Yes, we live in the timeline of $100 million Sharknado lawsuits. Tara Reid is suing Syfy and the Sharknado producers for allegedly using her image on slot machines without her permission.
The lawsuit was filed yesterday, TheWrap reports, and it sounds like the Sharknado star's team may have anticipated such an event.
The suit references Tara Reid's contract for the sixth film, which includes a clause that "in no event shall [Reid's] likeness be used for any merchandising in association with alcohol, tobacco, gambling, hygiene, or sexual products without [Reid's] prior written approval."
Sexual products! Are there Sharknado condoms? I'm afraid to search.
Anyway, this lawsuit alleges that the defendants -- Syfy and the Sharknado producers -- never asked Tara Reid's permission to use her face on slot machines.
According to documents quoted by The Blast, Tara Reid is suing Asylum Entertainment and SYFY Media Productions, claiming false endorsement and misappropriation of celebrity likeness. She alleges they wrongfully licensed the rights to use her image to "manufacturers of slot machines, gambling products and beer makers, who in turn have marketed their product with her likeness, and continue to wrongfully trade and profit therefrom."
She's asking for $100 million in damages, and an injunction prohibiting her face from continuing to be used on machines and products.
You can see a Sharknado slot machine, featuring various characters (including Tara Reid's April), in this visitor's video from a trip to San Manuel Casino.
The Sharknado film series definitely put Tara Reid back on the map, after she broke out as Vicky in the American Pie films and as Bunny Lebowski in The Big Lebowski.
Sharknado debuted on Syfy in 2013, starring Tara Reid as April Wexler, with Ian Ziering as April's ex-husband Fin. The film turned into a campy cult classic, earning huge live Twitter buzz. The franchise continued with Sharknado 2: The Second One in 2014, Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! in 2015, Sharknado: The 4th Awakens in 2016, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming in 2017, and The Last Sharknado: It's About Time in 2018.
After the first movie came out, there was a rumor that Tara Reid might not return, but clearly she did. In fact, Tara Reid is now forever tied to the Sharknado franchise. She told CinemaBlend the franchise has changed her life, with fans always asking her about it:
It's like it just doesn't stop. People love Sharknado. Everyone used to come up to me and say American Pie, or even The Big Lebowski or whatever, but people now are like, "Sharknado!"
When Tara Reid isn't starring in Sharknado films -- or apparently suing production over slot machine visuals -- she stars in horror films like Ouija House and Charlie's Farm, and comedies like Last Call and The Hungover Games. Unfortunately, Tara Reid also regularly makes headlines for her alleged behavior, including a recent airplane story she took pains to refute.
The Sharknado franchise may have ended, but there's still plenty of TV to look forward to in 2019.
