The Rob Lowe of 1988 projected a much different image. The heartthrob and star of such blockbusters as The Outsiders and St. Elmo's Fire became more well-known for his videotaped sexcapades with two girls, one of which was only sixteen. Everyone who was alive then remembers that tape, but few remember there was more footage on that tape, this time of Rob, another guy and a girl having a threesome in Paris. This footage was made commercially available, and is thought to be the first celebrity sex tape .

I remember this well. I was about my daughter's age, and all the tabloid shows were screaming about Lowe's lust for underage girls. It destroyed his image and his career came to a standstill. Rob eventually went into rehab for alcohol and sex addiction, and after a few years of avoiding the spotlight and living off his royalties, he slowly worked his way back up to where he is today.

In light of the recent exodus of Rob's hired help and subsequent mutual lawsuits, I've got to wonder, though, how much Rob has really changed. He claims his chef stole his food and had sex with strangers in their marital bed. The fact that said chef is a bit shady with his finances doesn't help. Rob is also suing two former nannies: one for mounting a smear campaign against them while the other claims to have had an improper relationship with him. The accusations being tossed back and forth are rather tawdry: Stolen prescription drugs! Sexual harassment! Being "cold, heartless and unclean"!

None of this makes sense, particularly in light of the fact that Lowe refused police assistance, saying he preferred to handle the situation civilly. Sounds more to me like a wealthy man with something to hide and the resources to bury his opponents in legal fees. All three former employees seem to be without ample funds, so it won't take long. Then we'll never hear the dirt they have on Lowe, and you know there has to be some heavy s**t for him to come out with both barrels blazing like that.