Lawsuit: Ellen DeGeneres mocked woman’s name for breast joke

Macon, Ga. (AP) – A Georgia real estate agent is suing the producer of the “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” claiming the comedian mispronounced her name to make a joke about breasts. Titi (TEE’-tee) Pierce alleges in the lawsuit filed against Warner Bros. last week that DeGeneres displayed one of Pierce’s real estate signs during the Feb. 22 show that was rerun April 15. It says DeGeneres led into the joke about Pierce’s name after showing a sign for the unrelated Nipple Convalescent Home. The suit also says the sign included Pierce’s cellphone number and she was subjected to “ridiculing and harassing” phone calls. The suit claims invasion of privacy, defamation and emotional distress. It seeks unspecified monetary damages. Warner Bros. declined to comment. “Ellen” executive producers say, “We try to have fun every day and make people laugh and never intend to hurt anyone’s feeling.”