Tom Arnold Sues Over ‘Bait and Switch’ Reality TV Deal

Comedian says he was stiffed and disparaged after agreeing to appear on “I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here”

Tom Arnold
Getty Images

Tom Arnold is suing-mad over what he says turned out to be a fraudulent agreement to appear on the Australian reality TV series “I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.”

In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, Arnold says he was enticed to sign on with the show, only to be belittled and have a promised Australian comedy tour canceled on him.

Arnold also says he’s still owed $140,000 of what he was promised from the deal.

According to the suit, which names Network Ten and A List Entertainment as defendants, Arnold was “victimized by Defendants’ fraudulent ‘bait and switch’ scheme, by which they were induced to provide valuable services overseas based on false promises of compensation which Defendants ignored — and,in fact, never intended to honor.”

The suit says that Arnold was approached to appear on the show in fall 2016. Offered a total of $425,000 to appear on the show and perform a subsequent comedy tour of Australia, Arnold agreed to the deal and “blocked off Arnold’s schedule in prime summer months when he typically receives his best engagements and highest compensation,” the suit says.

The “I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here” gig “was to be recorded in the jungle of South Africa and involved significant personal inconvenience and hardship to its celebrity participants,” the suit reads, and requiring Arnold to spend more than two weeks in the jungle.

During filming of the program, the lawsuit says, Network Ten “encouraged and edited a story line for the program which sought to disparage Arnold, solely for the sake of creating viewer interest, which sought to minimize Arnold’s comedic talent.”

“When Arnold raised the concern that this could affect his Australian comedy tour, Network Ten promised that it would not let that happen. Network Ten ensured Arnold that its depiction of Arnold on the program would not endanger the Australian comedy tour,” it states.

After Arnold appeared on the show, the suit alleges, the defendants canceled the tour. They also haven’t paid him $140,000 of what he was promised, the suit says.

Alleging fraudulent misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation and breach of oral contract, the lawsuit is demanding the $140,000. plus compensation for additional losses stemming from Arnold “giving up alternative employment” to do the gig.

TheWrap has reached out to Network Ten and A List Entertainment for comment.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

Comments