By Ruth Manuel-Logan on Oct 18th 2010 9:57AM
Supermodel-turned-talk-show-maven Tyra Banks is probably not feeling very chatty these days, especially since she is being sued for $3 million by an irate mother who says Banks featured her child on a TV segment about teen sex addicts without her consent.
Beverly McClendon filed her lawsuit with an Atlanta federal court last week, when she discovered that her daughter (Jewel Ciera Washington) appeared on Tyra's show without her knowledge. Not only was Washington flown solo to New York City, where the Tyra show is taped, the 15-year-old was also picked up in a limo from the airport and put up in a hotel. The minor was then paid for her appearance on the teen sex addicts segment.
Washington answered an open call a year ago on the 'Tyra' show Website for teen sex addicts. She was contacted a month later via cell phone, and arrangements were made allegedly without ever attempting to reach the girl's parents for consent.
In the complaint, the angry mom argues that her child has suffered damages because "this 2009 show was undoubtedly watched by sexual deviants, perverts and pedophiles alike."
The Georgia mom also states that she filed a missing persons report with police upon learning that her child was gone. And to top it all off, McClendon claims that her child has never been psychologically diagnosed as having a sexual addiction.
The lawsuit also names Warner Bros. Entertainment and the executive producers of the show as defendants.
A jury trial is being sought, as well as $1 million in compensatory damages and $2 million in punitive damages. McClendon is also requesting that the controversial segment where Washington appeared never air again either on television or online.
Warner Bros. Television Group spokesman Scott Rowe told the Associated Press on Sunday that the company had no comment, while Tyra's camp has not made any public statements regarding the impending lawsuit.
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Comments: (24)
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By: VLB on 10/18/2010 10:39AM
WOW 3 million!.... That is messed up that they flew her to New York with her mother knowing... but hold up why is the mother waiting a whole year later to file this suit? shouldnt she know where her child is? also the point that pedofiles might be watchign is not a strong enough case in my mind
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By: ARNEADER on 10/18/2010 11:58PM
What was Tyra's producers thinking?!! This is a MINOR! Come on I know there were consent forms to sign...This is an expensive lesson to learn. I'm sure they are going to 'settle'.
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By: edujustice2005 on 10/20/2010 12:20PM
edujustice2005 aka Benton: @ VLB; She has two years to file a suit, so waiting a year isn't bad at all!
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By: David on 10/18/2010 11:15AM
If the facts being reported are correct Tyra's show was clearly in the wrong here. Tyra better get ready to pay out some money. The daughter and the mother have issues but that's no excuse for this type of exploitation and circumventing a parents authority.
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By: ThinkAboutIT on 10/18/2010 1:42PM
Teens these days are out of control. She could have easily forged her mother signature and gained access to the show. its about a mother not having control over her own child. Don't be so quick to blame Tyra. If her child has an issue and she can't control it 3million needs to be sought out for your daughter's public embarassment not by the network.
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By: curtis alderman on 10/19/2010 3:01PM
I think its the mother fault for not keeping tabs on her child and i'm sure the network asked for the parent's consent if they signed the consent forms regardless who it was means the network is not to blame she would have to go after her child for forgery not don't get me wrong i don't watch that kind of show like steve wolko,or jerry springer, maury show but i hate to see anyone being
wronged i'm sure if ms banks knew that it was a forgery she would not let the dizzy broad on the show
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By: Aurevoir3344 on 10/18/2010 3:07PM
Tyra Banks needs to get off television. She isn't any different from Maury with the type of shows she has. I think this mother should sue, and this is the very reason why I don't waste my intelligence or time to watch these mindless "entertainment" outlets called talk shows. Talk shows are exploitation plain and simple-whether the people agree to appear on them or not- it still only uses people to make only one person rich...the host.
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By: ooo-b-doo on 10/19/2010 3:16AM
At least Tyra Banks didn't rape the teen, like Eddie Long did.
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By: Ann on 10/19/2010 7:48AM
Hmm I dont know this sounds really stupid. On any show consent forms have to be signed..what happened to those? Knowing that these are minors usually lawyers look over the paper work just sounds unreal to me. Time will tell
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By: BLKCAT on 10/19/2010 8:02AM
I SMELL A RAT!!!!!!!!!
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