The Strangest Reasons Why Celebrities Have Gone To Court
Celebrities and lawsuits seem to go hand in hand. Usually, it's the celebrity suing someone for breach of contract or maybe they're suing a tabloid magazine for spreading lies. Those lawsuits are an everyday occurrence in Hollywood.
Every once in a while though, a celebrity will get sued for something completely outrageous by a fan who wants five minutes of fame. A celebrity might even sue a person or company for something equally ridiculous. One star actually went to court to prove they didn't steal a chihuahua. Read on to learn about the wackiest lawsuits your favorite celebrities have been involved with.
Mila Kunis Stole A Chicken
Long before Mila Kunis was an A-list actress, she was just a humble Ukrainian farm girl who loved chickens. In 2015, childhood best friend Kristina Karo sued Kunis for $5,000 because allegedly, Kunis stole their joint pet chicken.
Karo said that the two would come home every day from school to play with their chicken, Doggie, until one day Kunis admitted to stealing it. When Karo moved to L.A. to pursue a singing career, she claimed the proximity to Kunis sent her into a chicken-related depression.
Alfonso Ribeiro Won't Let Anyone Use His Dance
The former Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star is holding on tight to his character Carlton's signature dance moves. It may be over 20 years since Ribeiro debuted the dance, but it's still as prevalent as ever in culture. Case in point: the video game Fortnite has added it to its list of character dance moves.
Ribeiro has sued the video game maker for not giving him credit or asking permission to use the dance and is even in the middle of trademarking the dance for good measure.
A Woman Alleged P. Diddy Was Somehow Behind 9/11
Yes, apparently the musician and music producer was the mastermind behind the biggest terrorist attack on United States soil. That's what one woman, Valerie Turks, claimed alongside a slew of strange allegations.
The lawsuit started out as a normal paternity suit where Turks said Diddy fathered her child. Then she said he stole a casino chip from her that was worth "over 100 zillions of dollars" (direct quote) and that he was behind 9/11. In all, Turks tried to sue Diddy for the grand total of $1 trillion.
One Man Didn't Want To Look Like Michael Jordan
Being mistaken for one of the greatest basketball stars in history doesn't sound like the worst thing in the world, but for one man, Allen Heckard, it was so burdensome that he sued. Heckard claimed that despite being six inches shorter than Jordan, he was fed up with requests for autographs and photos.
Heckard sued Jordan and Nike founder Phil Knight for $416 million each because they both had a hand in "promoting Jordan's image."
Lindsay Lohan Didn't Like Being Called A "Milkaholic"
Back in 2010 at the peak of Lindsay Lohan's downhill spiral, she sued a financial services company called E-Trade for a television advertisement. In the ad, there was a talking baby named Lindsay who was a "milkaholic."
LiLo felt the baby was a direct impersonation of her and found it offensive to be considered any type of -holic. She also claimed in the suit that her first name is as recognizable as Madonna or Oprah which we all know isn't true.
David Blaine And David Copperfield Were Accused Of Stealing "Godly Powers"
The two illusionists may hold some serious magical powers, but their tricks are thanks to years of practice, not supernatural elements. That's not what another fellow illusionist, Christopher Roller, claims though. Roller brought a suit against both Blaine and Copperfield arguing they stole his powers and that he is a "deity...a messenger of God."
The suit came while Roller was trying to file a patent for his "godly powers." The $52 million suit was dismissed for obvious reasons.
Kim Kardashian Has Too Much Sway On The Selfie Market
In a weird version of a reverse lawsuit, the company SnapLight decided to sue the Kardashian for somehow ruining their company? Kim K. was the spokesperson for a cell phone case called LuMee, which provides the perfect selfie lighting.
Well, SnapLight has the same product and argued that Kim's work with the LuMee company made it "extremely difficult for SnapLight to compete in the selfie case market." The company sued Kim for $100 million but she wasn't phased whatsoever.
One German Citizen Sued The Pope Over A Seatbelt
The Pop might be the most powerful person in the Catholic Church, but they're expected to follow the same rules everyone else has to when in Germany. One concerned German citizen sued Pope Benedict XVI in 2011 because the Pope wasn't wearing a seatbelt in his Popemobile.
The citizen didn't want to rid the church of its riches, they just wanted Benedict XVI to pay the required seatbelt fines of about $3,300.
Nicholas Cage Allegedly Stole A Chihuahua
Nic Cage might be a little out there, but apparently, he's not crazy enough to go on a drunk driving joyride and steal a dog. That's what one woman, Kathleen Turner, alleged in a 2008 memoir. Turner apparently worked with Cage back in 1986 and said that one night he was driving drunk and stole a dog.
Cage argued the claim and sued Turner, her book publisher, and the newspaper for the false claim. In the end, Cage was right and Turner admitted she was lying.
Charlie Sheen Allegedly Used A Real Life Interaction As A Plotline
For one woman, Ursula Auburn, an episode of Two and a Half Men hit a little too close to home. She claimed that an episode with a character Rose resembled her and an interaction she had in real life with the show's star Charlie Sheen.
Auburn claimed that Rose, a crazy stalker, looked, sounded, and dressed just like she does in real life. We're not sure why she'd admit that she stalked Sheen in real life, but it must have worked because Sheen settled with her out of court.
50 Cent Is Not A Fan Of Taco Bell
It might sound cheap, but 50 Cent's name comes at a high cost and the fast-food chain Taco Bell didn't pay a cent. In 2008, Taco Bell was campaigning their low-cost menu items and jokingly sent letters to news outlets across America asking 50 Cent to change his name to "79 Cent, 89 Cent, or 99 Cent" to promote the menu.
50 Cent might have been fine with it, except Taco Bell never sent him a letter. He only found out about the promotion after fans started calling him a sellout. Needless to say, he sued Taco Bell for $4 million in damages.
Who Is The Real Durantula?
NBA player Kevin Durant wasn't happy to be slapped with a lawsuit by washed-up '80s guitarist Mark Durante. In the lawsuit, Durante argued that he owned the trademark to "Durantula" and wanted Kevin to stop using it.
Durant's lawyers took no responsibility and argued that it was the fans who began to call him the nickname because of his lanky, spider-like arms. They even said that in fact, Durant absolutely hates the nickname.
Barbra Streisand's Lawsuit Created "The Streisand Effect"
One of the most famous ridiculous celebrity lawsuits belongs to legendary singer and actress Barbra Streisand. Back in 2003, in the early days of the internet, Streisand sued a climate website for $50 million featuring an aerial photo of her home. She claimed it breached her privacy and wanted the photo "removed from the internet."
The problem was once the lawsuit was brought to court, it brought even more attention to the photograph. The lawsuit prompted the Streisand Effect, which now means the "unintended consequence of publicizing information."
A Gardener Didn't Want To Be Part Of Elizabeth Taylor's Soap Opera
Willem Van Muyden was suddenly let go of his job as Elizabeth Taylor's gardener and he decided to sue about it. Van Muyden alleged that the only reason he was fired was because he refused to have sex with the butler.
Apparently, the butler was Taylor's lover but was having trouble getting aroused. The butler wanted a little help in that department from Van Muyden but he refused. The lawsuit was eventually settled and Taylor's lawyer said Van Muyden didn't receive a cent.
Simon Cowell Is A Shoe Stealer
A personal chef sued legendary American Idol judge Simon Cowell because she lost her shoes. The chef went to Cowell's home for an interview and was required to take off her shoes at the door, which happened to have $500 orthopedic insoles.
Apparently, the chef left the interview but her shoes were nowhere to be found. She sued Cowell but rather than trying to get millions out of him, he just wanted the cost of the shoes and the gas money it took to get to and from the house.
One Mega-Fan Sued Elvis' Estate For Lying About His Death
Bill Smith of Fort Worth, Texas, had a really tough time accepting that The King was dead. Not long after Elvis Presley's death, Smith sued the estate for lying about the musicians passing. Smith said he knew Elvis was still alive because he had "multiple phone conversations with Elvis."
According to Smith, not only did Elvis' estate lie to him, they violated his civil rights somehow. Unsurprisingly, he didn't win the lawsuit.
A Murderer Sued God
Okay, maybe God isn't exactly a celebrity, but he's as popular as it gets so he makes this list. In 2007, God was sued by a Romanian man Pavel Mircea. Mircea claimed that God was responsible for his 20-year prison sentence for murder because God didn't protect him from the Devil.
Since God didn't stop the devil from convincing Mircea to commit the crime, God didn't hold up his end of the contract that Mircea technically signed when he was baptized. Something tells me this case didn't go very far.
One Woman Sued Three Mega Stars For The Same Reason
A woman named Tina Seals alleged that she was the real mother to multiple celebrity children from different families. In three separate suits, Seals sued Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, and Mariah Carey. In each, she claimed that she was the mother of their children.
Aside from all the pregnancy and birth photos we've seen of those three celebrities, this lawsuit was completely bonkers because of what Seals was asking for. Specifically, in her lawsuit against Kardashian, she was asking for "negotiable money judgment" OR a record deal for her 22-year-old son.
Gwyneth Paltrow Vs. A Skiing Incident
In 2016, Academy Award-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow was involved in a skiing accident while on vacation in Deer Valley, Utah. In 2023, the other party in the accident, Terry Sanderson, sued the actress for $3.1 million, stating she was the reason for the crash.
Of course, Paltrow went on to countersue, saying Sanderson was the one who crashed into her. After a few days, the actress was found not responsible for the crash and would be awarded $1 from Sanderson, along with him paying her legal fees.
Nicki Minaj Is Wigging Out Over Wigs
The female rapper is known for her ever-changing hairstyles and it's all thanks to the hard work of an endless wig closet. Minaj has over 100 wigs and spends a lot of time grooming and taking care of them. She even hired "wig guru" Terrence Davidson to work with her wigs.
Unfortunately, Davidson turned on Minaj and sued her to the tune of $30 million. He alleged that the rapper stole, licensed, and sold his "wig designs" and he didn't see a cent.
Sacha Baron Cohen Made An Elderly Woman Very Mad
In 2009, an elderly woman named Richelle Olson sued Borat actor Sacha Baron Cohen for "vulgar language that started an altercation." The altercation happened while Cohen was filming Brüno. For the lawsuit, Cohen's lawyers reviewed the tapes and found it all pretty hilarious.
What they found was that Cohen entered a bingo hall and was indeed making inappropriate jokes but no altercation happened. The only thing they found was that Olson stood up in the background and yelled: "I will not have anyone make a mockery of this bingo hall!"
One Actor Wasn't A Fan Of A Simpsons Character
If you've ever heard the named Frank Sivero, then you're one of the few. The only role he is really known for is as Frankie Carbone in Goodfellas. In 2014, Sivero sued FOX and The Simpsons for using his likeness for a character.
Sivero ended up losing the $250 million case because the judge found the character was a parody of all mod characters, not just him. It also didn't help that Sivero has a history of suing people for using his likeness. He once sued a sandwich shop for the same thing.
An NYU Professor Sued His Student, James Franco
In 2011, actor James Franco decided to go back to school and enrolled in New York University. As anyone could have guessed, Franco wasn't exactly an ideal student. One professor, Jose Angel Santana, gave Franco a 'D' because he missed twelve classes.
Rather than go home, cry, and eat a tub of ice cream like every other university student, Franco said he "didn't feel [he] needed to waste time with a bad teacher." Santana was later fired from NYU and sued Franco for being the reason he was let go.
Miley Cyrus Was Sued By One Million People
Well, technically one woman sued Miley on behalf of one million others. The lawsuit stems from 2009 photo of a 16-year-old Miley Cyrus. In it, she's slanting her eyes upwards and one woman of Asian Pacific descent was not happy about it.
Lucie J. Kim sued Miley to a tune of $4 billion. She claimed the price tag was so high because each Asian Pacific Islander in L.A. County deserved at least $4,000 each. Cyrus ended up apologizing and the case was later dismissed.
Kim Kardashian Sued Old Navy Out Of Revenge
In 2012, Kim Kardashian sued the fashion retailer Old Navy for using a commercial model that looked a little too much like her, but that wasn't the real issue. People criticized Kim for the lawsuit because the model, Melissa Molinaro, also happened to be the girlfriend at the time of Kim's ex Reggie Bush.
The lawsuit was settled out of court and we can only assume someone told Kim to stop being jealous.
Apparently, Lisa Marie Presley Is An Imposter
Fans of Elvis Presley really take the cake when it comes to coming up with ridiculous conspiracy theories that turn into lawsuits. One fan, Lisa Johansen, has come to terms with the fact The King is dead but refuses to believe Lisa Marie Presley is his daughter and heir.
Instead, Johansen argues that she is Elvis' daughter and that Lisa Marie was switched with her when they were young. She filed a lawsuit for $130 million in 2011 and even released a book detailing "the switch."
Sarah Jessica Parker Got Entangled In A Lawsuit With Apple
In 2009, tech developer Franz A. Wakefield filed a lawsuit against Steve Jobs and Apple and claimed that he was actually the inventor of their iconic iPod, iTunes, and iPhone products. Lawsuits like that are normal with big companies, but how does a Sex and the City star get involved?
Wakefield claimed that Parker signed a secret deal with him to endorse the product then went and turned her back on it when Apple came out with the products. Unsurprisingly, the case didn't make it very far.
One Man Sued Budweiser For Not Making Women Like Him
Way back in 1991, Richard Overton sued the mega-brewing company Anheuser-Busch for a commercial that showed beautiful women frolicking and drinking Budweiser on a beach with some average looking men. In the lawsuit, he argued that the commercial was "false and misleading."
Apparently, the shock of beautiful women not frolicking on the beach with him was so disappointing to Overton that it caused him "financial loss and emotional distress." Unsurprisingly, the suit didn't get very far.
A North Carolina Woman Wanted A Piece Of Monster-In-Law
After the release of 2005's Monster-In-Law, a woman from North Carolina sued Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, and the production company for a share of the $155 million box office profits. The woman, Sheri Gilbert, claimed she'd "seen it before" and "could predict what would happen in the next scene."
Gilbert said that the screenplay was written about her own rocky relationship with her mother-in-law. We'd love to hear when Gilbert's mother-in-law thought about being compared to the film.
Mariah Carey Vs. Mary Carey
Celebrities often sue other people with names or professions too similar to theirs. For many celebrities, their name and image is their entire net-worth. This is exactly why Mariah Carey felt it was okay to sue a low-level adult movie star named Mary Carey.
Mariah argued the name was too close to hers and was "hurting her image." To everyone's shock, the judge actually agreed and as of January 2007, Mary Carey is not a legal professional name.
The Miss USA Pageant Had A Difficult Contestant
One Miss USA contestant Carrie Prejean sued the pageant after being removed from the competition. Pageant officials say they removed Prejean after racy photos of her came to light, but she says it was "religious discrimination."
The removal came not long after she answered a question about same-sex marriage rights and it wasn't up to standard for openly-gay judge Perez Hilton. Prejean later dropped the suit after an even more scandalous video of her was released.
