‘American Idol’ Black Contestants Claim Racial Profiling, Sue For $25 Mill Each

Ten Black former “American Idol” contestants have filed a lawsuit against the show claiming they were racially and criminally profiled to boost ratings, and they want $25 million a piece, reports TMZ.

According to their attorney, ‘American Idol’ concocted a ‘cruel and inhumane’ scheme to sensationalize their arrest records even though they were never convicted of any crimes.

More importantly, allegedly the criminal pasts of White contestants were never searched.

Read more from TMZ:

The contestants — Corey Clark (Season 2), Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Jacob John Smalley (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell Brittenum (Season 5), Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson (Season 6), Ju’Not Joyner (Season 8), and Chris Golightly (Season 9).

The contestants’ lawyer claims the show used the arrest info to make his clients appear to be “violent criminals, liars and sexual deviants” … when they weren’t. In fact, none had ever even been convicted of the charges stemming from their arrests.

Worse, the lawyer claims ONLY black people were ever probed about their alleged criminal pasts … never white people.

Not only do the contestants feel they got the shaft, they claim their lives have been ruined by the show’s racist portrayals.

The 10 are suing for discrimination and other alleged misdeeds. They also want Idol to adopt new anti-racism regulations.

Reps for FOX and FremantleMedia had no comment.