American Idol judge Randy Jackson and MTV have been named in a new lawsuit over allegations that the idea for their reality dance contest, America’s Best Dance Crew, was stolen from a Los Angeles dance instructor.
Last week, Dwight McGhee filed papers in Los Angeles County Superior Court suing Randy and MTV for allegedly copying his idea. The choreographer claims he pitched the format of a dancing show, titled International Breakerz League, to the network in 2004. McGhee claims the network snubbed him only to use the concept four years later without his involvement.
He is seeking $2 million, TMZ.com reports. The fifth season of America’s Best Dance Crew premiered last Thursday night.
America’s Best Dance Crew is going to the Ice Box: R&B singing star and former boy bander Omarion has been tapped to replace accused child rapist Shane Sparks as a judge on the upcoming fifth season of Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew.
The move comes after the choreographer was arrested on eight felony counts of suspicion of child molestation in October.
“Omarion is one of the most accomplished, multi-talented young stars of his generation. His music and music videos have influenced hip-hop dance going back to his B2k days and in more recent years as a platinum-selling solo artist,” Liz Gateley, Senior Vice President of Series Development for MTV, said in a release Thursday. “He is an accomplished dancer, artist and actor who knows what makes a good dance crew performance. We are very excited for him to join Lil Mama and JC Chasez as our third judge.”
Omarion — who was recently dumped from Lil Wayne’s Young Money set — just seems happy to have a new gig!
“I’m so excited to be a judge on MTV’s ‘America’s Best Dance Crew,’” says Omarion. “Dancing and performing is what I do and being a judge on this show will allow me to give creative feedback to the newest and hottest dancers on the rise.”
Omarion takes his seat at the judge’s table when ABDC Season 5 premieress Thursday, Jan. 28 @ 10 PM ET/PT on MTV.
KTTV Fox11 News has video footage of the Friday morning arrest of MTV America’s Best Dance Crew judge Shane Sparks. A criminal complaint, filed yesterday by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, includes nine counts, including four counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 14 years of age, two counts of sexual intercourse with a 14-or-15-year old, and two counts of oral copulation with a 14-or-15-year-old.
The underage victim was one of Shane’s dance students between 1994-1997 — and investigators believe there could be more victims out there.
The 40-year-old choreographer, whose real name is Melvin Hall, was arrested at his home on Friday morning in North Hollywood and is being held at Van Nuys Jail on a $590,000 bail.
In addition to America’s Best Dance Crew, Sparks previously served as a judge and choreographer on multiple seasons of FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance — which earned him an Emmy nomination.
An LAPD spokesperson described the arrest as being part of an ongoing investigation.
Choreographer/TV personality Shane Sparks, 40, has been arrested and charged with 9 counts of child molestation.
Sparks — who choreographed performances for So You Think You Can Dance before becoming a judge on the MTV show America’s Best Dance Crew –was taken into custody at his home in North Hollywood 8AM PT this morning. He has been charged with 9 felony counts of child molestation and committing lewd acts on a child, TMZ.com said Friday.
The warrant — filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office — stems from Shane’s alleged molestation of an underage girl beginning in 1994. The lewd acts include oral copulation and other acts “with the intent of arousing, appealing to, and gratifying the lust, passions, and sexual desires of the defendant, who was at least 10 years older than [the victim].”
Sparks, whose real name is Melvin Hall, is being held at Van Nuys Jail on $590,000 bail. He’s the second choreographer of SYTYCD fame to step on the wrong side of the law. Last August, Alex Da Silva, who has also crafted routines for the television talent show, was charged with sexually assaulting four women.
MTV has renewed a pair of performance-based reality series on Tuesday The network announced new season greenlights of music and dance-driven reality series Randy Jackson Presents: America’s Best Dance Crew and Taking The Stage — a 60-minute series set at a performing arts school. Both shows return to the air Thursday, Jan. 28.
“We are thrilled to bring back both of these hit franchises in 2010. While each series is a different format, both have music at their core. It is the mode of expression for these kids who are trying to live their dream. Music is their life in both the dance competition of ‘America’s Best Dance Crew’ and in the dramatic reality stories of ‘Taking the Stage’,” said Tony DiSanto, President, Programming, MTV.
