According to Scott Talbot, sole member of The Charity Group, LLC, Absolut and Pernod stole his idea for a reality TV series that would focus on the art of mixology, giving the winning bartender an opportunity to win a cash prize for a charity of his or her choice.
Talbot claims in a lawsuit filed in Manhattan, New York, that he originally introduced the idea for a show called “Charity Mixology” to the spirit distributors in an effort to sign them on as corporate sponsors. Instead, he says, Absolut and Pernod ripped off his idea, later broadcasting “On the Rocks: The Search for America’s Next Top Bartender.”
Talbot is quoted as saying, “The concept of that series is identical to the Charity Group concept…with one difference: no money will be raised for non-profits, thus disadvantaging charities around the country, incuding the public at large.”
