TLC Sues Jon Gosselin for Breach of Contract

TLC, the network producing and airing the soon-to-be-defunct “Jon & Kate Plus 8” reality series, is taking Jon Gosselin to court for allegedly violating contractual obligations, Radar Online reports. The father of eight was bound to TLC by an exclusive contract, a contract that he violated the moment he started taking money from other networks and media outlets to speak of his marriage and the recently canceled reality show.

Even when TLC announced that Jon would get less time in front of the camera due to recent developments (that is, Jon and Kate getting divorced), it also mentioned that he continued to be bound to the network until the show ended its run. Jon would be getting the same money, it was said, on the condition not to do other shows. However, he was not happy with this clause so, because he couldn’t talk his way out of the contract, he blocked production, saying the show was detrimental to his and Kate’s eight children. TLC is now saying in court papers Jon is lying about that too.

“In a bombshell development, TLC announced Friday that it has filed a lawsuit against Jon Gosselin. The network is suing Jon for breach of contract, stemming from his actions of stopping production of Jon & Kate Plus 8. TLC says it has been trying privately and patiently for months to get Jon to honor his contract with them and to comply with his obligations relating to public appearances and statements. Those efforts have been unsuccessful, the network contends.” Radar Online writes based on court documents made public hours ago.

Not only has Jon been getting paid for talking about the state of affairs between him and Kate, which he shouldn’t have, but he’s also badmouthing TLC for a paycheck, which is, again, yet another major no-no stipulated in the contract. Moreover, court papers allege that Jon did not block production with the children’s best interest in mind since the only interest Jon has is in his own person. That is to say, TLC is claiming Jon stopped production for the show for the simple – yet not completely unexpected – reason of wanting more money.

Gosselin’s attorney, though, doesn’t feel the same, refuting all the claims of the suit in a long and scathing statement, which also says TLC took advantage of Jon in the most shameless manner. “We believe that the contract will be unenforceable in light of the fact that Discovery and TLC initially had Jon execute a complicated, complex and sophisticated agreement at a time when he had no legal representative. In any event, when TLC and Discovery ended the program Jon & Kate Plus Eight they also effectively terminated the purported contract and accordingly, any rights or obligations they perceived existed concerning Jon’s conduct or actions, rights or privileges from that point forward were also terminated.” reads an excerpt from the statement.