**Former NFL Cheerleader Appeals Restraining Order Against Mario Lopez**
*Published Oct. 6, 2025, 3:54 p.m. ET*
The former NFL cheerleader, Desiree Townsend, who had her defamation lawsuit against Mario Lopez dismissed by a judge, has officially appealed a restraining order granted against her by the former *Saved By the Bell* star, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
Despite the setback in court, Townsend remains determined. A judge granted Lopez’s request to strike all the claims she brought against him, but Townsend is pressing on against the 51-year-old actor.
“It’s on to the appellate courts now,” she exclusively told Radar. “This is where real change happens and where case law is shaped.”
Known as the so-called “Flu Shot Cheerleader,” Townsend first drew attention after confronting Lopez outside his home. The incident followed an Instagram post Lopez shared, which was critical of her mental health. Now, she is challenging the restraining order that forces her to stay at least 100 yards away from Lopez and his family.
“Right now, my focus is on appealing the restraining order decision,” Townsend said. “One of the grounds for the appeal is that the anti-SLAPP motion was never properly heard, and Mario’s team presented no opposition evidence.”
Just last week, Townsend officially filed an “Appeal from an order granting a civil harassment restraining order.”
### Townsend Isn’t Laughing
After submitting notice of the appeal to Lopez and his legal team, Townsend claims their response was dismissive. Attorney Daniel Tapetillo, from the prominent law firm Geragos & Geragos, replied with only a “laughing face” emoji.
Townsend insists that this terse response only bolsters her case. “If anything, that response underscores my position that the restraining order was never about genuine safety concerns or legal merit, but rather a public relations tactic,” she explained.
“After all, if the order had substantive weight, it’s hard to imagine anyone treating an appeal with such levity.”
### Townsend’s ‘Ruined’ Reputation
Townsend initially sued Lopez, his employer NBC, *Inside Edition*, and even the actor’s own legal team, demanding $150 million in damages. She stated from the beginning that her name and reputation were unfairly tarnished after Lopez shared an old *Inside Edition* story about her on Instagram, captioned: “There’s gotta be some kind of award for this performance,” accompanied by the hashtags #MethodActor and #OscarWorthy.
Lopez maintained that his statements were protected under free speech and secured an anti-SLAPP motion. This legal tool permits a judge to quickly dismiss lawsuits filed against public figures to protect free expression.
### Lopez Speaks Out
After months of silence on the case, Lopez finally addressed the issue during his radio show, calling the entire ordeal “unusual.”
“It was an absolutely ridiculous lawsuit, but nonetheless, you kind of have to deal with it,” he said on *On with Mario Lopez*.
He gave a special shout-out to his defense team and celebrated his legal victory, notably without mentioning Townsend by name.
“A judge has officially thrown it out and rewarded me victory,” Lopez declared. “And now this person is responsible for my legal fees and hopefully out of our lives forever.”
Lopez’s wife and radio co-host, Courtney, also shared her thoughts, admitting the situation was stressful. “It was stressful because it was just so unnecessary that we were even dealing with something like this,” she said.
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*Stay tuned for updates as this legal battle continues to unfold.*
https://radaronline.com/p/mario-lopez-flu-shot-cheerleader-appeal-restraining-order-defamation-charges-dismissed/