Rocker Manson Accused of Spitting, Blowing Snot on Woman

Marilyn Manson. (AP)
Marilyn Manson. (AP)
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Rocker Manson Accused of Spitting, Blowing Snot on Woman

Marilyn Manson. (AP)
Marilyn Manson. (AP)

Rocker Marilyn Manson approached a videographer at his 2019 concert in New Hampshire and allegedly spit and blew snot on her, according to a police affidavit released Wednesday.

Manson, whose legal name is Brian Hugh Warner, surrendered last month to police in Los Angeles in connection with a 2019 arrest warrant in the case. The allegations were detailed in the affidavit that released along with the criminal complaint in the case.

Manson is charged with two misdemeanor counts of simple assault stemming from an alleged incident on Aug. 19, 2019, at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford. The misdemeanor charges can each result in a jail sentence of less than a year and a $2,000 fine if convicted.

An arraignment hearing on the charges will be scheduled for Sept. 2 at Laconia District Court in New Hampshire.

Manson’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

Susan Fountain, a videographer, was in the venue’s stage pit area at the time of the alleged assault. Her company, Metronome Media, was contracted by the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion for the concert season.

According to the affidavit, Manson approached Fountain the first time, put his face close to the camera and spit a “big lougee” at her. She was struck on both hands with saliva.

Manson allegedly returned a second time, covering one side of his nostril and blowing in Fountain’s direction. Fountain put down her camera and went to the restroom to wash her hands and arms that had Manson’s bodily fluids on them.

Manson also has faced abuse accusations — unrelated to the New Hampshire incident — in recent years. He has denied wrongdoing.

In February, actor Evan Rachel Wood publicly accused Manson, her ex-fiancé, of sexual and other physical abuse, alleging she was “manipulated into submission” during their relationship. Months later, “Game of Thrones” actor Esmé Bianco sued Manson in federal court in Los Angeles, alleging sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

The AP generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted, but Bianco and Wood have spoken publicly.

In 2018, Los Angeles County prosecutors declined to file charges against Manson over allegations of assault, battery and sexual assault dating to 2011, saying they were limited by statutes of limitations and a lack of corroboration. The accuser in that case was identified only as a social acquaintance of Manson.



Netflix Shares Soar on Price Hikes and Record Subscriber Gains

FILED - 14 May 2024, North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne: The word "Netflix" shines brightly at the presentation of one of its series. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
FILED - 14 May 2024, North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne: The word "Netflix" shines brightly at the presentation of one of its series. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
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Netflix Shares Soar on Price Hikes and Record Subscriber Gains

FILED - 14 May 2024, North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne: The word "Netflix" shines brightly at the presentation of one of its series. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa
FILED - 14 May 2024, North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne: The word "Netflix" shines brightly at the presentation of one of its series. Photo: Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa

Netflix reaffirmed its dominance of the streaming video market on Tuesday, as its mixture of live sporting events, popular returning series - and singular moments, such as a football halftime performance by Beyonce - helped attract a record number of subscribers over the holiday quarter.
The company added 18.9 million subscribers in its fourth quarter to bring its total global subscriber base to nearly 302 million customers - a number that dwarfs its Hollywood streaming rivals, Reuters reported.
Netflix sought to capitalize on its galloping popularity by raising prices in the US, Canada, Portugal and Argentina as it spends more on programming. In the US, the company's ad-supported service will cost $7.99 a month, up from $6.99, while the premium package will cost $24.99, up 9% from existing pricing.

Investors reacted enthusiastically to the results, sending Netflix's stock surging about 13% in extended trade, lifting its stock market value by almost $50 billion. Over the last year, Netflix shares have gained more than 77%, outpacing the S&P 500's 24% rise.

"Netflix reaffirms its leadership position and is absolutely running away in the streaming market," said Paolo Pescatore of PP Foresight. "It is now flexing its muscles by adjusting prices given its far stronger and diversified programming slate compared to rivals."

The company said its fourth-quarter programming slate surpassed its own expectations, with viewers bingeing on the second season of its dystopian survival thriller "Squid Game," which the company said is on track to become one of its most-watched original series.
Netflix's deepening investment in live-streamed events is drawing tens of millions of viewers. The heavyweight boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson in November attracted 65 million streams. The two National Football League games on Christmas Day, one featuring Beyonce's halftime performance, brought in an average of 30 million global viewers, ranking among the most-streamed competitions in league history.
“To state the obvious, it’s content that drives users to streaming services," said Forrester Research Director Mike Proulx. "With the biggest bump in subscribers ever, Netflix’s attention to quality content is the reason for an overall strong year and fourth quarter."
Netflix said it has shaken off the impacts of COVID-19 and the 2023 Hollywood writers' and actors' strikes, and is delivering returning seasons of its most popular shows, including the Addams Family series "Wednesday," and the supernatural "Stranger Things."
It will also broadcast more live events, including weekly installments of WWE "Monday Night Raw" wrestling. It secured the rights for the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2027 and 2031, a deal which it says illustrates its strategy to deliver special-events programming, rather than regular season sports packages.
Such live events are attractive to advertisers, because they draw audiences that watch in real time.
"We exceeded our ads revenue target in the fourth quarter," said Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters, adding, "We doubled our ads revenue year over year last year. We expect to double it again this year."
The company said the ad-supported version of its service accounts for 55% of its new sign-ups in countries where it is available.
Macquarie Equity Research analyst Tim Nollen predicted that ad revenue will increase to $2 billion this year, as more people sign up for the company's advertising-supported tier and Netflix's advertising technology matures. Live events will continue to drive sign-ups, he wrote in an investor note published prior to Netflix's earnings report.
This quarter will also mark the last time Netflix reports subscriber additions, as the company emphasizes other performance metrics including revenue and profit - a change analysts attribute to slowing subscriber growth.
The company reported per-share earnings of $4.27, beating Wall Street's forecast of $4.20 per share, according to an average of projections from 34 analysts. Annual operating income exceeded $10 billion for the first time in the company's history.
Revenue rose 16% over the same time a year ago, to $10.2 billion, compared with Wall Street's estimates of $10.1 billion for the quarter, according to LSEG. The jump in subscribers in the quarter did not create a similar spike in revenue because sign-ups occurred throughout the quarter, said one person familiar with the matter.
The company revised its guidance, projecting revenue of $43.5 billion to $44.5 billion in 2025, an increase of a half-billion dollars over the prior forecast. The updated guidance reflects improved business fundamentals, the company said.
Netflix's board also approved an incremental $15 billion to repurchase shares, which brings the total buyback authorization to $17.1 billion.