'The Big Bang Theory' Season 9 Release Date, Spoilers and Rumors: Producers Sued for Age Discrimination

Aug 19, 2015 02:10 AM EDT

Former 2nd assistant director on the hit CBS comedy Christopher Klausen, is suing the parent company of The Big Bang Theory for alleged age discrimination after he was fired from the set after turning the Big Five-0.

In his 25-page complaint filed before the Los Angeles Superior Court, Klausen alleged he worked for the show for seven years but he was given the dreaded pink slip after season 8 of The Big Bang Theory. He was 55 when he was told to leave the show, reported Deadline.

"Mr. Klausen was not prepared for the age discrimination, successive demotions, and termination that he Warner Bros TV would face at the hands of Defendants," the lawsuit alleged.

Klausen, a member of the DGA since 1985, claimed he started to feel that he was being castrated by the cast and crew of the popular TV show during season 6 in 2012. The lawsuit alleged that "despite his formal title, Mr. Klausen did not continue performing the job duties of the Second Assistant Director. This was because Mr. Klausen had recently turned 50 years old and Warner Bros. wanted to infuse younger blood into the directorial team."

"Nonetheless, Mr. Klausen was subjected to discrimination, repeated demotions, and eventually terminated because of age," the lawsuit further stated.

Klausen insisted that he was fired not because of his incapacity to perform his duties but because the executives at Warner Bros., wanted to infuse young blood. Klausen's working paper said he was letting go because of "performance reasons."

Sheldon to Patch Things Up With Amy

The last episode of "The Big Bang Theory" Season 8 left the future of two relationships in jeopardy - Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) broke up, with the latter asking for space and time to think of the direction their romance is heading; while Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki) and Penny (Kaley Coco-Sweeting) decided to elope to Las Vegas.

In the official synopsis of "The Big Bang Theory" Season 9 released by CBS to TV Line, it looks like the main focus of the upcoming season will be the problems plaguing the couples. It read, "Brilliant Sheldon is confronted by a mystery of the universe he cannot unravel: when a woman wants time apart to think, exactly how much time does that mean, and is there any way to hurry the process along? In Las Vegas, Penny and Leonard march closer to marching down the aisle, but has Penny gotten over Leonard's infidelity? And if so, will he do anything to un-get her over it?"

The love story of Leonard and Penny began way back in the first season of "The Big Bang Theory," with the genius crushing hard on his waitress neighbor before she finally took notice of him. While it took quite some time for Penny to finally consider Leonard as a potential boyfriend, the two eventually got together and became one of the main couples in "The Big Bang Theory."

Release date of season 9 of The Big Bang Theory, sans Klausen, is on Monday, September 21 at 8 p.m. ET.