You’d think one of the last people on earth you’d want to shortchange is Chuck Norris, but that’s exactly what Norris is accusing CBS of doing in a new lawsuit. The martial arts legend and his excellently named production company Top Kick is suing the network for $30 million dollars, alleging they breached a clause in his Walker, Texas Ranger contract that guaranteed him 23% of all profits derived from the show.
“Specifically, the Defendants have consciously sought to market, sell and distribute Walker in ways that are designed to collect significant fees and revenues from the ongoing exploitation of Walker but without having to honor or pay Top Kick, and to instead materially breach the 23 Percent Profit Clause,” the lawsuit stated. “Defendants have rejected, ignored and failed to consider offers from third parties who were willing to pay a premium license fee for Walker, because Defendants preferred to self-deal by negotiating special licensing deals, with minimal fees, with their own networks. This has cost Top Kick millions of dollars in past and future license fees.”
Over 200 episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger aired on CBS from 1993 to 2001 and featured Norris as a no-nonsense lawman who never let his tight as sin jeans stop him from kicking crime right in the face. Clips from Walker, Texas Ranger only grew in popularity after the show’s run, leading to the infamous Chuck Norris Facts phenomena that still tickles our funny bone on the internet to this day.
Considering Chuck Norris has counted to infinity twice and wears sunglasses so his eyes don’t hurt the sun, we’re a bit worried for CBS and their lawyers in this case. You might be able to pull this kind of crap on Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, but when Chuck Norris enters a courtroom, the judge stands up. Even if this lawsuit turns out to be as vaporous as chemtrails, it may not end well for them. If you start to hear news of television executives found dead in their fancy sports cars with the windshields blown out, you’ll know why.
(Via Deadline)
