Kevin Hart Shut Down in Plea for Restraining Order Against Blogger Tasha K
Jan. 25 2024, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
Kevin Hart made a desperate plea to the court to grant him a temporary restraining order that would have forced blogger Tasha K to remove a "defamatory" video from the internet, but a judge has shut down the comedian's request.
"It's just a really vague, over-broad request that doesn't address actual malice," a Los Angeles judge ruled Thursday after Hart requested a TRO in response to Tasha's explosive interview with his former assistant, Miesha Shakes.
"Part of the problem I have is that there are no direct quotes of what occurred in the hour-and-a-half interview," the judge said in response to Hart's Jan. 19 petition, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Hart's lawyer, Donte Mills, fired back by explaining they "obviously" have a transcript of the interview but did not include it in the TRO request because it would defeat the purpose of trying to keep its contents out of the public eye.
"The Court, after reading and considering all moving party and opposing party papers, and arguments of counsel makes the following ruling," new docs obtained by RadarOnline.com stated. "The ex parte application is denied."
The box-office star claimed his ex-assistant broke her NDA when she made "false" claims about him during an interview with Tasha (real name: Latasha Kebe) that he said caused him harm and suffering.
Shakes had been employed by the actor from August 2017 to October 2020 and made shocking allegations that he argued were not true and tarnished his reputation.
He told the court about Tasha's alleged extortion attempt, claiming her associates had approached his team with a proposal: pay $250k or the video would be released.
Hart told the court this isn't Tasha's first rodeo when it comes to "posting defamatory and otherwise improper content regarding celebrities." The blogger was ordered to pay a seven-figure sum to Cardi B last year in a defamation case the Clout rapper brought.
"Working in the entertainment industry, my livelihood depends in large part on my reputation and the public's perception of me," Hart's motion read.
"That perception is of particular concern in light of the fact that I am involved in a number of family-oriented projects, such as the Jumanji franchise, Fatherhood, Captain Underpants, The Secret Life of Pets, and others," he continued. "I also endorse various national brands, and those endorsement deals depend in part on a public perception of my reputation, respectability, and character."
Hart said he even tried to stop the interview's release by sending a cease and desist letter via his lawyer, but Tasha posted it.
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The latest development was posted on the Instagram account The Neighborhood Talk, to which Tasha replied by promoting the interview.