Real life 'Scandal'; actor charged with threats to murder wife and kill himself

Columbus Short at NAACP Image Awards, February 2014

(photo credit:  Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for NAACP)

Roughing up his wife, fighting in bars, and now threatening murder-suicide; these are not scenes from another thrilling Shonda Rhimes script, but the actual life of actor Columbus Short, a cast member on her hit ABC series ‘Scandal’.  Just yesterday Short’s wife, Turee Tanee, filed for divorce from him for the third time and has also been granted a restraining order.  There is a laundry list of accusations, but the shocker is that Tanee alleges that Short held a knife to her throat and threated to kill both of them.

Fans had already stirred up a social media frenzy about the highly-anticipated ‘Scandal’ finale tonight, but now many are riveted to see what the outcome will be for Short in real life.  Rhimes reportedly ordered Short to straighten up his act after he was involved in a bloody fisticuffs in a bar on March 15^th.  She made it clear that the show “will not tolerate negative press”.

Short and Tanee have been married since 2005 and are the parents of a 2-year-old daughter.  This isn’t the first time Short has been in the news.  There was a huge controversy when Short, a former much-in-demand backup dancer, admitted to having had a fling with his then boss Brittany Spears in 2004.  He was a dancer and choreographer for her Hotel Onyx Tour when tales of them kissing on tour fueled the breakup of his first marriage to Brandi, pregnant at the time with their now 9-year-old son.

Tanee alleges that this latest incident occurred on April 7^th, with Short coming home drunk and ended with her barely managing to escape.  She was only able to flee a short distance because she says Short had flattened her tire.  The judge immediately ordered Short to leave the home.  There is a hearing scheduled on May 8^th to determine if the restraining order will become permanent.