D4vd's Lawyers Withdraw From Case

**SPEAKER_1** (0:00)
How do you want to split it? Actually, dinner's on me.

**SPEAKER_2** (0:02)
Okay, big money.

**SPEAKER_1** (0:03)
Well, I got a Venmo balance that I can spend with my Venmo Debit MasterCard, so.

**SPEAKER_2** (0:08)
Well, I Venmo'd you three times last week, so it's kinda on me, actually.

**SPEAKER_1** (0:12)
Yeah, you send it, I spend it.

**SPEAKER_2** (0:13)
Did my money get, like, reincarnated?

**SPEAKER_1** (0:15)
Yeah, it's chicken shawarma. You want it back?

**SPEAKER_2** (0:18)
I can't believe you, like, ate my Venmo.

**SPEAKER_1** (0:21)
Spend your balance instantly with the Venmo Debit Card. No monthly fee or minimum balance. Venmo balance, account required to get a card and use a balance. The Venmo Mastercard is issued by the Bancorp Bank, NA.

**Branson Quirke** (0:38)
Hey, welcome to the TMZ Podcast. I'm Branson Quirke.

**Eric Wilson** (0:41)
I'm Eric Wilson. Happy Monday.

**Branson Quirke** (0:42)
Happy Monday. It's not I mean, I mean, we're about to talk about some very dark stories, obviously, but I hope you had a good weekend.

**Eric Wilson** (0:50)
Pretty good.
Nothing too eventful, you know. Yeah, that's about it.

**Branson Quirke** (0:59)
I know Eric's been trying to read many books lately. He has read a lot of books.

**Eric Wilson** (1:04)
I read 20 books this summer.

**Branson Quirke** (1:05)
20 books, 20 books. I've read one book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, in my whole life.

**Eric Wilson** (1:12)
Jesus.

**Branson Quirke** (1:12)
Cover to cover.

**Eric Wilson** (1:13)
We need up those numbers, baby.

**Branson Quirke** (1:14)
Couldn't even get through Winn-Dixie and all those other books.

**Eric Wilson** (1:17)
Wow. A little yeller. Yeah, 20 books this summer reading.
I know. I'm the LeVar Burton of this office.

**Branson Quirke** (1:22)
I feel like reading is more of a fall thing to do, though, because it's too hot to read.

**Eric Wilson** (1:25)
Yeah, we're definitely getting into fall reading right now.

**Branson Quirke** (1:27)
Okay, well, maybe you can recommend me a book.

**Eric Wilson** (1:29)
Some thrillers, some murder mysteries. You know, it's gonna be fun.

**Branson Quirke** (1:32)
Is there a book I could read that might change my outlook on things, like I need specifically?

**Eric Wilson** (1:37)
I'll think it. I'll give you a rec.

**Branson Quirke** (1:38)
Okay, thank you. Thank you very much. Well, David, he took a big blow today.
His lawyers withdrawing from the case, and now he's gonna be represented by a public defender. We'll get into that, and then Lionel Richie, I was worried about him for a while now, and this is terrifying. He has been hospitalized in the ICU after his St. Louis concert, and we'll get into all those details. That's sad, isn't it?

**Eric Wilson** (2:06)
Yeah.

**Branson Quirke** (2:06)
That is. I never thought I'd have to say that.

**Eric Wilson** (2:08)
I don't know about these legends.

**Branson Quirke** (2:10)
Lionel Richie, man.

**Eric Wilson** (2:11)
I don't know. It feels like we've quickly crossed the threshold of like, oh, I love Lionel Richie. It's like, oh, Lionel Richie is getting old. Oh, Dolly Parton is getting old.

**Branson Quirke** (2:19)
Julie Andrews.

**Eric Wilson** (2:20)
We're losing all our legends here, folks. Vic Van Dyke. It feels like 2016 all over again.

**Branson Quirke** (2:26)
Once Tom Cruise enters his 70s, that's when it's going to be like, we've hit the mark.

**Eric Wilson** (2:32)
It's like every 10 years, there's like a swath of like, deaths that's just like earth shattering to the entertainment industry. And I feel like we're in one of those periods right now. Right. Wishing all of them the best, but you know, we'll get into more detail.

**Branson Quirke** (2:45)
I had a doll, it was a big shock for everybody.
Well, David, so he's back in court today. One of our TMZ people were there, Alexa, keeping us updated. And like I said, he took a big blow. His lawyers have now withdrawn and he's gonna be defended by a public defender taking over. And it's all due to him being, I guess the right word to say is broke. That's what they're saying, indigent.

**Eric Wilson** (3:12)
Well, this is a sign that this is possibly the reason. Lawyers didn't state why they're stepping down and why he's getting a public defender. But this seems, I mean, Blair Burke, one of the lawyers, is one of the most well-known criminal attorneys in the country.
So for her to step away for such a high-profile case, just like kind of in the Nick Reiner situation, it probably goes back to money.

**Branson Quirke** (3:36)
Well, they told the judge today that he's indigent.

**Eric Wilson** (3:41)
Yes, and the judge appointed council because of that.