This Taylor Lautner RV lawsuit just got a lot more interesting

« Hollywood Docket: Time Warner carriage deal?; YouTube survives in Germany; Paris Hilton's defense | Main | Should Arnold Schwarzenegger sue for accent theft? »

This Taylor Lautner RV lawsuit just got a lot more interesting

Mon Aug 30, 2010 @ 11:06AM PST

By Matthew Belloni

Lautner.taylor The owner of the RV dealership sued by Taylor Lautner has issued a unique challenge to the "Twilight" star: push up or shut up. 

Brent McMahon, owner of the Irvine, Calif.-based McMahon's RV, held a press conference this morning to challenge the buffed-up Lautner to settle his lawsuit with a push-up contest. That's right, whoever can do the most push-ups wins -- or at least gets some money donated to charity. 

Lautner sued McMahon's last week for not delivering a $300,000 customized rig in time for the shoot of his new movie "Abduction." Lautner claims his dad, Dan Lautner, negotiated for McMahon's to refurbish a 2006 Affinity Country Coach RV by June but the dealership failed to meet the deadline.

Mcmahonrv-logo McMahon and attorney Adam Obeid say the Lautners and their lawyers demanded $40,000 before filing the lawsuit. But they have a better idea. If Lautner shows up and wins the push-up contest, McMahon will pay him and his Shark Kid Entertainment the $40,000 to settle the case. If McMahon wins, he'll donate the $40,000 to Children's Hospital of Orange County.  Not a bad stunt -- if Lautner has a good sense of humor and shows up.

"We're taking a negative and making it into a positive to benefit the sick children at Children's Hospital of Orange County," McMahon said at the press conference today. He says he has other sponsors willing to chip in if Lautner appears.

We've reached out to Lautner's legal team and will update with a response. (UPDATE: Response below.)

How would McMahon, 47, fare against the superbuff "Twilight" heartthrob?

"He works out regularly," Obeid tells us. "But he's a 47-year-old man. He's no Taylor Lautner."

UPDATE: Lautner lawyer Robert Barta has issued a statement turning down the push-up contest but welcoming a contribution to charity:

  • "We have tried to take the high road by not commenting on this matter but we want to set the record straight.  McMahon's RV's response to our client's legitimate claim further demonstrates the lack of professionalism that Mr. McMahon, his company and his employees have exhibited from the outset, and that compelled the filing of this lawsuit in the first place.  This suit is not about a "customized" RV, it is about McMahon's RV's refusal to deliver the vehicle in the safe, drivable condition that was promised, as every purchaser has the right to expect.  A cursory review of McMahon's RV's record with the Better Business Bureau shows that this is a repeated pattern of conduct; Mr. Lautner just happens to be a high profile customer that is holding them accountable.  Indeed, Mr. McMahon, through his attorney, has already apologized to the Lautners for his and his company's conduct.  While we will not dignify Mr. McMahon's facetious suggestion of a contest to settle a legal claim with a response, we do welcome the opportunity for him to resolve this matter by making a $40,000 donation to the charity of Mr. Lautner's choice, and we will be in touch with his counsel to see if he will make good on this offer."

TrackBack URL for this entry:
https://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451d69069e20134868b2770970c

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference This Taylor Lautner RV lawsuit just got a lot more interesting:


The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter, Esq. blog focuses on how the entertainment and media industries are impacted and influenced by the law. It is edited by Matthew Belloni with contributions from veteran legal reporter Eriq Gardner and others. Before joining The Hollywood Reporter, Belloni was a lawyer at an entertainment litigation firm in Los Angeles. He writes a column for THR devoted to entertainment law. Gardner is a New York-based writer and legal journalist. Send tips or comments to [email protected]

The Hollywood Reporter
Contact: Patrice Atiee at 323.525.2014 or [email protected]


The Hollywood Reporter is Your Complete Film Resource

The columnists and bloggers who write for The Hollywood Reporter have their collective finger on the pulse of the boxoffice. Martin Grove and the other THR columnists deliver their thoughts on the film industry in an uncompromised style. Subscribe to THR today and get the latest views from these film experts and get the latest movie reviews as well.