Joe Teti
 | This article may require copy editing for grammar, style. (October 2016) |
 | This article may be written from a fan's point of view, rather than a neutral point of view. (October 2016) |
Joe Teti | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | United States / North Carolina |
| Other names | Joseph Teti |
| Occupation(s) | Primitive skills expert, TV personality, Military Career Includes: Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan |
| Known for | Dual Survival Survival Expert |
Joe 'Joseph' Teti who lives in Iredell County North Carolina is a television personality who co-hosted the Discovery Channel reality show Dual Survival. Joe Teti is a specialist in Military Survival and a combat veteran with the U.S. Special Forces. Joe Teti is a combat veteran of both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). Joe Teti was involved in a First Amendment case that potentially violated decades of court precedence protecting free speech.
Joe Teti served in a government counter terrorism unit, according to Teti, "doing direct action missions right alongside Tier 1 assets". There are accusations from military service members stating that Teti's military service was, "questionable".[1] Joe Teti did serve in the military under a special forces command according to Joe Teti's former team sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Daniel McClain, and Teti's former executive officer, Lt. Col. William Sharp. Sharp, now with U.S. Special Operations Command, has recommended that Teti's security clearance be revoked and "strip him of his Special Forces rankings" as he has been "accused" of embellishing and perpetuating falsehoods about his military career.[2] Teti worked with a security company Triple Canopy in Iraq, but his employment shortly ended when the tour ended prior to joining The Discovery Channel.
First Amendment Case
Joe Teti's in involved in a legal case that has veered into First Amendment grounds, banning Teti's future Facebook postings. Joe Teti the co-host of the Discovery Channel's "Dual Survival" reality show. sued a fellow Special Forces soldier Mykel Hawke, the co-star of Discovery's former show, "Man, Woman, Wild." Teti claimed that he was, "defamed in an orchestrated online attack, costing him lucrative corporate sponsorship's and damaged reputation".[3]
On March 26, 2015, Superior Court Judge Jesse Caldwell of Gaston County agreed in principle to Teti's request that Hawke be banned from publicizing, "any false and defamatory communications" about Teti to Facebook, and other websites "and any media outlet of any kind," in a pre-publication injunction until, the case is resolved.[3]
First Amendment legal experts say the injunction, would violate decades of court precedent protecting free speech, they say a temporary restraining order violates constitutional protections.
Claims of "Stolen Valor"
Joe Teti and Mykel Hawke met in the Special Forces with Hawke as Teti's commander and mentor according to the lawsuit, but the friendship ended when Joe Teti agreed to appear on "Dual Survivor" in 2012. In 2010 both Mykel Hawke and his wife were the stars of their own TV show on Discovery, which ran from 2010-2012 involving a husband, wife survival show called "Man, Woman, Wild,"
According to the suit, Teti claimed that Mykel Hawke orchestrated attacks on Teti's military record and character across dozens of Facebook pages and on other military and Special Forces websites, including false claims about Teti's military record for financial gain.
The allegation is also known as "Stolen Valor" which have long have been emotional issues among veterans groups. Teti, a former Marine, fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan and worked as a military contractor, yet was expelled from a Special Forces Association in Fayetteville, North Carolina in the fall of 2015.
Joe Teti's former Dual Survival co-host Matt Graham were removed from the show without much publicity and the show has since premiered in its seventh season with new survivalists. In 2016 Matt Graham joined the cast of National Geographic Channel's "Live Free or Die"[citation needed]. Though Joe Teti is no longer part of Discovery's Dual Survival, Teti urged the show's fans to stay patient and stick with the new Dual Survival hosts Grady Powell and Bill McConnell, "particularly in light of how challenging the show is for the hosts".[4]
References
- ^ McKay, Hollie (2014-10-09). "'dual Survivor' Star Joseph Teti Denies He Lied About Military Service As Sponsors Retreat". Retrieved 2016-09-15.
- ^ MilitaryTimes. "reality-survival-star-saga-takes-new-twist-joe-teti-mykel | MilitaryTimes". MilitaryTimes. Retrieved 2016-09-15.
- ^ a b "Charlotte lawsuit pits reality TV feud vs. freedom of speech". Retrieved 2016-09-15.
- ^ "UPDATE Former Dual Survival host Joe Teti addresses his departure from the show in new fan Q&A". 2016-01-17. Retrieved 2016-09-15.