WATCH: Mario Lopez Erupt in Sweary Tirade as He’s Served Legal Papers At Home After He 'Defamed' Anti-Vax Linked Cheerleader
June 17 2025, Published 5:45 p.m. ET
Mario Lopez went on a profanity-laced tirade against a woman who is suing him for $10million for online and public defamation, RadarOnline.com can report.
The former Saved By the Bell star made an allegedly derogatory comment about the woman, who was dubbed on social media the "Flu Shot Cheerleader."
Last year, Lopez reposted a then-viral Instagram video featuring the paralegal, who is representing herself, claiming a seasonal flu shot left her with a rare neurological condition called dystonia.
In an Inside Edition report, Desiree Townsend appears to behave erratically, with slurred speech and exaggerated movements. However, when the news magazine later caught up with her, she appeared to be fully recovered with little treatment.
Lopez insinuated in his caption that Townsend was faking her disability, captioning his re-shared video: "There’s gotta be some kind of award for this performance," while adding the hashtags #MethodActor and #OscarWorthy.
On Father's Day, Townsend served her lawsuit notice to the star and taped their interaction in a video that has since gone viral on its own.
You Got Served
Former cheerleader Desiree Townsend claimed a flu shot gave her a rare neurological disorder.
In the clip, a shirtless Lopez can be seen in his front yard as an unknown person drops the summons behind the gate of the Access Hollywood host.
Townsend can be heard taunting him: "You’ve been served Mario," while telling her partner to drop the note on the ground.
"All right, lawsuit’s right there, Mario. You've been served. So, it’s there. Thank you. See you in court, Mario."
A perturbed Lopez can be heard calling her a "Crazy f------ b----" to which Townsend fired back: "Oh hey, Happy Father’s Day."
Social Media Boost
Lopez is accused of insulting her online.
In her complaint, which has been viewed by RadarOnline.com, Townsend accused the TV host of using a false statement that damaged her personal and professional reputation.
She further claimed Lopez's comment triggered "reputational harm, emotional distress, and online harassment" against her – all while dehumanizing and defaming "a woman living with a rare neurological disability."
She alleged Lopez made the comment knowingly to boost his own social media engagement.
The complaint states: "The timing, tone, and scale of the attack support a reasonable inference that Lopez is familiar with deploying reputational warfare as a tool of intimidation, particularly when facing potential exposure."
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Townsend Fights Back
Lopez is being sued for $10million
According to the complaint, after Townsend first discovered Lopez's comment, she called him out online.
"How you think it is appropriate to insinuate I am somehow lying or performing when I have the very same autoimmune disease as Celine Dion to millions of your followers is beyond appalling and defamatory," she commented under his post.
She later added: "You are so f------ gross @mariolopez. I have been constantly harassed for having a rare disease, I have considered suicide multiple times, including this time last year, and thank god I never saw this then because I may have done something I could not come back from.
I hope you lose your job and never work again. AND I PROMISE YOU I will file a defamation case against you and your employers @accesshollywood."
