Corey Clark files lawsuit against MTV for $40 million
Former “American Idol” contender Corey Clark has filed a lawsuit against MTV for defamation, claiming that one of their reporters has ridiculed and badmouthed him several times.
According to reports, Corey Clark, who competed during the second season of “American Idol” and was booted off after making it to the top ten because he did not disclose his recent arrest, sued MTV for $40 million. He claims that MTV News correspondent Jim Cantiello falsely attacked him, calling him names.
Corey Clark was disqualified from the competition on March 31, 2003 when the officials of “American Idol” learned that the contender had faced three misdemeanor charges, which includes one battery charge, involving his sister. Clark was subsequently acquitted of two of the three charges and pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.
The lawsuit of Clark against Jim Cantiello, which was filed in Tennessee District Court in Nashville, states that the MTV News reported defamed the former AI contestant in a series of online posts from early 2007 through July 2011. In these posts, Jim Cantiello allegedly called Clark a “degenerate,” falsely called him an ‘alleged sister-beater’ and accused him of lying about his charges after the charges were dropped, and told readers to boycott his debut album.
The lawsuit also added that Jim Cantiello ridiculed Corey Clark several times about having a relationship with “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul, saying that he had invented the story. The suit claims that Clark and Abdul were, in fact, involved.
Corey Clark described the practices of MTV as “abusing the constitutional privileges of ‘freedom of the press’ … with the intent to permanently impair his state property rights and decimate his mental well-being.”
Viacom Inc., the parent company of MTV, was also named in the lawsuit.