Things got a little too real during a shoot for the Discovery reality show “Street Outlaws: Memphis,” according to a married couple who are suing Discovery, alleging that they were assaulted during the filming.
According to the suit, filed Monday in federal court in Tennessee by Chad and Genny Larkin, series star Jonathan Day, aka JJ Da Boss, reached out to Chad Larkin in September 2017 asking him if he’d be interested in participating in a race to be filmed for the series.
The suit says that the race pitted the invited racers, including Chad Larkin, against the Memphis Street Outlaws, and Day stated that “the invited racers should do everything possible to get into the Memphis Street Outlaws heads because that is what the Memphis Street Outlaws were going to do to the invited racers.”
Heated words were exchanged, the suit says, with things escalating to physical violence.
“When Larkin turned around, his wife, Plaintiff Genny Larkin yelled, ‘look out.’ When Larkin turned around, Defendant Day and the other two individuals were running across the street at him. Day and ‘Bounty Hunter’ threw punches at Larkin and tackled him to the ground,” the suit reads. “As Larkin went down, he felt immediate pain in his leg, as though his ‘muscles and tendons were ripping.’ At that point Larkin was on his back with his face exposed. The Bounty Hunter and Day continued the assault, punching Larkin in the face repeatedly and kicking him in the ribs.”
The suit adds, “As the assault continued, Larkin literally believed the Street Outlaws were attempting to kill him. He literally feared for his life.”
According to the suit, the show’s producers “made no effort” to stop the alleged assault. “Rather, the camera crew and producers continued filming. In fact, incredibly, one of the producers instructed a camera man to get closer and get a better shot.”
When Larkin’s wife attempted to get the Memphis Street Outlaws off of her husband, the suit states, “a female member of the Memphis Street Outlaws grabbed the back of her head and pulled her to the ground by her hair, resulting in physical and emotional injury.”
Discovery had no comment for TheWrap on the lawsuit.
According to the suit, a producer on the show told EMTs who were present to “get off his set,” and instructed a camera operator to “get a good shot” of Larkin’s bloodied face, a shot that the suit says aired on the series.
The suit says that Chad Larkin suffered “extensive bodily injuries, including but not limited to, damage to his knee, face, eye, head, and back,” while his wife also suffered extensive bodily injuries, “including but not limited to, damage to her head, neck, back and arm.”
Alleging assault and battery, the suit is asking that Chad Larkin be awarded compensatory damages “not to exceed $5 million” and punitive damages not to exceed $5 million, and compensatory damages not to exceed $500,000 for Genny Larkin.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
Hollywood's Most Outrageous Lawsuits (Photos)
Between Lindsay Lohan firing back at Fox News, Mariah Carey allegedly short changing her domestic help, and Sly Stone winning millions after suing his ex-manager -- stars often turn to the courts to address their squabbles and strife.
Lindsay Lohan filed suit against Fox News and Sean Hannity on Feb. 2, 2015, after a news correspondent accused Lohan's mom of snorting cocaine with her troubled daughter. It didn't take long for Fox to fire back. “We will defend this case to the fullest,” the network told TheWrap the next day.
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A former nanny for Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon filed a lawsuit on Jan. 28, 2015, alleging she was fired after showing the couple's kids too much affection and did not receive overtime pay despite working 100 hours per week.
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Legendary funk artist Sly Stone won $5 million on Jan. 27, 2015, after suing his former manager and entertainment attorney for misappropriating royalties owed him for more than 20 years.
Former “Real Housewives of Orange County” executive producers Patrick Moses and Kevin Kaufman filed a suit against Bravo in Nov. 2014, claiming they were deceitfully ousted from the show and bilked out of millions of dollars after helping to create the show and the franchise.
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Jessie Nizewitz, a contestant on VH1’s “Dating Naked,” filed suit in New York in Aug. 2014, seeking $10 million in damages for emotional distress, humiliation and embarrassment after the show allegedly failed to properly blur her genitals.
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Octavia Spencer was awarded $940,000 in Dec. 2014 after claiming a weight loss company, Sensa Products Inc., wrongfully fired her from an endorsement deal and still owed her money.
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Former Tinder executive Whitney Wolfe filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against her former company June 2014, alleging she was repeatedly called a "whore" by CMO Justin Mateen and was stripped of her co-founder title simply for being a woman.
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Former TMZ producer Jarrett Gaeta slapped his former employer with a lawsuit in June 2014, claiming he was wrongly terminated. Gaeta was let go after a subordinate accused him of "racist behavior," including defending blackface and sending pictures of watermelons to African-American employees.
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CNN America was sued in Aug. 2014 by a pair of plaintiffs who claim that correspondent Arwa Damon bit one of them and threatened both during a drunken altercation at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
"Boardwalk Empire" actress Paz de la Huerta sued Lionsgate in Aug. 2014 claiming she was run over by an ambulance while filming "Nurse 3D." Lionsgate filed a motion to dismiss, which De La Huerta opposed on Jan. 23, 2015. Lionsgate then opposed her opposition on Jan. 30, 2015, in a seemingly neverending loop of opposing motions.
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Rapper Rakim Mayers, aka A$AP Rocky, was sued in civil court in June 2014 for allegedly assaulting a woman while making his way through a crowd during the 2013 Made in America Festival.
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Nicki Minaj’s former hairstylist and wig designer filed a $30 million lawsuit against the rapper in 2014 for allegedly stealing his wig designs and costing him a potential reality show. A judge later dismissed the case for lack of sufficient evidence.
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Kim Kardashian and Kanye West filed suit against YouTube founder Chad Hurley on Oct. 31, 2013, claiming he posted a video of the couple’s surprise engagement to his website without permission. The process was delayed when Hurley’s reps filed an anti-SLAPP motion in an attempt to have the case dismissed.
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Jahmel Binion filed a lawsuit against Shaquille O’Neal in July 2014 when O’Neal posted a photo to his Instagram account mocking Binion, who suffers from a rare condition that causes facial abnormalities, sparse hair and missing teeth. Binion claimed defamation, emotional distress and invasion of privacy in the $25,000 lawsuit, and after pressure from the public O’Neal apologized.
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In 2014 singer Chris Brown was mentioned in a lawsuit filed by the cousin of artist Frank Ocean. The defendant claimed Brown and an associate allegedly kicked and punched him when he confronted them about parking in a spot designated for Ocean at a Los Angeles recording studio. Ocean, who was also injured, later said he wouldn't seek criminal or civil penalties.
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From embezzlement to slander, there’s no shortage of celebrity court action
Between Lindsay Lohan firing back at Fox News, Mariah Carey allegedly short changing her domestic help, and Sly Stone winning millions after suing his ex-manager -- stars often turn to the courts to address their squabbles and strife.