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 The plaintiffs, who competed between 2003 and 2010, said they
were disqualified from "American Idol" for reasons other than
singing or artistic talent, including criminal histories, and
that the show was "rigged" to favor white contestants.
U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald in Manhattan, however,
said nearly all claims in the 322-page complaint should be
dismissed because they were brought too late.
She also said Chris Golightly, a 2010 contestant who brought the
four remaining claims, did not show the defendants targeted him
because of his race.
Among the defendants are production and distribution company
FremantleMedia NA, which is part of Bertelsmann's RTL Group;
producer Nigel Lythgoe; Fox parent Twenty-First Century Fox Inc,
Coca-Cola Co and Ford Motor Co.
The defendants have denied any discrimination. Four of the
show's 13 winners have been black or biracial.
Golightly was disqualified after producers learned he had been
under contract as a member of the boy band "DREAM5," although he
said he was released before his "American Idol" audition.
Buchwald said a white contestant had been disqualified for the
same reason in the 2009 season and that this "further undermines
any claim that Golightly was unfairly singled out for
disqualification on account of his race."
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The other plaintiffs included Jaered Andrews, twins Derrell and
Terrell Brittenum, Corey Clark, Thomas Daniels, Ju'Not Joyner, Jacob
John Smalley, Akron Watson and Donnie Williams.
Matthew Scott Martin, a lawyer for the Brittenums and Clark, said:
"We are disappointed in the result, and we are reviewing the court's
order to determine our next course of action."
James Freeman, a lawyer for the other plaintiffs, did not
immediately respond to requests for comment.
Daniel Petrocelli, a partner at O'Melveny & Myers representing the
defendants, declined to comment.
The case is Andrews et al v. FremantleMedia NA Inc et al, U.S.
District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 13-05174.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Grant McCool and Lisa Von
Ahn)
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