Kevin Mazur/WireImage.comAlexa Ray Joel's long-divorced mom and dad, Christie Brinkley and Billy Joel, are teaming up for a heavy-duty round of defense.
Shortly after the 23-year-old musician was rushed to the hospital for an apparent suicide attempt, the New York Post ran a story about a recent family vacation gone awry. Needless to say, that family was less than thrilled.
"Every parent can imagine the pain and anguish we face as parents of a daughter who is working to recover from the dangerous actions she took while suffering a devastating heartbreak," Billy, 60, and Christie, 55, said in a joint statement issued this morning. "As much as we hate dignifying tabloid stories with a response, we feel we must set the record straight to protect our family."
Then they rip into the newspaper.
"The story that ran in the New York Post on December 8th, and has been subsequently spread across the Internet, is filled with vicious lies and attempts to smear our character and that of our beloved daughter. We ask the public and legitimate media outlets to please 'consider the source' and to not further exacerbate our daughter's situation by repeating and legitimizing these false reports."
They even sign the statement together: "With much appreciation, Billy Joel & Christie Brinkley."
Billy and Alexa's rep, Claire Mercuri, tells E! News the family is not seeking legal action against the New York newspaper.
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Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are smiling at each other in Big Pic. That's nice.