Friday, September 23, 2005
Extreme Makeover law suit - more news
Some interesting statistics on the suicides possibly related to reality TV shows ...
1. Last year, a contestant on NBC's boxing show "The Contender" killed himself just one month before the show went on the air. It was Najai Turpin. But his family has said his suicide had nothing to do with the show.
2. In 1995, Jonathan Schmitz shot an acquaintance to death three days after the man appeared on the "Jenny Jones show" and told he had a gay crush on him. Jonathan Schmitz was convicted of murder and sentenced to prison.
And more on law suits against the reality show "Extreme Makeover" ...
1. Last month, 5 orphaned siblings who appeared on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" sued ABC network for fraud and breach of contract. They said the "family that took them in after their parents died later drove them out of the nine-bedroom mansion that was built for them. ABC and the family have declined to comment on that suit."
Read more on Extreme Makeover law suit.
1. Last year, a contestant on NBC's boxing show "The Contender" killed himself just one month before the show went on the air. It was Najai Turpin. But his family has said his suicide had nothing to do with the show.
2. In 1995, Jonathan Schmitz shot an acquaintance to death three days after the man appeared on the "Jenny Jones show" and told he had a gay crush on him. Jonathan Schmitz was convicted of murder and sentenced to prison.
And more on law suits against the reality show "Extreme Makeover" ...
1. Last month, 5 orphaned siblings who appeared on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" sued ABC network for fraud and breach of contract. They said the "family that took them in after their parents died later drove them out of the nine-bedroom mansion that was built for them. ABC and the family have declined to comment on that suit."
Read more on Extreme Makeover law suit.
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
EXTREME MAKEOVER is accused of FRAUD
Suit accuses 'Extreme Makeover' of fraud
Deleese Williams is suing ABC's reality show "Extreme Makeover" for unspecified damages, alleging "its decision to cancel her appearance contributed to her sister's suicide".
Here's an entire article:
"In a lawsuit filed Sept. 9 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Deleese Williams, 30, of Conroe, Texas, claimed the producers subjected her to needless humiliation and goaded her sister, Kellie McGee, into insulting her appearance.
Williams says a psychologist and numerous doctors told her she needed an "eye lift, ears pulled back, chin implant and breast implants."
She was also told she needed dental surgery to break and reset her jaw for a successful "makeover," the lawsuit said.
Just hours before the dental surgery was to take place, Williams was told she was being dropped from the show because the recovery time wouldn't fit into the schedule, the lawsuit said.
Williams said she returned to Texas devastated. Four months later, her sister killed herself.
"She knew that they could drop her at anytime, but she didn't believe they would," Williams' Houston-based lawyer, Wesley Cordova, said Tuesday.
The lawsuit said McGee suffered from bipolar disorder, but Cordova said the show drove Williams' sister to kill herself.
Williams is suing ABC and its parent company, The Walt Disney Co., for alleged breach of contract, willful infliction of emotional distress and negligence.
"The most tragic part is that Deleese is now too ashamed to even go out in public," Cordova said.
ABC said Tuesday that all participants know in advance that their makeover may not happen.
"The ABC Television Network wishes to express its sincere condolences to Deleese Williams and her family for the loss of Kellie McGee," the company said in a statement.
"In regards to `Extreme Makeover,' all participants are made aware that if doctors or producers have any concerns about a procedure, the makeover will not go forward. ... The producers endeavor to handle each potential makeover participant with the utmost care."
Williams said she applied to "Extreme Makeover" in December 2003 and was selected to meet with producers in Los Angeles.
There, Williams was videotaped recounting the ridicule she suffered as a child and her years in an abusive marriage to an ex-husband. Her lawsuit alleges that her husband and sisters were also interviewed and encouraged to make disparaging comments about her looks.
Last month, five orphaned siblings who appeared on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" also sued ABC, accusing the network of fraud and breach of contract. The siblings said the family that took them in after their parents died later drove them out of the nine-bedroom mansion that was built for them. ABC and the family have declined to comment on that lawsuit."
Deleese Williams is suing ABC's reality show "Extreme Makeover" for unspecified damages, alleging "its decision to cancel her appearance contributed to her sister's suicide".
Here's an entire article:
"In a lawsuit filed Sept. 9 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Deleese Williams, 30, of Conroe, Texas, claimed the producers subjected her to needless humiliation and goaded her sister, Kellie McGee, into insulting her appearance.
Williams says a psychologist and numerous doctors told her she needed an "eye lift, ears pulled back, chin implant and breast implants."
She was also told she needed dental surgery to break and reset her jaw for a successful "makeover," the lawsuit said.
Just hours before the dental surgery was to take place, Williams was told she was being dropped from the show because the recovery time wouldn't fit into the schedule, the lawsuit said.
Williams said she returned to Texas devastated. Four months later, her sister killed herself.
"She knew that they could drop her at anytime, but she didn't believe they would," Williams' Houston-based lawyer, Wesley Cordova, said Tuesday.
The lawsuit said McGee suffered from bipolar disorder, but Cordova said the show drove Williams' sister to kill herself.
Williams is suing ABC and its parent company, The Walt Disney Co., for alleged breach of contract, willful infliction of emotional distress and negligence.
"The most tragic part is that Deleese is now too ashamed to even go out in public," Cordova said.
ABC said Tuesday that all participants know in advance that their makeover may not happen.
"The ABC Television Network wishes to express its sincere condolences to Deleese Williams and her family for the loss of Kellie McGee," the company said in a statement.
"In regards to `Extreme Makeover,' all participants are made aware that if doctors or producers have any concerns about a procedure, the makeover will not go forward. ... The producers endeavor to handle each potential makeover participant with the utmost care."
Williams said she applied to "Extreme Makeover" in December 2003 and was selected to meet with producers in Los Angeles.
There, Williams was videotaped recounting the ridicule she suffered as a child and her years in an abusive marriage to an ex-husband. Her lawsuit alleges that her husband and sisters were also interviewed and encouraged to make disparaging comments about her looks.
Last month, five orphaned siblings who appeared on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" also sued ABC, accusing the network of fraud and breach of contract. The siblings said the family that took them in after their parents died later drove them out of the nine-bedroom mansion that was built for them. ABC and the family have declined to comment on that lawsuit."
