Carmen Electra Suits Naked Wrestling
Carmen Electra has the Naked Women's Wrestling League up against the highly stylized ropes.
As tantalizing as that might sound, what it actually means is that the former Baywatch babe is suing the NWWL for breach of contract, negligence and unfair business practices, claiming that she was never paid her agreed-upon price for a handful of live event appearances.
According to documents filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Electra was supposed to receive $400,000 and a cut of the proceeds from DVD sales and pay-per-view fees for four hosting appearances and her company, Electra Blue, has to date only been paid $100,000.
They entered into the deal on Jan. 26, 2004, per the complaint.
Meanwhile, Toronto-based NWWL Productions president Howard Mann said in a statement released to E! News that he entered into no such agreement with the erstwhile Playboy Playmate, calling her lawsuit "malicious and highly damaging."
"I feel her claims are nothing more than a desperate cry for attention," Mann said. "Carmen's financial issues are are simply not my concern...I am currently engaging California counsel to actively defend my position, and I will be seeking damages for defamation, slander and malicious persecution."
Electra has also accused the NWWL and several other companies and individuals, including Erotic Wrestling Productions, Full Speed Productions and Virtcom Enterprises, of unlawfully trading on her good name to promote the league, whether by referring to it as "Carmen Electra's NWWL" or stating "Carmen Electra Presents NWWL."
The 35-year-old actress' suit also states that the plaintiffs used her "name, voice, image, likeness and/or attributes" without her consent for the covers of such illustrious DVD titles as Operation Naked Storm, Bush vs. Hussein, Tag Team Dream and Twin Peaks.
Electra, who famously spoofed herself in Scary Movie and wants to prevent further damage to her value as a "sought-after spokesperson and commercial actress," is seeking at least $3.3 million in damages, plus attorneys' fees, according to the suit.
Her list of allegations also includes violation of statutory and common-law right of publicity, breach of guaranty, federal unfair competition, quantum meruit (Latin for "pay me what you promised even if it wasn't carved in stone"), open book account and unjust enrichment.
Since hanging up her swimsuit back in 1998, Electra has had big-and-bigger roles in Starsky & Hutch, Cheaper By the Dozen 2, Scary Movie 4, Date Movie and Epic Movie, and either she or her voice has shown up on numerous TV shows, including the late WB drama Summerland, King of the Hill, American Dad, Hope & Faith, Monk, Sci-Fi Channel's Tripping the Rift and former costar Pam Anderson's short-lived sitcom Stacked.
And, Electra starred with ex-hubby Dave Navarro in 'Til Death Do Us Part: Carmen and Dave on MTV, where good relationships do, in fact, go to die.
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