PHILADELPHIA – A local television host who was initially selected to be the ring announcer for a celebrity boxing match between Lamar Odom and Aaron Carter says she was removed from that post by the event promoter and defamed, allegedly after she declined his sexual advances.
Gail Kasprzak (a.k.a. Gail Kasper) and Gail Kasper Television, LLC of Cherry Hill, N.J. first filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on July 29 versus Celebrity Boxing Entertainment, LLC, of Philadelphia.
Kasper, an author, speaker and television host says she had reached an agreement with Celebrity Boxing Entertainment CEO Damon Feldman to be the ring announcer for a well-publicized match on June 11 at the Showboat Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J.
Kasper was to receive $500 as payment and worldwide exposure through the match’s broadcast, namely as the first female ring announcer of a Celebrity Boxing event, and one of only a few women who have served as a ring announcer for any MMA, wrestling or boxing event around the world.
As a result, Kasper says she spent time and effort promoting the event through her social media channels.
“Defendant Celebrity Boxing led plaintiffs to believe that it would continue to perform the agreement and induced plaintiff Kasper to use her name, likeness and social media capital to continue promoting the event. Plaintiff Kasper never would have devoted her time, effort and social media capital to continue promoting the event if she knew defendant Celebrity Boxing intended to terminate her services as ring announcer in breach of the agreement,” the suit says.
However, the suit adds that Feldman reneged on the deal this past April, claiming that the event had grown in size and recognition, and supposedly, it was no longer appropriate for Kasper to serve as the ring announcer – despite the size of the event not being a term of the agreement Kasper made with the defendants.
“On or about May 25, 2021, Feldman, on behalf of defendant, stated publicly in a post on Kasper’s Facebook page that Kasper could no longer be the ring announcer because ‘in this business you have to start at the bottom,’ which clearly conveyed to all viewers of the message that Kasper was not qualified to serve as the ring announcer for the event to occur in June 2021,” the suit states.
“The defamatory statement was a false statement of fact because Kasper was in fact qualified and capable of acting ring announcer for the event. Feldman also falsely stated, as part of the defamatory statement, that Kasper ‘did not respond’ to an alternative offer made by Celebrity Boxing, which was also false and implied to viewers of the statement that Kasper was unprofessional.”
Kasper says Feldman’s social media comment was made with malicious intent, resulting in her replacement at the event with a male ring announcer, Mike Markham, who was allegedly paid more than Kasper was supposed to have been under the agreement.
“Feldman previously propositioned plaintiff Kasper for sex, including but not limited to on or about Feb. 9, 2021 at a business dinner at which Feldman asked Kasper if she could see herself with a guy like him, asked her to wear a bikini when serving as ring announcer, and invited her back for an evening session in his hot tub. Kasper refused him, and Feldman’s authorization and making of the defamatory statement was motivated by his desire for retribution against plaintiff Kasper,” the suit alleges.
“Feldman is a known abuser of women, having served several months in a Chester County, Pennsylvania prison after pleading guilty to assault and reckless endangerment, for punching his girlfriend several times in the face and head. True to form, Feldman and defendant Celebrity Boxing replaced plaintiff Kasper as the ring announcer for the Event with a man and, on information and belief, paid the male ring announcer more than defendants’ fee under the agreement. In addition, when plaintiffs made public and truthful efforts to rally support for her re-employment as ring announcer, Celebrity Boxing employed its ‘General Counsel’ Jackie Borock to shamefully threaten Kasper with “criminal” action should Kasper continue exercising her lawful First Amendment speech rights.”
For counts of breach of contract, infringement of statutory right of publicity, infringement of common law right of publicity/appropriation of name and likeness, defamation and trade libel, the plaintiffs are seeking damages in excess of $75,000, plus interest, costs and such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper.
The plaintiffs are represented by Michael Eidel of Fox Rothschild, in Philadelphia.
The defendant has not yet secured legal counsel.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania case 2:21-cv-03379
From the Pennsylvania Record: Reach Courts Reporter Nicholas Malfitano at nick.malfitano@therecordinc.com