Tabloid Trials

By Melissa August, Val Castronovo, Matthew Cooper, Daniel Levy, Ellin Martens, Michele Orecklin, Julie Rawe and Josh Tyrangiel

DON'T DIS THE DIVA Celine Dion sued the National Enquirer for $20 million last week after it falsely reported the singer was pregnant with twins. She's won before against French and Canadian papers, but taking on U.S. tabloids can be dicey:

WINNERS

1981 Carol Burnett awarded $1.6 million after Enquirer implies she was drunk in public

1995 Rodney Dangerfield awarded $45,000 in damages after Star depicts him as a woman-chasing drug user

1997 Clint Eastwood awarded $150,000 after Enquirer publishes a fictitious interview with him

LOSERS

1993 Liz Taylor ordered to pay Enquirer's $432,600 legal bill over a story about her fight with a neighbor

1997 Kato Kaelin ordered to pay Globe's $25,000 legal bill over story he confessed to helping O.J. hide evidence

1997 Eddie Murphy drops $5 million libel suit against Enquirer and pays its legal fees over a report about his encounter with a transvestite prostitute