Harrah’s Las Vegas named in lawsuit over “Donny Balls” hitting a guest in the face

• One of Harrah’s Las Vegas’ top performers’ acts has landed the property in a lawsuit
• A tourist visiting the property was hit with a heavy illuminated "Donny Ball" in the face, causing retinal detachment
• The lawsuit now seeks more than $15,000 in damages for past and future pain

At least one tourist was not satisfied with a performance delivered by former teen idol Donny Osmond, whose shows are idiosyncratic in more than one way, and notably, with the throwing of balls, aptly called "Donny Balls" in the audience.

Now, a tourist from Illinois who was visiting Las Vegas and attending the show at Harrah’s, has filed a lawsuit in Clark County District Court seeking damages after she was injured during a live performance.

The woman names the casino property, as well as Osmond, including the production company that arranges the details about each performance. The reason? One of the illuminated balls thrown in the crowd actually ended up hitting the plaintiff, Joanne Julkowski, in the head.

Julkowski’s lawsuit is not frivolous, as she suffered retinal detachment, and is now seeking more than $15,000 in damages for past and future pain. The woman had to undergo a surgery and face medical expenses.

The plaintiff had to undergo surgery and has suffered from sustained visual impairment along with head and neck injuries.

The "Donny Balls" props have been a fun way to engage with fans, who have often sought out to scoop a ball in the auditorium after it has been thrown at random.

This practice, the complaint argues, is in itself dangerous, citing the way the practice is executed. Specifically, the lawsuit says that the shows are dimly-lit, which makes the illuminated balls difficult to dodge, or even catch in the moment.

At the same time, the objects are sufficiently large and heavy to lead to physical harm, as Julkowski’s case exemplifies.

The incident occurred back on February 15, 2024, but the complaint was only filed last week.

Image credit: Unsplash.com