Man sues over Bravo show 'Project Runway'
LOS ANGELES - A man has sued the producers and sponsors of the hit reality show "Project Runway," alleging that the Emmy-nominated show was based on a script that was rejected by producers two years ago. Joel Lamontagne filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. He claims he pitched a show called "America's Fashion Designer Search" to a producer with Los Angeles-based Project Greenlight in February 2003. Lamontagne claims producer Tony Yates asked to see the material but ultimately told him the company was too busy with other shows. "In the meantime, we think they took this idea, promoted it and it's been a big success," said Ivan Schwartz, Lamontagne's lawyer. "Project Runway" features designers who compete in weekly fashion design challenges in hopes of breaking into the business. It first aired on Bravo in December 2004 and a second season begins next month. Supermodel Heidi Klum is one of a panel of judges. The suit contends that Project Greenlight developed the show for Miramax Films, which then sold it to Bravo and NBC Universal. Yates and all three companies are named in the suit. The suit also names sponsors, such as The Gap, Banana Republic, Elle Magazine and L'Oreal. An e-mail send to Project Greenlight seeking comment was not immediately returned Wednesday. The company has no listed phone number. Yates could not be reached for comment. Schwartz said the suit sought "tens to hundreds of millions of dollars" in damages, but an exact figure hadn't been calculated.Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/13243755.htm
LOS ANGELES - A man has sued the producers and sponsors of the hit reality show "Project Runway," alleging that the Emmy-nominated show was based on a script that was rejected by producers two years ago. Joel Lamontagne filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court. He claims he pitched a show called "America's Fashion Designer Search" to a producer with Los Angeles-based Project Greenlight in February 2003. Lamontagne claims producer Tony Yates asked to see the material but ultimately told him the company was too busy with other shows. "In the meantime, we think they took this idea, promoted it and it's been a big success," said Ivan Schwartz, Lamontagne's lawyer. "Project Runway" features designers who compete in weekly fashion design challenges in hopes of breaking into the business. It first aired on Bravo in December 2004 and a second season begins next month. Supermodel Heidi Klum is one of a panel of judges. The suit contends that Project Greenlight developed the show for Miramax Films, which then sold it to Bravo and NBC Universal. Yates and all three companies are named in the suit. The suit also names sponsors, such as The Gap, Banana Republic, Elle Magazine and L'Oreal. An e-mail send to Project Greenlight seeking comment was not immediately returned Wednesday. The company has no listed phone number. Yates could not be reached for comment. Schwartz said the suit sought "tens to hundreds of millions of dollars" in damages, but an exact figure hadn't been calculated.