Spelling Family Feud Rages On

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

08 Aug 2006 12:12 PM

The ugly battle between legendary TV producer Aaron Spelling's wife and daughter is getting even uglier. Since the mogul's death two months ago Candy Spelling and daughter ex-90210 star Tori Spelling have engaged in a highly publicized war of words.

The latest chapter in the bitter dispute involves a special tribute Tori had planned to executive produce and host in memory of her late father. ABC had planned to air the televised memorial this fall, but according to PEOPLE Magazine, Spelling's widow and Tori's mom, Candy has blocked the project.

A source close the project tells PEOPLE: "All of his (Aaron's) stars had signed on and some interviews had already been taped. ... But Candy wouldn't release the clips of his shows because Tori was involved in the project. She had it killed."

A spokesperson for Candy denies the claims, saying instead, "she didn't feel the timing was right ... since the Emmys were doing a big tribute to her husband around the same time."

The Emmy's, which will air on ABC's rival network NBC in September promises to show the clips provided by Candy, who plans to attend the ceremony with son Randy. Noticeably missing from the guest list (at least as part of the Spelling family)... Tori.

This TV tribute brouhaha is just the latest in a long line of nasty incidents that have left the Spelling women at each other's throats. Prior to this there were rumors that Candy refused to allow her daughter to visit her ailing father prior to his death, and most recently the revelation that Tori would be receiving "just" $800,000 of her father's multi-million dollar estate per his will, which some have speculated was altered by her mother prior to Spelling's death.

Personally, all of this wrangling seems both petty and sad. I'm sure much of it is fueled by jealousy, anger, and pride, which leads me to wonder what Aaron Spelling would make of all of it?

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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