By Jesse Suchanek on July 20, 2004 at 6:08 PM EST
The following is a press release sent to PWTorch.com today from Pushing the Lope Entertainment stating they are suing WWE over the Raw Diva Search idea. The exclamation points in their name is not a typo. The question is who should be suing whom at this point...
SANTA MONICA, Ca. - 07/21/2004 - Push!ng The Lope Entertainment ® along with John Piermarini and Frank Murgia are filing a lawsuit against the World Wrestling Entertainment. Push!ng The Lope claim to be the creator of the WWE 2004 Raw Diva Search and is ready to go to court to prove it.
Push!ng The Lope gave WWE one month to respond to their attempt to resolve their issue with the wrestling company but received no response. WWE announced its $250,000 Raw Diva Search on Monday Night Raw on Spike TV on Monday May 24, 2004. Push!ng The Lope says the idea was there's and was presented, with help from WWE superstar Trish Stratus, directly to WWE Executive Producer Kevin Dunn, who then took the idea directly to Vince McMahon and Jim Ross.
John Piermarini, co-creator of the show had the following statement: "We met with Kevin Dunn backstage on December 8, 2004 with (WWE superstar) Trish Stratus to present the idea directly to Kevin Dunn who told us he loved the idea and thought it was very original and gave us the green light to continue developing the idea and present it to him when it was completed. The completed show was presented on January 7, 2004. Kevin then said Vince McMahon was very impressed with the idea but wanted to put it on hold until after WrestleMania 20 where he would meet again with Kevin Dunn and Jim Ross to discuss using the idea. That was the last we heard from anyone from WWE, as all phone calls and messages were ignored. Then right after WrestleMania we see Vince McMahon steal our idea live on television. There isn't one original WWE idea in this show concept. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery; theft is the lowest form of creativity. I now know where WWE lies."
The search consists of nationwide casting events, a television casting special, competitions between the finalists, fan voting, and a culmination to reveal the winner. All of which Push!ng The Lope says was presented to WWE. Push!ng The Lope also stated that Trish Stratus was witness to all communication between WWE and Push!ng The Lope.
Push!ng The Lope also claims to have written and verbal proof that Kevin Dunn agreed to send a letter of intent on behalf of WWE to be partners with John Piermarini and Frank Murgia on the Diva Search project. Push!ng The Lope has a written letter of agreement with Trish Stratus, who was also a creator of the project.
**Credit: PWTorch.com