Lawsuit: Patti LaBelle threw water at a tot

NEW YORK - R&B diva Patti LaBelle hurled curses — and half a bottle of water — at a woman and her 18-month-old daughter after a dust-up over parenting in an apartment building lobby, according to a lawsuit filed Monday and the family's lawyer.

LaBelle's publicists and lawyer didn't immediately respond to Kevin and Roseanna Monk's lawsuit.

The couple live in a Manhattan building where the Grammy Award-winning singer stayed for a time while appearing in the Broadway musical "Fela!" last year, said the Monks' lawyer, Samuel L. Davis.

He said LaBelle chastised Roseanna Monk for letting the toddler take some steps away from the mother as she grappled with some luggage and a car seat in the building's lobby on the afternoon of Nov. 11, 2010. After Monk scooped up the child and told LaBelle it was none of her business, the singer threw water on them from a bottle she was carrying and then launched into an obscenity-filled tirade, he said.

When the child started wailing, Roseanna Monk made a remark to LaBelle, and the singer charged at her and tried to hit her, Davis said.

The Monks filed a complaint with police; no arrests were made.

The lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, comes five months after a U.S. Military Academy cadet sued LaBelle over a Houston airport scuffle with her bodyguards. He said they attacked him for no reason in March 2010. She countersued the cadet, saying he tried to get into her limousine and was drunk and using racial slurs, which he denied.

Davis said Roseanna Monk had asked LaBelle for an apology and a donation to a children's cancer charity but was rebuffed. The Monks feel "someone's got to teach her even a diva can't attack and frighten and assault regular people in the building," their lawyer said.

LaBelle's singing career has spanned more than four decades, two Grammys and several hits, including the 1974 disco smash "Lady Marmalade."

[Samlv]

And their damages are......... they got wet and upset?

I think there needs to be the possibility of the court imposing fines on people who bring frivolous lawsuits.

[maryderricotte62]

Patti labelle is close to my age and when a elder tells your child is getting away from you, you thank them. Now this chick probably had a nanny that was disrespected and this was tolerated that is why she feels she has to teach a black woman some respect. Well lady those days are gone.

[Martha12345]

Another 1%'er loved by the left.

[jscott418]

I can tell you their are some parents I could throw more then a water bottle at. The kids too. I can only imagine it was about respecting others space. Some Parents don't even want to talk stern to their kids anymore. Says its too negative? Who comes up with this stuff?

[rwsmith29456]

Everything is no big deal and happens everyday except for the cursing and throwing the water bottle. If LaBelle did act this way she should answer for her actions. The only excuse I could see would be if the couple tried to provoke an incident but it doesn't sound like that here. One time in a store I let go of my boy's hand and he took off DIAGONALLY across the store under coatracks etc and it took me a while to catch him. We did use a leash harness not because he was in any way treated like a dog, but because we didn't want him to run away into traffic. I'd rather resort to the leash than have any chance of that and even then it's difficult to hold a child every second and a second is all it takes for them to get away.

[Hutterite]

Celebrity culture, reportage and adulation. This is always my best argument against intelligent design.

[Transatlantique]

I'd like to have seen that one. It probably is true because most of these types end up thinking they are God when they get some money and some fame. She's kind of a has been, she probably knows it, and is looking for publicity.

[dixiedog1944]

Give us some facts. It sounds like Monk is an irresponsible parent that instigated a confrontation that LaBelle responded to in an inappropriate but harmless manner. Put both of them in jail until someone tells the truth! Oh my, she threw water on me ... Please! Put the attorneys in jail also and this will be resolved extremely fast!

[dixiedog1944]

Ps. Is this the best you reporters can do for news? Put you in jail with them so you can come up with some irrelevant "news".