Judge Orders 'Embarrassing' Jon Gosselin To Stop Media Appearances
Gosselin turned out to be a no-show at the courtroom, but the case moved on without him. Judge Michael D. Mason granted TLC a preliminary injunction aimed at halting future appearances, pending a trial that is set to begin on April 19. TLC Chief Operating Officer Edward Sabin testified that the reality dad's recent behavior has been "embarrassing." Sabin said Jon has made many media appearances that aren't permitted in the contract and complained he drank alcohol and hung out with women in public, which was at odds with the wholesome image of the show. "What we wanted to avoid was exactly what happened," Sabin said of the 32-year-old hosting a pool party at the MGM Grand Hotel in Los Vegas. "The next day in the tabloids were photos of Mr. Gosselin surrounded by bikini-clad women." The network said "a series of last straws" finally moved them to take action and sue Gosselin after he stopped production with an objection to the kids being filmed. Notably they cited Gosselin's frequent appearances on other shows, his discussion of the compensation he was receiving from TLC, his habit of signing autographs outside the family's Pennsylvania home, his lavish trip to France with then-girlfriend Hailey Glassman, and talk of another potential show with Michael Lohan. The Gosselins earned $22,500 per episode of 'Jon & Kate' under their latest contract, up significantly from the $2,000 an episode they received when the show started. TLC is delighted with the ruling: "The Court has validated our view that Mr. Gosselin has a valid, binding contract and that he has breached it repeatedly. Step one, getting the court to order Mr. Gosselin to comply with his contractual obligations, has been accomplished." "Any further breaches going forward will be violations of a court order. We look forward to the next phase of the litigation, which is to pursue our claim for damages resulting from Mr. Gosselin's numerous breaches." Despite the decision, Gosselin's lawyer says he is 'confident' that his client will eventually win the case and suggested TLC should settle so they can resume filming the reality show.
A judge has ruled that Jon Gosselin must stop making media appearances and endorsements because it violates his exclusive TLC contract.
December 11, 2009 | |
