Another day, another lawsuit against Bravo!
The latest is a lawsuit being filed against the network by the surrogate mother used by Jeff Lewis on the Flipping Out show.
According to Variety, the woman, who gave birth to Jeff and his partner Gage Edward’s daughter, sued Bravo on Tuesday claiming she didn’t consent to having the birth filmed for the series.
The surrogate, Alexandra Trent, delivered the couple’s daughter back in 2016 although the episode featuring the birth didn’t air until August 2017.
In the lawsuit, Alexandra is alleging the show’s producers filmed her vagina without permission, while also claiming she was humiliated by “disgusting” comments made on the show by Jeff and Gage.
“If I was a surrogate, and I had known there was going to be an audience, I probably would have waxed,” Jeff reportedly said during the birth episode. “And that was the shocking part for Gage. I don’t think Gage had ever seen a vagina, let alone one that big.”
Alexandra says she met Jeff and Gage back in 2015 via a classified ad, and was not aware the process would be filmed for reality TV. She says while she agreed to be their surrogate, and consented to filming doctor’s appointments to help promote surrogacy, she however never agreed to having the delivery filmed — a condition the show’s producers allegedly agreed to beforehand.
She also adds that neither she or the doctor were aware that cameras would be present for the birth, and that she had no idea the delivery was filmed until the episode actually aired on Bravo.
Alexandra claims she found out about the delivery episode through a business associate, and was left feeling distraught and humiliated after viewing it online. That episode included scenes of her screaming in pain in addition to a shot of her ‘blurred-out vagina’ on screen.
“In their quest for ratings, Defendants have deeply damaged Trent and have caused incredible anguish, self-loathing, contempt and depression,” the lawsuit states.
In addition to seeking damages for unlawful recording, invasion of privacy and fraud, she says Bravo refused to take down the clips upon her request. She also states she had to cancel another surrogacy contract due to the embarrassment she suffered.
Bravo has yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit.
This new suit comes just months after RHONJ housewife Melissa Gorga’s former business partner sued her, Bravo, and Andy Cohen over claims they defamed her on the network.
UPDATE – Jeff just responded to the lawsuit moments ago on Instagram in the most Jeff Lewis way possible, stating: “I guess we won’t be using her again.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj-PbOwg98u/?hl=en&taken-by=jljefflewis
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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