Major Scandals HGTV Wishes Everyone Would Forget About
Lifestyle News
By JAMIE CLARK
Coercion Allegations
HGTV’s wholesome image took a hit when Carter Oosterhouse, star of the 2008 series "Carter Can," was accused of sexual coercion by a former employee in 2017.
Hollywood Reporter said that lifestyle expert Oosterhouse allegedly propositioned make-up artist Kailey Kaminsky multiple times in 2008 and threatened her job when she declined.
After she gave in to his request, he allegedly continued to proposition her until she was hospitalized for a stomach ulcer. Oosterhouse claims the relationship was consensual.
El Moussa & Hall Split
When "Flip or Flop" debuted in 2013, married co-stars Tarek El Moussa and Christina Hall enjoyed early success, but their partnership later imploded.
In 2016, People reported that police had been called to a gun-related incident at their home. El Moussa later cited it as the beginning of the end, as they separated soon after.
They continued to work on the show until March 2022. Less than a year after the pair had a particularly nasty on-set argument, El Moussa and Hall announced "Flip or Flop" was done.
Anti-LGBTQ Post
When HGTV's inclusive image was threatened by "Flip it Forward" brothers David and Jason Benham, the network shut down production of a show slated to air in 2014.
The decision was made after a 2012 social media post surfaced in which David stated that he wanted to "stop homosexuality and its agenda that is attacking the nation."
Phony House Hunters
In 2012, it emerged that contestant Bobi Jensen already owned the home she “chose” on the show and two of the houses she toured weren’t really on the market.
The two other homes belonged to her friends and weren't for sale. "House Hunters" confirmed the rumors, saying, "We're making a television show."
Chip Gaines Fraud
Chip's former partners filed a lawsuit against him in 2017, claiming that he fraudulently bought out their shares in Texas real-estate company, Magnolia Realty.
They alleged Chip hadn't told them he had partnered with HGTV when he made the deal and demanded a $1 million payout plus compensation. The judge threw the case out.