Why Oprah Winfrey Has Been Dragged into Long-Time Pal Mariah Carey's Court Battle With Diva's Brother After He Accused Star of Defamation
Oprah Winfrey has been dragged into her long-time pal Mariah Carey's court battle with brother Morgan who is suing the diva for defamation.
Dec. 18 2024, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
Oprah Winfrey has been dragged into Mariah Carey's court battle against her brother – and may have to give evidence against her long-time friend.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the chat show queen’s company OWN has been subpoenaed by Morgan Carey, who is currently suing Mariah for alleging she lied about him selling drugs in her 2020 memoir The Meaning of Mariah Carey.
Mariah's brother, Morgan, has demanded Winfrey's company, OWN, hand over all communications relating to the singer in the latest twist of court battle.
According to court papers filed in Los Angeles on December 13, the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) has been told to hand over all communications, emails, unedited videos, and documents relating to Mariah, any interviews she has given, and the book.
It states: "Plaintiff Morgan Carey in his lawsuit against Mariah Carey requests that the non-party OWN; The Oprah Winfrey Network LLC produce all documents responsive to these requests... no later than January 16, 2025."
Mariah has been a friend to Winfrey for decades, giving several TV interviews with the chat show queen to plug her music, films and memoir.
Fantasy singer Mariah, 55, has given several TV interviews to Winfrey, 70, over the years, including to promote The Meaning of Mariah Carey.
In September 2020, Winfrey wrote on X: "I may not have known the words back then but after 10 interviews together, I now know the FULL meaning of@MariahCarey.
"On this episode of #TheOprahConversation, the world's most fascinating star speaks her truth for the first time in her memoir #TheMeaningOfMariahCarey.
"We talk about the real meanings behind her songs, her famous marriages, and the lasting imprint her traumatic childhood has on her own life."
Mariah used appearances on Winfrey's show to promote 'The Meaning of Mariah Carey', which alleges Morgan dealt drugs and spent time in prison, which he denies.
She also appeared on Winfrey's show in 1999 with her mother, Patricia, where she spoke about her childhood and her relationship with Morgan and sister Alison. Patricia and Alison passed away last August on the same day.
The latest court paper requests "documents and communications that refer or relate to agreements by, among, or between any of the following: You (OWN), defendant (Mariah Carey), or Micaela Angela Davis, Andrew Cohen, or Tyler Perry".
It also requests: "Documents and communications that identify services performed by OWN for defendant (Mariah Carey)."
WInfrey may have to give evidence against her long-time friend in her court battle with her brother Morgan.
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It says the deposition topics will include "the authenticity and source of all documents" and "OWN's promotion of the book".
Morgan, 64, filed a suit in 2021 alleging that claims his superstar sister had made in the autobiography were "false and defamatory" and had caused "damage to his reputation".
In the book, Mariah accused Morgan of being violent towards her, of selling cocaine in a New York nightclub in the 1980s, and insinuated he'd been in prison – all claims he says are false.
In one passage, she described him as a "sometimes drug-dealing, been-in-the-system, drunk a** brother".
She also said he had been involved in a fight with their father, and 12 police officers were needed to pull them apart.
In another section, she wrote how Morgan was known to supply the beautiful people of New York with their "powdered party favors" understood, lawyers claim, to be a reference to cocaine.
A judge dismissed some of the defamation claims in February 2022 but allowed the claim surrounding drugs and the implication Morgan had been in prison to continue.
Mariah stood by her claims in legal papers filed in August of that year, stating that a "well-known" photographer and hairdresser had discussed her brother's alleged drug dealing with her and that it was "common knowledge" in her circle at the time.
In court papers, Morgan strongly denied the claims and said he had filed the lawsuit more out of "sorrow and disappointment" than anger.
