Jack and Betti Schmitt vs Marshall Mathers III, Round 1

Sometimes money and wealth generate more problems than they actually solve -particularly when your name is Eminem.
Since his rapid ascension to the top, so many of his relatives have tried to capitalize on the talented rapper’s fame. It is quite scary when family members who stood on your side for years suddenly turn their back against you- for financial reasons. Former pictures witness Betti Schmitt attending to Marshall’s trial in 2001.
For those who don’t know, Betti Schmitt is Debbie Mathers’ half sister. She married Jack Schmitt and is a mom of three kids.
When I heard about Eminem’s hospitalization last August, I was quite shocked to hear that his uncle and aunt Jack and Betti Schmitt had filed a lawsuit against their nephew.
Apparently, those familial problems worsened Eminem’s health condition while he was touring and according to some tabloids, caused a nervous breakdown along with his sleep medication dependency problems.
When Betti Schmitt came from Missouri to Michigan to live with Eminem in Clintown Township, it caused a lot of controversy inside of his family. His grandmother, Betty Kresin, and his mom Debbie Mathers accused Betti Schmitt of being a “gold digger”.
Is blood really thicker than water?
Considering Eminem’s example, the answer is certainly a clear no.
Nearly each of Eminem’s family members has either been suing him on Court or tried to find an astute way to capitalize on his fame.
It looks like some serious problems occurred in Marshall’ s relationship with his aunt and uncle. On July the 1st , 2005, Eminem decided to send them an eviction notice for July the 31st.
In mid August 2005, Betti and her husband filed a lawsuit against their nephew Marshall in order to prevent him from kicking them out of the house he actually owns.
The lawsuit that is available on the smoking gun website reveals us some interesting details about Jack and Betti’s requests and rants.
Not only do Jack and Betti look for $ 500.000, they also want the house located in Cinton Township.
Jack and Betti claim that in exchange of their emotional support, Eminem was supposed to totally take care of them-financially speaking, of course!
Besides their many rants against Marshall, the couple also claim that they increased the house’s value by furnishing it and upgrading it.
One of my readers has reproached me to be quite harsh against Jack and Betty in a former article about the lawsuit a few months ago.
As an Eminem biographer, I have been into his life story in depth. I have seen so many silly behaviors from his family’s side since he became famous. So many of his relatives have been trying to get some money « the good old American way » out of his fortune and it is getting tiresome to see such crazy behaviors.
I won’t pity Jack and Betti and I will tell you why:
– there has never been any written contract between Eminem and the Schmitts specifying that he « owed » them any salary.
Moreover, it has been proven that no work has been performed for the money, unlike the couple’s statements.
– why would Eminem have to « take care » of adult persons? Are they disabled? No.
Are they able to find a job and to work like any of us? Yes!
Of course, Marshall has kindly asked them to move to Michigan and knowing all he had been going through from 1999 to 2001, it is quite logical that he needed the support of family members who seemed to be on his side.
However, and regardless of his fortune, is it logical for Eminem to pay aunt and uncle a salary and to take care of each of their needs as if they were some irresponsible adults?
Come on, Eminem doesn’t have to do that. He is known as a generous person and I think his relatives have tried to take advantage of him.
A few days ago, most of Jack and Betti’s lawsuit has been thrown out by judge Chrzanowski.
In early December, Eminem will have to make a deposition about this Court case.
I sincerely hope that his aunt and uncle will get no cent out of Eminem’s purse.