The Artful Jurist

The MTV reality show, Jersey Shore, which has already stirred up controversy by ticking off Italian Americans, a state legislature, and pretty much the entire state of New Jersey, has a brand new issue to contend with.  A woman in south Florida is accsuing one of the show's cast members, Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola, of attacking her in a nightclub.  And she's threatening to sue both Ms. Giancola and MTV over it.

According to reports, potential plaintiff Kristen DeMinco says she was having a conversation with a man (who, apparently, is Ms. Giancola's boyfriend) when Ms. Giancolo approached.  In Ms. DeMinco's description of the incident, there was an exchange of "bad words" followed by Ms. Giancola striking Ms. DeMinco in the face twice.

Okay, barroom brawls are a dime a dozen, and sometimes they lead to litigation.  But why is MTV a potential defendant over Ms. Giancola's actions?  Well, it seems this happened while MTV was shooting episodes of Jersey Shore in Florida.  It's not clear to me from the news reports whether the incident took place with MTV actually shooting it (or overseeing/prompting it?), or whether MTV's people were off somewhere else when this was going on.  But, hey...when there's potential litigation, people always look around to see who has the deepest pockets.