Joe Francis Calls Judge ‘A Judge Gone Wild!”
April 23, 2007

TMZ has up this shot of Joe Francis coming in and out of Federal Court in Panama City, Fla today. Looks like he’s not as proud as he was when he took his mug shot. He got 35 more days due to contempt of court for calling the judge a “judge gone wild!” What was he thinking?!
Blowing his nose and wiping away tears, the multimillionaire founder of the “Girls Gone Wild” video empire pleaded guilty to contempt of court Monday and was sentenced to 35 days in jail.
Joe Francis, who was sued by seven women who were minors when filmed, apologized to the judge for yelling at the plaintiffs during settlement talks.
“I am sorry for my behavior. It was wrong. I had heard about appeals and things and I was confused. I am sorry, I really am,” said Francis, 34.
Francis drew the contempt charge during negotiations to settle the federal lawsuit brought after his production company filmed the women at Panama City Beach in 2003.
Attorneys for the women said Francis, who makes a reported $29 million a year taping topless women for his videos, lost his temper in negotiations and yelled obscenities at them.
U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak ordered Francis to settle the case or go to jail for contempt of court. When talks fell through, Francis lashed out at Smoak in the media, calling him a “judge gone wild” and questioning the judge’s authority to order a settlement.



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