Christian Charles is now seeking an injunction and financial compensation after claiming the comedian had no creative input on the pilot episode.
- May 31, 2018
AceShowbiz - Funnyman Jerry Seinfeld is facing an amended lawsuit and injunction request over his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee TV show.
Producer Christian Charles filed suit in February, claiming he pitched the idea for the series that was to become the comic's talk show hit in 2002 - and he teamed up with Jerry to shoot a pilot in 2011. He alleged the former Seinfeld star decided to ditch him and do the show alone, and Charles is seeking financial compensation.
In April, Seinfeld responded to the lawsuit as the show hit its new Netflix home, admitting that while Charles did direct the pilot, the idea was all his own. He also insisted he filed documents to copyright the name of the first episode, not the concept, 10 days before Charles moved to obtain the rights to a similar name for a full series he was calling Comedians in Cars Going for Coffee.
Seinfeld asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing even if Charles did have grounds to sue, the three-year statute of limitations for copyright claims has long expired, as the first installment of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee aired online in 2012.
Charles, who was representing himself, recently obtained a lawyer and on Friday, May 25 the attorney filed an amended complaint. In the new papers, the plaintiff alleges Seinfeld had no creative input on the pilot episode and complained he did not want to be a part of filming. However, the 64 year old was so happy with the finished product, he wanted to film more episodes. A dispute over compensation in 2012 led to a falling out and Seinfeld and Charles subsequently lost contact.
Charles is now requesting an injunction, but the comedian's lawyer is vowing to fight the new lawsuit.
"Mr. Charles can tinker and amend his complaints all he wants," Seinfeld's attorney Orin Snyder tells The Hollywood Reporter. "Mr. Seinfeld is the sole creator of this show. End of story".
