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More Details About Real World Tonya Cooley’s Rape Lawsuit Against MTV, Producers Calls Her Claims “Baseless”

Written By Mary 31 Oct 2011
28

Days after it was reported that Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins alum Tonya Cooley filed a lawsuit against MTV and Bunim/Murray Productions, the production company is responding and dismissing her claims completely.

Tonya alleges that her fellow The Ruins cast mates 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.”

Tonya claims she was passed out at the time of incident but MTV cameras captured the “rape” and did nothing to stop it – nor was she told about what happened. She reports that the following morning she found “lacerations and rash-like abrasions on her labia,” and had no idea how they got there. Later she learned that both the camera crews and other cast mates had witnessed the assault.

On the day of incident in question, Tonya’s complaint asserts that on a non-competition day MTV provided the cast members with copious amounts of alcohol before noon and offered limited food, resulting in her becoming “very intoxicated.” She also alleges that on that same day another male co-star “forcibly removed” her bikini top while the group was hanging out at the pool, which prompted her to retire to the cast’s accommodations where she “passed out on the floor.” It was during this time that the alleged rape occurred, according to Tonya’s suit.

Prior to the incident Tonya states she complained about the treatment she and other female cast members received at the hands of male counterparts and both MTV and Bunim/Murray told her to “just deal with it.”

The Reality Blurred blog also pointed out that Tonya’s lawsuit reveals she actually filed a complaint on May 7, 2010 with California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing, before filing this lawsuit last week. Some had wondered why Tonya waited so long since the alleged incident occurred in late 2009, and this proves she didn’t. In the original complaint, Tonya alleged “unlawful termination, harassment, failure to prevent discrimination or retaliation, retaliation and sexual assault.” It appears she tried to resolve her complaint with MTV before going the lawsuit route.

Well, a rep for Bunim/Murray is, of course, denying any culpability on the producer’s part, claiming “a thorough investigation” was conducted and that investigation “found Tonya Cooley’s claims to be completely baseless.” MTV has yet to respond do the accusations, stating they do not have a “comment” on the lawsuit. I see they take sexually assault allegations very seriously…

So seriously, in fact, that both Kenny and Evan appeared on Challenge: The Rivals, which aired this summer.

THOUGHTS ON THE ADDITIONAL DETAILS REVEALED ABOUT TONYA’S ALLEGATIONS? ARE YOU SURPRISED THE NETWORK AND THE PRODUCTION COMPANY HAVE NO COMMENT? DO YOU BELIEVE HER CLAIMS ARE “BASELESS”?

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Real World Alum Tonya Cooley Sues MTV, Alleges Toothbrush Rape During Ruins Challenge

Written By Reality Tea 28 Oct 2011
84

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?

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PHOTOS: Meet The Cast of The Real World San Diego! Debuts Sep. 28

Written By Mary 22 Sep 2011
9


The Real World is back!

For it’s 26th season the OG of reality TV will be heading back to sunny, beautiful San Diego where seven diverse strangers will be forced to do everything together for our viewing pleasure! Expect lots of drama as hooking up, arguing, and life changing opportunities invade the beach community of La Jolla!

This season, the diverse group includes a Zimbabwean Gymnast, a Professional Football Player, a Nuclear Engineer, a Drag King, a Model, a Bisexual Recent Graduate, and a San Diego Native who, as the youngest in the house, may have something to teach her roommates yet.

The Real World: San Diego premieres Wednesday, September 28 at 10pm et/pt on MTV. A preview for the new season is below -

Thoughts on the new cast? Will you be watching The Real World: San Diego?

CLICK THE CONTINUE READING BUTTON TO SEE THE CAST & READ THEIR BIOS!

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VIDEO: MTV Releases Real World: San Diego Trailer! Plus View The Contract Participants Are Required To Sign!

Written By Mary 30 Aug 2011
22

For those of you who still watch, the Real World is back for its 2 millionth season (ok actually, only 26th) with its newest installment Real World: San Diego.

Featuring the tried and true premise that has worked for over two decades, six roommates live in a house and see how much they can get on each other’s nerves, hook up, party, and supposedly undergo life changes, oh and get real. Sadly, I still remember when this show was only in its 4th and 5th seasons!

To prepare you for the excitement and the drama, MTV has released the trailer for the new season. The new cast members are Ashley Kelsey, Alexandra Govere, Frank Sweeney, Nate Stodghill, Priscilla Mendez, Samantha McGinn, and Zach Nichols. MTV has yet to release the cast photos.

Also, to prepare you for the drama, the contract MTV requires all castmates to sign has been released and it includes some very interesting (re: gruesome) provisions, which include allowing MTV to have blanket rights to their entire lives even if their story and the events are misrepresented. Included in the 30-page document are some of the following stipulations:

  • All castmates are made aware they may be subjected to: “non-consensual physical contact which could result in which could result in my contracting of any type of sexually transmitted disease, including without limitation, HIV/AIDS, gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), Chlamydia, scabies (crabs), hepatitis, genital warts, and other communicable and sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy, which MTV is not responsible for. “ So MTV is condoning … rape?
  • You may die, lose limbs, and suffer nervous breakdowns. (Stipulation 1)
  • You may be humiliated and explicitly portrayed “in a false light.” (Stipulation 12)
  • Producers are under no obligation to conduct background checks on your fellow cast members. (Stipulation 7) I find this particularly interesting.
  • You agree that you are not pregnant and if you do become pregnant, you’ll tell the Producer immediately–and pregnancy is grounds for dismissal. (Stipulation 38)
  • You can’t change your physical appearance during filming, without the Producer’s express permission. (Stipulation 26)
  • Your email may be monitored during participation. (Section 20b)
  • Normally (i.e. the real real wold) these practices would be considered a “serious” invasion of privacy, but since contestants agree to participate in the show this is all completely legal.
  • Contestants promise not to hide from MTV cameras in establishments where they can’t film. The production crew can show up at your personal house at any time to film and/or to take anything they want, as long as they return the objects once production has ended. (Section 20a)

Additionally, MTV’s contract also demands that cast members be at their beck and call for up to five-years following the conclusion of filming:

- For one year after the show’s final episode airs, cast members are required to participate in all producer-determined press and forbidden from engaging in any media (radio, television, chat rooms, blogs) without the Producer’s written permission. (9)

- The Producer holds the authorship and copyright to every photograph, email, website, sound or video recording, documented performance created in relation to the program, on every medium imaginable. (8)

- You’re obligated to participate in a Reunion Special for up to five years after the show ends, you’ll be paid $2500 for your involvement, and the Producer only has to give you 14 days notice. (50c)

- You’re required to participate in book or home video projects for two years after the show ends, and you’ll be paid $750.00 for each one. (50f)

You can view the full contract here. Personal aside: I’ve spoken to reality TV producers that work for other networks and have worked for MTV, they informed me this is a fairly standard contract for reality television participants. It makes you wonder if having your 15-minutes of fame is worth it…

The trailer for the new season can be seen below! Real World: San Diego premieres Wednesday, Sept. 28 on MTV

 

 

 

 

Get More: MTV Shows

Will you be watching Real World: San Diego or are you over Real World? Would you participate in a reality show knowing all the details? Can you believe any of this is even legal?

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Real World’s Dustin Zito: ‘I Have No Regrets About Gay Porn Past’

Written By Reality Tea 18 May 2011
16

Dustin Zito is now speaking out weeks after his roommates on the Real World discovered his shocking gay porn past on the show. In a new interview, he opens up some more about his porn past, why he did it, and why he’d do it all over again.

When asked why he failed to tell his roommates, including girlfriend Heather Marter, about his past, Dustin states he simply never thought his secret would get out the way it did. “[The site was] going to take care of me. And I was like ‘This is a small website. It doesn’t even end in dot-com,’” the intelligent Dustin, 25, tells UsWeekly.

Dustin once again claims he went into porn because he had nothing else to do in his small hometown. “All my friends had gone to college, but I couldn’t afford it, and I couldn’t find a cool job,” the Rayne, La. native says. “Fratmen called me with this offer. I was paid, and they also paid for my flight, my meals, my clothes…I was like ‘All you want me to do is get naked and be in this video? Jesus, this sounds too good to be true, ” adds the smart Dustin.

He also reveals that what started with simple masturbation scenes eventually progressed into “softcore” oral sex. He says he wasn’t worried in the beginning because “the site doesn’t make you look sleazy. It’s sort of classy. The videos are shot cinematically.” Though Dustin attempts to downplay his gay porn past as just engaging in oral sex, there were pictures of him floating on the internet showing he did way more than that, as in he went all the way with his porn costars.

And today Dustin, who admits his family was unaware about his past, makes it clear he has no regrets about what he did. “People think I was manipulated? People are crazy! I made my own decisions. If I could go back, I probably would have done the same thing,” says Dustin.

Moving right along. A new episode of the Real World: Las Vegas airs tonight on MTV at 10/9c. On the 11th episode this season, the roommates take a vacation to Cancun, but there’s trouble in paradise when tensions between Dustin and Mike-Mike come to a head.

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Real World’s Dustin Zito Talks Relationship With Heather, Plus Roommates Discover His Porn Past

Written By Lauren 27 Apr 2011
6


Lots of drama on tonight’s episode of the Real World: Las Vegas as the roommates discover Dustin Zito’s porn past. Last week, we posted a segment focusing on an interview with Dustin in which he detailed his career in the gay porn industry. He also defended some remarks he made that many people believed were homophobic. In the same Ology interview, Dustin spoke of his romance with fellow cast member Heather Marter.

Dustin explains that he initially came to Las Vegas hoping for a wild time and looking for anything but a relationship. He says, “In the beginning, I’m telling myself, don’t do this, it’s Vegas. But, you know, grandma’s watching this! I don’t want to be coming home with a different girl every night!”

He continues by saying that while he tried to ignore their chemistry at first, it became increasingly difficult. Dustin recalls, “With Heather, I could fight that initial attraction. But living with her, seeing her 24/7, of course I’m gonna develop feelings for her because she’s an awesome girl. By the second or third episode we’re together- but what people don’t know is that we had a lot of talks. We took our time. We both came into the house with that same mindset that we can do whatever we want. But we couldn’t fight it. We were naturally attracted to each other.”

You Can Click Here To See Images From Dustin’s Porn Past

So far this season it seems that the two are quite a match. However, does their relationship come to a screeching halt when Heather discovers the skeletons in his closet? Dustin admits, “Heather is an amazing girl. She’s exactly what I would hope for,” but he plays coy when asked if the couple survives his secret past being revealed. Like any good reality star who knows it’s all about viewership, he responds, “That’s one of those things where you’re just going to have to watch. I won’t comment on it, because it’s such a big deal.”

And watch we will. In a teaser posted on mtv.com, we learn that this week Dustin’s porn history is revealed, shocking his cast mates and friends, and potentially ending his relationship with Heather. Ousted roommate Adam Royer is still in contact with housemate and hook-up Nany Gonzalez, and we can only assume he is no longer in the mtv created bubble that shields the cast from most forms of technology. During a very telling phone call (where Dustin and Heather are in the background getting cozy), Adam informs Nany that several people have been hitting up Dustin’s blog with comments about his past.

Curious, Adam googled his former cast mate and learned that not only was Dustin in porn, but while in the “industry” he went by the name Spencer. Stating he didn’t snoop much more, Adam asks Nany not to tell Heather of his discovery. It seems that at this point Adam is unaware that it was gay porn. Nany shares the information with roommate Naomi Defensor and the girls have a good laugh over this new revelation. Will they be able to keep the news from Heather? Obviously not….so the better question is, how will she react? I guess we shall see soon enough…

The episode airs at 10/9c. A preview clip is below -

TELL US – THOUGHTS ON TONIGHT’S EPISODE? IS DUSTIN WRONG FOR NOT TELLING HEATHER ABOUT HIS GAY PORN PAST? SHOULD HEATHER CONTINUE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM?

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