Local sports radio host sues for defamation over alleged 'sexual interaction' comments

LANSING - A feud between two Michigan sports radio talk show hosts has made its way to court.

Ryan Schuiling, who hosts "The Schuiling Report," a weekday show on Lansing-based 92.1 The Team (WQTX), is suing Bill Simonson, who hosts "The Huge Show," a weekday sports show broadcast in Grand Rapids, Lansing and 10 other cities across the state.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Ingham County Circuit Court, alleges Simonson defamed Schuiling in various statements made via email and across social media.

The lawsuit relates to a February blog post on Detroit Sports Rag, a third-party website that is not affiliated with Simonson.

The post, titled "RYAN SCHUILING WANTS TO INFILTRATE BILL SIMONSON’S 17-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER’S INNER CIRCLE," makes "numerous false allegations against Mr. Schuiling, including that Mr. Schuiling attempted to orchestrate some alleged sexual interaction with Mr. Simonson's daughter," according to the civil complaint.

The lawsuit also targets Cumulus Media and 107.3 FM (WBBL), the Grand Rapids radio station where Simonson's show is based. 

Schuiling, who used to work for Cumulus Media, claims Simonson's "numerous false statements" were a violation of a non-disparagement clause in a non-compete agreement Schuiling signed with the station in August 2015, about a month after his employment with the company ended.

Jeff Moss, who the lawsuit says owns Detroit Sports Rag, is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Moss, in a statement, said he has not been sued by Schuiling.

"I think this entire situation is absurd...," Moss wrote in an email. "If Mr. Schuilling does want to sue me or my website, my legal team will defend it vigorously with the potential for a countersuit due to the frivolity of any such claim."

Schuiling's lawsuit also claims:

• "Simonson has defamed Mr. Schuiling in an effort to intimidate, embarrass, harass, damage his reputation, damage his business opportunities, and... create unfavorable and unwanted publicity for Mr. Schuiling."
• On May 10, Simonson emailed a link to the aforementioned "Detroit Sports Rag" blog post to IBEW Local 665, which sponsors Schuiling's show.
• Simonson tweeted that Schuiling "preaches about MSU and victims of sex violence but wanted someone to have sex with my daughter in college and talk about it."
• Simonson posted on Facebook that Schuiling "wanted someone to have sex with my daughter and have online blogger Jeff Moss write about it," and "These are my fricking children! This won't be an on air war. This will be done with lawyers. This is the same Ryan Schuiling who's preaching about sex violence on the MSU campus. What a hypocrite."
• Simonson knew the statements were false when he made them
• Simonson's statements caused Schuiling to suffer "emotional distress, humiliation, mortification, embarrassment, harm to his professional standing in the community, and other damages."

Schuiling's lawsuit was accompanied by a request for a temporary restraining order, which would prevent Simonson and Cumulus Media from defaming, making false allegations or "acting in any manner" that could damage Schuiling's reputation or lead to unfavorable publicity.

Schuiling's attorney, Jamie White, declined to comment on the lawsuit. A representative for Cumulus Media could not immediately be reached Friday.

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Simonson released the following statement after the State Journal contacted him on Friday:

"It has come to my attention that a former colleague who now works for a station that competes with part of our radio network recently filed suit against my employer and me.

"The allegations in that lawsuit are untrue and lack merit. They are also ironic, since they result from actions that this former colleague, now competitor, took against me, my employer and (most disturbingly) my family. I put up with his personal attacks for a long time, but when I found out that he was targeting my family members, I felt that he had crossed the line.

"I confronted my former colleague when his actions were made public back in February and tried to resolve this matter quietly and professionally, asking for an apology for actions that were (in my opinion) unethical, improper and immoral. He refused to apologize, rebuffed my efforts to resolve this matter, and now has apparently decided to file a lawsuit.

"I have retained an attorney, but asked him to avoid further public comment because I want to protect my family. While my day job as a radio personality means that I am sometimes subjected to false claims and personal attacks, my family does not deserve what my former colleague has done to them.

"My lawyer tells me that truth is an absolute defense to lawsuits like those brought by my competitor. Therefore, I am confident that we will resolve this quickly, because my competitor will not want the light of truth to be directed toward his conduct.

"I would ask that you respect my family’s privacy at this time. We will make no further comments at this time."

Judge William Collette has not yet ruled on Schuiling's request for a temporary restraining order, although a court hearing is set for Tuesday in Ingham County Circuit Court.

State Journal columnist Graham Couch and reporter Cody Tucker are occasional guests on “The Schuiling Report.”

Contact Christopher Haxel at 517-377-1261 or chaxel@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisHaxel.