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‘Matlock’
Creator & Writers Sued for Hostile Work Environment
… Allegedly Made Racist, Sexually Explicit Remarks
Published
More legal drama on the set of “Matlock” … this time, a staffer on the show is dragging the creator and a couple of writers to court for allegedly creating a hostile work environment.
TMZ has obtained a lawsuit filed Wednesday by John Lowe, who says he was hired back in 2023 as an executive story editor on the show. Lowe claims “Matlock” creator Jennie Urman Snyder and writers Nicki Renna and Jeffrey Lieber “fostered a writers room environment permeated by sexually explicit and discriminatory conduct” … and he says much of it was directed personally at him.
In the filing, Lowe says he experienced “repeated racially and sexually offensive conduct” and claims he was ultimately fired in 2025 in retaliation for complaining about a particularly offensive comment.
Lowe, who’s Black, claims when he asked last June if the show would be observing Juneteenth, Snyder responded by referring to the holiday with a racial slur, calling it … “C***teenth.”
He claims Snyder verbally fired him just 13 days later — after the show went on hiatus — and says there was no written notice or justification for the termination.
In the lawsuit, Lowe also claims Renna once made racist and sexist comments about one of the show’s Black cast members, Eme Ikwuakor, allegedly saying … “Eme can barely read” and “Eme’s [big, black c***] saves him.”
He claims the environment on set was also sexually inappropriate, saying Snyder and Lieber had previously commented on how tight his clothes were, and about how his shoe size meant he was “well-endowed down there.”
Lowe says Renna once called him late at night and told him she was in bed and only had underwear on. He also claims she “graphically” described her sex life and the size of her husband’s genitalia in front of him, even though they’d recently had anti-harassment training.
According to the complaint, Lieber and Renna would grab, wrestle, and touch each other while not doing any writing or creative work for the show, which he says “reinforced a sexually hostile environment.”
He’s seeking compensatory and punitive damages, claiming the environment and his firing led to loss of income, emotional distress, humiliation, and medical expenses.
CBS tells TMZ in a statement … “We are committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for everyone and take all workplace complaints seriously.”
The network added … “In this instance, a thorough investigation was completed, and we were unable to find support for his allegations. We look forward to defending this lawsuit.”
A source with knowledge tells TMZ the network was not aware the lawsuit had been filed and claimed Lowe made complaints about the workplace “well after” his employment ended.
As you know, these aren’t the first allegations of troubling behavior on the “Matlock” set. David Del Rio was kicked off the cast in October for allegedly sexually assaulting costar Leah Lewis. David’s denied the allegations.
