Kevin Hart's Lawsuit for Defamation Against Gossipy YouTuber and Former Assistant Proceeds
You know Kevin Hart, the pint-sized powerhouse of comedy from Philly. Though he started in the stand-up scene, Hart has since branched out to many acting roles in film and TV, and now even has his own production company. The entertainer has been making America laugh for decades, but lately, our boy's been dealing with some not-so-funny business behind the scenes.
Not too long ago, he got into a legal kerfuffle with two women in the industry: his former assistant Miesha Shakes and YouTuber Tasha K. He didn’t much care for the information these women were spreading about him, and he took them to court.
Tasha K Shakes Up Controversy
Miesha Shakes is Kevin Hart's former personal assistant who worked for him from August 2017 to October 2020. At some point, Shakes was interviewed by YouTube personality Latasha Kebe, known as Tasha K.
In this interview, Shakes made several allegations about Hart's personal life, claiming he had a gambling problem, cheated on his wife and impregnated another woman, and had been involved in other personal controversies. The teaser clip for the interview included some of these provocative claims.
According to Hart, Kebe demanded $250,000 from him in exchange for not releasing the interview, which he described as a "ransom." He claimed that Kebe threatened to publish the interview unless Hart paid the amount. Despite receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Hart's legal team, Kebe proceeded to post the interview. Last December, the interview was published in full on Kebe's subscription website and was teased on her YouTube channel, unWinewithTashaK.
Lawsuit Launched
The entertainer wasn’t just going to sit there and take it. Hart had his legal team file a lawsuit against both Shakes and Tasha K. The legal action, initiated in December 2023 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accuses both women of extortion, defamation, breach of contract, and invasion of privacy.
The lawsuit also claims that Shakes violated a non-disclosure agreement by participating in the interview and making false and defamatory statements about Hart. The NDA allegedly prohibited her from disclosing confidential information about Hart. Hart's legal team contends that the interview included "false and defamatory statements" and that Shakes's participation constituted a breach of contract. The lawsuit also accuses Kebe of intentional interference with contractual relations.
Hart’s attorneys also filed a request for a temporary restraining order to remove the interview, arguing that its false statements caused harm to Hart's reputation.
Court Developments
This past January, a the LA trial judge denied Hart's request for a temporary restraining order to remove the interview from public view. The judge cited the lack of a full transcript of the interview as a reason for the denial, describing the request as "vague" and "overbroad." The judge also dismissed the extortion claim, citing it did not qualify as extortion, keeping the defamation and invasion of privacy claims.
Shakes' attorney filed a motion to dismiss Hart's complaint on First Amendment grounds, which the judge mostly denied. Shakes also argued that the nondisclosure agreement (NDA) in her contract was unenforceable because Hart failed to provide promised health insurance. However, the judge found there were conflicting factual statements regarding this claim, allowing the breach of contract accusation to proceed. Both Shakes and Tasha K had filed anti-SLAPP motions, but the judge allowed most of Hart's claims to stand.
Trash-talkin’ Tasha
Tasha K is no stranger to legal battles over her content. In 2022, she lost a similar defamation lawsuit filed by rapper Cardi B. Cardi B had also sued the YouTuber for spreading damaging rumors about her, pointing to numerous videos with false claims about the rapper, including allegations of prostitution and infidelity, and purportedly false claims that Cardi had herpes and substance-abuse issues. Cardi B testified about the emotional distress these claims caused her.
A jury in the federal trial court found Kebe guilty of conducting a 'malicious campaign' to harm Cardi B's reputation, awarding the rapper $1.25 million in damages — a figure which later increased to $4 million. Kebe's appeal was rejected by the Eleventh Circuit, which ruled that she failed to preserve her arguments for appeal. Following the ruling, Kebe issued an apology on social media, expressing regret and acknowledging her mistake. Despite filing for bankruptcy in June 2023, a judge ruled that Kebe could not use the filing to avoid payment.
What to Expect
Going back to the present case with Kevin Hart, a jury trial is tentatively set for April 2025. Of course, it could always settle before then, as did the suit with Cardi B. In any case, Tasha K may want to watch what she says about celebrities from now on.
Related Resources:
- The Son of the 'Godmother of Cocaine' Sues Over Netflix Show 'Griselda' (FindLaw's Legally Weird)
- When Does Gossip Cross the Legal Line? (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
- How Not to Get Sued as a Social Media Influencer (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life)
