Statement Regarding Dr. Marie Lemelle (aka Marie Yvonne Lemelle, MBA)
This statement concerns my professional and personal experiences with Dr. Marie Lemelle, the sole proprietor of Pitbull PR Agency, Inc., and Chief Executive Officer at Platinum Star Public Relations–both incorporated in Colorado but operating primarily out of Glendale, California. Marie Lemelle also sits at the helm of Platinum Star Media Group and Angel City Salute Alliance, Inc., a nonprofit formed in Colorado in September 2024, although it is unclear if Lemelle, a Los Angeles native, has ever lived in Denver or Boulder.
I’ve known Marie Lemelle since 2012 and entered a 3-month $4,500 contract with her to produce a faith-based television show. She claimed to have industry connections and access to producers who were willing to consider my show for network distribution.
Marie Lemelle told me that she needed the money for production costs (E.g., equipment, lighting, sound, and studio rental time). Despite collecting funds allegedly for production costs, it was later revealed that the production site, Pasadena Media (where Marie Lemelle told me the shows would be produced), only requires a $50 annual membership to access equipment and facilities.
Marie Lemelle was someone whom I trusted. Because of that trust, and after discussing the development project several times over the years in great detail, I hired her because she told me that she had spoken with production about me and that they were on board with her “vision” to produce the show–The Powerhouse Series.
At that time, Marie Lemelle did not have a contract for TV production, and I trusted her to go with a pre-printed contract on file that she used with her public relations clients. I had no reason to believe that she would not execute on what she told me she would do.
Unfortunately and regrettably, I signed the contract with no mention of the television show that she was to produce and pitch to faith-based producers and executives within the entertainment industry. After the agreement was signed, Marie Lemelle failed to deliver on her promises. Instead, she prioritized her other clients, including LPGA pro Avis Brown-Riley, and offered excuses when confronted.
Marie Lemelle told me she had 60 clients who needed her attention. While under the contract, Marie Lemelle asked me to interview Avis Brown-Riley and Tara Peterson, a former local executive with the YWCA Glendale and Pasadena.
Marie Lemelle told me that she was waiting to hear back from production, although she led me to believe they were already in place before signing the contract, and that she already had access to green-light the project.
Marie Lemelle later tried to pitch me as a host for an existing low-grade show with a New Orleans, Louisiana producer at RAAW ENTERTAINMENT STUDIOS with somebody named Arthur of the family Wittenberg, who has numerous lawsuit associations online that I did not want to be connected to, and that I never agreed to. I am an experienced media professional with a master’s in public relations and a career that includes work with major agencies and networks. None of my successes involved Marie Lemelle.
I later discovered through documented confirmations that Marie Lemelle had not contacted executives (that she told me she had) on my behalf. No show was ever filmed, and all show concept planning led nowhere. When I asked for a refund, she refused, falsely claiming I had backed out of the agreement.
The situation escalated. She started bullying me, harassing me, and even though I requested her to stop following me on social media, she did not stop. I filed a lawsuit against her.
After experiencing intimidation, harassment, and retaliation from Marie Lemelle, I contacted several law enforcement agencies to report her conduct. I eventually spoke with officers at the Glendale Police Department at least four times to report Marie Lemelle’s threatening behavior. I also contacted a Los Angeles County Police Department to report her.
Eventually, I filed a police report against her which resulted in the filing of a restraining order against Marie Lemelle.
Marie Lemelle evaded being served by the Burbank Police Department and later filed a retaliatory restraining order–using my stage name and including industry headshots. She became enraged that I videotaped the process server serving a desk worker at her home-office address provided by the City of Glendale. Her false claims of any wrongdoing towards me were rejected by Judge Timothy Martella, who stated her request was “unwarranted.”
I was never violent toward Marie Lemelle. In fact, I have a long-standing background in advocating against social injustice and violence, especially against women. A video submitted in court proved there was no disturbance at the time she alleged.
Notably, Marie Lemelle told the court that she was “embarrassed” by being served at her residential community, where she had resided for 16 years.
Marie Lemelle’s conduct stands in stark contrast to her role as a Goodwill Ambassador and as a past participant on the board of the YWCA, an organization at its core advocacy includes preventing gender-based violence. Her actions included filing false claims and sending defamatory mailings to my family, friends, and colleagues–none of whom she knew personally and had never met.
During the court process, Marie Lemelle never sent me any documents as to what she was presenting to the court, although she dishonestly told the court she had sent them to me.
Under oath, Marie Lemelle told the judge that there is no mention in her contract about a television show and dishonestly denied that she was hired to produce a show.
When the judgment was issued, Judge Leticia Garcia noted Marie Lemelle didn’t owe me any money. Thereafter, I informed the court that Marie Lemelle did not send me any documents as is required by the court and solicited the court to reconsider, but in California, a small claims petitioner has no right to an appeal.
Ultimately, I received only ONE press release in return for $4,500 that I paid to Marie Lemelle.
In my opinion, Marie Lemelle’s twisting and distortion of the truth has been for her personal gain to deceive others. I believe it signifies a deviation from righteousness, where truth is compromised or corrupted.
In truth, over the years, I have been used by Marie Lemelle to help promote her clients through interviews, which I conducted at her request. For instance, she asked me to interview her client Judge Craig Strong, and I did at UCLA Royce Hall. She asked me to interview her client Trae Ireland, and I did at Philippe Chow’s Grand Opening in Beverly Hills, and I interviewed her client Robert Ri’chard at the NAACP Theater Awards.
Marie Lemelle asked me to interview her client, Gloria “Footnanny” Williams, and I did at the Sassy City Chicks event at the Petersen Automotive Museum. Marie Lemelle asked me to interview her client Jacquil Constant, founder of the Haiti International Film Festival, and I did for EURweb, as well as a premier placement in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
In addition, Marie Lemelle has asked me to use my social media to promote some of her other clients (I.e., Ernest Thomas being a guest on Terry Hunt’s show) and other events she was actively promoting, and demanded completion of biographies for C-Suite executives.
To date, I am aware of the pervasion of truth in email blasts and industry alerts circulating by Marie Lemelle and her partner, Christina Havis. Havis has been with Lemelle’s company, acting as an operations officer. I have never met her.
I am also aware of the alleged blackballing/blacklisting, continuous retaliation and false image that is being perpetrated against me by Marie Lemelle. It is unfortunate that Lemelle, who incorporated her business in 2020, and at 66 years old has launched a campaign to degrade me–her former celebrity client, which has resorted to deception, defamation, and delusional perspectives.
Granted, before Marie Lemelle reneged on her promise, she had publicly backed me months earlier in a media distribution promoting me as “A celebrity host, philanthropist and humanitarian with a platform that gives a voice to the voiceless and empowers vulnerable communities with inspiration and hope.”
Despite Marie Lemelle’s attempts to discredit me, I continue to receive public and private support. I have secured hundreds of endorsements across various industries, so I don’t need Marie Lemelle.
Thanks to everybody who has reached out with concern. I am so grateful to my sincere fans, followers, friends, and family.
Notably, public records show Marie Lemelle has been involved in over sixteen court cases in Los Angeles County. I have also reported her conduct to relevant consumer agencies.
This is a cautionary tale for others in the industry:
– Always get everything in writing.
– Don’t rely on verbal assurances, even from people you’ve known for years.
– Vet publicists and producers carefully, and document all exchanges.
Others may recommend Marie Lemelle. I DO NOT!
I’m Evelyn Palmer and I approve this message.
**If you’re looking for a good publicist, here are some public relations firms that I highly recommend:
Lauren Tobin (Panther PR, Tobin & Associates & daughter of Pat Tobin)
Cathy Lewis (C.S. Lewis & Co. Publicists)
Pamela Sharp (Sharp & Associates)