A former model on the game show “The Price is Right” has filed a sexual harassment and wrongful termination lawsuit against the producers of the show. She is among the latest to take similar legal action against the popular TV show.
The 20-page complaint alleges the show’s producers engaged in an exploitation of power and control over women through harassment and bullying.
The model who had worked on the show for seven years between 2003 and 2010 said that one of the producers began favoring another one of the show’s models and that she was chastised by the producer for rules that did not exist. She alleges that she was half-dressed when the producer burst into the dressing room and — in front of others — yelled at her for failing to wear a microphone.
The show has a past history of complaints that goes back to former host Bob Barker, who retired from “The Price is Right” in 2007 after 35 years as the show’s host. During that time, he had a number of lawsuits filed against him. The most prominent case involved a former model who sued for $8 million, claiming that she was forced to have sex with Barker to keep her job. She was later fired from her position.
Barker denied the allegations at first, but later admitted that he did have a consensual sexual relationship with the model. A judge kept the sexual harassment claim, but tossed out the claim of wrongful termination. The suit was later dropped by the model because of stress and a lack of money to continue the legal action.
Though the show’s producers are being sued, there have been no legal actions brought against Drew Carey, the show’s current host.
Source: TIME, “‘Price is Right’ Model Lawsuit: Latest in a History of Harassment Claims,” Frances Romero, Sept. 12, 2011