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The Real World: Chicago alum Tonya Cooley has filed a lawsuit against MTV over allegations of rape.
According to TMZ, Tonya is alleging she was raped and harassed by some of her fellow MTV reality stars during The Ruins Challenge back in 2009.
In the lawsuit filed against MTV, Bunim/Murray Productions, and others, Tonya alleges her Challenge costars Kenny Santucci and Evan Starkman “took another male participant’s toothbrush and rubbed the toothbrush around plaintiff’s genitals, including rubbing her labia and inserting the toothbrush into plaintiff’s vagina.”
Even worse, Tonya claims this all happened while she was passed out… and the rolling MTV cameras captured it all on tape.
According to the lawsuit, the show producers knew about the rape, and even replaced the toothbrush, though they never told her what happened.
Tonya claims producers turned a blind eye to incidents of sexual abuse experienced by she and other female castmembers, and encouraged male cast members to “inappropriately touch female cast members’ bodies, including in intimate areas,” while stripped of their bathing suits.
If you recall, Tonya was booted from the Challenge early on after slapping another cast member – Veronica Portillo. I blogged about that episode back in October 2009 and expressed my disgust with the way Kenny and Evan bullied a drunk Tonya.
Tonya is suing for unspecified damages. MTV has yet to comment on the suit. Tonya, who has appeared on multiple challenges, hasn’t done a challenge since The Ruins.
TELL US – THOUGHTS?
Since the details of how all of this information was given to Tanya is currently unknown, I wonder if it was an employee of the show who finally told her in good conscious. The people who film these shows have STRICT non-disclosure contracts and was probably afraid of losing their line of work. That’s no excuse of course, but it makes me wonder how she was able to specifically name these two turds.
Sad to say, that even if this is true, MTV has iron-clad contracts that state if a participant in a show gets hurt, arrested, raped, an STD, MURDERED by another cast member, MTV isn’t liable. So she may be SOL. Sad and disgusting. Those shows stopped being entertainment years ago, anyway. It’s always just a shitshow of fighting and random hook-ups.c
These reality shows has kept getting worse for years, and yet, none of the producers seem to not care which is disturbing and sad. She should sue all of them to the full extent, but why is she barely coming out now? I hope Kenny, Evan, and the MTV production crew gets punished! Shame on them!
#52 that’s true–I recently read something about that (might have been on Reality Tea) BUT just because they get people to sign contracts like that, doesn’t mean those contracts would hold up in court when you’re talking about a serious crime being committed against someone.
52 Belle
While I know you are right about those contracts (they do that say) any judge can say those contracts were illegal and therefore invalid. It may take an army of lawyers to make that happen, but I think she has a strong case if there is video evidence. The law may see MTV to be an accessory, so it is in MTV’s best interest to just settle.
@50 Steph
Don’t be hatin’ girl….just cuz Mr. Beautiful wouldn’t touch you (even with Evan’s toothbrush) I am sure you will find someone someday. Take a chill pill babe!
Is it me or does KENNY look like a young DICK VAN DIKE ??? anywho I hope KENNY wasn’t actually dumb enough to do something so stupid. Don’t get me wrong KENNY is a huge prick but I hope he has limitations.
@54 and @55 I truly hope you guys are right!
Ah, a Kenny impersonator is amongst us, I see. If anything, these two dudes are probably too scared to say a PEEP as they scramble for lawyers.
Ain’t impersonating just saying Kenny wouldn’t touch her with Evan’s toothbrush.
As far as contracts go, I am not sure what the specific wording of it is but no judge would accept a binding contact when a felony act w
** was committed. If it is true, anyone involved in the act, recording of the act, and concealing of the act can be criminally and civially charged.
I said INTIMATE contact, not sex@Amy 38. Intimate contact is not always sexual, simply a contact where fluids can be excanged. Google it yourself, know-it-all!
#56 yeah, women being violated while they’re passed out and a tv crew watches is certainly nothing to get upset about.
Only an asshole thinks we should all “chill” when it comes to rape.
@61Mr. Beautiful-NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are a phucking idiot!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you take Criminal Justice 101 and fail or are you just a stoopid tool that doesn’t know the first thing about legal documents or legal/binding contracts????? I would advise you to do alittle bit more research on this topic which most apparently YOU know notta about!!!!! Criminally and civially charged for concealing,recording or involved in the act???? Really???? Seriously???? Total tool and mentally challenged no doubt. Your screen name really says it all now doesn’t it?????????
Xyxyz and Steph I love you both!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very well said!!!!! I applaud you both!!!!!!!! Good job and keep it up!!!!!!!
@56Mr. Ugly one more thing…..take a chill pill babe?????? You truly are a phucking tool idiot!!!!!!!!!!! Now STFU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
well after recently finding out the types of contracts MTV gets their reality stars to sign are we truly surprised about this. If I remember correctly the contract mentioned something about inappropriate touching. MTV has become a channel I haven’t watched in decades, if this is true it’s just one more nail….
WTFLOL- get over your damn self. Don’t go having a damn heart attack over some stupid internet forum you “phucking tool” is that how you put it? Idiot…I love getting you morons all jacked off over shit cuz I know you losers are going to be sitting here the rest of your pathetic lonely night and probably weekend ranting back and forth on here because you have nothing better to do. Later Beeotch!
Don’t worry… MTV will most likely settle out of court instead of losing in court. While yes contracts were signed and the two gentleman were actually responsible for the act. MTV knowledge of this event and hiding of it would most likely be considered concealment and warrant aiding/abetting charges. The contracts will not override law. Now had this happened outside of MTVs knowledge it would be a different story.
Whether or not this is true, I don’t think Tanya is lying. I think she truly believes this happened, and its plausible. All of the guys on this show are chauvinistic assholes, and get rewarded time and again for it.
Pigs…
So thats what happens when people stop being polite….
omg 72. I hate that that just made me laugh. I now feel like a horrible person.
Rotflmbo @72!!!
I know rape is not a laughing matter, but when I saw Tonya, not having seen her since her RW Chicago days, all I could think was “Kidney stones and kidney stones and not on the trip and not on the trip and justin’s coming justin’s coming walla walla”… LOL
despite the contract they would have created an unsafe environment if they knew about this incident and filmed it and did nothing to prevent it. this is the foundation of negligence. mtv is very liable if it is proven.
lol @75!! You are so right on…lol
Tonya has always been a nutjob; now she’s an alcoholic nutjob. Do you all think this happened & the camera & crew alllll knew about it and just let it go?? Really?????? No freaking way. These challenges have a ton of players and a ton of crew around. Give me a break…..She’s a whacko…
@68 Love you too babe!!! Sweetheart I can assure you that I have plenty to do. Hardly ever read or post on these stories but for whatever reason you struck a nerve with your dissrespectful post about the Tonya Cooley incident. I prosecute filth like those two every week. Maybe I was alittle too aggressive with you and I do apologize. We can agree to disagree.
Mtv can’t absolve themselves of a criminal act committed by one of their participants with their knowledge.No contract would absolve anybody from reporting a crime such as rape. Otherwise you’d be considered an accessory. If they all did this to Tanya (which I believe they did), they all need to be arrested and charged in criminal court and then later on civil court for monetary damages. Thailand has different laws though so maybe they are protected by that as far as criminally. Also, Mtv wouldn’t want to lose their 2 big stars during the filming of the season. How could they explain their absence? Mtv cares about their bottom line. The mighty dollar.
Lucky,you said it best.The Challenge is the most ugly and sadistic of all reality shows.
whether this is true or not, the contract has been posted, and yes people sign it, but that still doesn’t make that contract ok. Exploiting people is never ok, no matter how stupid or crazy or desperate or whatever. When did it become ok to profit off of people at the expense of their own well being, post slavery and civil rights movement?
MTV makes money off of genuine alcoholics and creating chauvinists into idols. It allows the possibility of these situations. F**k that.
divorce money not enough, she’s aging out of this reality tv stuff, she needs a settlement…no more playboy photoshoot to hand her money.
I have a hard time believing this story completely if Tanya is going after MTV only and not after Kenny and Evan individually. Is she only going for the deepest pockets and not the true culprits?