The Real Housewives of Potomac stars Gizelle Bryant and Robyn Dixon are accusing Eminem of demanding special treatment ahead of his deposition in their “Shady” battle, Us Weekly exclusively reports.
On October 10, Dixon and Bryant filed documents in their never-ending battle with the Slim Shady. (In 2023, the reality stars filed to trademark their podcast name “Reasonably Shady.” Eminem opposed the request, claiming it was too similar to his famous nicknames Slim Shady and Shady. The three have been fighting for more than two years.)
In their filing, Dixon and Bryant explained the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which is overseeing the matter, ordered Eminem to be deposed in the case. The reality stars claim that despite being ordered, Eminem and his team have given them the run-around on scheduling a date.
Dixon and Bryant said Eminem’s lawyer took weeks to lock down a date of October 29 for Em to appear and be grilled about the facts of the case. “Getting our client to commit to a deposition is very difficult and we suggest that you take the opportunity when you can get him,” the lawyer wrote the reality star’s lawyers. Per the filing, Dixon and Bryant claim Eminem’s lawyer said Em would show up at 2 p.m. and told them it would need to be done in two hours.
Dixon and Bryant said that Eminem’s lawyer “seems to imply that we should be grateful to depose [Eminem] when he is available, even if that is only for 2 hours. [Eminem’s counsel’s] take it or leave it approach shows lack of good faith.” Dixon and Robyn objected to the 2 p.m. start time because their vendors, who help with the deposition, work normal business hours. The reality stars said Eminem’s lawyer did not provide any reason why Em could only start at 2 p.m.
“Furthermore, [Eminem’s] counsel refused to agree to a short discovery extension,” the duo said. “[Eminem’s lawyer] has not made a good faith effort to make [Eminem] available for a deposition, nor has [Eminem’s] counsel shown good cause as to why [Eminem] cannot be available for one day for at least seven hours,” the filing read. Eminem filed a response on November 11. His lawyer said instead of working with them on Eminem’s schedule, Dixon and Bryant rushed to file a motion over the issue.
The response read, “This is even though [Eminem] offered to continue the deposition as late as was necessary on that day to accommodate the later-in-the-day Eastern start time. [Dixon and Robyn’s] refusal to cooperate and insistence in filing a motion over a 3-hour start-time difference highlights that [Dixon and Robyn’s] pursuit of [Eminem’s] deposition is designed to harass.” Eminem’s lawyer said he confirmed that it was possible to hire a court reporter, who would transcribe the deposition, outside of normal business hours. He said Bryant and Dixon demanded Eminem show up at 11 a.m. His lawyer said Eminem is willing to appear for a deposition at a “mutually convenient time for the parties, but as noted …. cannot begin before early afternoon Eastern due to pre-existing commitments related to the recording of new music.”
Eminem’s longtime manager, Paul Rosenberg, filed a declaration as part of the motion. He said, “[Eminem] is presently working on new music for various projects which requires his daily attendance with the people identified below. It is not only difficult and very expensive for him to be out of his studio at such times, but it will also put him behind schedule for the various contracts which have been promised by dates certain.”
“The reality of [Eminem’s schedule is that he needs to be at his studio every morning to meet with the people who rely on his presence when creating new music. Failure of [Eminem] to appear in the morning at his studio can result in cancelled appointments, an entirely wasted day for his staff, and a very expensive loss of time and expense to [Eminem] and other parties.”
Rosenberg said Em’s “typical day, including as scheduled to occur on October 29, includes working at his studio to create and record music, including with other recording artists with whom he collaborates, as well as multiple studio engineers, and he must work with their schedules as well.”
“As the music currently in production approaches completion, it is imperative that [Eminem] be at the studio during the next month,” Paul said, “He has appointments scheduled throughout November and December, which makes it both very difficult and expensive for him to attend a deposition in the month of November.”
[VIA]
