14 DAY TRIAL // In February this year, Dr. Phil was the first to land an interview with the Manti Te’o hoaxer Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, the man who “created” a fake girlfriend for Te’o and reportedly had him fooled for months.
The interview was a two-part special, with the second part including an exclusive look at Tuiasosopo doing the “girlfriend voice.” At least, it should have been an exclusive.
Dr. Phil producers Peteski Productions are taking Gawker Media to court for posting online a video from the second part of the special before it aired on TV, TMZ has learned.
“According to the suit filed by Dr. Phil's company – Peteski Productions – immediately after part 2 aired in a few TV markets, Deadspin posted footage of Ronaiah doing the voice without permission. Phil believes it was thievery, because the show hadn't aired in 98% of the country,” the celebrity e-zine writes.
Because of the “leak,” ratings for the second part of the interview weren’t even close to what they were supposed to be, and Dr. Phil believes he’s entitled to damages because of that.