EXCLUSIVE: Mario Lopez 'Screams In Full-Blown Outburst' During Fiery Court Appearance — As Actor Clashes with 'Flu Shot Cheerleader' Suing Him for Defamation
Mario Lopez and Desiree Townsend have slammed each other over a defamation charge.
Aug. 6 2025, Published 7:40 p.m. ET
Mario Lopez lashed out in court at the former NFL cheerleader who is suing him for defamation, RadarOnline.com can exclusively report.
The former Saved By the Bell star came face-to-face with Desiree Townsend at a hearing to determine if he should be granted a permanent restraining order against her.
'Full-Blown Outburst'
Lopez allegedly yelled at the paralegal in court.
As RadarOnline.com reported, Townsend has accused Lopez, 51, of orchestrating a "smear campaign" against her after reposting an embarrassing video from her past.
The actor and television host finally faced his accuser in court on Wednesday, August 6, as he argued to have a temporary restraining order extended after Townsend surprised him at his home on Father's Day to serve him with legal papers.
However, Townsend told RadarOnline.com she was the one left feeling threatened after Lopez "completely lost it" on the witness stand during the hearing.
"He screamed, actually screamed, on the witness stand," Townsend recounted. "He was so 'pissed' as he categorized it that the judge had to calm him down.
"He had a full-blown outburst, yelling that I was 'crazy,' 'unhinged,' and a 'stalker.' And yes, he said all that while shouting."
We have reached out to Lopez and his attorney for comment. The hearing will resume later this week with Townsend taking the stand to undergo cross-examination by Lopez’s attorney.
Legal Action
Desiree Townsend has added 'Inside Edition,' CBS and Paramount to her lawsuits.
RadarOnline.com previously shared a video Townsend made accompanying a process server to Lopez's home to present him with the defamation lawsuit.
The Access Hollywood host responded with legal action of his own, in the form of the restraining order request.
In court documents obtained by us, Lopez argued the need for a restraining order, alleging: "Mr. Lopez was harmed by the most recent harassment when Ms. Townsend arrived at his home on Father's Day with a process server, causing chaos and fear for his young children and family members who witnessed the event.
"She then escalated the harm by posting a video of the service on TikTok, exposing his family and home address to millions of viewers, placing them at risk of further harassment, public ridicule, and potential physical danger."
Counterclaims
Lopez will meet Townsend in court again on Friday, August 8.
Townsend told us she was prepared for Lopez to fight back with a counterclaim to the defamation lawsuit, but the request for a restraining order surprised her.
"I truly don’t understand what he’s thinking," she said. "He’s escalating this into a public spectacle when it could have been resolved quietly through civil litigation.
"Filing for a restraining order feels like a clickbait tactic, and from both a PR and legal standpoint, it’s likely to backfire. Especially when the very behavior he’s calling 'harassment' is precisely what he did to me."
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The actor angrily dismissed a served summons in a viral video.
Townsend earned the nickname the "Flu Shot Cheerleader" more than 15 years ago, when she was the subject of an Inside Edition story about claims a seasonal flu shot left her with a rare neurological condition called dystonia that caused her to slur her speech and convulse sporadically.
The now paralegal thought she had buried her past until Lopez shared the video on his own Instagram page, while adding the caption: "There’s gotta be some kind of award for this performance," while adding the hashtags #MethodActor and #OscarWorthy.
After repeated requests to take down the disparaging comment, Townsend felt she had no other choice but to file a $25million defamation lawsuit against the star and his employers.
