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'A.I.' sued

Former employees have filed a class-action lawsuit against "American Idol" producer FremantleMedia North America, the Hollywood Reporter says.

The suit claims the company systematically overworked employees without paying the required overtime, falsified timecards and denied staffers meals and rest periods.

The complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, strongly resembles a previous class-action suit against reality companies and broadcasters that was settled recently for $4 million. The earlier suit was launched in conjunction with the Writers Guild of America, which has been going after reality production companies and networks in an attempt to organize reality staffers.

According to THR, the trio of employees who initiated the suit worked in various production positions on shows such as "Idol," the syndicated game show "Temptation," Oxygen's "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" and Fox's upcoming "Osbournes: Reloaded." Several production companies that apparently are satellite FremantleMedia entities also are named — Blue Orbit Entertainment, Little Pond Television, Kickoff Productions inc. and American Idol Productions.

Fremantle did not immediately return a request for comment, THR said.

NBC cans some reality

Days after announcing its new schedule, NBC has pulled the plug on a slew of reality shows, according to reports from TVWeek.com and TheFutoncritic.com citing unnamed sources at the network.

Among those shows not returning will be "Celebrity Circus," "Celebrity Family Feud," "Fear Itself," "The Baby Borrowers" and "American Gladiators." Additionally, "Most Outrageous Moments" will no longer produce new episodes, and Thom Beers' "Americas Toughest Jobs" and "Mommas Boys" will not be getting renewals. Mr. Beers' other shows that were part of his contract with NBC have been pulled as well, says TheFutoncritic.com.

Ratings chatter