Marie sues Expressen
Written by tevensso on February 28, 2003 to Marie Fredriksson.
STOCKHOLM - 
Marie Fredriksson is not satisfied with the apology the tabloid Expressen published last Monday. Therefore, she will now start a legal process against Expressen.
“She is very angry about the treatment she’s got from Expressen,” her laywer Leif Silbersky says.
To win this case Silbersky will summon doctors who can testify that the information published by Expressen January 31st, is totally faulty. “Expressen won’t get away with this simple apology. We want this tried on two levels now.” Silbersky says to Aftonbladet. One thing is filing a complaint with the press ombudsman, for ethical reasons. Part two is a formal lawsuit in about a week. As reported earlier, they will demand 500,000 Swedish kronor in damages, which will go to the Cancer Fund.
“If Expressen is convicted, we will demand that the sentence is published by Expressen,” Silbersky states.
(Big-little-girl contributed to this article.)
(The news bill to the right says “MARIE Fredriksson FIGHTS NEW lump that is believed to be TUMOR!”)
- Aftonbladet’s article (In Swedish)
Other articles with the same topic
- Marie to perform at Citytunneln inauguration (October 27, 2010)
- Marie pushes Roxette into prestigious Australian Countdown! (December 1, 2009)
- Marie Fredriksson turns 51 (May 31, 2009)
- Roxette reunion special to air on Nordic Rox; Marie special on Swedish P4 (May 28, 2009)
- Marie joins Per and band on stage in Amsterdam (May 7, 2009)
67 comments
animalkingdom said on February 28, 2003 09:32:
Hooray!!
Here in Finland there are also two of these big tabloids: One (Ilta-Sanomat) follows what Aftonbladet has written and the other (Ilta-Lehti) what Expressen has published.
Biene20578 said on February 28, 2003 10:45:
I‘m so glad to see her fighting! I think that‘s a good sign!
Let us evidence Expressen how miserable they are!!!!!
Jud (moderator) said on February 28, 2003 12:09:
what the.. i hadnt seen the real cover of the newspaper that day >:[ - and their appologise was almost hidden, go Marie go!
As Efva Attling said some days ago: “FÖRLÅT IGEN MARIE” in big letters is what I want to see published there!
PeterGm said on February 28, 2003 14:28:
[I have reread this and thopught that yes it was a bit too harsh and that this rewritten message fits better...]
IF I [meaning me being them, and NOT me as who I am now] were Expressen I would pay 500.000 SEK BUT I would officially convey Marie to pay another 500.000 SEK donation to the same Cancer fund. To see how willing she is to donate money freely...
Actually....how much would Marie donate IF Expressen doesn’t pay? Would she pay even if Expressen gets its way?
Is it worth going into sueing when actually an apology was enough? In a way (and this is general talk....this proves that money always talks first and Expressen might only respond to money]. But nevertheless, isn’t a public apology enough? Does this lead anywhere other than confusing everybody?
Of course fans approve. But others may think that this is a very selfish attitude leaded by Leif. Maybe it is because I haven’t had the opportunity of demanding such an amount... however... and as i have said beforehand; does this donation depend entirely on Expressens pocket or would the Cancer Foundation still get a 500.000 SEK donation from Marie IF Expressen doesn’t pay?
Biene20578 said on February 28, 2003 15:42:
Hello PeterGM!
Did You ever think about how Marie could have felt when reading this headline in Expressen? How it is to live with the fear that the tumor has spread? And then You read such an articel which speculates with it. What would You feel? Were it good for Your psyche and helpful to become healthy? Would then an apology be enough for You...of an newspaper that only wanted to earn money with this headline?
Thats no question if Marie would donate the money of her own pocket. (Even I think she has donated much more than 500.000SEK in the last years to such beneficent organisations!!!). Its a question if it is right that a newspaper makes profit on cost of another person. It´s about ethics and moral.
Roxfever said on February 28, 2003 19:47:
@PeterGm, I said that somewhere else before, we should’t care about the amount that much. Take it symbolicly The whole thing here is about Marie’s dignity. The only way, unfortunately, is to have them pay for what they did. It would be great if they really regreted what they did but Expressen will never regret it simply because they are Expressen and love their money more than anything else. They apologied but they didn’t mean it. Someone suggested boycotting Expressen. This would hurt them most but it won’t work. For Expressen it is money that counts for Marie it is her dignity. No amout of money will be an excuse but each Cent they will have to pay will hurt them more than losing their own dignity(they don’t have any anyway). That’s so sad but it seems to be true.
Asking Marie to pay the same amout of money? Do You know that she has never denoted any money? No, right? I think Marie is NOT a person who has tell the whole world when she donates sth, just for publicity. She can do this without telling anybody about it. Donations come from the heart! Look into her eyes you’ll see what it looks like in Marie’s heart!
Ferdan said on February 28, 2003 19:51:
peter, you’re clueless about life.
Do you think she has any obligation to donate that money?.. do you think if she wins this case that money simple belongs to her. It’s her money. It is no Expressen’s money anymore. No one has any obligation to do charity even if having millions and millions.
So what would you say if she keeps that money for her?
————–
And yeh, i don’t think that is a lot of money for Expressen, but it has a high symbolic value, if they give that money... they lose more than money, credibility, and more.
—————
anyway, at least here in my country.... the asked sum of money can be reaised by the court if they feel it should be higher ’cos of the damage done by the defending part... is it like that in sweden too?
Sparvogamarie said on February 28, 2003 20:37:
Peter, you must have real problems to talk like that. Of course Marie would donate the money, and she has been supporting other charities for years. Who are you to question her??? The poor woman has been through a shocking time since September, and then this newspaper prints lies that upset her whole family...and all you care about is how much money she has and what she does with it??? She is a human being with feelings, and she deserves much better than the sh*t that is being written about her. Now the fans are joining in, that’s really sad.
Sparvogamarie said on February 28, 2003 21:00:
I just want to add another comment - yes, Expressen printed an apology (although a very tiny one, when Marie clearly asked for a front page headline.) But it is important that she sues them because she must show them that they CAN’T write these lies and get away with it. They didn’t say something stupid like she is sleeping with Per, they said she has BREAST CANCER!! Try to imagine how you would feel if someone wanted you to have cancer just so they could make money from it. Imagine if you had to read that about your mother or sister.
If she doesn’t sue, then there is nothing to stop Expressen from writing this trash about her or other people. If they have to pay (and it is NOT a lot of money that she is asking for, other celebrities have sued for millions) then maybe they will think twice the next time they want to invent a story. It’s important that Marie stands up for her rights.
And as for what she does if she wins....if she wants to donate the money, great. If she wants to keep it and build a bigger swimming pool, or more shoes - then THAT’S HER CHOICE!!!!! It’s none of your damn business.
I think you are a sick person to question her ethics at a time like this Peter, and the others who agreed with him.
Jud (moderator) said on February 28, 2003 21:18:
this won’t stop Expressen from publishing crap anyway... sure they may leave Marie alone, but then will come some other famous person.
Eva Dahlgren had an issue with “Se och hör” and even if the Editor in Chief apologised to Eva and Eva and Efva sued the magazine, they have gone on publishing crap - well, sure they have left them alone, but the victims are other ppl now.
So as long as there is ppl buying this crap - they will keep on publishing it.
Besides thinking that everybody has his/her right to express his/her opinion and since I have already discussed this issue with Peter via MSN :P and not for expressing his ideas, thoughts whatever he is less of a fan or he is having no clue about life, what I don’t really understand is why in the beginning it was said that “either Expressen apologises OR pays the half milion crowns” (somewhere it was even said that if they apologized, they needn’t pay the money) and now suddenly “It was Marie’s intention to sue from the beginning”.
Sure this lawyer advices Marie to sue, this means more hours he will spend in the case = more money for him ;)
Bibi said on February 28, 2003 21:50:
@ PeterGm:
I read your comment and I have to say that I am shocked because there seem to be people who have no feeling for what is right and what is wrong.... And it was definitely wrong to write such a bullshit about Marie and I have absolutely no understanding for it that you defend Expressen and attack Marie!
Since 11th September Marie goes through a very difficult time and also her family goes through it. She has pains, worries and fears and probably she and her family were many times scared that she has to die. Cancer is not a flue, it’s a serious illness! You should think about her and her family’s feelings before you judge Marie!
Please imagine how you would feel if YOUR mother had cancer and if YOUR mother had to fight to survive and if YOUR mother needed chemotherapy and if YOUR family had to go through such a difficult period!!! I doubt that you were happy if the press was writing such articles about your mother...! All of us know that Marie gets support from a psychologist - guess why! Because she feels so fine??? Because the situation is easy to bear for her??? Do you have any idea what it means for the children to see her mother in this condition? Before you write next time comments like the one above you should think about what you are writing there!!! Marie doesn’t want to earn money when she sues Expressen, all she wants is that they treat her and her family with RESPECT! Do you know what respect means??? It doesn’t mean anyway that you spread lies about a person who is in this situation!!! Expressen wanted to earn money with her illness, with her fade and they overcame the limit! And now they have to pay for it...! It’s absolutely right in my own NOT humble opinion!!! As Biene said: IT’S A QUESTION OF MORAL!!! And I also wanna support Sparvöga: Marie donates money!!! She gavea lot of money to institutions who are searching for possibilities to stop parkinson, another serious illness! Moreover she once said that she doesn’t want to speak about all the things she does to help others because it is more important to do something than to talk a lot about what you want to do!!! Maybe you should read more about Marie before you judge her ...!
Fernandinha said on February 28, 2003 22:04:
Hey PeterGM I’m feigning I didn’t read what you wrote. It’s a so selfish comment that I have no words to say.
I think you still didn’t understand what Marie sofrered. Please respect her!
People don’t have to speak anybody when they want to donate some money. It calls charity. Do you now the meaning of this word???
Where are you from?? Maybe you need to visity some country with problems or to go to a cancer treatment center. I’m sure you will change your mind.
I think you are right Marie. If you do this they will never do it again with nobody. People have to learn to respect the others.
Fernanda - Brasil
Sparvogamarie said on February 28, 2003 22:05:
@ Jud (not fighting with you honey ;) ) : as far as I’m aware, the article said she wanted an apology AND the money. I could be wrong, but the Daily Rox article said she wanted both from the beginning.
Peters words are just inflammatory crap. I know he loves flame wars, and so do I, but to write this stuff about an extrememely ill woman is just heartless. I have also criticized Marie myself in the past for her charity work (she often promises to appear at charity events then cancels at the last minute) - but to talk about her when she is ill is just plain cruel. Sure people are entitled to opinions, but show a little respect. Also in this case Peter clearly has no idea what he is talking about - how would he know if she donates or not? If you are going to slam her, at least get your facts straight.
Ferdan said on February 28, 2003 22:12:
If her lawyer said she wanted to sue from the begining, maybe she was adviced to ask for an apology in the first page headlines... or ask directly for the money to avoid the lawsuit, and that’s why she didn’t sue from a start.
Hotblooded said on February 28, 2003 22:15:
I think Marie was hurt deeply by their article and it came at a time where she was and perhaps still is fearing for her life, we can have no idea what it feels like to wake up and read a headline like that!
Like Sparvoga said if it was silly rumours about sex or a fight with someone fair enough but to tell the world her cancer has spread at such a delicate time in the proccess for Marie is plain heartless and they deserve everything they are getting. It may not stop them Judith but I hope it makes them suffer like it made Marie suffer!
And how can so many of you speculate that Marie isn’t giving any money to charity she doesn’t have to make a song and dance about it like some other stars so they can get publicity, she does it from the heart!
Jud (moderator) said on February 28, 2003 22:22:
mm I paste the translation from an article that’s a bit below this one:
“Marie intends to sue Expressen, but if she gets a public apology on the front page and on the news bills, the newspaper can avoid a trial. She wants 500,000 kronor ($60,000) in damages, plus legal fees.”
It says “BUT if she gets a public apology ... AVOID the trial” so I understood with this that a public apology would be enough, I have read this in some other newspaper - in Swedish - too...and other fans I have chatted with understood the same thing.
Ok, the apology was not exactly in big letters - but well, it was in front page ...
So I have to say just what i said before, i was a bit shocked to see that the lawyer changed a bit the whole thing.
I am NOT saying that Marie (or any other artist) should not sue such tabloid, I kinda hate them, so I am happy when they have to pay and all this.
Just that when I read that the “apology was not enough” I thought “HUH? wasn’t that the “deal”?” and then this “it was her intention from the beginning” i thought “gosh, now Expressen will have another reason to publish another article with more crap about Marie with a headline saying “marie doesnt keep her promises” or sth similar.
Anyway, let’s see what happens.
Jud (moderator) said on February 28, 2003 22:27:
do you think that such people who is behind such tabloids have heart enough as to SUFFER? I don’t think so. ;)
Sparvogamarie said on February 28, 2003 22:29:
I could imagine Marie wanted to sue but they tried to avoid it because she was ill and it would be very stressful for her to go to court. I think Expressen are counting on that. Even if the lawyer is pushing her to sue, Marie can make her own decisions and also Micke if she is not in her right mind while she is sick.
Also to the person who said Marie got her treatment immediately while others wait - remember also that she has a brain tumour and they have to be operated on very quickly. Other cancers grow more slowly and you have more time. I am 100% sure that Marie’s money has helped her - she probably does get better treatment than poor people. But that is the Swedish government’s fault, not hers!!! Should she sit for 6 months and wait for treatment because you don’t want her to use her money???
I think there are some really jealous and small people here who can’t stand it that Marie has money and they don’t. She earned that money herself and she worked damn hard for it. And like Bibi said, she donates but she believes you shouldn’t brag about it. She really supported Amnesty International and Parkinsons Disease, and she’s talked about helping environmental projects. Give the woman a break, you have no idea what she does when you’re not looking.
Sparvogamarie said on February 28, 2003 22:44:
@Jud: Oh right, my understanding was she wants the apology and the money as an out of court settlement, and if she doesn’t get them then she will sue. You can interpret that article both ways I guess.
daniel_alv said on March 1, 2003 00:14:
i support you marie.... it’s a shame that they write that just to sell more copies!
daniel_alv said on March 1, 2003 00:17:
Sparvogamarie i think you are right.... she wont sue them if they give 500000SEK to the cancerfundation and publishes the apologys.... and if they don’t she’ll sue them to get it...
ted_roxette said on March 1, 2003 08:43:
I suport you Marie its really bad that media can write lies and make stories just to sell more copies and earn more $$$ or SEK incase its in Sweden
PeterGm said on March 1, 2003 11:08:
@everyone :)
1) I am a fan.
2) I DO understand why there should and is a demand... and I agree...
3) all i meant is that Marie and Silbersky originally asked for an apology, and NOW they’re saying that it is not enough! C’mon, they asked for one and they got it!
Of course marie must’ve felt very bad when reading that, but then again, now all Sweden knows the truth, so she should feel much better.
And about the donation: ok, Per says that donations are something personal but sometimes I think public people should be seen donating money so that the rest of us see that they aren’t that greedy... I’m just trying to see who is moving all of this around... marie or the lawyer who may actually be looking for his own benefit and promotion.
Who said I liked Expressen? I don’t care. i prefer Aftonbladet, but after all, I’m Spanish and I don’t care. It is obvious that Afton is far better than Expressen, but that is not my point. My point is: “will Marie donate in her own name out of her own pocket another 500.000 SEK? Or is she just fishing for easy 500.000 SEK from another pocket to then donate in her name?
Been re-reading some of the comments (some very interesting).
@Anonymous with cancer: no, I don’t have cancer but, my grandfather died of cancer, a very young friend of mine (14) was treated like Marie has. This year a close friend died of Cancer (23)...
I don’t have problems with life, I am happy and I support Marie...etc.etc..
Someone mentioned Marie has donated a lot of money throughout all of these years...is this public? Is it a fact or just an opinion?
Hey...I’m not active in here, i just come in seldomly and comment very little (look at my profile)... so not into flame wars...
So, once again: I’m not defending Expressen or accusing Marie for God’s sake.... I’m talking about what they asked for from the very beginning (an apology and 500000, but i don’t know where I read that it was only the apology they wanted). Silbersky....
Easy.
PS: “Anonymous” people, please log on!
tevensso (moderator) said on March 1, 2003 11:23:
All: Marie asked for a public apology AND 500,000 to the cancer fund, ELSE she would sue. So the demands were not met so now she may sue. We don’t know yet, what she will sue for, more money or not?
PeterGm said on March 1, 2003 16:02:
@Anonymous.... erm...you’re right there! I CLEAN forgot!! oops...
Anyway... it was a way of looking at it... I want to be able to see things right through. And criticism is great as long as you learn from it. In this case, I believe maybe Marie has been pushed a bit too hard by both Expressen and the lawyer :)
Anyway...Marie will win...
Roxfever said on March 1, 2003 16:14:
She seemst to want an apology + the money. They haven’t paid, have they? I don’t know. And that so-called apology they published, hey, these are letters with no meaning. if they write sth. like that they should at least try to convince the readers that they really mean it. But they didn’t even try. they just wrote it because they had to. but what Marie wants is a real apology, not bullsh*t. In Germany it’s carnival-time at the moment. They should have come here and give it as a carnival-speech!
daniel_alv said on March 1, 2003 16:36:
PeterGm >>> No, they asked for an apology on the front page and on the newsbill and 500000SEK
and they only got a little notive on the front page so far
Bibi said on March 1, 2003 16:54:
@ Peter: Yes it is public that she donated money! It is written in one of the Swedish articles (“Med hjälp av terapi och Micke...”) that you can find on my site http://marie-fredriksson.tripod.com ! If you look at the section with the quotes you will also find what she said about donating money... !
Resi said on March 1, 2003 17:08:
@PeterGM
(You wrote:)
> My point is: “will Marie donate in her own name out
> of her own pocket another 500.000 SEK? Or is she just
> fishing for easy 500.000 SEK from another pocket to then
> donate in her name?
I wonder why you are thinking about such a question.
I cannot look into Marie´s or Silversky´s mind (or whatever he´s called) but for sure she/they do not want to “fish for easy 500.000 SEK”. All Marie wants is to have an apology of expressen and to “hurt” them a bit by forcing them to donate money. I dont´t think 500.000 SEK really hurt Expressen, but anyway...
However, I think Marie has enough money so that she really does not need to “fish for easy money” from Expressen or anybody else to donate it in her own name afterwards.
As someone already said - it´s more symbolic and actually the amount is not that important.
And what Marie will do afterwards - if she will donate another 500.000 SEK or less or more or nothing at all or to someone else - this is really Marie´s matter and not a matter of any of us.
Bibi said on March 1, 2003 20:47:
@ anonymous: right: it didn’t only hurt Marie and her family and friends, it also hurted US!!!
PeterGm said on March 1, 2003 20:58:
@Resi:
Hmm...maybe it was not the right moment to start a thread on this “money” biz. Cos yes, actually Marie’s health and humanity are in the middle and it is quite difficult to get through with such heavy arguments.
Yes, Marie has a lot of money, and yes she donates (maybe more than I was aware of, which actually makes me feel even better and more admiration towards her (-and Per-) as a person).
It was maybe the fact that I don’t understand IN GENERAL terms (not related to this case, but any), how money can solve this kind of problems... how this amount is valued etc etc... anyway...
I’m sure those who saw my point of view understood what I tried to say...and others maybe looking at it from a totally different point of view didn’t help to see what i meant. And I understand that too. It is a very delicate topic.
But no. I wasn’t ’attaking’ Marie, or fans...boy you’ve got to be careful ’in here’ ;)
Sparvogamarie said on March 1, 2003 21:24:
@Peter: I think the point was:
a) Your comments were a little insensitive considering you are talking about a woman who is fighting for her life, and -
b) You clearly made a judgment on Marie that has no merit - it sure sounds like you are trying to say that she only wants to sue because she doesn’t want to donate out of her own pocket. Your comment makes it sound like she is a greedy woman who thinks only of money, whether you intended it that way or not. I don’t think the lawyers have pushed her into anything - hurtful lies were written about her, and she wants justice. Simple as that.
Sparvogamarie said on March 2, 2003 01:59:
Just want to add a few more of Marie’s charity works....she sponsored a little boy in Pakistan, she supported Greenpeace, and she was involved in getting schools built in South America. And she didn’t go “fishing in someone else’s pocket” for the money.
Ferdan said on March 2, 2003 03:12:
Marie asked for a BIG FRONTPAGE HEADLINE apology... did she get that?.. no just tiny lines... so it was time to sue.
What so diffficult in that?
tevensso (moderator) said on March 2, 2003 10:08:
AND she sponsors a local soccer team in Östra Ljungby! Ha ha! The jerseys look so cool, they have her autograph on the back!
Roxeanne said on March 2, 2003 11:53:
and she supports AI, as it is written in every single rox-cd.
how the hell can you people judge about marie doing a good charity or not???!!!?????
btw: when and in what reference did eva attling say this “förla°t igen”-thing???
vivien said on March 2, 2003 13:10:
@Roxeanne
They(Eva&Efva )were asked by Expressen on the premier of a swedish film ,”Paradiset “what would they like to see on the cover of Expressen.They answered”Förlåt igen Marie Fredriksson”.
I am sure Expressen didn ’t like it.... :) There was a smal Expressen cover with those headlines too.
I liked it a lot. ( I have no scanner so I can’t scan it.)
PeterGm said on March 2, 2003 14:57:
yes, i judged cos there isn’t tha much publicity about it...
I am a fan, so these things I should know, right? If I don’t is because there is a lack of news about it.
Now I know, I want to apologize... but that’s it... no more fuss about it...
Roxfever said on March 2, 2003 17:24:
What’s “Förlat igen Marie Fredrikkson” in English?
(I don’t have this Swedish a, so excuse me for the spelling)
Jud (moderator) said on March 2, 2003 19:49:
“We are sorry (again) Marie” meaning that they wanted to see abig headline on front page i guess :P
Efva was interviewed on SVT1 some days ago too and she talked about Marie and how much she (Efva) hates Expressen meaning she is also angry with the “great” article Expressen published about one of her best friends (Marie).
Belindalerox said on March 3, 2003 14:03:
Peter....
How dare you question Marie????? You have no right to say what you are saying about her since you are not in such a situation as what she is!!!!
I think what Marie has done is only right and just, and I am sure that she would GLADLY donate the money to the Cancer Foundation, but then again, if you where a fan you would KNOW that allready, without even having to think about it!!!!!
Belinda
Edited. //TEV
Jud (moderator) said on March 3, 2003 14:14:
my question is: who says what is to be a fan and what is not? ;)
From_a_heart_to... said on March 4, 2003 19:11:
Hard stuff such a process because the lawyer will use medical details which probably Marie will not to be published!
I hope it will not be stressful to Marie.
Good luck!
PeterGm said on March 5, 2003 00:20:
Being a fan doesn’t mean I agree with all MF and PG do. Doesn’t mean I know them. Doesn’t mean I know how they think or act. Maybe in Per’s case, but definitely not in Marie’s. They are strangers as far as I can see...all I know is their public side of their personalities...
Sparvogamarie said on March 5, 2003 07:11:
Being a fan doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything they do. But there is a difference between disagreeing with something and the speculations Peter made. I mean, accusing a sick woman of suing just so she can go “fishing in someone else’s pocket” to donate in her own name”?? But Peter did apologise, so I guess that’s the end of it.
onlywhenidream said on February 28, 2003 09:20:
Once again - kick ass Marie!