Were you expecting a big show down between Shaunie O'Neal and her "Basketball Wives" castmate Gloria Govan about whether or not Gloria knew her sister Laura was sleeping with Shaunie's husband Shaquille? Well fugetaboutit because Shaq shut that down.
On the first episode of "Basketball Wives" Shaunie O'Neal took castmate Gloria Govan to the side to clear the air about rumors regarding Gloria's sister Laura sleeping with Shaq. They didn't get into it very deeply, but they certainly left you thinking that wasn't the end of it. Well it was. At least for TV. Shaq filed papers demanding Shaunie adhere to a confidentially agreement she signed during their marriage.
The papers read in part:
It has been recently reported on numerous Internet sites and in several newspapers that Shed Productions and VH1 are producing and distributing a television series entitled “Basketball Wives” in which Shaunie O’Neal will appear as a cast member. The New York Post reports on today’s date that “the series was put together by Shaunie O’Neal while she was divorcing pro basketball star Shaquille O’Neal, so there is bound to be speculation that this series incorporates an element of televised revenge. It probably does. But it goes beyond just that.” (Emphasis added.) As one example, the article reports that “Shaunie organizes a lunch gathering, to which she invites Gloria, one of the other wives. Gloria and Shaunie are okay, except that Shaunie suspects Gloria’s sister was sleeping with Shaq, and isn’t 100% sure Gloria didn’t know about it.”
Shaunie O’Neal’s participation and portrayal in this television show is a clear breach of a confidentially provision in an existing agreement (the “Agreement”) entered into between her and Mr. O’Neal. Specifically, Paragraph 18.3 of the Agreement prohibits Ms. O’Neal from disclosing or disseminating information to anyone (other than family members or close personal friends) concerning her relationship with Mr. O’Neal. Subsection D of Paragraph 18.3 further provides that Ms. O’Neal may not “give any interview, write, appear in connection with or assist or cooperate in the presentation of any book, article, interview, program or other production or publication of any kind whatsoever concerning the other party” without prior written consent.You can read the papers in their entirety here
We hereby put VH1 and Shed Productions on formal notice that the production and distribution of episodes of “Basketball Wives” discussing Mr. O’Neal, and any payments to Ms. O’Neal in connection with such episodes, constitutes an actionable inducement to Ms. O’Neal to breach the Agreement. In addition, the airing of any such episodes would constitute an additional intentional inducement to breach the Agreement. Accordingly, we demand that VH1 and Shed Productions refuse to produce any further episodes of “Basketball Wives” which make any reference to Mr. O’Neal. We further demand that VH1 not air any episodes that have already been produced which make reference to Mr. O’Neal.
