Gina Marie
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
I hope these people win this lawsuit. If this happened to me, I would be traumatized. I have a sense of humor, but this just crosses the line in my opinion. I'm not surprised that Ashton Kutcher is a producer, and I can't believe the hotel went along w/ this, if they knew about it.
Couple Sues Over Hidden-Camera 'Corpse' Prank
Thu Jun 13, 8:04 AM ET
By Steve Gorman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - MTV has been slapped with a $10 million lawsuit from a couple who say they were surprised by a fake corpse in their hotel room as part of a hidden-camera prank for a reality TV show.
James and Laurie Ann Ryan, of Washington, D.C., also named the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas in the suit, which accuses the resort and the cable network of invasion of privacy, infliction of emotional distress and fraud, among other things, their attorney said Wednesday.
The suit, originally filed in Los Angeles in April but gaining public attention this week after it was moved to federal court, said the couple became unwitting participants in a practical joke filmed for a series under development at MTV called "Harassment" while they were on vacation in January.
Upon entering the hotel room, the Ryans "discovered what appeared to be a dead human body covered and surrounded by blood, evidently the victim of a homicide," as hidden cameras recorded their shock, the suit says.
As the couple tried to flee, two actors posing as security guards blocked their way, and a third individual in the guise of a paramedic entered the room.
The show's host and co-producer, Ashton Kutcher, who has described the series in interviews as a "guerrilla-style Candid Camera," finally emerged to reveal the prank.
The Ryans were not amused. They are seeking $10 million in compensatory damages against MTV, the Hard Rock Hotel and Kutcher, who also is named in the suit, said their lawyer, Daniel Rozansky.
Both the cable network, which is owned by Viacom Inc., and the privately owned hotel declined to comment on the case.
An MTV spokeswoman said the incident in question was filmed as part of a pilot episode for "Harassment," which has not aired. She said the future status of the program is uncertain.
Couple Sues Over Hidden-Camera 'Corpse' Prank
Thu Jun 13, 8:04 AM ET
By Steve Gorman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - MTV has been slapped with a $10 million lawsuit from a couple who say they were surprised by a fake corpse in their hotel room as part of a hidden-camera prank for a reality TV show.
James and Laurie Ann Ryan, of Washington, D.C., also named the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas in the suit, which accuses the resort and the cable network of invasion of privacy, infliction of emotional distress and fraud, among other things, their attorney said Wednesday.
The suit, originally filed in Los Angeles in April but gaining public attention this week after it was moved to federal court, said the couple became unwitting participants in a practical joke filmed for a series under development at MTV called "Harassment" while they were on vacation in January.
Upon entering the hotel room, the Ryans "discovered what appeared to be a dead human body covered and surrounded by blood, evidently the victim of a homicide," as hidden cameras recorded their shock, the suit says.
As the couple tried to flee, two actors posing as security guards blocked their way, and a third individual in the guise of a paramedic entered the room.
The show's host and co-producer, Ashton Kutcher, who has described the series in interviews as a "guerrilla-style Candid Camera," finally emerged to reveal the prank.
The Ryans were not amused. They are seeking $10 million in compensatory damages against MTV, the Hard Rock Hotel and Kutcher, who also is named in the suit, said their lawyer, Daniel Rozansky.
Both the cable network, which is owned by Viacom Inc., and the privately owned hotel declined to comment on the case.
An MTV spokeswoman said the incident in question was filmed as part of a pilot episode for "Harassment," which has not aired. She said the future status of the program is uncertain.
