Russell as spoiler leak? Spoiler free article!

[PWS]

Apparently RH has been the source of many of the accurate spoilers that those of us who read the spoiler threads read about. Note the fine he'd have to pay for breaking the contract. If this is true he really does feel entitled!
There are no spoilers in this, so you can read it safely even if you don't like spoilers---well, except that it gives you the names of 2 people who will NOT be on the next Survivor! But given that there are at least two million eligible Americans I doubt that counts as a spoiler!

Survivor Spoiler Exposes Russell Hantz as His Source - The Daily Beast

[BritLit]

This whole thing about Russell being the spoiler leaker is fascinating. The article identifies the poster (whose screen-name you'll all recognize) who gave all the accurate spoilers as actually being Jim Early, the person who CBS sued--then dropped the suit against when he "gave up" Russell as his source. Interesting connection: the story was broken by Andy Dehnhart, who used to be included on all the Survivor sponsored "press junkets" to location, but was barred three seasons ago for publishing embargoed information on the season. Small world.

What's going to be fun is to see how Russell is presented on this season of Redemption Island. Can't think the producers/editors are going to be feeling too kindly toward the TROLL.

[Longhornfan]

I think that it would be so funny if CBS filed a law suit against Russell Hantz for breaking his contract with Survivor and for being the source of the leaks. Russell wasn't too smart if he put some of those leaks in writing (per his e-mails). I can't wait to see how this all plays out.

Will there still be a Spoiler thread on FORT for Survivor Redemption Island? Or will it be permanently removed because of what happened to Jim Early?

[karalott]

I think this is pretty funny But didn't Russell's wife spoil result during Samoa? Anyway, its not the first time spoilers have been inside sources (actually, it's always inside sources), and with the exception of a few seasons, there's always been accurate spoilers, right down to the winner. I don't see why they'd care to stop now. I mean, I totally get that Russell shouldn't have spilled the beans, but how can they stop random sites from reporting spoilers? Maybe they need to do a better job of keeping their cast and crew under wraps. Wasn't this the season they lost a call sheet?

[mushybrain]

I am not an attorney, so I need someone to explain to me how it is possible that Jim Early can be sued for revealing spoilers if he, himself, did not sign a confidentiality agreement. It doesn't make sense.

Is there something in contract law that says that legal action can be taken against someone who disseminates information they obtain from a source that they know is bound by a confidentiality agreement?

[kyrjar]

I agree that someone cannot be sued for passing spoilers on unless contractually obligated not to (or obtained through criminal activity like theft).

If you email a contestant who is contractually obligated essentially asking for spoiler information, I suppose they could allege that there was contractual interference. Maybe that is enough to get discovery on the issue and force the turning over of the emails. I guess that they dropped the suit against Early because they didn't have much of a case against him, as much as the fact that they found out it was their own star. I really don't get the Russell love at all.