Vanessa Steele-Inman “Steele” was a contestant in the 1997 Miss Nude World International pageant. Extravaganza Promotions, Inc. promoted the pageant, which was held at the Pink Pony, an adult entertainment club. Jack Galardi CEO of Trop, Inc., d/b/a the Pink Pony, and his employees Jack Pepper and Mark Allen were the pageant’s operators. Toward the end of the six-day competition, rumors circulated that Steele had “stuffed” the ballot box in one of the preliminary competitions and that she had told other contestants that she “bought” the contest. Ostensibly based on those allegations, Steele was barred from the premises of the Pink Pony and, effectively, eliminated from the pageant. Steele sued numerous parties, including Galardi, Trop, Inc., and Pepper. In her complaint, Steele raised claims based on slander, tortious interference with business relations, and violations of OCGA § 10-1-830 et seq. “the beauty pageant statutes”.1 A jury awarded Steele $335,000 for tortious interference with business relations against Galardi, Trop, Inc. and Pepper; $100 for fraud against Extravaganza Promotions; $500,000 against Galardi, Trop, Inc., and Pepper for slander; and $100,000 in attorney fees against Galardi, Trop, Inc., and Pepper. The trial court entered judgment for these amounts, and awarded Steele an additional $3,500 in attorney fees against Galardi, Trop, Inc., and Pepper under Georgia’s beauty pageant statutes. Galardi, Trop, Inc., and Pepper collectively “the appellants” appeal.2
1. Slander claim as to Galardi and Trop, Inc. Galardi and Trop, Inc. contend the trial court erred in denying their motions for a directed verdict, for a new trial, and for judgment notwithstanding the verdict when there is no evidence that they slandered Steele. Galardi claims he cannot be liable since there is no evidence that he said the offensive words. Trop, Inc. urges that it, as a corporation, cannot be guilty of slander because it did not expressly order an officer or agent to say the words at issue. We agree with Galardi and Trop, Inc. and reverse the judgment as to them on the slander claim.
