Steve Carbone, the Dallas-based blogger better known as Reality Steve, has a long history of irritating the producers of The Bachelor with his spoilers that come out well in advance of the season premieres.
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(The show also has a pretty big love affair with Dallas-Fort Worth, the latest example being former Arlington/Irving resident Sean Lowe, who is the "Bachelor" for the new season beginning Jan. 7.)
For the second time, per The Hollywood Reporter, producers of The Bachelor are suing Carbone.
The first time was in December 2011, when NZK Productions and Horizon Alternative Television alleged tha to gain spoilers, Carbone was attempting to induce contestants into breaching their confidentiality pledges. That suit was settled in June, with Horizon parent Warners expressing satisfaction that Carbone had agreed to have no further contact with cast, crew or employees of The Bachelor. Carbone pledged to abide by the agreement but also to keep providing spoilers. (All information in this parargraph is from the Reporter story.)
On Dec. 12, according to the Reporter (or anyone who wants to look at Carbone's post), Reality Steve posted five episodes' worth of spoilers.
"By the end of last month, Bachelor producers had gone to California federal court to lodge a new complaint.," says the Reporter's account. "The plaintiffs say they believe that Carbone continues 'to seek confidential information from participants, cast, crew and other employees of The Bachelor Series and, in the course of doing so, continue to solicit and induce participants and employees of The Bachelor Series to breach their contractual obligations to Plaintiffs."
There's a lot more information in the Reporter story, which is linked above. But the gist is that Carbone is now being sued for both tortious interference as well as breach of the settlement agreement. The producers, represented by attorney Michael J. O'Connor, are asking for a permanent injunction and monetary damages.
"The suit is bogus," Carbone said in an email to the Reporter. "The suit was brought in violation of the settlement agreement I previously reached with the producers of the Bachelor series. That agreement does NOT prevent me from publishing spoilers. The producers have provided no proof that I did anything in violation of our agreement because there is none. They just seek to put me out of business by intimidation and I am currently exploring my legal options, including a counterclaim."
Reality Steve linked The Hollywood Reporter story on his Twitter feed, where so far there hasn't been a whole bunch of feedback -- but what feedback there has been is on his side.
