Eric Dane sex-tape co-star defended by mom

In the continuing saga of the Eric Dane ‘sex tape,’ the mother of Kari Ann Peniche — the third star in the tape, along with Eric and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart — has somehow found time to converse with the press.

“There’s no part of the video I like, let’s put it that way.” Lee Ann Peniche told Radar. “But then, when she did Playboy I didn’t approve of that either. I support my daughter; I don’t always support her decisions.”

Lee Ann described how her – then 19-year old – daughter moved to Hollywood from Oregon for what was meant as eight weeks…and didn’t come home for five years. Winning ‘Miss Teen USA’ helped her get some auditions, but Kari then met a guy who abused her, and according to Momma Peniche it was then that her life came unglued.

“It was very sad. She had everything going for her. Everything got derailed, and you only have so many opportunities in life.”

After a year, the case against her attacker was resolved with a plea bargain. Today, Peniche Sr. claims Kari is ‘upset’ by the current blaze of publicity of which she is the center, but is ‘keeping her chin up and trying to cope.’

And Lee Ann also says that ‘Celebrity Rehab’ — the reality show from which her daughter was fired for punching the crew – really helped Kari turn her life round, “Dr. Drew has been very supportive. His philosophy is, it doesn’t matter why somebody does, he can help them. I think he did.”

This story continues. Of that you can be totally sure.