Mariah Carey’s brother, Morgan Carey, has intensified his legal battle against the pop icon, now seeking to subpoena Oprah Winfrey as part of his defamation lawsuit over claims made in Mariah’s 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey.
The U.S. Sun reports that Morgan filed court papers in Los Angeles on December 13, demanding that the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) produce a range of materials related to Mariah’s interviews and book promotion. The documents request “all communications, emails, unedited videos, and documents” involving Mariah, her memoir, and related interviews. OWN has been given a deadline of January 16, 2025, to comply.
The subpoena specifically mentions interviews Mariah has given over the years, including her 2020 appearance on The Oprah Conversation to promote The Meaning of Mariah Carey. At the time, Oprah expressed her admiration for Mariah, writing on social media:
“I may not have known the words back then, but after 10 interviews together, I now know the FULL meaning of @MariahCarey. On this episode of #TheOprahConversation, the world’s most fascinating star speaks her truth for the first time in her memoir #TheMeaningOfMariahCarey.”
Morgan’s suit, filed in 2021, alleges that Mariah’s memoir contains “false and defamatory” statements about him, damaging his reputation. In the book, Mariah recounts her tumultuous childhood and complicated family dynamics, which she claims influenced her career and personal struggles.
The recent court filing also targets OWN’s agreements and communications with individuals tied to the memoir, including co-author Micaela Angela Davis, Andrew Cohen, and Tyler Perry. Topics for deposition reportedly include “the authenticity and source of all documents” and OWN’s promotion of the book.
Mariah and Morgan’s strained relationship has been a recurring theme in public interviews. Notably, Mariah appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1999 with her mother, Patricia, to discuss her childhood and her relationships with siblings Morgan and Alison Carey.
Morgan’s lawsuit remains ongoing, with the latest development potentially pulling Oprah into the spotlight to provide testimony. Whether this move will yield the evidence Morgan seeks remains to be seen, but the legal battle underscores the ongoing discord within the Carey family.
photo: Getty images
