Erin Brockovich Answers 10 Big Questions (PHOTOS)

In 1993, a 32-year-old legal clerk named Erin Brockovich made history for boldly pursuing an investigation that resulted in the largest settlement ever paid in a direct action lawsuit.

Though she lacked formal legal training, Brockovich's instincts motivated her to dig deeper when she was assigned to file a pro-bono case involving Pacific Gas & Electric while working as an aide for the law firm Masry & Vititoe. Through the course of her investigation, Brockovich discovered that Pacific Gas & Electric had allowed the leakage of a contaminant called Chromium 6 into the well water of Hinkley, California causing residents to suffer from ailments ranging from chronic nosebleeds to cancer for more than 30 years.

Inspired by Brockovich's relentless pursuit of the truth, more than 600 Hinkley residents hired Masry & Vititoe to sue Pacific Gas & Electric. The resulting $333 million settlement made history and turned Erin Brockovich into one of the most respected environmental activists in the country.

In 2000, the aptly titled "Erin Brockovich" was released in theaters, earning Julia Roberts an Oscar for her portrayal of the unyielding legal clerk and further catapulted the real Brockovich into national stardom.

Since 2000, Brockovich, now 51, has continued her work investigating environmental contamination, written a bestseller and raised three children. She is active on the motivational speaking circuit, with a thriving lecture series and a television talk show in development.

Huff/Post50 recently caught up with Brockovich in anticipation for the Nov. 8 release of her book, “Hot Water." "Hot Water" is a sequel to "Rock Bottom", a story about an investigation of a series of accidents at a state-of-the-art nuclear facility.

Comments

[Mr Click]

02:45 PM on 12/09/2011

"The resulting $333 million settlement made history and turned Erin Brockovich into one of the most respected environmental activists in the country."
I wonder if people realize that the townspeople didn't see a dime of that money until six months later and that Erin suddenly became unreachable to her former beneficiaries wondering where their money was. Or that when the law firm finally did cough up the money, they kept 40% of that (plus $10 million for "expenses") So in other words, her firm helped win $190 million for the victims and $143 million for themselves.

Not such a champion of "the little guy" now, is she?

[Halsey]

09:49 PM on 11/08/2011

I so do not get the header "10 BIG Questions". Maybe 2 questions had the potential for depth the rest were frankly fluff. What mother would not answer : "..written a bestseller and raised three children..." (hmm..the order of that answer is interesting). I remember one of her sons had a drug problem. I assume from Erin's reply, he's cleaned up. I hope so.

But this is NOT journalism. It was interview-lite..unless there is a LOT more not put here on HP.
I do admire Erin's work against PG &E and those big pollution suits that have followed. I got a real kick out of the movie and accept it was a good role for Julia. Back to my big grrrrrrr... we
post/50's can read more than one sentence replies. Please allow this through...HP/50 can improve..okay?

[southerncaliforniaguy]

07:36 PM on 11/08/2011

Great woman.

[leorangerie]

07:32 PM on 11/08/2011

But, wait, she' s not politically correct! Who let her in here?

[gutenmorgen]

02:41 PM on 11/08/2011

What a beautiful and attractive woman she is!

[outloud]

02:08 PM on 11/08/2011

My favorite and, IMO, the most insightful think she said was to the current young generation....Get Over Yourself.

I do see some out on the barricades of Occupy Anywhere but I fear they are by far a minority. The younger people I know are incredibly selfish and arrogant. Most seem to feel so entitled to everything and the best. They aren't awful people to the point of being serial killers but just don't give a crap about anyone but themselves.

I'm glad I'm old.....and came of age in the 60's/70's.

We tried kids but we just didn't pull off the changes we wanted.....and now it's the dregs of that crowd who are running all the gooberment and corporations.

[Strywever]

02:46 PM on 11/08/2011

We know some very different kids. The kids I know (through my daughter, age 23) are creative, hard workers, entrepreneurial, socially conscious and sometimes politically active -- though they tell me they often feel so powerless to affect anything that they don't bother to try. They also earn less than their parents did at their age, have to compete for far fewer jobs, have far more education debt and a harder time accessing the educational opportunities they need, and see their prospects for the future as being dimmer than their parents' were at a similar point in life.

[outloud]

03:56 PM on 11/08/2011

Point made.
I did sorta paint with a broad brush there....maybe toooooo much generalization.
Your kids and their friends are correct. "It's a hard days night".
I do know some really great kids as well.

But I do think I made a valid point, though.

[Halsey]

09:43 PM on 11/08/2011

Thank you and faved Stry! I don't have kids but in 1983 I graduated UCLA with a B. A.
It was difficult. I worked 2 jobs, sometimes 3 and had ZERO social life. I made that choice to get my degree. But I took out NO loans for my education. Between work and some small Pell Grants and a couple of small scholasitc gifts I was able to get through.
I cannot imagine beginning "adult" life with $30,000+ in debt with fewer opportunities. My gosh. To say "get over yourself" doesn't even make sense. I blame the interviewer for not pressing. HP/Post 50... I have a post. This was a fail. May as well have been a People interview. I expect more. A lot more.

[DebNelson2011]

10:01 PM on 11/08/2011

I so agree! Most of the 20-something-year-olds I know are self-centered with a "world owes them" attitude. We "helicopter" parents must have hovered over them too much, protecting them, babying them, placing them central in our lives, supplying the best money/credit could buy, feeling sorry for them because we moms were working or went through divorce, etc., so much so that they now behave like a bunch of 2-year-old selfish babies who all feel "entitled" and want to run about like the Kardashians and have no desire to break a sweat or ability to actually handle adversity. They're used to instant gratification, rewards for less-than-stellar performance, and venting or playing "show-and-tell" on Facebook to their "friends," who only reinforce this entire narcissistic problem. In my own family, there are several who have managed to receive either parental aid or state aid in order to pay their bills, and they seem to think Facebook and blogging are actual jobs. I've seen shocking displays of disrespect and rudeness from this generation, many of whom were treated extremely well while growing up, but instead of appreciation or realizing how hard their parents worked to provide that lifestyle, they behave like victims. MANY (not all of course) are judgmental, self-absorbed, and temperamental, and think a tough day is when none of their buddies pop up on Facebook or their Internet connection is slow or "Bad Girls" is a re-run...

[raffa657]

01:38 PM on 11/08/2011

Erin Brockovich. Decent movie & a strong woman of moral fortitude.

[portabello]

12:25 PM on 11/08/2011

"Erin Brockovich Reveals Her Biggest Regret"

Is it that Kanye West said she doesn't like black people?

[mary896]

11:56 AM on 11/08/2011

I sold a huge set of Japanese Tetsubin tea ware to Erin a few years ago, I wonder if she still uses it....never heard if she liked it or not. She's a hero of mine.... :)

[yogibear1963]

11:54 AM on 11/08/2011

The Erin Brockovich story is one of the biggest extortion scams in history. The judge was bought off and the junk science used to support the claims has since been refuted. Hexavalent Chromium 6 may cause some respiratory cancers if the dried particles are breathed in. But if eaten or drank the molecule passes through the body with no harm. PG&E had to pay people for illnesses that were clearly not caused by HC6.

If you are exposed to asbestos and develop diabetes, you are not entitled to any of the asbestos settlement money because asbestos does not cause diabetes. The same if you were to get colon cancer, breast cancer, glaucoma, jaundice, etc., you get no asbestos money because asbestos does not cause any of those illnesses.

In the case of Erin Brockovich people were getting paid money for minor illnesses that were not caused by HC6. But the lawyers got paid huge sums because they scammed the townspeople into accepting arbitration with the lawyers determining the payout.

Erin Brokovich spearheaded a corrupt law practice's use of a crooked judge to extort hundreds of millions from PG&E, she scores millions and becomes a hero and Julia Roberts wins an Oscar playing her in the movie.

http://usf.usfca.edu/pj//erin-jackson.htm

http://www.crschools.net/blog/the-true-stories-behind-8-famous-courtroom-movies

http://fumento.com/brockovich/hudsonbrock.html

[EndTheGOP]

12:30 PM on 11/08/2011

Sorry, I'm on the side of the plaintiffs, not the corporation that dumps toxins into the environment. If you believe HC6 is safe to drink, by all means, drink up and enjoy.

[politicaljungle]

01:23 PM on 11/08/2011

well Mr. Zero Fans, you finally weighed in - who are you, the defense team? I never saw anybody this mad over a book release over some stupid case - the film came out years ago, where have you been all this time? Salton Sea?

[will357]

11:38 AM on 11/08/2011

Just imagine if you could only sue for 250K as the repubs want it to be by capping lawsuit amounts.

[LittleGirl]

01:07 PM on 11/08/2011

The victims of the Indiana State Fair (Sugarland concert) are suffering from the Republican imposed cap on lawsuits. Ask them how they feel about it.

[solid]

01:24 PM on 11/08/2011

Indiana - most of the victims and their families are likely Republican. I'm sure they'll blame a liberal for some reason.

[Halsey]

10:21 PM on 11/08/2011

right will. $250,000 sounds like a chunk of change. But, as a person who went through aggressive cancer treatment (4 surgeries, 8 chemo cycles, 30 radiation)..that 1/4 mil is JUST the cost of treatment..no follow..etc. And when one considers a CHILD with cancer, oh my god...
I think tort reform would be okay except the GOP WOULD cap at an unexceptably low amount.

[ReadMyLipstick1]

11:17 AM on 11/08/2011

Here's a lady who was good enough to not only recognize her convictions, but to follow through. That's awfully rare these days ...... even in 1993. I'm gald that through the events, she was able to earn a good living and to further her attempts and involvements to try and make things better when she feels something is wrong. Sounds like a pretty good person to me.

It's a pleasure to read something good for a change about someone who seems to care about issues more important than herself.

[maxfax]

11:14 AM on 11/08/2011

Maybe she can sink her teeth into this one. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/08/bp-us-probes-barred-oil-spill_n_1081592.html?

[Joseph Schmoe]

09:32 AM on 11/08/2011

Why is this a slideshow?
I mean, other than to allow HP to garner more page hits and generate additional ad revenue?

[Jim bob]

11:23 AM on 11/08/2011

They do love their clicks.

[solid]

01:26 PM on 11/08/2011

You nailed it.

[trailerguy]

09:31 AM on 11/08/2011

One of the few times the person in real life was hotter than the actress portraying her

[Mytwocentstoo]

11:23 AM on 11/08/2011

And that's what you took away from this article?! Guess you really are living up to your screen name trailerguy.

[trailerguy]

12:24 PM on 11/08/2011

Actually she is a real hero, who just happens to be easy on the eyes. I glad she is around. I remeber I was pissed when Julie didn't mention her at oscars.

[solid]

01:26 PM on 11/08/2011

Nothing wrong with being both smart and hot at the same time.

[frank2061]

11:23 AM on 11/08/2011

And still is