Why Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Literary Agent Filed a $1 Million Lawsuit Against the ‘Fixer Upper’ Stars
Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines have faced multiple lawsuits, and the Fixer Upper stars were recently sued again by their literary agent for a minimum of $1 million. Here’s why the HGTV stars’ literary agent filed a lawsuit against them and what the court documents said.
Chip and Joanna Gaines have released several books
Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines have published several books, separately and as a couple.
Joanna has two children’s books: We Are the Gardeners and The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be. She also has the cookbook The Magnolia Table and its successor, Magnolia Table, Volume 2. Joanna also published two books titled The Stories We Tell and Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave.
Chip Gaines has two books: Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff and No Pain, No Gaines: The Good Stuff Doesn’t Come Easy.
As a couple, the Fixer Upper stars wrote the book The Magnolia Story, offering fans a detailed look into their life together.
All nine books can be purchased on the Magnolia website.
Chip and Joanna Gaines’ literary agent sued the ‘Fixer Upper’ stars for $1 million
In December 2022, Chip and Joanna Gaines’ literary agent filed a lawsuit against the Fixer Upper star for breach of contract.
Agent David Vigliano claimed that the HGTV stars amended the terms of a five-book publishing deal with a $12.5 million advance without his consent (per The Wall Street Journal).
The contract changes reduced the total number of books from five to four, and deprived Vigliano Associates of some other fees and earnings from the original deal. It also took away the option of a sixth book.
The court documents claim that Joanna made a deal with a different literary agent, and the money from her book The Stories We Tell should be going to Vigliano Associates.
Vigliano’s company demanded a minimum of $1 million in damages. The lawsuit named the Gainses, their companies C&J Gaines Limited Co. and Magnolia Brands LLC, and the couple’s management company, United Talent Agency, as defendants.
The lawsuit questioned the ‘Fixer Upper’ stars’ religious morals
Besides seeking at least $1 million in damages, the literary agent’s lawsuit against Chip and Joanna Gaines also brought the Fixer Upper stars’ Christian values into question.
The Gainses have been very open about their religious beliefs. The lawsuit states, “Joanna and Chip Gaines brand themselves as moral Christians who purportedly operate in an ethical manner” before adding, “nothing could be further from the truth” (per TMZ).
The case appears to be ongoing and has not been resolved to date.
