Malibu Property Owner Sues Claiming 'Bethenny Ever After' Violated Privacy

Courtesy of Bravo

"Bethenny Ever After"

In case there's any doubt that owners of private property take privacy seriously, NBCUniversal and Shed Media are being sued for invading a Malibu home during the filming of the Bravo reality show, Bethenny Ever After. The owners of 19936 Pacific Coast Highway are now demanding that Bravo be ordered to stop airing episodes of the show lest the world see the shy home's interior.

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How does a TV network get itself into such a situation?

According to a lawsuit filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, it happens when producers sign a lease to use the property without sorting the tenant from the landlord. 

The property was leased to two individuals, who subsequently then subleased the place to producers in an alleged violation of the original lease agreement. NBC and Shed Media are stated to have demonstrated "reckless disregard" by failing to inquire about the true owner of the property and publicly publishing the interior of the home without consent.

The plaintiffs are suing the tenants for breach of contract, of course, but since there's no business like show business, the property owners are also asserting a theory that owners have the right to keep living areas away from the glare of a reality TV camera. "Such publication of the interior of The Property was not a matter of public concern," they say.

The owners of this home say they have suffered general damages of at least $25,000, but they also want punitive damages and an injunction.

E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com

Twitter: @eriqgardner