A 21-year-old Minnesota man's lawsuit against CBS claims that producers for the network's medical show, "The Doctors," tricked him into appearing on-air for a surgery to remove "pearly penile papules" from his penis.
Courthouse News' Karina Brown reports that Tyler Bowling claims he contacted California-based cosmetic surgeon Dr. William Groff in 2009 about a laser treatment to remove pimples from his penis. Dr. Groff's office, he says, offered the $4,500 treatment free of charge if Bowling would agree to "discuss his condition" on "The Doctors."
Bowling claims that Dr. Groff's office told him that the show was seen only by doctors and medical students, and that they neglected to tell him about the studio audience. When informed that the show would air nationally on CBS, Bowling says he expressed reservations but that Dr. Groff's secretary "proceeded to cajole, assuage and persuade [him] that appearing was no 'big deal' and that no one would see the episode and that [his] appearance would be anonymous," the lawsuit says.
Bowling claims that he was then persuaded to sign release forms despite his hesitation and that he was rushed onto the show's set in front of the live audience.
In the appearance, seen below, the show's hosts claim Bowling emailed the show about his problem and that Bowling was "brave enough" to appear on the show to discuss his condition. They then invite him to undergo the laser treatment and check-in with him after the treatment to see how it went.
In the lawsuit — which he filed against Dr. Groff, La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Center, CBS Television Distribution, Stave 29 Media Productions, and Lumenis — Bowling claims the appearance resulted in "relentless embarrassment and harassment" and he seeks punitive damages for privacy invasion, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, emotional distress, and misappropriation of his likeness.