Former Survivor: Pearl Islands castaway Jon "Jonny Fairplay" Dalton has filed a lawsuit against Danny Bonaduce, alleging the former Breaking Bonaduce star caused him both emotional and physical distress following an altercation the two had during filming for the Fox Reality Channel Really Awards ceremony last week.
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The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court and also names Fox Reality Channel and Natural 9 Entertainment (the co-producers of the second-annual awards show) and Boulevard3 (the club where the show took place) as defendants. Dalton is seeking unspecified damages to cover medical expenses, emotional distress and lost earnings, as well as punitive damages, according to the lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained by TMZ.com.
Bonaduce has claimed he was preparing to leave the awards ceremony after serving as a presenter when Dalton started to question the studio audience as to why he was being booed by them. Bonaduce alleges he told Dalton they're booing him because "they hate him," at which point he claimed Dalton ran at him, leapt in the air, and wrapped "his legs around my waist and both arms around my neck" and was "fully throttled."
"I just grabbed the butt of his jeans and push[ed him] straight-up in the air," said Bonaduce during last Wednesday morning's broadcast of the syndicated The Adam Carolla Show radio program, which he regularly appears on as a co-host. "Well, he goes flying over my head and apparently landed behind me on his seat."
However in a police report filed by Dalton last Wednesday, he claimed Bonaduce came on stage uninvited and made a "derogatory statement."
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"I ran and jumped and hugged him with my arms and my legs, like I've done pretty much on every show I've ever been on. It's a nice thing," Dalton told TMZ.com in an interview last week. "[Bonaduce's] like 'F**k you!' Threw me over his head as hard as he could. I didn't have time to put up my hands or anything. I just went mouth-first into the stage... or onto the stage."
Dalton suffered a broken tooth, had another tooth missing from his gum line and two other teeth loosened due to being dumped to the ground by Bonaduce.
While the Los Angeles Country District Attorney's office ruled last Thursday that Bonaduce would not be charged with battery because he "simply reacted to" Dalton's actions, the former Survivor castaway claims in his lawsuit that the former child actor's actions were "an unjustified and surprise assault."
In addition, the lawsuit claims Dalton "playfully" jumped into Bonaduce's arms, an "act" that is "known" to be part of his "routine," and was "something that the two had previously done before." He also alleges Bonaduce took "pride" in the attack and "encouraged the audience to applaud."
"Meanwhile, Mr. Dalton bled profusely from the face and mouth," reads the lawsuit. "Instead of immediately calling an ambulance to care for the injured presenter or taking other action, the defendants -- including the television channel, the producers and the owner of the venue hosting the event -- did nothing."
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In addition to suing Bonaduce for battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence, Dalton also took aim at Fox Reality Channel.
In the lawsuit, Dalton claims the defendants allowed the battery to occur; encouraged Bonaduce to go onto the stage uninvited; did not provide adequate, or any, security; ignored Dalton once he was bleeding; as well as failed to administer immediate medical care or contact medical personnel.
About The Author: Steven Rogers