When the going gets rough, the famous hide out. From farmhouses to rehab, here's a look at where celebs amid scandal have gone into hiding.
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Fred Willard
Fred Willard's alleged lewd conduct at Hollywood's X-rated Tiki Theatre Wednesday night was controversial for sure, but was it a fireable offense?
PBS seemed to thinks so. The network announced Thursday that "given the unfortunate news reported today," Willard had lost his job as the narrator of the new "Market Warriors" series effective immediately.
But Tiki Theatre manager Kazi Jafor sees things a little differently. As far as Jafor's concerned, the 72-year-old actor did nothing wrong.
"Police officers arrested him suspiciously," Jafor tells E! News. "I did not see anything."
Jafor said police checks range from three to four times per day to once a week, and around 23 or 24 people have been arrested at his location. "Business has gone down," he said. "Customers do not come. They are too nervous to come here."
According to Jafor, who has never seen any of Willard's films, the actor walked in just after 7 p.m. Wednesday and it was "the first time I've ever seen him before." Per Jafor, Willard paid for a ticket to see a rotation of three movies that were playing that evening: "Follow Me 2," a parody of "The Client List" and "Step Dad." The manager says there were only four people in the theatre during this time.
Willard, who was booked and released later on his own recognizance, is best known for his work in "Best in Show," "This Is Spinal Tap," "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and "Waiting for Guffman." Mark L. Wahlberg (host of "Antiques Roadshow," not the former underwear model) will re-voice Willard's episode of "Market Warriors."
Meanwhile, Willard still has a starring role in ABC's "Trust Us With Your Life" (all the episodes have been shot and ABC says there are no current plans to shelve them) and, per IMDb, will be appearing next in the suddenly unfortunately titled film The Yank.
--Additional reporting by James Sullivan
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Fred Willard
Update, 4:53 p.m.: Actor Fred Willard's attorney, Paul Takakjian, told TMZ on Thursday that, "With all due respect to the individual officer, our belief is that Fred did nothing in any violation of any law. We will be working vigorously to clear his name in this matter."
Original story: Actor Fred Willard was arrested on suspicion of engaging in a lewd act at an adult theater, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.
Uniformed officers arrested Willard Wednesday night at the Tiki Theater on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood, police told the newspaper. The actor was booked and released on his own recognizance, police Sgt. Chuck Slater told the paper.
While the Los Angeles Times reports Willard's age as 72, TMZ.com says he is 78. A website for his high school, the Kentucky Military Institute, would seem to indicate that 78 is accurate, as it lists Willard as a member of the class of 1951.
According to TMZ, the theater was showing three movies, "Follow Me 2," a XXX parody of "The Client List," and "Step Dad No. 2."
Willard received three Emmy nominations for his role as Ray's brother's father-in-law on "Everybody Loves Raymond" and one for his role on "Modern Family." He is also known for his roles in Christopher Guest films, including "Best in Show" and "A Mighty Wind."
Willard currently hosts a comedy improv and talk show on ABC, "Trust Us With Your Life."
Internet punsters have been merrily pointing out that Willard is reportedly scheduled to star in a small film ironically titled "The Yank," a romantic comedy set in Ireland.
Comedian Paul Reubens, creator of Pee-wee Herman, was famously arrested in 1991 in an adult theater. CBS stopped airing Reubens' show after the arrest and ensuing controversy, but public sympathy fell heavily with the comic, who received a standing ovation for poking fun at the arrest at that year's MTV Video Music Awards.
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