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| Sean Parker and wife spat on in public as part of backlash to lavish wedding | Sean Parker and wife spat on in public as part of backlash to lavish wedding |
| (4 months later) | |
| Sean Parker, the billionaire internet investor, suffered such an intense public backlash to his recent lavish wedding in a Californian Redwood grove that he was spat on in the street, he has revealed. | Sean Parker, the billionaire internet investor, suffered such an intense public backlash to his recent lavish wedding in a Californian Redwood grove that he was spat on in the street, he has revealed. |
| Parker's wedding took place on 1 June on privately run land in the Big Sur area of California, but prompted controversy when a local conservation group issued a report saying the ceremony had caused environmental damage. | Parker's wedding took place on 1 June on privately run land in the Big Sur area of California, but prompted controversy when a local conservation group issued a report saying the ceremony had caused environmental damage. |
| Parker, the former president of Facebook and co-founder of Napster, who was played by Justin Timberlake in the film The Social Network, endured a withering amount of press portraying the ceremony as an over-the-top example of Silicon Valley excess. | Parker, the former president of Facebook and co-founder of Napster, who was played by Justin Timberlake in the film The Social Network, endured a withering amount of press portraying the ceremony as an over-the-top example of Silicon Valley excess. |
| In an email to the Guardian, Parker said that the coverage had been unfair, misreported and resulted in public difficulties for him and his new bride, singer Alexandra Lenas. "My wife and I should be happy right now, elated to have been married," Parker said. | In an email to the Guardian, Parker said that the coverage had been unfair, misreported and resulted in public difficulties for him and his new bride, singer Alexandra Lenas. "My wife and I should be happy right now, elated to have been married," Parker said. |
| "Instead we are being spat upon by complete strangers while walking together on the street, cursed at by a waiter in a restaurant who had read bogus media reports about our wedding, and told by complete strangers that we should get our divorce papers ready since our marriage clearly isn't going to last," Parker said. | "Instead we are being spat upon by complete strangers while walking together on the street, cursed at by a waiter in a restaurant who had read bogus media reports about our wedding, and told by complete strangers that we should get our divorce papers ready since our marriage clearly isn't going to last," Parker said. |
| Parker's wedding plans ran into trouble when the California coastal commission issued a report saying that the work he was carrying out on a campsite amid the Redwoods – which included building fake stone walls and a bridge over a pond – was causing some environmental damage. Parker also did not have the necessary permits, though he had worked closely with a local charity in the area as he designed the ceremony, which was attended by some notable Californian political figures. | Parker's wedding plans ran into trouble when the California coastal commission issued a report saying that the work he was carrying out on a campsite amid the Redwoods – which included building fake stone walls and a bridge over a pond – was causing some environmental damage. Parker also did not have the necessary permits, though he had worked closely with a local charity in the area as he designed the ceremony, which was attended by some notable Californian political figures. |
| Parker said that he eventually opened up talks with the CCC and came to an agreement to pay $1m to the commission and a further $1.5m to help build campgrounds for under privileged chlidren. Indeed, that settlement has now actually resulted in the CCC praising Parker's move. | Parker said that he eventually opened up talks with the CCC and came to an agreement to pay $1m to the commission and a further $1.5m to help build campgrounds for under privileged chlidren. Indeed, that settlement has now actually resulted in the CCC praising Parker's move. |
| "Any time we can settle a violation and avoid litigation we consider that a good outcome … the commission does not have the legal authority to fine violators so we must rely on settlement agreements like this to restore damaged resources and fund mitigation efforts," said CCC chairwoman Mary Shallenberger. | "Any time we can settle a violation and avoid litigation we consider that a good outcome … the commission does not have the legal authority to fine violators so we must rely on settlement agreements like this to restore damaged resources and fund mitigation efforts," said CCC chairwoman Mary Shallenberger. |
| Once alerted to the building work going on in the woods, the CCC eventually allowed the wedding to go ahead, though it insisted that all the new structures be taken down as soon as possible. "Our issue was with the development, not the event. If we had thought the wedding itself was going to cause additional harm to the forest, we would have stopped it," said Lisa Haage, the CCC's chief of enforcement. | Once alerted to the building work going on in the woods, the CCC eventually allowed the wedding to go ahead, though it insisted that all the new structures be taken down as soon as possible. "Our issue was with the development, not the event. If we had thought the wedding itself was going to cause additional harm to the forest, we would have stopped it," said Lisa Haage, the CCC's chief of enforcement. |
| At a later hearing about the event, CCC staff thanked Parker for detailing previous violations at the site that had happened before his wedding was held there. | At a later hearing about the event, CCC staff thanked Parker for detailing previous violations at the site that had happened before his wedding was held there. |
| Parker, who cancelled his honeymoon in order to deal with the negative fallout of the wedding press coverage, said that he had been stunned by some reports that had said he had actually built a fake ruined castle in the forest and also put a false $10m price tag on the festivities. | Parker, who cancelled his honeymoon in order to deal with the negative fallout of the wedding press coverage, said that he had been stunned by some reports that had said he had actually built a fake ruined castle in the forest and also put a false $10m price tag on the festivities. |
| "Trying to correct every misconception about me would be a losing battle and I would drive myself crazy trying to do it. This situation is different because it relates to one of the most personal and private of moments in life – my wedding," he said. | "Trying to correct every misconception about me would be a losing battle and I would drive myself crazy trying to do it. This situation is different because it relates to one of the most personal and private of moments in life – my wedding," he said. |
| Parker added: "The ceremony was spiritual, intimate, and private – really only intended for our friends and family. We did not want this media spectacle because we felt it would compromise the very essence of what we were trying to communicate." | Parker added: "The ceremony was spiritual, intimate, and private – really only intended for our friends and family. We did not want this media spectacle because we felt it would compromise the very essence of what we were trying to communicate." |
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