CNN.com - Entertainment - Former 'Survivor' Stillman suing show, claims it was rigged

Publish date: 2024-05-02
Stacey Stillman
Attorney Stacey Stillman claims "Survivor" producers rigged the show against her so that the show's demographics would be helped 

(CNN) -- The hottest TV show of the season may have been set in the south Pacific, but it's now earned a very American distinction: It's been sued.

And by a former contestant who's a lawyer, no less.

Stacey Stillman, a 27-year-old San Francisco attorney, has filed suit in that city's superior court claiming producers rigged the selection process to bolster the show's demographic appeal.

"The producers of 'Survivor' engaged in a scheme for the purpose of prearranging or predetermining its outcome, by influencing, persuading, or intimidating contestants to cast votes," Stillman's suit alleged. Stillman was the third contestant booted off the original version of the show, which aired last summer.

CBS dismissed the allegations as baseless, saying Stillman was pursuing "a frivolous and groundless lawsuit."

Specifically, Stillman charged that "Survivor" executive producer Mark Burnett strong-armed contestants Dirk Been and Sean Kenniff to switch their votes to protect 72-year-old Rudy Boesch -- the grizzled former Navy SEAL who ended up among the final four contestants on the show.

Stillman says Burnett moved to save Boesch, the oldest contestant on "Survivor," to cater to a "critical demographic in the viewing audience, particularly in the latter days of the show."

"Burnett believed that Boesch ... had the type of demeanor and gave the type of sound-bites that played well to a television audience," Stillman's suit charged, saying the alleged manipulation of the vote deprived her of her chance to win the contest.

Stillman's suit seeks restitution for lost prize money, plus $75,000 for out-of-pocket expenses. She also is demanding punitive damages and a judgment declaring that "Survivor" was a fraud.

'Creative integrity has remained intact'

CBS has denied Stillman's charges.

" 'Survivor' has received more press and public scrutiny than any show in recent television history, and its creative integrity has remained intact throughout," the network said in a statement. "We are confident that the courts, as well as 'Survivor' viewers, will see the case as utterly without foundation."

Burnett has also denied Stillman's allegations.

In an interview with the syndicated show "Access Hollywood," he said, "Everyone votes their conscience. That's all I've ever said, 'Vote your conscience.' "

Boesch, who was cast in another Burnett-produced game show, "Combat Missions," told "Access Hollywood," "In my opinion, there's no way to rig that show. If there was, I'd be in on it, don't worry."

A source familiar with the situation told Reuters that Stillman's representatives had approached CBS with two settlement offers. In one, CBS would pay Stillman $5 million. The other called for her to be placed on another reality show. CBS turned both offers down.

Television phenomenon

Stillman's 14-page suit, filed Monday, is the latest twist in a television phenomenon that took the United States by storm last summer and is currently drawing high ratings in its second season set in the Australian Outback.

Last summer's show was set on the small island of Palau Tiga, near Borneo, and marooned 16 contestants in two "tribes." The groups played a series of games and voted one another out of the tribe and "off the island." The winner received $1 million.

The show has spawned catchphrases, parodies, and Web sites. Last summer's finale, which revealed the winner of the first edition to be corporate communications consultant Richard Hatch, was watched by an estimated 52 million viewers. After two telecasts of the latest version, the show is once again on top of the ratings.

In her suit, Stillman says she made an effort "to establish interpersonal credibility" with the other participants -- helping to build a shelter, constructing a kitchen, and eating Butok beetle larvae to win one of the show's contests.

On the ninth day, however, Stillman was surprised to find herself voted off the island by the tribal council, earning five votes against two that were cast for Boesch.

Stillman's suit charges that Burnett persuaded Been and Kenniff to change their votes -- "improperly abusing" his relationship with the contestants to undermine the show's premise of free and fair competition.

But Kenniff, in comments to USA Today, rejected Stillman's version of his meeting with Burnett. "That never happened. He did say 'Vote your conscience', but I didn't feel that was coercion," Kenniff said.

Reuters contributed to this report.


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