MICHAEL RAPAPORT - RAPAPORT DRIVEN TO DESPAIR BY LYONNE

Actor MICHAEL RAPAPORT is still shocked by his former friend and tenant NATASHA LYONNE's meteoric fall from grace - and he had no hesitation about evicting her when her bad behaviour went too far.

The HITCH star first met Lyonne in 1997 and they became such firm friends Rapaport offered to rent her an apartment in a building he owns in New York City - but the AMERICAN PIE actress' party-fuelled lifestyle quickly sent her on a downward spiral.

Lyonne's fall from grace has culminated in a warrant being issued for her arrest on charges of harassment, criminal mischief and trespassing after she failed to attend a court hearing on Monday (18APR05) - her third non-attendance.

Rapaport says, "She really was one of the smartest, most insightful people I have ever known. She remained very peaceful until the fall of 2003.

"Reports kept coming in - people were going in and out of the apartment, (one of the tenants) was telling me about the late-night parties, and 'random dudes' sprawled out on her sofa at all times. (Another tenant) had a little dinner party. Natasha was screaming up at them throughout the party."

The complaints became so frequent, Rapaport flew from Los Angeles to confront his troublesome tenant - and he was so disgusted by what he saw, he evicted Lyonne from the apartment.

He continues, "I felt sick to my stomach the moment she touched me. Her body was so skinny.

"It looked like a grenade had gone off. There was garbage everywhere. There were glasses smashed in the kitchen and standing water in the clogged tub with flies hovering over it. That girl needs help."