groves and Mr. Shelton had sex for at least a year and Mr. Shelton broke her heart. 20. The average reader was left with the impression that not only did Mr. Shelton have a sexual relationship with Ms. Groves, but that that relationship contributed to, or even caused, his divorce from Ms. Lambert. Indeed, that message is con?rmed by the manner in which Radar Galina republished the Affair Story, referring to Ms. Groves as Mr. Shelton?s ?mistress? (to its credit, Radar Outline immediately took its story down when advised that the In Touch story was false). 21. The Affair Story was false. Mr. Shelton first met Ms. Groves when she was. a struggling new artist at RCA Records and his label asked him to do a favor by appearing in her first music video. He obliged and they became friends for a period of time. Eventually, Mr. Shelton stopped communicating with Ms. Groves. They did not have a sexual relationship or affair of any nature whatsoever. Ms. Groves has described allegations in the media that she was the ?other woman? as ?stupid rumors? and con?rms that she was simply a friend of Mr. Shelton. 22. It is clear that Bauer saw an opportunity and ran with it, with little-to-no research or fact-checking in support of the Affair Story. Further, Bauer was on notice that any relationship had long been denied. Had Bauer "5 reporters done any investigation, they would have discovered the full extent of the Affair Story?s defamatory depiction of Mr. Shelton. The lack of investigation and fact checking with Mr. Shelton is more than adequate to demonstrate that Bauer acted with actual malice or, at a minimum, with a reckless disregard for the truth in publishing the Affair Story. 23. Though Mr. Shelton demanded a retraction of the Affair Story, Bauer refused. One of its editors did, however, promise counsel for Mr. Shelton that he would be ?laying off? him and that litigation would be unnecessary to protect Mr. Shelton from future stories. 1W 1W 5 COMPLAINT Glendon Avenue 14th Floor -oaAngel-es. CA 3 ElmaTouch Rehab Story 24. Less than two months later, In Touch published another cover, again with a close headshot of Mr. Shelton, bearing the headline ?The Real Story: REHAB For Blake,? which, among other things, falsely and maliciously suggests that Mr. Shelton is in rehab. A true and correct copy of this cover and related story is attached hereto as Exhibit and made a part hereof. 25. Mr. Shelton is not in rehab and has no plans to go to rehab. The Rehab Story?s cover and interior headlines, however, suggest exactly the opposite. Indeed, as In Touch undoubtedly intended, the average reader was drawn to the magazine and the-Rehab Story thinking that he or she is going to read that Mr. Shelton ?bottomed out? and checked himself into rehab. Many readers will stop at the cover. 26. Those who do read the Rehab Story will ?nd numerous further false assertions of fact that only reinforce and support the headline?s message. Such false statements include: ?Blake has his rock bottom?; ?His friends are terrifi ed that he could end up dead at this rate? ?Blake's drinking and womanizing are what helped torpedo his four-year marriage to (cl) Mr. Shelton did something ?while wasted that destroyed his marriage?; Mr. Shelton was ?caught? by Ms. Lambert with ?a bunch of naked women? in their home; Mr. Shelton started drinking at age Fourteen as ?a form of coping with his brother's death?; ?His close friends have talked about an intervention?; and, ?Blake?s friends, colleagues and handlers won?t give up on him and have all urged him to seek help.? The Rehab Story is also replete with falsehoods, including that Mr. Shelton traveled to Mexico for a bachelor party where he partied with strippers, visited strip clubs, and got into a hot tub in his hotel room with two women. Collectively, the false statements set forth in lv255623'i'v? 6 COMPLAINT "t '00 Git-ruin?- Avenue 14th Floor (12435? 8 P, Angolan CA 9- l?i this Paragraph 26 will he referred to herein as the ?Statements.? To be clear: Mr. Shelton has not hit rock bottom. Not only is Mr. Shelton not in rehab, but nobody close to him is talking about an intervention or telling Mr. Shelton that he should go to rehab. Neither drinking nor wonianizin-g contributed to Mr. Shelton?s divorce from Ms. Lambert. Mr. Shelton traveled to Mexico for a vacation with friends and some of their wives. There was no bachelor party. There were no strippers or strip clubs. There was no late night hot tub session in Mr. Shelton?s hotel room, which did not eve-n have a hot tub. Mr. Shelton did not start drinking at the age of fourteen to cope with his brother?s death. 28. Though, as set forth above, Mr. Shelton has previously put Bauer on notice that Mr. Shelton was not unfaithful to Ms. Lambert and that alleged in?delity by Mr. Shelton did not cause his divorce from Ms. Lambert, the Rehab Story falsely alleges that Mr. Shelton was ?caught? by Ms. Lambert with ?a bunch of naked women? in their home. This is also completely false. 29. Together with the headline, the story about Mr. Shelton?s trip to Mexico, and eight Tweets cherry~picked and excerpted by In Touch over the course often months for the purposes of painting the picture it wanted to paint, Mr. Shelton is portrayed as a man unhinged and, as stated on the cover, a man at ?rock bottom.? This is patently false and is damaging to Mr. Shelton, who is currently hard at work ?lming The Voice, preparing for the release of his next album, and ful?lling endorsement commitments. In Torrch?s publication exposed Mr. Shelton to contempt, ridicule and obloquy, and tarnished both his personal and business reputation. 30. The Rehab Story was published with malice or, at a minimum, a reckless disregard for the truth. As with the prior story, Bauer did not even give Mr. Shelton notice of what it intended to publish, or an opportunity to rebut any of the speci?c allegations set forth in the Rehab Story in advance of its publication. 31. Unlike the last time, Bauer knew that Mr. Shelton had legal counsel, knew how to reach that counsel, and had previously corresponded with that counsel with respect to Mr. Shelton?s demand for retraction of the Affair Story. Rather than reach out to such counsel or any of Mr. Shelton?s other representatives to verify the allegations in the Story, Bauer went straight to publication with a sensational and false cover that likely sold as many or more magazines as the 505?? .06 -2556237v? 7 COM PLAINT 1 Gift-oar 1-th Floor 3 .13 l. 3.05 Angel-essensational and false August 20l5 cover. 32.. On September 18, 2015, Mr. Shelton?s representatives demanded a retraction of the Rehab Story, but, up to and including the date of the filing of this complaint, Defendants have failed and refused to publish a correctiOn or retraction as required by law. FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION [For Libel Per Se} [By Blake Shelton Against All Defendants} 33. Plaintifer. Shelton repeats and realleges each and every allegation contained in paragraphs 1 through 32, inclusive, above, as if fully set forth herein. 34. Defendants published the Rehab Story, a true and correct copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit and made a part hereof. 35.. The Rehab Stery as a whole and each of the Statements are of and concerning Mr. Shelton, and persons who read the Rehab Story reasonably understood the references therein to be references to Mr. Shelton. The Rehab Story as a whole and each of the Statements are false as they pertain to 36. Mr. Shelton- 37. The Rehab Story as a whole and each of the Statements are defamatory on their face of Mr. Shelton and expose him to hatred, contempt, ridicule and obloquy, andi?or cause him to be shunned or avoided and tend to injure him in his occupation. 38. Upon information and belief, Mr. Shelton alleges that the Rehab. Storyr as a whole and each of the Statements were made by each of the Defendants with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard for their truth or falsity. 39. Upon information and belief, Mr. Shelton alleges that the Rehab Story as a whole and each of the Statements were made by each of the Defendants in a grossly irresponsible manner with want of due care. 40. Upon information and belief, Mr. Shelton alleges that the Rehab Story as a whole and each of the Statements. were seen and read in Los Angeles, California. 506??.??l?2556237v6 3 COMPLAINT ids" Lie-r- Avenue 11th Floor .et?geles. CA Elli-024.33 3 common-moan September 18, 2015, Mr. Shelton?s representatives demanded a retraction but, up to and including the date of the ?ling of this complaint, Defendants have failed and refused to publish a correction or retraction. 42. As a direct and proximate result of the above?described conduct by Defendants, Mr. Shelton has suffered general and special damages in an amount to be determined at trial but believed to be no less than One Million Dollars including without limitation, damage to Mr. Shelton?s reputation, career and standing in the community. 43. Upon information and belief, Mr. Shelton alleges that each defendant?s conduct was done with oppression, fraud and malice and that, therefore, the conduct of Defendants justifies an award of punitive and exemplary damages. 44. Upon information and belief, Mr. Shelton alleges that, unless enjoined and restrained by the Court, Defendants will republish, repeat and continue to disseminate the Rehab Stony, all to the continuing injury of Mr. Shelton; that such continued republication, repetition and dissemination of the defamatory and offensive falsehoods will cause irreparable harm to Mr. Shelton by damaging his reputation and adversely affecting his philanthropic and business efforts as well as his personal relationships. Mr. Shelton alleges that he lacks an adequate remedy at law insofar as damages will be very difficult to calculate for such on-going injuries. By reason of the foregoing, Mr. Shelton is entitled to a permanent injunction enjoining and restraining Defendants, and each of them, and all persons acting in concert with them, from republishing, repeating, distributing or otherwise disseminating the Rehab Story. SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION [For False Light Invasion of Privacy] [By Mr. Shelton Against All Defendants} 45. Plaintiff Mr. Shelton repeats and realleges each and every allegation contained in Paragraphs through 44, inclusive, above, as if fully set forth herein. 46. Defendants published the Rehab Story, a true and correct copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit and made a part hereof. 9 COMPLAINT- -os Angeles. CA 90025.39 8 I30 Glendon Avenue 47. The Rehab Story as a whole and each of the Statements were widely publicized by the Defendants. 48. The Rehab Story as a whole and each of the Statements are of and concerning Mr. Shelton and persons who read the Story reasonably understood the references therein to be references to Mr. Shelton. 49. The Rehab Story as a whole and each of the Statements are false as they pertain to Mr. Shelton. 50. To the-extent that all or any part of the Rehab Story as a whole or any of the Statements are found not to be defamatory of Mr. Shelton, the Rehab Story, and the Statements place Mr. Shelton in a false light which would be highly offensive to a reasonable person. 51. Upon information and belief, Mr. Shelton alleges that the Rehab Story as a whole and each of the Statements were made by each of the Defendants with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard for their truth or falsity. 52. Upon information and belief, Mr. Shelton alleges that the Rehab Story as a whole and each of the Statements were made by each of the Defendants in a grossiy irresponsible manner and negligently, with want of due care. 53. Upon information and belief, Mr. Shelton alleges that the Rehab Story as a whole and each of the Statements were seen and read in Los Angeles, California. 54. On September 13, 2015, Mr. Sheiton?s representatives demanded a retraction but, up to and including the date of the filing of this complaint, Defendants have failed and refused to publish a correction or retraction. 55. As a direct and proximate resuit of the above?described conduct by Defendants, Mr. Shelton has suffered general and special damages in an amount to be determined at trial but believed to be no less than One Million Doilars including damage to Plaintiffs reputation, career and standing in the community. 56. Upon information and belief, Mr. Shelton alleges that each Defendant's conduct was done with oppression, fraud and malice and that, therefore, the conduct of each Defendant justi?es an award of punitive and exemplary damages. Upon information and belief, Mr. Shelton 506??.00 1 -255623Tv6 IO COMPLAINT 14th Floor 9.1131356 5. CA 8 1?00 Gieco'on Avenue alleges that, unless enjoined and restrained by the Court, Defendants will republish, repeat and continue to disseminate the Rehab Story and the Statements all to the continuing injury Shelton that such continued republication, repetition and dissemination of the defamatory and offensive falsehoods will cause irreparable harm to Mr. Shelton by damaging his reputation and adversely affecting his philanthropic and business efforts as well as his personal relationships. Mr. Shelton alleges that he lacks an adequate remedy at law insofar as damages will be very dif?cult to calculate for such on?going injuries. By reason of the foregoing, Mr. Shelton is entitled to a permanent injunction enjoining and restraining Defendants, and each of them, and all persons acting in concert with them, from republishing, repeating, distributing or otherwise disseminating the Rehab Story or the Statements to the extent such are found in the Action to be false andf or to portray Mr. Shelton in a false light. PRAYERFOR RELIEF WHEREFORE, Mr. Shelton prays for judgment as follows: 1 . - this action, but 2. 3. AS TO THE FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION FOR LIBEL: For actual and compensatory damages in an amount to be determined at the trial of believed not to be less than One Million Dollars For exemplary and punitive damages; For a permanent injunction; AS TO THE SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION FOR FALSE LIGHT 4. the action, but 5. 6. fl! INVASION OF PRIVACY: For actual and compensatory damages in an amount to be determined at the trial of believed not to be less than One Million Dollars For exemplary and punitive damages; For a permanent injunction; AS TO ALL CLAIMS AND CAUSES OF ACTION: For costs of suit herein incurred; For interest on any monetary award to Plaintiff at the legal rate; and, COMPLAINT "ED-Elwr'dor- Avenue 1 1 -03 :geiee. 95:33:13.? 8 ?30 LA r-l r?trFor such other and further relief as the Court ma doe-{I1 just and proper. Dated: October 19, 2015 506??.00 -2556237v? By: I L, Stein - Attorney's for Plaintiff11312114;e Tollism Shelton 12 COMPLAINT LINERM meme 14th Floor LEE: .angeles, CA 9002-4393 55.1.1141me wooq DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL Plaintift?Blake Tollisoo Shelton demands triei by jury on all matters and issues so triable. Dated: October 19, 2015 506??.?01?255623Tv6 LINER LLP By: . f, I salami. Stein Attorneys for Plaintiff Blake Tollison Shelton 13 COMPLAINT wrzav?kh-h- 'mlFx'? wax-v mluemm'cammsuw-sw MA as He?emeeceuems Beyone??s regn 4 if:- 75?? In gear; a . . em or caramel. -- Demi Levato?s 3 Shocking Relapse meme AWAY Scott Busted Doing Cocaine murder-it?s worse than e?ee?ee Secrets Behind "?oy hi?'jriends'heigged him to step . . .. . .. 23. and '52 htehe Etheten hits rock bottom after his diverce from Letnhert was acting like :1 wild man. I-Ttinlte Sheiten inw delged his every whim - during :1 friend's hneheitn? pert}: weekend in late at the ME Melin resert in Cantu Mexico. ?He was. deing ehnts et' tequiln 5tep nzn'tietl with et?riplziers nil weekend,? says it hntel guest whe witnessed the tlelnteehery, ?He. was else ?irting and talking tn ether n-?rnnen. ineiuding une cute hlentie whe was: at Lnl?nhet't leuk- niilte who wee staying'nt his hetei." Blake. even hrnneht her to his rerun Nn. ?lth. named The lineeinn ?nite t'nr nn ttienltei- i?neleti The next tiny. {Ititit-i the ?nest. "the wen l?tit?illg its {guest}: at the jnnl] nhuut henking? up with [?nite enyine how a mean he; he urns." Less than after di-_ V?l'Cillg Miranda, Blake line hit reek l-tnitinle sent-ties an}: his; thinking and wenntnieine are at enie levels and they?re afraid fer him. ?Binlte?e partying has gotten ent efeentrel. tie Seems he think it?s he he in ennetnnt drunken state; hut when her; drunk. he makes hurl tieeteiens,? 533's a see tee. "His Friends are terrified that he eenid end up dead at this mte."Adde iihtite ineider: ?Iiit'tiit? needs-t rehnh. It's as simple as that." Blake?s behavior in Mexiee didn't step with the biende. ?Things get Innre anti Inere wild eneh they he n-?ns the he? tei guest. One night, the star, 39: end his: nuts went tn a hunt strip ehth entled thirteen. "'l?hey Were in the tnuetl tn petty! and the}? the." Later that night, t-ilnlte unheated . the hutei with the wmnen. lie- sign them in at tinn ant-inn}? :1 fee in nrtler tn have them there :15 his get-stat since it'nz en nit?incin- eive resnrt. "He was taking turns hissing fresh hettlee of tequila," re mile the. guest- "Then the}r went en te his suite, get inte the t'nh en the hnlennf and did tequila shuts. litnlte wne hissing both girls there heftn?e they went into the fer thenight." Btnke?e drinking and izing? nre what helped torpedo l'D??nu'Bla?e?s Stat-at eatini?is then] while he wanted threngh the hubby enri'ying was the life'ef notes guest who "3 saw him drinking tequ?a his four~year marriage to Miran? da. Once a hard-core drinker her- self, Miranda, 31, toned it down in late 2013. ?She was his drinking buddy until she got into shape and started eating better and cut out the excess booze,? says a source close to Miranda. ?This never sat well with Blake.? Blake is known for being drunk at awards shows and having a private bar set up in his dressing room. One person who knows both Blake and Miranda told In Touch: "Every time I?ve ever hung out with Blake, he?s been drunk,? adding that he drinks to the point where he slurs his words and stumbles. Miranda started videotaping Blake?s drunk? en antics, says another source, ?and would show him the next day how stupid he was when he drank, be- cause he never believed or remembered what he did.? Although post-split headlines claimed Miran- da cheated on Blake, mul- tiple sources insisted it was the other Way around. A Nashville, Tenn., source says that before their July divorce announce- me at, "Miranda caught Blake with a bunch of naked women in their Ten- nessee home one night.? Many of their friends know the truth about "what Blake has gotten up to with the drinking and the women,? adds the Nashville source, ?and privately, many have sided with Miranda.? The origin of Blake?s destruc? tive behavior is heartbreaking. ?He was only 14 when his older brother Richie died in a car acci- dent. When he started drinking as a teenager, it was a town of coping with his brother?s death,? explains the insider. Blake-has called 1the tragic accident "easily the toughest thing. that rye; been through. I put my [?rst] divorce [from Kaynette 3- - Williamsl?sp there with my broth- he said in 2014. ?Blake divorce with alcohol, insider, "so it?s a no? divorcing Miranda was Eve nt that he?s handling sea-seesaw arm'stnenn ?blakeuholwn - an 13 Going out to dinner.. Drunk. utthurtallthetlmepuss Blah! Shanon ?hlakeahl?ton Jan 17 Just spent 2 days ?lming The Voice season Drunk" sr'aon salesmen - Feb 1' Getting ready for the big garnet-l. By drinking, face completely off. - Blake Shelton @blekeahelion . 5'1" I. a I 0k sorry about the Now back to my regularly scheduled drinkan I a" slaw-alarm salesmen are _herje.__and I have for the trim. person that we make 'a'ilduor store run for Let?s same Sixes! . hints-Shelton I 0k I?m here and l. haven't. had a drink in a LONG time. Like 6 We ready to unleashllil Bitch. ti d; I .. v: SUZ?nd-thls in my hotel God help this-?oor tonight. Lyn-'1. In] FROM BUNCH LEFT: QMKESHELTDH (El: SPLASH. Blake?s troubling behavior has only escalated since his split from Miranda. ?She kept Blake grounded. She was his voice of rea? son. But now that he?s single," says the source, ?he?s free-falling to a very bad place. Of course, he?s al- ways liked to drink a lot, but now his alcohol consumption has skyrock- eted. His close friends have talked about an intervention, but it hasn?t happened yet. They need to hurry, because time is running out.? Sadly, Blake doesn?t think he has a problem. In fact, he jokes about his love of alcohol on Twitter all the time (see box) and even adv mits to drinking liquor from a plastic cup while taping The Voice. The type of alcohol he drinks on set ?varies,? a source tells In Touch exclusively, but it?s ?always a mix of some sort. There have been times it was vodka drinks, then Jack Daniel?s. But he does love his Tito?s. It?s made in America.? An industry insider says Blake has been known to down vodka before noon. Adds the Blake insider: "He loves to . COVER CREWECLGEKWJSE FROM MAIN: GETTY: SHASH get hammered and he?ll be the ?rst one to tell you that. He wears his drinking like a badge of honor, but in thelong run, it?s going to kill him.? It?s already causing him to make bad decisions. Says the Source: ?One night he was so obliterated, he uri- nated on a mailbox in public! He Blake?s friends have tried to help him. They?ve told him, ?it?s time to check yourself into a facility} But he won?t listen? wan INSIDER CLOSE TO BLAKE could get himself arrested, not to mention lose respect from his fans and friends. He needs help.? Blake?s public declarations about his love of booze are telling. All eyes will be on Bialte and Miranda who are both up for multiple awards at the Country Music Association Awards on Nov. 4. their first public event since their July divorce. ?Miranda?s been looking amazing and won't have a problem seeing Blake,? says an insider, ?but Blake will want to get a buzz going to deai with seeing Miranda." For co-hosts Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley, the superstars? divorce is fair game. "They will certainly address it.? adds the insider. ?Producers are trying to get Blake and Miranda together onstage. too or else thev'li be the eiephant in the room.? ?That?s a great behavioral indication of alcoholism,? explains addiction expert Doug Thorburn, author offli- coholr?sm and Realities, who hasn?t counseled Blake. The country singer?s rope ated reference to getting drunk "means it?s important to him. It?s also a great way of distracting,? Thorburn adds. ??ddicts are bril- liant at creating distractions, kind of like magicians. Like, 'Watch me joke about drinking, but don?t watch that I?ve got a problem with drinking, how it makes me act badly.? Blake?s friends, colleagues and handlers won?t give up on him and have all urged him to seek help. ?They want him. to take some time out and spend it in rehab,? says a second insider, ?but Blake insists. throwing himself into the new sea- son of The Voice is the best distrac- ti on and all he needs. Ifhe continues on this path, he?s facing an interven- tion. Everyone is praying that Blake can pull himself together and take control of this problem before it?s too late.? I: rams-ace: a. :3-1?1