Comedian Kevin Hart has had a long and wildly successful career, but he's also had some legal shakeups during his time as a public figure. The most recent controversy he's dealing with is related to a lawsuit Hart filed against a former assistant over comment she made about him on an interview by Tasha And now he Says a Tasha K Show affiliate tried to shake him down for $250,000 in exchange for not publishing the interview. Let's break it all down.
Hart's issue is with a former employee named Miesha Shake, who reportedly worked for this company from 2017 to 2020. While appearing on Tasha K's show, she claimed the Jumanji actor had an affair, as well as a gambling addiction. And a new report by Radar Online indicates that he's suing for extortion as a result of the drama.
The 44 year-old comedian/actor claims that a representative from Tasha K reached out to his team before the explosive interview was published. He said they asked for a whopping $250k, which would result in the viral video not going up. As we all know, that's not how things ultimately shook out.
In this new filing Hart once again denies the claims made by Shake on the show, including her claim that he filmed a sexual encounter of hers. He was quoted, saying:
I did not record any such video, and I have never been criminally charged with doing so.
In the end Hart didn't pay the alleged ransom, resulting in the explosive interview circulating around online. And in the lawsuit against his former employee, Hart claims information that Miesha Shakes procured was done so illegally. In the same filing he's quoted saying:
I understand from speaking with my security personnel, and Shakes admitted during the interview, that Shakes obtained some of the information she discussed in the interview by covertly listening through the walls, with her ear to the wall, to private interactions occurring behind closed doors at our offices.
The stakes certainly feel high here, given the allegations made by both Hart and Shakes. We'll just have to wait to see how the legal situation plays out, and if it makes as many headlines as other celebrity lawsuits like Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's defamation trial.
Of course, Hart has had a few other controversies over the years. Comments about his cancelled Egyptian show landed him in hot water years ago, and Hart has battled cancel culture before. Only time will tell if his legal battle with Shakes will end up having an affect on his career as a comedian and actor.
Hart has a number of upcoming projects coming down the line, including the Borderlands adaptation. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates.
