Brandon Blackstock is denying ‘every allegation’ that his estranged wife, Kelly Clarkson, made in her Oct. 2020 lawsuit. The talent manager is even insisting that Kelly is owed no ‘relief’ in new court documents.
Brandon Blackstock, 44, is fighting back against “each and every allegation” that his estranged wife Kelly Clarkson made, according to court documents filed with the California Labor Commission in Nov. 2020 and obtained by HollywoodLife on Jan. 26. In Oct. 2020, Kelly had accused her ex of defrauding her out of millions, after Brandon and his father Narvel Blackstock‘s Starstruck Management Company accused the talk show host of owing $1.4 million in commissions in a Sept. 2020 lawsuit.
Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock tied the knot in Oct. 2013, but split in June of 2020. (Photo Credit: MEGA)
In her Oct. 2020 filing with the California Labor Commission, Kelly accused her ex and her father-in-law of demanding “unconscionable fees and compensation” for alleged “illegal services” while managing the American Idol champ between 2007-2020. Kelly had argued in her court documents that the son-father duo were allegedly “unlicensed California talent agents.”
However, Brandon believes that his Starstruck Management company does not owe such money to his estranged wife in the new court documents obtained by HollywoodLife. The talent manager insisted that Kelly is not “entitled to any relief whatsoever” and claimed that he and his father are “not subject to regulation” under the Talent Agencies Act since their services were not performed in California, according to the second affirmative defense on page two of his response (see below).
Page 2 of Brandon Blackstock’s response to Kelly Clarkson, filed in Nov. 2020. (Courtesy of California Labor Commission)
Brandon also tried to block Kelly’s petition by claiming that it was too late to make such demands. “The petition is time barred by the one-year statute of limitations pursuant to California Labor Code section 1700.44(c),” read Brandon’s third affirmative defense on page two of the court documents, which you can also view above.
Page three of Brandon Blackstock’s court documents. (Courtesy of California Labor Commission)
On top of this defense, Brandon’s attorney Bryan J. Freedman had previously informed HollywoodLife that Kelly was managed by the Creative Artists Agency (which is based in Los Angeles, CA). “The labor petition conveniently ignores the fact that Kelly had her own licensed talent agency CAA at all times. While Starstruck Management Group provided talent management services on her behalf, it did so at all times that CAA was her agency of record,” Brandon’s attorney wrote in a statement, adding, “It is unfortunate that Kelly is again attempting to avoid paying commissions that are due and owing to Starstruck to try and achieve some perceived advantage in her ongoing custody and divorce proceedings.”
The exes have been locked in a legal battle ever since Kelly filed for divorce over “irreconcilable differences” in June of 2020. This led to a custody battle over their children River Rose, 6, and Remy, 4, which Kelly eventually won with an award of temporary primary custody in Nov. 2020. This meant that the the children would go to live with Kelly in Los Angeles, while Brandon lives in Montana (the judge ordered that he could still get the kids on certain weekends, though). During that same month, Brandon also reportedly requested $436,000 per month in child and spousal support from Kelly, according to People.
Sourse: hollywoodlife.com
