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Viacom International Inc. has recently filed a lawsuit against Nick Cannon and Zeus Network, accusing them of ripping off their long-running MTV series Wild' N Out. Hosted by Cannon himself, Wild N' Out is an American sketch comedy and battle rap improv game show that premiered on July 28, 2005, and is currently in its 21st season.
According to a report by All HipHop, Viacom's lawsuit alleged that Zeus Network's show Bad vs. Wild was a full-scale reproduction of Wild N' Out, including the set design, format, and even the host.
The lawsuit also claimed that Bad vs. Wild copied Wild 'N Out's signature features, like having two rival teams, celebrity guest appearances, championship prizes, DJ-integrated scoring systems, and participation from live audiences.
It further accused Nick Cannon of directly violating his contract with Viacom. Cannon's contract allegedly prohibited him from engaging in projects that may imitate or compete with Wild N' Out. According to Viacom, Nick Cannon added to the damage by marketing Bad vs. Wild as "Wild 'N Out on steroids" in various promotional content.
The lawsuit sought a permanent injunction to stop the production of Bad vs. Wild and demanded treble damages for Viacom for allegedly violating their copyright willfully. The plaintiff also asked for Zeus Network to reimburse their legal fees and hand over the profits made from Bad vs. Wild so far.
Viacom's attorney accuses Zeus Network of using Nick Cannon and "intentionally copying" their show
George W. Kroup, an attorney representing Viacom International Inc., stated that Zeus Network imitated Viacom's reality show despite knowing they infringed their copyrights.
“Zeus intentionally copied elements of Wild’ N Out in developing Bad vs. Wild, knowing that those acts constituted infringements of Viacom’s copyrights,” said the attorney.
According to him, Zeus Network's inclusion of Nick Cannon further established the fact that they ripped off Wild 'N Out without Viacom's consent.
“Zeus’s collaboration with Mr. Cannon—the longtime host and face of “Wild ‘N Out—in developing Bad vs. Wild further cements the conclusion that Bad vs. Wild intentionally ripped off Wild ‘N Out to profit off its creative elements, without having to do the work of creating original content itself,“ said Kroup.
Additionally, the lawsuit claimed that Bad vs. Wild tarnished the allegedly "good-natured humor" of Wild 'N Out by featuring content that included racial and gender stereotyping, glorification of violence, and other forms of explicit imagery. Referring to the show's controversial Lightskin vs. Darkskin episode, he said:
“The damage caused by Zeus’s interference with Mr. Cannon’s contract is magnified by the wave of negative publicity which emanated from Zeus’s unoriginal content and colorist and sizeist stereotyping.”
In addition to Nick Cannon, the lawsuit also named several former Wild' N Out cast and crew members who now work with Zeus Network for Bad vs. Wild. According to Viacom, the affiliations can confuse a quintessential viewer who might believe that the productions are mutually connected.
Zeus Network has yet to issue a statement in response to the allegations made by Viacom International.
