Chip to Donny & Marie Osmond: Thanks & Sorry!

In an epic Friday for news dumps, producer Chip Lightman has settled his lawsuit confidentially and in a "mutual satisfactory manner" with Donny and Marie. There's no word on what the payoff settlement entailed, but there was this from Chip:

“I am pleased we were able to resolve this matter and am sorry that, in the heat of battle, comments may have been made that were hurtful to the Osmonds. Both Donny and Marie are talented, hardworking artists and I wish them continuing success in their careers.”

May have? MAY HAVE? How about:

9. During its production, Lightman has gone to great lengths to protect the privacy, confidentiality and reputation of both Donny and Marie in order to further the marketability and popularity of the Donny & Marie Show. As a result, the Donny & Marie Show has since revived the careers of Donny and Marie and taken them to levels they never could have experienced without Lightman's hard work, determination, and confidence.

10. Contrary to the wholesome, all-American, good-natured image that he presents to the public, Defendant Donny's conduct, at least as it relates to Lightman and [Chip Lightman Entertainment], has been anything but. He has conducted himself in a manner that is underhanded, devious, fraudulent and greedy. The clear goal of his actions has been to line his own pockets with ill-gotten gains to fund his lavish lifestyle of exotic cars, luxury hotel suites, and private jets – all off the backs and hard work of those who worked tirelessly to support his career, including Lightman and CLE.

11. Despite Marie’s seemingly innocent nature, she too is liable for the fraud perpetrated by Donny through her acquiescence, awareness, and utter failure to disclose to CLE the steps taken by Donny to deceive CLE and circumvent their contractual obligations.

You mean like that passage, which is from the lawsuit he filed last month over breach of contract? Or the Tweets, now deleted, in which Chip threatened Donny that he'd be writing a tell-all book?

Donny Osmond took, frankly, a little too high a road with this statement:

“My sister and I want to thank Chip Lightman for great contributions he made in launching our show at the Flamingo. We look forward to the opportunity to work with him again in the future.”

Man, that's awfully forgiving. Or, as Sarah Palin said when her daughter got back together with Levi last summer, it shows a belief in "redemption and forgiveness to a degree most of us struggle to put in practice in our daily lives."

The Bristol-Levi thing didn't work out, either. I suggest Chip not wait by the phone for Donny's call.