David Gest

David Gest
Born	David Alan Gest
Spouse	Liza Minnelli (2002–2006) (divorced)

David Alan Gest (born May 11, 1953) is an American television personality, TV producer and concert promoter.

Personal life

Gest was born in Los Angeles, California and grew up in Southern California. He became a music producer upon leaving school and was responsible for producing the highest rated musical special in television history in the United States Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration on CBS TV which was seen by around 44 million people, one of every four households in the U.S. He won the NAACP Image Award for his production. Since 1983, Gest has produced specials on Sir Anthony Hopkins, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly, Robert Mitchum, Janet Jackson, Julio Iglesias, Deborah Kerr, Roddy McDowall, Gregory Peck, Kirk Douglas, Jane Wyman, James Stewart, Joel McCrea, Joseph Cotten, Glenn Ford and a host of others. He also produced 'Liza's Back' starring Liza Minnelli in London at The Royal Albert Hall and on Broadway. He has also co-written the theme song for his highly-rated television series This Is David Gest with James Bourne (formerly of the pop group Busted) entitled This Guy is Crazy. The song was recored by his nephews 3T. 3T are the sons of Tito Jackson (and Dee Dee Jackson) of the Jackson Five. He is the first American to have three prime-time television series all on at the same time in the United Kingdom.

He currently resides in Cambridge, England.

Gest was married to actress Liza Minnelli and they divorced through very public and acrimonious proceedings in 2006. Following his divorce, he claimed that he became a "victim of domestic violence" who, as a result of Minnelli's beatings, was in "virtually constant, unrelenting pain" that required "11 prescription medications per day, some more than once." These medications, according to his medical records entered by his lawyer into court evidence during the divorce, include Celexa, Amitriptiline for headaches and Acyclovir. He also takes dosages of botox for "headache relief." According to the New York Post's Dareh Gregorian on July 6, 2005, Minnelli is being sued by her former bodyguard M'Hammed Soumayah with a lawsuit for beating him and sexually assaulting him which in a unanimous decision, a five judge panel of the state Appellate Division denied the Oscar winner's bid to gag M'Hammed Soumayah from talking about any of his claims in his explosive $100 million lawsuit against her and according to Gest's records Minnelli also beat her former bodyguard Imad Handi.

On October 21, 2003, the New York State Supreme Court thew out Gest's 10 million dollar civil lawsuit against Minelli for domestic abuse, as his attorneys were unable to establish that his purported injuries came at the hands of Minnelli. Supreme Court Judge Jane Solomon ruled, the 53-year-old Gest failed to rebut assertions from Minnelli's medical expert that Gest's headaches actually came as a result of him suffering from a type of shingles. Gest's representatives objected and disagreed as Minnelli's doctor had not taken any blood tests or x-rays to even come to that medical conclusion or diagnosis.

Following his divorce, he dated I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! contestant, actress Malandra Burrows, but is currently single.

Aborted MTV Reality Show

On December 12, 2002, nupitals Gest and Minnelli filed a $21 million dollar breach of contract suit against VH1 for shelving an at-home TV reality show about their lives. VH1 filed a countersuit stating that the Gest's "went so far beyond the acceptable bounds of show business eccentricity" doomed the show before it was completed. Gest reportedly repeatedly denied access to Minnelli which Minnelli said was untrue. Gest said these claims were ridiculous as their were many witnesses present. Gest supposedly insisted that VH1 pay for an expensive stylist and fly his hairstylist in from Los Angeles for the months-long shoot. His wardrobe demands were also excessive. Gest denied these charges as totally untrue and said he was contracted for a three day work week which had turned into seven full days. The case was settled in Gest’s favor with Gest owning all of the tapes of the show and all parties dropping their lawsuits.

I'm a Celebrity, Get Me out of Here!

Gest finished in 4th place on the 2006 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! on ITV in the UK and according to John Walsh of The Independent On Sunday became a 'national hero'. His performance on the show included telling very funny stories, tall tales and anecdotes about his career as well as performing a song, "Get Me Outta Here!", with fellow contestant Toby Anstis. It was his bravery and fearlessness that won the hearts of the nation. He lasted twenty of the twenty one days and was evicted from the show on 30 November, 2006.

During his time in the jungle, Gest participated in two "Bush Tucker trials". One trial involved him being shut in a tank that was gradually filled with water, while his feet were chained. While this was occurring, he had to open several compartments to obtain "stars" that would earn his fellow contestants meals. However, when he opened the compartments, Gest was also joined in the tank by various animals, including crocodiles,alligators, sea serpents and spiders. Gest told jokes as he gathered his stars and proved fearless of everything around him. He was the first contestant to win big meals for the other contestants. In the other trial he was joined by winner Matt Willis and Jason Donovan. They had to slide into freezing water and throw a dart at a balloon to burst it to earn each star for the camp.

As more than ten million people watched Gest each night for three weeks in November 2006, Tony Parsons of The Daily Mirror summed it up on November 20 2006, by stating:

There is increasing evidence that appearing on a show like I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! is not a career's death certificate but the kiss of life. David Gest has changed everything.

While on the show Gest told many anecdotes that he claimed were true. These included a tale of a cousin who didn't eat fruit for a week and consequently died, one claiming that he was once forced to survive a week in the Grand Canyon after going exploring there, one about a hotel specifically catering to people with albinism called Albino Heights, one claiming that his father was a fisherman and his mother a nun, and he famously claimed that his maid is called Vaginica Seaman, apparently named after her mother's favorite body part. The charity he supported, Chinese Girls With Herpes (CGWH) also became famous as a result of the show. He returned to England after I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! as a star in his own right, appearing on the Royal Variety Show, meeting Prince Charles and Camilla.

Star Turn

In January 2007, Gest appeared as a special guest as a judge on ITV1's Soapstar Superstar, for one night, replacing Michael Ball who was coaching the singers. In December 2006 he also made guest appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats' and Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

Later that month it was announced that Gest had been signed for a one year deal by ITV1 to appear in his own reality series entitled This is David Gest. The show began on the 22 April 2007. He also took cameras for a glimpse of the Jackson family house in Encino, California, where he met Tito and his children as well as Katherine Jackson. The show attainined number one in the ratings for the time slot for its first two weeks and number two for the next three weeks.

Following this Simon Cowell signed him to star as was one of the four judges on ITV1's entertainment series Grease is the Word which ran for four months as well as the ITV1 series Greased Lightnin'. He hosted The Friday Night Project on Channel 4; Heat Magazine called his appearance on the show one of the best performances by a guest host in the history of the show. He also had a guest appearance on Peter and Jordan: The Baby Diaries.

His autobiography was released earlier in the year entitled Simply the Gest, and is being released in paperback in October 2007. He had planned to tour the U.K. in February 2008 for his one-man show entitled David Gest is Nuts... My Life as a Musical but he postponed it indefinitely after being admitted in December 2007 with chest pains and respiratory problems. Gest's health problems came just days after his ex-wife, Minnelli, collapsed at a concert in Sweden.

He debuted a sneak preview of the show when he hosted 'The Friday Night Project' where he performed with the Little People Of DavidLand and the Chinese Girls With Herpes, both of whom will tour with him as well as the Von Snatch Family Singers and the Tess Tickle Dancers.  The tour will take him to 28 cities and includes special guests K-CI & JOJO, Peabo Bryson, Shalamar, Coolio, Candi Staton, Martha Wash of The Weather Girls, Gloria Gaynor, Patrice Rushen, Deniece Williams & Billy Paul.  

According to Heat Magazine & The Daily Mirror in London, David Gest is mobbed by people wherever he goes. He is also an avid football lover and attends many of Arsenal's games. He is best friends with team member Mathieu Flamini.

In November 2007 Gest returned to Australia as Foxtel Network began airing the 2006 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! (which Gest appeared on) in Australia and New Zealand. Gest also was seen on the UKTV Australia show 'the Singing Office' where he was a judge with Jason Donovan for the finale of the series. Additionally, This is David Gest began airing in September 2007 in Canada on the STAR Channel. David Gest received Loaded LAFTAS' Award for 'Funniest Person In A Reality Series' on the 4 September 2007 before a star studded audience. He made his first appearance in panto on 13 & 14 December 2007 opposite Alfie Allen, Lily Allen, Jamie Winston and Ray Winston when he joined them in A Twisted Carol playing the 'Tranny Granny' for the take-off of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. He received two standing ovations for his performance. The play was a charity benefit for Friends of Portobello. Gest is also making an appearance on the new Channel 4 prime-time show 'Alan Carr's Celebrity Ding Dong' which will air in 2008. He was to star on the 'The Podge and Rodge Show New Year's Eve 2008 Special With David Gest' in Ireland on RTE2 but due to illness Gest could not fly to Ireland.

December 19th 2007: David Gest was rushed to a private London hospital with problems breathing and chest pains and per his doctors instructions was forced to postpone his upcoming concert tour until later in 2008.