Whether your friend has any recourse depends on the law of right to privacy, also called right to publicity. In general, people have a right to prevent their likeness from being used commercially by others without permission. However, this law varies from state to state. It's not clear which state law may apply if the episode aired around the country. Additionally, there are instances where verbal permission may be valid. Your friend should check with an attorney familiar with the right of privacy (publicity).
Answered on Oct 28th, 2012 at 10:44 AM