Refugee status hopeful Randy Quaid (Image: James Jeffrey)
Sometimes famous people do crazy things, and sometimes they do it in Canada; when that happens, we’ll be there to slap on a pair of handcuffs and give them an immigration hearing! Such was the order of events for actor Randy Quaid and his wife, Evi, who were detained in Vancouver last Thursday after local authorities learned of outstanding American warrants for their arrest.
The Quaids are wanted for charges related to squatting in a home they formally owned, the latest in a series of legal and financial blunders for the troubled actor and his wife. Quaid filed for bankruptcy in 2000, and though his career momentarily resurged thanks to his performance in 2005′s Brokeback Mountain, he was eventually banned from the Actors Equity Union in 2008 due to claims he’d physically and verbally abused other actors.
Now, a non-crazy person would probably go home and face the music, but this couple is anything but not-crazy. Instead, Randy and Evi have applied for refugee status in Canada, claiming their lives are in danger from “Hollywood star whackers.” The couple claims that eight of their famous friends have been murdered, including actors David Carradine and Heath Ledger. For added lunacy emphasis, they scrawled these claims on a piece of lined loose-leaf paper, which their lawyer held up to the media.
Canadian authorities have yet to announce a decision on the couple’s application for refugee status, but it’s safe to say the response will likely be something along the lines of “What? Seriously? I don’t think so.”
• What the hell happened to Randy Quaid [New York Post]
• Actor Randy Quaid and wife claim asylum in Canada [Reuters]
• This just in…: Randy Quaid and wife seek asylum from “Hollywood star whackers” [Washington Post]
I’d put him up in Toronto if he wanted a new life in Canada. Parkdale is known for harbouring war draft dodgers and awol servicemen. Why not an actor too? He probably said the wrong thing about something or someone. Not hard to believe, yet hard to believe from the USA.
October 25, 2010 at 2:50 pm | by Michael Butlersure why not, we let everyone in!
October 25, 2010 at 3:23 pm | by Mariaeveryone has a right to a hearing why not them
October 25, 2010 at 7:40 pm | by dsComeing TO CANADA for better paying welfare and food banks …should go to alaska…
March 5, 2011 at 6:19 pm | by Brian5427