EXCLUSIVE: Kobe Bryant Angers Top Armenian Lawyer Mark Geragos With Turkish Air Deal

Posted on Dec 20, 2010 @ 01:50PM

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Mark Geragos -- the famed lawyer and self-described “100 per cent Armenian dude” -- has denounced Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant for becoming the new celebrity face of Turkish Airlines.

In an exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com, the lifelong fan and luxury box owner at the Staples Center, expressed his outrage over the lucrative endorsement deal.

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Armenian groups and many scholars argue that starting in 1915, Turks committed genocide, when more than a million ethnic Armenians were massacred in the final days of the Ottoman Empire.

"Kobe, as a suite holder, life long Laker fan and 100% Armenian dude, what were you thinking? Kobe must be smoking something," Geragos -- who has represented Michael Jackson, Winona Ryder, Nicole Richie and Chris Brown -- told RadarOnline.com.

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"Kobe should take their money and proclaim it was a Genocide. Kobe should also encourage Congress to vote on House Resolution 252 tomorrow declaring it a Genocide.”

House Resolution 252 is a bill that would call upon the President to ensure the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing and genocide, documented in the United States record, relating to the claims of Armenian Genocide.

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Though Bryant has admitted to never having visited Turkey, the All-Star guard said in a news release, announcing the partnership, that "Turkey is a country rich in natural beauty and thousands of years of cultural history, and I'm proud to partner with Turkish Airlines to bring that majesty to people around the world."

Here’s an interesting fact: Kobe's teammate, Lamar Odom, is married to Khloe Kardashian, who is Armenian. Her reality television sister Kim recently urged her fans to call House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to force a vote on the bill.

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im surprised the k-trash girls weren't asked to stamp their name to this airlines, haha! In ur face trashian girls.

by ashlee
Posted Sun, 12/26/2010 - 1:37pm

Has Geragos ever won any court cases? LMAO

by poppy
Posted Mon, 12/20/2010 - 7:28pm

Kobe does whatever he wants, like raping women who reject him.

by poppy
Posted Mon, 12/20/2010 - 7:25pm

ummmm how is it rape when she had about 8 different "samples" in her?

by christian_sin
Posted Mon, 12/20/2010 - 6:02pm

ummm that wasn't true, lol. he paid her a hefty sum to drop charges.

by poppy
Posted Mon, 12/20/2010 - 7:26pm

Geragos needs to get over it!!!
that was almost 100 years ago.
we don't hold grudges about what happen to us in pearl harbor so they shouldn't either

by mccake
Posted Mon, 12/20/2010 - 5:45pm

How about the woman that Kobe raped? Shouldn't we be outraged about that?

by Popgal1
Posted Mon, 12/20/2010 - 5:23pm

.I can't stand Geragos ever since he defended Scott Peterson who killed his wife and baby...how does he sleep at night?

by earlybird
Posted Mon, 12/20/2010 - 4:57pm

Listen, Mark, Kobe's reputation is lower than crocodile piss anyway, so any endorsement from him for them isn't a plus. Calm down. It's Kobe Bryant - not Mother Theresa.

by Siobhan
Posted Mon, 12/20/2010 - 4:42pm