Tyra Banks Sued by Mother of Teen Sex Addict
A Georgia woman is suing
Tyra Banks for $3 million after she said her 15-year-old daughter appeared without her permission on an episode of Banks' talk show about teen sex addicts.
In a lawsuit filed Oct. 8 in federal court in Atlanta, Beverly McClendon claims the show contacted the teen on her cell phone after she responded to a request on the show's website seeking "sex addicts."
The girl was then picked up from her home in Georgia in a limo and flown to New York, where she was put up in a hotel, all without her mother's knowledge, the lawsuit says.
McClendon filed a missing person report with local police when she realized her daughter was gone. The teen has never been diagnosed as a sex addict, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit also names Warner Bros. Entertainment and the executive producers of the show as defendants.
McClendon says her daughter suffered damages because the 2009 show "was undoubtedly watched by sexual deviants, perverts and pedophiles." The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and asks for $1 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages. It also asks the court to bar the episode from ever being aired again on television or online.
The show violated McClendon's right to privacy by putting her daughter, who was a minor, on television without McClendon's permission, the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit also claims negligence, saying the teen was paid for her appearance but that the show didn't get permission from the labor commissioner to employ her and didn't get McClendon's permission before paying the girl to fly to New York, stay in a hotel alone and appear on the show.
http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=944323&pid=944322&uts=1287397972
http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/tv/?s_channel=us.tvpop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1
http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf
Tyra Banks Snapshots
Tyra Banks attends the Advertising Week kickoff celebration at Maritime Hotel on September 27, 2010 in New York City.
Getty Images for Demand Media
Getty Images North America
Tyra Banks Snapshots
FILE - This Sept. 20, 2010 photo shows television personality Tyra Banks at the premiere of 'Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps' at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)
Tyra Banks Snapshots
©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM To celebrate French Vogue's 90th anniversary a masquerade ball is held at the Pozzo di Borgo Hotel during Paris Fashion Week. Picture Shows: Tyra Banks NON-EXCLUSIVE September 30, 2010 Job: 73351EX Paris, France www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com
Tyra Banks Snapshots
©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM To celebrate French Vogue's 90th anniversary a masquerade ball is held at the Pozzo di Borgo Hotel during Paris Fashion Week. Picture Shows: Tyra Banks NON-EXCLUSIVE September 30, 2010 Job: 73351EX Paris, France www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com
Tyra Banks Snapshots
©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM To celebrate French Vogue's 90th anniversary a masquerade ball is held at the Pozzo di Borgo Hotel during Paris Fashion Week. Picture Shows: Tyra Banks NON-EXCLUSIVE September 30, 2010 Job: 73351EX Paris, France www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com
Tyra Banks Snapshots
©BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM To celebrate French Vogue's 90th anniversary a masquerade ball is held at the Pozzo di Borgo Hotel during Paris Fashion Week. Picture Shows: Tyra Banks NON-EXCLUSIVE September 30, 2010 Job: 73351EX Paris, France www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com
Tyra Banks Snapshots
PARIS - SEPTEMBER 30: Tyra Banks attends Vogue 90th Anniversary Party at Hotel Pozzo di Borgo on September 30, 2010 in Paris, France. (Photo by Tony Barson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks Snapshots
Tyra Banks attends Vogue 90th Anniversary Party at Hotel Pozzo di Borgo on September 30, 2010 in Paris, France. Vogue 90th Anniversary Party - Paris Fashion Week Ready To Wear S/S 2011 Hotel Pozzo di Borgo Paris, France September 30, 2010 Photo by Tony Barson/FilmMagic.com To license this image (61879911), contact FilmMagic.com
Tyra Banks Snapshots
PARIS - SEPTEMBER 30: Tyra Banks attends Vogue 90th Anniversary Party at Hotel Pozzo di Borgo on September 30, 2010 in Paris, France. (Photo by Tony Barson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks Snapshots
PARIS - SEPTEMBER 30: Tyra Banks attends Vogue 90th Anniversary Party at Hotel Pozzo di Borgo on September 30, 2010 in Paris, France. (Photo by Tony Barson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks Snapshots
** CORRECTS SPELLING OF THE MODEL'S NAME ** U.S. model Tyra Banks poses for photographers as she arrives at the 90th anniversary of Vogue in Paris, Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani)
Tyra Banks Snapshots
Mad Men: 'Chevy Is Spelled Wrong!'
Thank Al Pacino for Pretty Woman
Add a comment
Either someone on the Tyra show missed something or didn't follow proper procedure or someone is money hungry.
Reply
You can bet I would be mad if my teen disappeared without my knowledge and ended up on television! I don't know whether the mother's version of the story is true, but if it is, Tyra's producers should know better!
Reply
How true! I'd be interested in knowing how much encouragement her lawyer gave before she decided to sue? Tyra encourages teens to expose their crimes or indecency in public, but her crew must be absolutely sure the appearances are legal and proper beforehand. It would be a shame if a mistake was made, because the show provides help and knowledge for many families, but more than likely that mother is a con artist or contributed in some way to what happened.
I have to laugh that so many seem to think that the mom and the kid are telling the truth. Chances are really good that mom is in denial about her kid and the kid lied and or has false Id. Do you relaly think that some one would risk their rep and job and money for some idiot kid that lied to her mother?
I believe the law is on her side. If the facts are as alleged, then the show seriously dropped the ball.
Reply
Appears as though the producers failed to do their research.
They, not Tyra, should be held accountable.
Reply
tyra is the producer of the show so shes responsable
If an 11 year old can get an abortion without parents permission, why can't a 15 year old appear on a tv talk show without parents permission.
Reply
The mother is full of it !
You can't tell me your child can leave and get on a airplane, an you dont know it.
Maybe the mother need help
Reply
Did you read the article. The mother filed a missing persons report. If teenage girls can get pregnant without their mothers knowing that they're having sex, they can fly to NY without their mother knowing. There was a whole lot of stuff I did at 13 years old and my mother never knew. By all accounts I was innocent. Today's young girls are far from innocent.
G- When is the last time you flew? It is very possible for this 15 year old to have gotten on the plane.
Mother pulling a scam? Gimme a break . You don't pick up a 15 years old and fly them to a show like this unless you CONTACT the parents and get a release/ PERMISSION. Sign a contract. The Banks show is trying to get away with something here.You don't do what the Banks show did,period.
Reply
Exactly! If the mother was lying, Tyra, the producers, etc. would've immediately been showing PROOF that they followed all the rules. They didn't, so I'd say you're right.
The lawsuit also claims negligence.... seems there is negligence..on the mothers part... she knew her kid had a so called sex addict problem.... with... she clearly didnt have her eye on he girl. plus... this seems like she knew... about it.... plus it says here that the girl hasnt even been diagnosed as a sex addict, so maybe they are both in on the scam.... i wouldnt be at all surprised....
Reply
Well...The mother stated that the police were phoned when she realized her daughter went missing. Clearly, this is not a sign of a mother neglecting her child. Unless you live in a cave, teens lie to their parents about their whereabouts all the time. If she is a working mother it is even more difficult to keep an eye on a 15 year old every single second of the day. Last, her mother stated that her child has never been diagnosed with being a sex addict.
WHERE DID THE MOTHER THINK HER DAUGHTER WAS WHEN SHE WENT TO NY? SOUNDS LIKE THE MOTHER FAILED AND IS TRYING TO GET A PAY CHECK OUT OF IT.
Reply
She wouldn't be able to sue if they had done everything the way they were supposed to. They have failed to show proof that they had mommy's permission, so they obviously didn't. However, seems like there are bigger issues with her daughter that she should have known about. Parents need to make time for their kids, or not have any. The mom and the show were negligent.
Reply
HO's or sex addicts ?
they either give it away or sell it !
Reply
It wouldnt surprise me if the girls mother, didnt know where her daughter was at. All too many parents dont have a clue, as to what their kids are doing at any given time of day or night.
No one knows whos wrong or right now, it will be interesting to see whos at fault.
Usually any adult, can tell a teenager from an adult.
Reply
If mom's story is within ten miles of the truth, Tyra doesn't want me on the jury.
Reply