Marilyn Manson's private parts are officially being kept under cover.
A Los Angeles judge has approved a motion filed by the shock rocker last week to keep sealed all financial and business records for the duration of the discovery process in the pending breach of contract lawsuit filed against Manson by his former keyboardist.
Los Angeles Superior Court judge Michael L. Stern ruled on the confidentiality order on Friday, despite protests from attorneys for Manson's former bandmate Madonna Wayne Gacy that the order was too broad for the needs of the case.
Gacy, whose real name is Stephen Bier, filed suit against Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, on Aug. 2, 2007, claiming the frontman misused millions of the band's money to bankroll his own eccentric whims. Manson literally followed suit, filing a countersuit against Gacy in December, accusing him of failing to meet contractual touring, recording and merchandising agreements.
Unauthorized purchases Gacy claims Manson made with group funds include the full skeleton of a four-year-old Chinese girl, various pieces of Nazi propaganda and a $150,000 engagement ring (money not so well spent, in retrospect) for ex-wife Dita Von Teese. He also claims in court papers that Manson paid for his entire wedding to Von Teese with the group's money as well as financed a drug habit.
Gacy claims the blind purchasing deprived him of more than $20 million in his cut of profits from the band's partnership, and maintains his former ally only sought the confidentiality order to hide his predilections from the public.
"He's trying to hide his skeletons from you all," Gacy's attorney, Keith A. Fink, said.
The document sealing is the same order, to the letter, as the one granted to Lindsay Lohan earlier this year in her since-settled lawsuit over a 2005 traffic accident. Manson's attorneys specifically requested the Lohan treatment from Stern, who served as judge in that case, as well.
As it stands, Gacy's attorneys, though no one else, will be allowed access to Manson's personal records. Barring any unforeseen appeals or delays in the case, a hearing in which the keyboardist's attorneys will renew their petition to depose the rocker is set for April 10.