Jennifer Love Hewitt is back in the spotlight for her latest Lifetime movie The Client List.
Hewitt plays a mother who starts turning tricks in order to support her injured husband and three small children. After being caught, she agrees to turn over some of the high profile clients in order to get a better deal. The question that seems to be burning up the search engines is whether or not this story is based on a true one.
The answer is not as simple as the question. Yes, The Client List is based on a true story, but only loosely. The real story apparently took place in Texas. Cynthia Martinez, a 44 year-old mother, started a “massage parlor” out of her home in order to help support her children.
She was busted for prostitution during a sting operation and then was charged with running the parlor without a license (I guess she actually massaged a few people instead of just “massaging” people). Martinez denied all charges. You can check out the full report at the Dallas Morning News, but it seems their site is acting a little funny.
So while both revolve around prostitution and massage parlors, that’s all they really have in common. Martinez didn’t have a hunky husband to fret over and tried to have a go at this whole thing on her own as opposed to being hired to do what Hewitt was doing.
My heart goes out to Martinez and all women who feel they have no other options left.
Comments
Bridgette W
July 20th, 2010 - 9:34:24 AM
According to the Lifetime Movie Network, the story is based on Samantha Horton, a former Texas Homecoming Queen and physical therapist. So the woman you mentioned in your article and the woman who LMN based the story on are two different people...
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Bridgette W
July 20th, 2010 - 9:35:45 AM
http://www.mylifetime.com/watch-full-movies-online/the-client-list
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dhb829
July 20th, 2010 - 10:04:30 AM
This story took place in West Texas - specifically, Odessa. Cynthia Martinez is a different story and not the basis of this movie. Get your facts straight.
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Sara Welsh
July 20th, 2010 - 10:20:23 AM
Every place I've looked for Samantha Horton (besides the Lifetime website) has been a complete dead end. However, the story of Cynthia Martinez was tied to The Client List through Associated Content, a reputable source.
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Bridgette W
July 20th, 2010 - 11:09:32 AM
Well their is a disclaimer in some movies stating that they change the names. But usually it is not that hard to look up information on the character and the stories usually coincide a lot more than the story the Lifetime Movie Network portrayed and the Cynthia Martinez story. As dhb829 mentioned the story took place in West Texas not Dallas. I am not doubting the Cynthia Martinez story on Associated Content is not true. However I have doubts that The Client List movie and the Cynthia Martinez Dallas area story are the same. If so I probably will not be watching anymore LMN movies because I will feel all of their "based on a true story movies" are a sham.
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Sara Welsh
July 20th, 2010 - 11:54:57 AM
Locations can be changed just as easily as names, maybe to protect the children involved.
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Anonymous
July 20th, 2010 - 12:37:48 PM
I looked up Samantha Horton and was able to find a myspace account,,,,the woman had 3 kids and a husband named Aron, however I cant say for sure this is the lady because there was a lot that I couldnt read because her page was private. I watched the movie last night and I was curious about the real person.
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jennifer
July 20th, 2010 - 6:40:30 PM
http://blogs.babble.com/famecrawler/2010/07/20/cynthia-martinez-samantha-horton-true-story-the-client-list/ here goes the real story
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Bridgette W
July 20th, 2010 - 11:34:48 PM
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1181771/posts
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Bridgette W
July 20th, 2010 - 11:42:35 PM
http://www.cbs7.com/news/details.asp?ID=20424 This short article from CBS NEWS states that Jennifer Love Hewitt's company bought the rights to the story, so that is another reason why it is probably hard to find the real persons name...
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Bridgette W
July 20th, 2010 - 11:53:54 PM
http://www.oaoa.com/news/size-49469-air-small.html This is an article from an ODESSA ONLINE WEBSITE that has everything about Odessa that you would want to know, now I can finally say this article is completely wrong please do your research. This article from Odessa's site names Crystal Ann Burchett as the person the film is based on...
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From Odessa
July 21st, 2010 - 6:05:55 PM
This story was based on a massage parlor in Odessa, TX. It was called The Healing Touch. The movie was based on Crystal Ann Burchett a 22 year old woman who lived in Big Spring, TX a town a little more than an hour away from here. I remember when the list came out that my moms CPA and attorney were both on it.
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Anonymous
July 21st, 2010 - 6:42:14 PM
Its a little scary that I just spend about 5 minutes on google and found this girls address, phone number, and myspace page.
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Oyi
July 24th, 2010 - 7:29:31 PM
the Client List is based on http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0505/24/acd.01.html
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Raquel
July 24th, 2010 - 8:43:18 PM
This article is so completely wrong! The movie is based on the story of Crystal Burchett and it was actually a pretty accurate movie. Definitely get your facts straight before you post something like this, geez.
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Alicia
July 25th, 2010 - 7:06:58 PM
Lifetime changes certain things in a movie for certain peoples protection. Just like in "Little Girl Lost", they changed the name of the woman that kidnapped Delimar. So that means Bridgette W, you don't have to stop watching Lifetime just because they change a few things in a "based on a true story" movie.
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Lindy
July 26th, 2010 - 9:42:26 AM
Story is based on the "Healing Touch Massage Parlor" bust in 2004. It happened in Odessa Tx, one of the girls raised as strict Pentecostal did indeed turn them in to a Minister at church across the street after seeing her Pastor was a client. "Brandy" really used the name "Lexus" (because she was a smooth ride) & was a former Homecoming Queen in Big Springs. She used her Massage license at a legit physical therapy clinic till they downsized & she lost her job, at the same time her husband, an oil rig worker became ill & couldn't work. They had 2 small children & appx 8000.00 in past due debt, plus 2 car payments when she went to work at "Gentle Touch" she was 22 when she was busted. If article's printed in Odessa would help, check out the Odessa American, or google Odessa Tx Prostitution Bust in 2004, several articles will appear.
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Arin
July 27th, 2010 - 10:00:41 AM
go to www.chicktalkdallas.com check out: Was the University Park "Momstitue" Inspiration of Lifetime Movie? article. You will get what you need on who the movie is based on.
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Hannah
August 2nd, 2010 - 4:07:15 PM
The movie is not accurate. Crystal Ann Burchett, was in trouble with the law as a minor, dropped out of high school and had a kid. She mooched off her in-laws.
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Hannah
August 2nd, 2010 - 4:16:14 PM
Crystal Ann (McGuire) Burchett was named on the Client list and she was written about in a Texas Monthly article titled, She had brains, A Body and the Ability to Make Men Love her. She was in trouble with the justice system in Kansas as a minor according to her family. She was NOT a beauty queen and she was a high drop out with 2 kids.
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Eric
August 2nd, 2010 - 4:21:55 PM
She has been arrested several times since and dated a man who alleged murdered someone.
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