According to Page Six, two Hollywood streaming platforms are competing to produce documentaries on Kanye West’s life.
Both films are being marketed as a real-life “48 Hours,” focusing on the mercurial rapper’s relationship with his one-time bodyguard, former NYPD officer, and Chippendales dancer Steve Stanulis.
“Two studios contacted me,” Stanulis said of the upcoming ventures, which could begin filming as soon as next month. “They see this as a ‘48 Hours’ for real or a ‘Lethal Weapon’ for real,” he said, referring to the famous buddy movies of the 1980s. “It comes from my mouth; I worked with West two separate times.”
In 2016, Stanulis collaborated with West and witnessed some of the star’s crazy antics, including a behind-the-scenes breakdown on the set of “Saturday Night Live,” as well as events like New York Fashion Week and the Met Gala. West allegedly walked into the wrong hotel room of an Italian dignitary at the Waldorf, almost causing a brawl.
Stanulis said, “Every day was a new adventure,” when working for the rapper and fashion guru. “There are a ton of stories I haven’t told.”
The rumored film will be the most recent chapter in their turbulent relationship. “I was one of his favorite guys,” Stanulis says. However, that relationship has deteriorated, with both parties threatening legal action as recently as last year when Stanulis discussed his time working for West on a podcast, naming him one of his “least favorite people” to work with due to West’s “ridiculous rules.”
After slamming West in an interview with a UK newspaper in 2016, West threatened Stanulis with a $30 million lawsuit, alleging Stanulis had signed a confidentiality agreement. For years, the two sides have openly fought over the supposed contract, with West’s side claiming Stanulis signed one and Stanulis denying it.
One of West’s representatives said that Stanulis was a “sad, parasitic maniac who has violated every basic human tenet of decency with his story of lies.” Stanulis responded, “He’s trying to bully me with this ridiculous lawsuit.”
Last year, on the “Hollywood Raw” podcast, Stanulis announced that West was the “neediest, moodiest, and worst tipper” of any star he’d worked with.
Stanulis was then threatened with a $10 million lawsuit by West and Kardashian, who said in a cease-and-desist letter that he made “false and defamatory” claims. “Any efforts undertaken by your clients to implement any purported ‘confidentiality agreement’ will be met with counterclaims that will request substantial damages,” Stanulis’ legal team threatened at the time.
Stanulis, unfazed by the current documentary film, said, “It starts off with a $30 million lawsuit and works backwards, with all the craziness. Why not address the elephant in the room.” Adding that, “they threatened to sue me two separate times — once back in the day, and then on a podcast this year. It went viral, and they threatened to sue me again for $10 million, and my attorney countered, and it just went away.”
He said that he has tried to put his West relationship behind him but that he is constantly questioned about it. “This way, nobody has to ask me about this ever again. I swear to you — no matter what I do…somewhere along the line, the job with West comes up.” There will be “nothing left to be said” with the film. He told Page Six, “I’m saying it all.”
“They came to me,” he said of the West project. “I like the fact that I am not…the director, the producer, etc. The entire show will last 1 hour and 20 minutes and will be presented in a fun, chronological order.”
