Monster, meanwhile, blames John John for a “failure to exercise reasonable care and diligence.”
I was peeling a wet blanket and sheet off my lap and removing a rubber band when this hot lil item bounced into my inbox.
Turns out, John John Florence is suing energy drink company Monster in an action that was first filed in California state court back in May.
John John, who just turned twenty six, says he cut a three-year agreement with the caffeine drink manufacturer (which has 34 lines including Java Monster, Extra Strength, Import, Rehab and Muscle Monster) in 2017 and, oowee, nothing but tears since.
Under the deal, Florence — who has starred in surfer flicks including “View From a Blue Moon” and the recent video “Space” — agreed to promote Monster drinks for $350,000 a year plus $150,000 toward a marketing production that recounted his pursuit of his world surfing title, court records show.
Nevertheless, Monster “has refused to pay any amount whatsoever under the 2017 agreement,” according to the suit.
That’s despite the fact that Monster has plastered Florence all over “its websites, social media channels, and in print and digital ad campaigns,” according to Florence’s suit.
Monster, meanwhile, counters that Florence hid “material facts” during contract talks. The company didn’t elaborate, but claims it “would not have signed the contract if Monster had known such representations by Florence were false.”
Earlier this year — well after the Monster contract was signed — Florence tore his ACL and hasn’t surfed competitively since.
It couldn’t be learned whether the ACL injury was a bone of contention between Florence and Monster.
Reps for Florence and Monster didn’t return calls seeking comment this week.
Despite not getting paid by Monster, the surfer claims he “repeatedly saw Monster’s advertising prominently featuring Florence’s name and likeness without [his] authorization, including while in the presence of others, causing Florence to experience embarrassment, humiliation and emotional distress,” according to the suit.
Florence likewise claims that the Monster relationship has been a series of broken promises and last-minute switches to the contract.
After getting lavish promises from Monster’s sports marketing executive, Tim English — including an emailed pledge for retroactive pay in the three-year deal — Florence says Monster sent a longer-form version with watered-down pay provisions.
In response, Monster blames Florence’s woes, without elaborating, on his “failure to exercise reasonable care and diligence.”
In September, a judge declined to dismiss Florence’s suit. Attorneys for Florence and Monster are slated to meet on Wednesday for a conference hearing in Riverside County (Calif.) Superior Court.
