Barnes Sues 99X/Atlanta, Former Co-Hosts

CBS AAA WZGC (DAVE FM)/ATLANTA morning host STEVE BARNES is suing CUMULUS, his former Alternative WNNX (99x)/ATLANTA morning co-hosts JIMMY BARON and LESLIE FRAM, his replacement there FRED TOUCHER, and UNIHOST, INC. for defamation and copyright infringement. 

The suit, filed JULY 25 by BARNES and his NO WITNESS, LLC corporation in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of GEORGIA, ATLANTA Division, alleges that after he left the 99X morning show by mutual agreement in 2003, he made a movie that TOUCHER, FRAM, and BARNES lampooned on the air, then screened it without permission at a live event at UNIHOST's AMERICAN PIE restaurant. The suit also alleges that TOUCHER, now at WBCN/BOSTON, falsely said that BARNES had been fired by 99X and has continued to defame BARNES on his blog as "pathetic," "a retard," a "f--king hack," and "Captain Back Acne." 

BARNES is looking for actual damages, costs, $300,000. for the copyright infringement, and $750,000. in punitive damages for the defamation. CUMULUS recently bought 99X from SUSQUEHANNA; BARON left the station earlier this year.

The lawsuit has been posted at 99XWATCH.ORG; read it by clicking here.

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