Atlanta-based Gray Television, which owns WEAU-TV, is suing Pickett and Prueher for using fake names and materials to fraudulently convince station producers to book them on the show, according to the Mercury News.
They “performed ridiculous bits and provided false information to WEAU viewers,” the complaint states.
The two comedians don’t deny that.
“We hated doing promotional appearances on morning shows as ourselves so we thought it would be funny and interesting to see if we could book fake people on these morning shows,” Prueher told the New York Daily News.
“Chop and Steele” managed to get booked on seven morning shows. Prueher thinks the segments were more fun than if they just promoted their regular gig: The Found Footage Festival, a touring show of strange and unusual videos.
The segments were supposed to be funny, but there is a higher purpose, according to Prueher.
“Our prank establishes the point about how easy it it is to put forth fake news,” he told CleveScene.com.