Just days after Philip Seymour Hoffman’s tragic death from an apparent heroin overdose, the National Enquirer ran a story that claimed Hoffman had been carrying on a “drug-laced homosexual affair” with his friend, playwright David Katz. The tabloid has now formally apologized – with a sizeable settlement and a full-page advertisement.

National Enquirer Apologizes

Not long after Katz learned of the story and received the urging of friends to file a libel suit, he signed a complaint. Days later, The Enquirer offered an apology and negotiations were underway to resolve the matter out of court. What resulted is a solution that Katz believes Hoffman would have approved.

The National Enquirer and American Media Incorporated will fund a $45,000 annual prize to be given out by the Katz-formed American Playwriting Foundation, reported The New York Times. The award, in honor of Hoffman’s dedication to honest artistry, has been dubbed the Relentless Award. Although the sum of The Enquirer’s donation is unknown, it’s been revealed that it was enough to keep the awards coming for several years.

In addition to the donation, The Enquirer made a very public apology with an explanation of their error with a full-page ad in The New York Times Wednesday issue. According to the tabloid, they were tricked into believing a man who claimed to be Katz.

David Katz On Enquirer Story

“The issue was never me being outraged at being accused of being gay — we’re theater guys, who cares?” Katz, who neither received nor attempted to receive any personal payments over the fraudulent story, told The Times. “The issue was lying about the drugs, that I would betray my friend by telling confidences.”

Katz, who was long friends with Hoffman and lived in the same Greenwich Village neighborhood as the actor, was one of the two people who came upon his body on Feb. 2. He has said that although Hoffman had spoken to him about his addictions, he’d never used drugs in his presence.

– Chelsea Regan

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