George Lopez . . . deadbeat?
The highly paid host of TBS’s “Lopez Tonight” has allegedly been welshing for more than a year and a half on $21,000 he owes to Joe Torre‘s Safe at Home Foundation, which helps battered women and their kids.
Lopez, an avid golfer, participated in the charity outing at Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor in Westchester on July 15, 2008, along with Bill Clinton, Mayor Bloomberg, Yogi Berra, Billy Crystal, Bob Gibson, Ron Darling, Joe Girardi and Rudy Giuliani.
As the auction was ending after dinner in the clubhouse, Donald Trump spoke to the club’s executive vice president, Dan Scavino. “Donald said, ‘Let’s raise some more money for Joe’s cause. Why don’t you go up there and auction off a one-year honorary membership to the club?’ ” Scavino told us.
The club’s initiation fee is $300,000, and annual dues are $18,000. Scavino started the bidding at $5,000 and it rose to $20,000. “The guy in front of me was literally taking out his checkbook for the $20,000,” Scavino said. “I was about to say ‘Going once, going twice,’ when I get a bid from the back of the room. It was Lopez,” who upped the ante by $1,000.
While bidders for other prizes paid up immediately, Lopez didn’t, Scavino said. And when he was asked for payment later, he said, “I’ll send you a check.”
To nudge Lopez into paying, Scavino e-mailed him in December, offering to extend the membership through the 2009 season, but never received a reply.
“Several attempts by the foundation have been unsuccessful in getting the money,” a source said. “I think Lopez made that bid just to show off in front of the crowd and to impress Donald Trump.”
Lopez’s spokeswoman insisted, “George’s understanding is that it was paid. George is not a deadbeat. George is very generous.” The foundation had no comment.