"We need like some name tags with our picture on it, all laminated and what not. I mean, we gotta look legit man. "

Louisiana Film Studios' Wayne Read laminated up some name tags for Uncle Rico.

Houser last year became an enthusiastic promoter of the newly formed film studio project, which operates in a former Winn-Dixie warehouse on a 25-acre site in Jefferson Parish's Elmwood commercial area. Read said Houser and his wife, Kristen Houser, "shared a vision and a real commitment to this film studio and were part of the LFS team." The couple traveled with Read to the Sundance Film Festival in Utah to help spread the word.

Read said he gave the Housers studio business cards and studio e-mail addresses. Those things were unsolicited by the Housers and they did not use them, said Kevin Houser's attorney Rob Couhig.

I like that the Housers had Rob Couhig deny that they ever touched the tainted business cards and email addresses.... particularly the email addresses which we know can cause all sorts of trouble, especially if you bring your Blackberry to Wal-Mart.

Also of note in this article.

The property is owned by developer George Ackel and a family trust controlled by businessman John Georges, which received the money for the purchase option and for rent. Georges said Read has "not been able to perform under our contract."

Georges has a track record of support for the Saints, buying out empty seats to prevent local TV blackouts of games. He said he tried to help resolve the recent problems among the various parties. But the ongoing legal dispute between Read and lawyers representing the Housers has made it difficult to intervene, Georges said. The family trust does not wish to take an active role in the project, Georges said.

"However, there are many parties interested in taking Mr. Read's position if things don't work out," Georges said.

"The property" referred to in this passage is the converted Winn-Dixie warehouse which serves as Read's studio. From a July 4 T-P story, we learned that Read had originally concealed the fact that he was not the actual owner of the property from his investors. The article states that Read had planned to purchase the building from Ackel but, like so many other aspects of the scheme, that didn't quite work out.

So far, in addition to the numerous Saints players and officials, what I am calling the Uncle Rico scandal has turned up the names Rob Couhig, Ron Forman, and John Georges. Two of those names have been thrown around in the early rounds of handicapping the 2010 Mayoral election. Is "Hollywood South" beginning to rival City Hall as a potential free money and patronage factory? This will continue to hold our attention as the lawsuits start piling up and as we get further into campaign and football season.