A woman who is suing Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson for $20 million over remarks they made about her viral appearance at a Usher concert.
“This isn’t about money, it’s about holding media accountable. My integrity was trampled on, and that’s unacceptable,” Jimalita Tillman said on The Morning Show.
She continued, “It shows how much disregard they have for being able to have journalistic integrity of researching the facts,” she explained.
In their video, Sharpe and Johnson claimed she was married and that her marriage ended over she decided to nibble on Usher’s trademark cherry during his concert.
“Following this event, the defendants made and disseminated false and defamatory statements suggesting that I was married and that my husband was filing for divorce due to my participation in this audience experience. I am not married, nor am I currently going through a divorce,” she clarified in her lawsuit. “I was not married at the time of the fan participation moment during the Usher concert.”
Tillman revealed that before taking legal action, she tried multiple times to get the content taken down, reaching out through emails, sending letters, and even contacting the media company directly.
@monochromeego I was second hand shy. aunty knew what she came for! #usher #usherday3 ♬ original sound – JOANITA.
“I’m a private citizen, and in the rules when it comes to that… you better fact check and double check what you’re saying and what you’re doing, because it’s wrong,” Tillman continued. “I’m not a public figure. Every time I enter a meeting for funding, for programming, and activations and things, it comes up. I’m tired of being the punchline when it comes to that aspect.”