The production company for Phil McGraw, star of the Dr. Phil Show, is suing Gawker Media for copyright infringement stemming from video published in the Manti Te’o hoax episode.
McGraw interviewed Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, the man who pretended to be Te’o’s girlfriend, in a two-part series early February. Filed in Texas, the suit alleges that before the second episode could air in the majority of the syndicated shows markets, Gawker posted the anticipated segments online at Deadspin.com.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, lawyers for Dr. Phil’s contend the first part of the exclusive interview left fans wondering if Tuiasosopo would speak in the voice he used to trick Te’o into thinking he was in a long-distance with the fictional female Lennay Kekua. But before the question could be aired in part two, Deadspin, which originally broke the story, posted footage in which Tuiasosopo spoke in KeKua’s voice.
The suit goes on to assert Deadspin’s actions resulted in lower ratings for part two of the special and thus diminished returns for Peteski Productions, the parent company of McGraw’s production company. It seeks unspecified damages and an injunction preventing Gawker Media from its continued violations of Dr. Phil’s copyright.
“A remora is a fish, sometimes called a suckerfish, which attaches itself to other fish like sharks,” reads the complaint. “The hot fish gains nothing from the relationship but the remora is enriched by obtaining benefits from the host. Gawker received substantial benefits from its infringements but Peteski received nothing, that is, unless its damages are compensated in this lawsuit.”
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