Los Angeles – A woman is suing the ABC reality show “Extreme Makeover” for unspecified damages, alleging its decision to cancel her appearance contributed to her sister’s suicide.
In a lawsuit filed Sept. 9 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Deleese Williams, 30, of Conroe, Texas, claimed the producers subjected her to needless humiliation and goaded her sister, Kellie McGee, into insulting her appearance.
Williams says a psychologist and numerous doctors told her she needed an “eye lift, ears pulled back, chin implant and breast implants.” She was also told she needed dental surgery to break and reset her jaw for a successful “makeover,” the lawsuit said.
Just hours before the dental surgery was to take place, Williams was told she was being dropped from the show because the recovery time wouldn’t fit into the schedule, the lawsuit said.
Williams said she returned to Texas devastated. Four months later, her sister killed herself.
The lawsuit said McGee suffered from bipolar disorder, but Williams’ lawyer said the show drove the sister to kill herself.
Williams is suing ABC and its parent company, the Walt Disney Co., for alleged breach of contract, willful infliction of emotional distress and negligence.
ABC said Tuesday that all participants know in advance that their makeover may not happen.
