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When Reality TV Attacks: Can Celebs Like Speidi Sue?

Tue., Jun. 16, 2009 6:15 AM PDT by Leslie Gornstein

NBC

Can Heidi sue the producers of I'm a Celebrity for all she's been through?
—SpiediLuv, N.C.

All she's been through? You mean like not being able to see what kind of shampoo she's using out in the jungle? Nooky deprivation? Honey, please. Even if Heidi Pratt had suffered a full-on nervous breakdown after seeing that a mysterious personage had removed her shampoo label, show producers probably would have no obligation to pay the bills.

"Reality show talent agreements are very extensive and the participants are very clear of the producers' expectations," says Tracey Baker-Simmons, a producer of the reality show Being Bobby Brown and the current BET show Welcome to Dreamland. "Most agreements are created to protect the producer from lawsuits and any other liabilities. Of course, if anything was to physically happen to the person, the producers would immediately provide medical attention, but they are legally covered against any liabilities."

OK, fine. But what if Heidi contracted some sort of horrible parasite (other than her husband)? Or what if she actually died during the course of filming? You may not believe this...

But according to reality-show producer Jacqui Pitman, the producers just might still be immune.

"You can sue for anything, but Spiedi probably wouldn't have a leg to stand on," says Pitman, who worked on the original Extreme Makeover. "I have not seen the specific release they have for this show, but there is a standard in many reality-show releases that covers death."

So when you hear that reality-show contestants sign their lives away, it's closer to the truth than you may have thought.