The Glass House vs. Big Brother: The Off-Screen Drama Continues!

The Glass House and Big Brother concluded their seasons months ago, but the drama has not ended off screen just yet. But this time, it’s the ex-Big Brother employees, Corie Henson, Michael O’Sullivan, and executive producer Kenny Rosen now working for The Glass House, who have chosen to fire back, claiming that CBS is using “litigation equivalent of war.” CBS has abandoned the lawsuit, but the three producers are asking the court to stop the network from arbitrating its claims. According to the filing,

“CBS made these allegations as part of its campaign to prevent, or at the very least, disrupt and harass, the production of a new reality show ‘The Glass House,’ which CBS regarded as competitive with its reality show ‘Big Brother.’ Plaintiffs had previously worked on ‘Big Brother’ and then took jobs on ‘The Glass House.’ CBS intended to send a message that former CBS employees who later dared to work for a competing show would be punished.”

The producers claim that CBS knew their nondisclosures while working on Big Brother included arbitration clauses but that CBS neglected that when they sued ABC and The Glass House earlier this summer. When CBS dropped the suit in August, they cited low ratings by the ABC competition. The complaint from the producers goes on to say

“But CBS was not done harassing plaintiffs. On the same day that CBS dropped the plaintiffs from its federal case, it belatedly attempted to invoke the previously ignored arbitration provision in the non-disclosure agreements. CBS’s arbitration demand involves exactly the same claims and same facts upon which CBS sought to build a case in federal court. Moreover, the arbitration demand refers expressly to discovery CBS obtained during the court action.”

It is important to note that ABC, as a network, isn’t included in on this complaint, but rather Rosen and O’Sullivan, as producers of TGH, and Henson, ABC’s president of alternative programming.

Hot in Cleveland Goes LIVE!

Hot in Cleveland

TVLand is taking a page out of the playbook of shows like 30 Rock. Hot In Cleveland, which typically tapes in front of a live studio audience is taking it one step further in the summer of 2013. The comedy starring Betty White, Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, and Wendie Malick will get a special supersized episode next summer as they go 100% live on screen for your viewing pleasure.

TVLand president, Larry Jones, released a statement today when the news broke.

“This is going to be big. It’s exhilarating because you just never know what might happen. We’ve got true sitcom veterans with the cast of Hot in Cleveland and I can’t wait to see what unfolds.”

The show returns on November 28 with it’s 4th season, which they are currently filming. The special LIVE episode will air June 19, 2013 at 10/9c. The length of the episode is yet to be determined. The west coast will not get another live episode, but rather a tape-delay of the east coast’s live show.