'Extreme Makeover' sued for suicide of canceled candidate's sister

DjaugheOld · September 19th, 2005, 06:41 AM

Wow....this is the sad part of reality t.v.

Quote:

'Extreme Makeover' sued for suicide of canceled candidate's sister

A Los Angeles lawsuit claims producers of ABC's "Extreme Makeover" dumped a makeover candidate at the last minute and shattered her Texas family.

The 31-page lawsuit filed in Los Angeles claims "Extreme Makeover" promised a "Cinderella-like fix" for Deleese Williams' deformed jaw, crooked teeth, droopy eyes and small chest that would "transform her life and destiny," the New York Daily News reported Sunday.

Williams' pending makeover was announced on air Jan. 7, 2004. Producers then coaxed family members to say mean things about her looks on videotape, while she sat in earshot of it all, the suit alleges.

"Extreme Makeover" flew her from Texas to Los Angeles and as she sat in her hotel room reading pre-op instructions for the next morning, a producer showed up and told her she was being dropped because her recovery time would take too long, Williams' attorney, Wesley Cordova, told the Daily News.

Her sister, Kellie McGee, "fell to pieces" over the mean things she said about her sister and killed herself four months later, Cordova said.

Williams, 30, and her husband, Mike, are now raising McGee's two children, along with their own two children. The suit seeks unspecified damages.

ABC has declined to comment on the allegations, the Daily News said.

thirty-two · September 19th, 2005, 06:58 AM

I freaking HATE people like this.

Did the producers of Extreme Makeover hold a gun to that chick's head?

NO.

So therefore, it was the girl who killed herself and the family should be pissed at HER, not Extreme Makeover.

God.

Derm · September 19th, 2005, 07:02 AM

Unfortunately the only reality in reality TV are the problems (some trivial & some extreme) caused by the manipulations by the show's producers.

At least with "wrestling" the shows are known by all concerned that it's scripted to reach a certain conclusion for the amusement of the audience.

Kind of like a Cardinal game.

"They" get someone with low self-esteem (like the Cardinals), devise a way to tempt everyone that life will get better (like the Cardinals) and then rip out their hearts (like the Cardinals).

Stout · September 19th, 2005, 08:34 AM

The show should be shredded. I think it's a disgusting concept, but okay, if you're going to actually do what you promise to do, then whatever. But don't take someone who is obviously in an emotionally bad state, agree to make her face better if only she lets her family tear her apart, and then renege. That's just unforgivable.

Chris_Sanders · September 19th, 2005, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stout

The show should be shredded. I think it's a disgusting concept, but okay, if you're going to actually do what you promise to do, then whatever. But don't take someone who is obviously in an emotionally bad state, agree to make her face better if only she lets her family tear her apart, and then renege. That's just unforgivable.

I would say the show is at least still responsible for the surgery.

Brian in Mesa · September 19th, 2005, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stout

The show should be shredded. I think it's a disgusting concept, but okay, if you're going to actually do what you promise to do, then whatever. But don't take someone who is obviously in an emotionally bad state, agree to make her face better if only she lets her family tear her apart, and then renege. That's just unforgivable.

I agree that they should have gone through with the surgery, even if the recovery time made it impossible to use her on the show (which is ridiculous - they could have shown her and then revealed updates along the way during other episodes).

The family members chose to say bad things about her, coaxed or not. They only have themselves to blame for their comments.

It's too bad she didn't make a bigger deal of this before killing herself. If this had gotten some public awareness, the show would have been pressured into following through with the surgery, or some doctors might have offered their services to this woman to make it right. Killing herself really did a lot to help her sister.

Stout · September 19th, 2005, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian in Mesa

The family members chose to say bad things about her, coaxed or not. They only have themselves to blame for their comments.

Not really. This was their way to help her get the surgery, or so they thought. And she knew they had to. If I had to insult someone I cared about deeply, really insult them, but it was with their knowledge and would bring them great benefit, I would certainly do it for them. I can't think of such a situation, because it's such a false thing created by TV, but there it is.

Brian in Mesa · September 19th, 2005, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stout

Not really. This was their way to help her get the surgery, or so they thought. And she knew they had to. If I had to insult someone I cared about deeply, really insult them, but it was with their knowledge and would bring them great benefit, I would certainly do it for them. I can't think of such a situation, because it's such a false thing created by TV, but there it is.

Even if they were going to say bad things about her because they thought it would help the show - they could have requested to be questioned somewhere else (with her not sitting within earshot). Then, since the show never made it to the air, they might not have revealed to her what her family said.

Regardless - she chose to kill herself. The show did not kill her. They didn't help her sister when they could have, but she clearly had emotional problems all along.

DjaugheOld · September 19th, 2005, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian in Mesa

...Regardless - she chose to kill herself. The show did not kill her. They didn't help her when they could, but she clearly had emotional problems all along.

Absolutely right.

To indicate things were fine in her life prior to the show and then claim that pills, alcohol, and cocaine entered her life afterwards seems very unusual.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYDN article

"Kellie could not live with the fact that she had said horrible things that hurt her sister. She fell to pieces. Four months later, she ended her life with an overdose of pills, alcohol and cocaine," said Wesley Cordova, a lawyer for Williams.

Jersey Girl · September 19th, 2005, 12:16 PM

So the sister killed herself because she said mean things about the sister who was supposed to have the makeover and then was dropped from the show.

Hey, I say mean things about my sister all the time. What's the problem?

I agree they should still do the surgery. Obviously the other sister had some other issues, though.

jf-08 · September 19th, 2005, 12:36 PM

here's her funeral notice:

http://www.cashnerfunerals.com/obits...d=245315195718

arthurracoon · September 19th, 2005, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derm

Kind of like a Cardinal game.

"They" get someone with low self-esteem (like the Cardinals), devise a way to tempt everyone that life will get better (like the Cardinals) and then rip out their hearts (like the Cardinals).

Definately a monday

jenna2891 · September 19th, 2005, 03:28 PM

wait a minute, now i'm confused. who killed themself? the sister who said bad things, or the girl who didn't get the surgery?

DjaugheOld · September 19th, 2005, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenna2891

wait a minute, now i'm confused. who killed themself? the sister who said bad things, or the girl who didn't get the surgery?

Sister.

Stout · September 19th, 2005, 07:21 PM

Oh. Well, crap then. What an idiot.