Tyra Banks sued: ‘America’s Got Talent’ contestant says she was humiliated during audition

Longtime TV host and judge Tyra Banks, along with Marathon Productions, Inc., the production company of America’s Got Talent, are being sued by a woman and her mother after a failed audition for the talent show.

The woman, Jane Doe, says that her young daughter Mary Doe (their real names are not revealed in the lawsuit) was traumatized when Banks “physically manipulated and verbally abused” the girl.

Jane Doe, a self-proclaimed singer and songwriter, attests that she performed a song along with her husband at the March 19 taping. She claims that the song is about her close bond with Mary, who was present for the performance on set and “held a certain long-term emotional importance” to the song.

Jane says that she was “humiliated” when the audience and judges began to criticize the song — not an uncommon occurrence on reality competitions — but things turned very sour when Banks continued to mock the song to Mary.

According to the lawsuit, Banks began to physically shake Mary’s shoulder and pull her hair back, and made an insinuation that she was “accidentally conceived.”

Jane says that because of the AGT experience, Mary has suffered long-term emotional distress, depression and trauma.

-globalnews ca