Sean Penn is suing Lee Daniels for $10 million alleging that Daniels has defamed him. Here’s a quick background:

To promote Empire, Daniels was interviewed recently in The Hollywood Reporter and when asked about Terrence Howard being, um, Terrence Howard, and his history of abusing women, Daniels’s made a point about how Terrence is being unfairly vilified for it when so many high profile white actors have the same sh-t on their resumés:

“(Terrence) ain’t done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn, and all of a sudden he’s some f*ckin’ demon. That’s a sign of the time, of race, of where we are right now in America.”

Since we all know that Sean Penn is the guy LEAST likely to get into a fight at a party, and quite obviously a lifelong pacifist who cries during commercials, he's taking exception to Lee Daniels smearing his reputation. In court documents filed in New York, Sean’s legal team insists that he’s a lover, not a puncher and he’s tired of people judging him on bullsh-t claims:

“As a result of Penn’s status as a public figure, he has for years been the subject of scandalous, scurrilous, and baseless attacks. But Penn, like any citizen, has a right to defend himself and will no longer tolerate the reckless and malicious behavior of others, who seek to aggrandize themselves or their projects at his expense. Accordingly, and because of Daniels’ defamatory statements, Penn brings this action for monetary relief, and to deter Daniels and others from their defamatory actions.” Penn’s lawsuit acknowledges that while he has “had several brushes with the law, Penn (unlike Howard) has never been arrested, much less convicted, for domestic violence, as his ex-wives (including Madonna) would confirm and attest.”

So just because he beats the paps doesn't mean he beats women. And you can’t accuse him of beating women because he’s never been arrested for beating a woman. Because… only men who get arrested and convicted actually beat women? Sure.

Apparently the story about him roughing up Madonna? Click here and here for the internet background on that. I guess that’s total urban legend. Because after all this time they’re still friends, still close. He was at her show in New York the other day, smiling in the VIP section:

Just me or is it weird to see him so… not angry?

At as subsequent show, she mentioned him, in her Desperately Seeking Susan voice, and how after 30 years, he finally appreciates her art:

Our lesson for today then:

Sean Penn is kind and he’s a cuddler. Believe it or he’ll sue the sh-t out of you. 

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