Warner Robins Realtor loses lawsuit against ‘Ellen’ show

A federal judge has dismissed a Warner Robins Realtor’s lawsuit against the makers of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

Realtor Titi Pierce claimed she suffered defamation, invasion of privacy and emotional distress after DeGeneres mispronounced Pierce’s first name during a segment on her television show.

In an order filed Wednesday, Judge Leslie J. Abrams dismissed the claims against Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., in part because the segment was “so unambiguously humorous.”

The segment, “What’s Wrong with These Signs? Signs,” aired Feb. 22, 2016, and April 15, 2016. In it, DeGeneres shows a series of signs and makes jokes about them.

One sign says, “Nipple Convalescent Home,” to which Ellen quips, “What boob named that place?”

Then, Pierce’s real estate sign is shown. DeGeneres says, “Titi Pierce, sounds like she might have spent some time in that nipple home. I don’t know.” DeGeneres pronounced Pierce’s first name as “titty,” the slang term for breast. Pierce says her name is pronounced “tee tee.”

Pierce said in her lawsuit that she received numerous harassing phone calls and comments on social media after the show aired.

The judge ruled DeGeneres’ statement was protected under the First Amendment as “rhetorical hyperbole,” and given the context of the comment, “no reasonable person could believe it implied defamatory facts” about Pierce, according to the order.

Pierce’s attorney Stacey Godfrey Evans of Atlanta could not be reached for comment but told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “We are disappointed in the ruling and will consider an appeal.”

Warner Bros. declined comment to the AJC.

This story was originally published February 17, 2017 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Warner Robins Realtor loses lawsuit against ‘Ellen’ show."