Man files suit against Bristol Palin, TV network

The Associated Press, Thursday, June 14, 2012, 4:57pm (PDT)

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A Los Angeles man who launched an expletive-laden tirade against Sarah Palin's daughter, Bristol, has filed a lawsuit against the Lifetime Network alleging he was taped for her reality show without his knowledge or consent.

In a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday, Stephen Hanks seeks general and punitive damages, saying he's a victim of defamation and invasion of privacy after video aired of the heated confrontation.

Hanks alleges he wasn't told the film crew at a West Hollywood bar in September was shooting footage for the reality show "Bristol Palin: Life's a Tripp."

The show will follow the single mother for 14 half-hour episodes and begins airing next week.

In recently released video from the upcoming show, Hanks heckles Bristol Palin while watching her ride a mechanical bull at the bar, yelling out, "Your mother's a whore."

After Palin confronted the man over the insult, their conversation grew heated and he called the 21-year-old "white trash from Wasilla."

In the lawsuit, Hanks alleges that Palin also defamed him in a magazine and called him a homosexual.

On her blog, Palin complained about bullying when recalling the incident, saying "a guy started yelling at me and called my mom terrible names, but couldn't tell me one decent reason why he was filled with such hate."

Lifetime representatives declined comment on the case, saying they do not comment on pending litigation.

The show is set to premiere Tuesday at 10 p.m. EDT.

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Associated Press writer Sue Manning contributed to this report.