Posted on 08/11/2005 9:46:41 AM PDT by BurbankKarl
Downey family has sued ABC and the producers of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," claiming that there is a tale of greed and deception behind the scenes of the heartstring-tugging reality hit.
In a suit filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Charles Higgins II, 22, and his four younger siblings say that the producers took advantage of the family's hard-luck story and promised them new cars and other prizes to persuade them to participate in the program, first broadcast on Easter Sunday, March 27.
The Higgins children say that after both parents died within weeks of one another in 2004, they were taken in by Firipeli and Lokilani Leomiti of Santa Fe Springs. The suit claims that the Leomitis used the children to increase their chances of being selected for the program. In February, a construction team working on behalf of the producers tore down the Leomitis' existing 1,300-square-foot home and erected a new nine-bedroom residence in its place. The project was then featured on "Home Edition."
The suit claims that shortly after production wrapped, the Leomitis began working to evict the Higgins children — who are black and at the time ranged in age from 14 to 21 — through physical abuse and name-calling, including repeatedly using a racial epithet. None of the Higgins children lives in the house any longer, the suit says.
(Excerpt) Read more at calendarlive.com ...
Sucks. I really liked that show. It's now in the bin of skepticism with all the other 'reality' shows.
I read the full article at the link and fail to see how ABC or anyone involved in building the home is at fault whatsoever... sounds like a falling out between the two families.
Sounds like the problem is with the Leomitis family not ABC or the TV show. They did the job, and perhaps were suckered themselves. Sounds like the lawyers for the kids are suing anyone with deep pockets.
I saw that episode and thought "Extreme Home Makeover" did a fine job. The fact there's a family feud is none of EHM's fault.
While I agree with your statement, it seems that the crux of the suit is an allegation that the Leomitis are frauds. It appears that ABC was just added for the deep pockets.
ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!
I remember that show. At the time they looked happy.
Correction: Almost none of what you see on television is entrtainment. It may be staged, but don't confuse that with entertainment.
This is insane, where is ABC at fault? Sounds like the kids are suing anyone and everyone who has a buck.
Who's got the most money? -- That's who's at fault...
A nice Scottish couple?
I think they were Somoan.
Lot of workmanship problems with those houses they slap together.
Ummm, they applied for the show, ABC didn't seek them out.
I have to say that the story didn't really ring true when they ran it. Something didn't seem right about the relationship between the kids and their supposed adoptive family.
Or as my dad says, "Fine Irish folks, the both of 'em."
What a sad situation. But, I'm having a hard time figuring out how this is the fault of "Extreme Makeover". They did what they said they would do which was to have a home built that would accommodate the recently expanded family. And, the same is true of the home builder.
The article states the following - " The Leomitis, who are also named in the suit, allegedly appropriated the children's cars and other prizes."
Seems to me, the lawsuit should be against the Leomitis only.
Yeah. I always wonder how those houses work out after a few months. Wood... and Lord knows what else.
I wondered how long it would take.
Litigation attorneys fees? Do the 'parents' have any money? Probably not but ABC and the vendors sure do.
Really? Any proof of that? (Just curious because they did one locally here and there have been no complaints.)
How is this the fault of ABC and Home Edition? Sounds like it's the fault of the families...
PBR - A couple of months ago, the show built a beautiful house for a wounded soldier in Ft. Campbell, TN (not far from me). If you are a fan of the show, look out for this one this coming season, it is not to be missed.
I often wonder how these poor families have the money to pay the taxes and utlitites on these improved homes.
And don't the taxes on the homes in the surrounding area go up, too?
It seems a lot of them are in LA County...Compton, etc. I dont believe you get reassessed immediately from their former values, since there was no sale.
My mom put down pavers on her driveway and up-up-up went her taxes. Private propery ownership is a myth in America. I'm almost certain the property taxes go up where these houses get built.
Duh. That's the very foundation of civil litigation in this country.
They are involved because Disney is the largest non government employer in Southern California, and has DEEP POCKETS.
Man, I hate articles like this.
After reading the entire article, I'm forced to defend ABC. They don't appear to be at fault, here. I have a hard time seeing why they're liable because the two families fell out with each other.
There, I did it. I defended ABC.
Blech.
This Old House magazine ran a short piece on all the problems awhile back. A number of people had asked Norm et al why it took the TOH crew so long to do what they did when Ty and his crew could whip out a completely new house in a week. The punch lists were quite lengthy and many owners were unhappy. Also, the IRS was hammering the early recipients of the homes, classifying them as income that hadn't been taxed. Some of the families had to sell the houses because they couldn't pay the tax. The shows producers were supposed to take care of that SNAFU with future homes.
Why let a little opportunistic manipulation get in the way of whether the orphans get booted as soon as the show is over..
Ya gotta love the South Pacific Mentality..
I know someone who works for one of these shows (not this one, but one like it), and you wouldn't believe how greedy some of these families are. They agree to do the show on certain terms, then they try to sucker the producers for everything they can get and complain when they don't get it.
Given that, I don't buy this sob story.
I remember when The Bachelor called us up for something because they were "reshooting" the ending because it didnt test well.
Reminds me of an old Bloom County comic where Steve Dallas was punched by Sean Penn. He thought of suing Penn, but was afraid he'd get beat up again. Then Madonna, but she'd probably beat him up too. Then Opus, who got him into the mess in the first place, but Opus has no money, "The first rule of litigation. Never, ever sue someone who has no money."
Then it hit him: "I blame Nikolta Camera Corp. As the manufacturer, they were criminally negligent in not placing a warning label reading 'Serious bodily injury could result from photographing rampaging Hollywood hotheads'."
They are going to need a new ending for that website....with the grinch and maybe some marshalls throwing the kids out.
Maybe all the new Sears furniture sitting out at the curb...
Exactly,
this has nothing to do with ABC but instead has to do with the behaviors of the folks AFTER the show had wrapped.
Makes me sad, I remember that EP.
And yes, I wanna marry Ty one day ;)
Under prop 13: surrounding properties = unaffected & go up max 2%/yr.
wait a minute- the claim is that one family gamed the system by taking in four orphans. It is not that the show did anything wrong. I remember this show and thought how odd that they would take in four men are are nearly adults or should/could be on their own. Clearly the show thought the family was honest and they built a huge dream home. The kids who are forced out of the home have some claim.
Thanks. Hadn't seen that one.
If you improve a house with room additions, you can get reassessed on the added parts, but the old parts keep their old assessments. (not really reassessed, but assessed for the first time)
They drive my Dad (87) nuts. He worked construction till he was 75 and 'knows' they can't do what they accomplish in a week.
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