Former Representative George Santos sues Jimmy Kimmel for ‘commercially exploiting’ his Cameo videos
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jimmy Kimmel is facing a lawsuit from former Representative George Santos, who claims the late-night host used fake names and profiles to request personalized videos from him on Cameo and then aired them on his show without permission.
Jimmy Kimmel allegedly violated personal use licenses of cameo videos
According to the lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Saturday, February 17, Kimmel made requests for Santos’ videos on Cameo, a platform where celebrities sell short customized video messages.
The lawsuit, which was first reported by the New York Post, says that Kimmel used “phony names and narratives” and “fake requests” to trick Santos into making the videos, "for the sole purpose of capitalizing on and ridiculing [Santos’] gregarious personality."
It says Santos unknowingly made at least 14 clips for pseudonymous requests from Kimmel for $500 a pop, according to the complaint.
The lawsuit also accuses Kimmel of choosing the personal use licenses for the videos, which prohibit broadcasting and commercial exploitation, and then violating them by showing the videos on his ABC show 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!.'
Santos is suing Kimmel for copyright infringement, fraud, breach of contract, and unjust enrichment. He is seeking at least $750,000 in damages.
Jimmy Kimmel mocked George Santos on his show in a segment called ‘Will Santos Say It?’
The lawsuit says that Kimmel started using Santos’ videos on his show in December 2020, telling his viewers that Santos had “a new gig making videos on Cameo for $400 a pop” and that he could not resist sending him “ridiculous requests.”
Kimmel played some of the videos in a segment called “Will Santos Say It?” where he challenged Santos to say absurd things.
On a December 11 episode, according to NBC News Kimmel joked about the possibility of getting sued by Santos, saying, “Could you imagine if I get sued by George Santos for a fraud? I mean how good would that be? It would be like a dream come true.”
He added, “So since I started buying his videos his rates went way up to $500 a piece. He should be thanking me for buying these videos.” He then showed two more videos of Santos, the lawsuit says.
George Santos sent a cease and desist letter to Jimmy Kimmel and demanded the removal of the videos
The lawsuit says that Santos’ lawyer sent a cease and desist letter to Kimmel on December 12, asking him to stop using the videos and to remove them from YouTube and TikTok accounts associated with the show.
“Jimmy, sorry that my Christmas gift to you came late, but here’s to making wishes come true,” Santos told The New York Post, adding “I hope you enjoy reading your lawsuit for fraud that you’ve been looking forward to.”
Santos was booted from the House of Representatives following fraud and other charges and a damning report from the House Ethics Committee alleging he spent campaign funds on OnlyFans, Botox, and Hermes.
