'Daily Show' Alumnus Sues Over Batali Show

A former staff writer for Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report," Ben Karlin, is suing the company of food television producer Charles Pinsky, founder of Frappe Inc., for reneging on a contract for a book that was to have accompanied the upcoming PBS series, "Spain ... on the Road Again." The show stars chef Mario Batali and actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

Mr. Pinsky asked Mr. Karlin in summer 2007 to conceptualize and oversee the book, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday at the New York State Supreme Court. Mr. Karlin, who shared in nine Emmy Awards as part of a "Daily Show" writing team and has been an executive producer for both Comedy Central shows, subsequently hired literary agents to negotiate terms of the deal, and traveled to Spain in October to begin work.

But in November 2007, a conflict arose when Mr. Pinsky allowed Mr. Batali to engage designers for the book, including one of Mr. Batali's relatives, instead of leaving the design to Mr. Karlin, as previously agreed, the lawsuit states. Mr. Karlin contends that Mr. Batali also expected him to write the book in its entirety, and refused to contribute recipes, pictures, or other material to the project, claiming to be too busy.

When Mr. Karlin asked to lessen his involvement in the book, the lawsuit states, Mr. Batali asked that the writer be fired from the project. He has not been paid, and is suing for $125,000, including the cost of two trips to Spain, according to the lawsuit.

The show is scheduled to air in September. Neither Mr. Pinsky, Frappe Inc., nor PBS returned calls for comment.