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‘Twilight’ star Lautner challenged to push-up duel

LOS ANGELES - The owner of an RV dealership recently sued by Taylor Lautner for allegedly failing to deliver a customized rig on time has issued a unique challenge to the “Twilight” star: push up or shut up.

Brent McMahon, owner of the Irvine, Calif.-based McMahon’s RV, held a press conference Monday to challenge the buffed-up Lautner to settle his lawsuit with a push-up contest. That’s right, whoever can do the most push-ups wins — or at least gets some money donated to charity.

Lautner sued McMahon’s last week for not delivering a $300,000 customized rig in time for the shoot of his new movie “Abduction.” Lautner claims his dad, Dan Lautner, negotiated for McMahon’s to refurbish a 2006 Affinity Country Coach RV by June but the dealership failed to meet the deadline.

McMahon and attorney Adam Obeid say the Lautners and their lawyers demanded $40,000 before filing the lawsuit. But they have a better idea. If Lautner shows up and wins the push-up contest, McMahon will pay him and his Shark Kid Entertainment the $40,000 to settle the case. If McMahon wins, he’ll donate the $40,000 to Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Not a bad stunt — if Lautner has a good sense of humor and shows up.

“We’re taking a negative and making it into a positive to benefit the sick children at Children’s Hospital of Orange County,” McMahon said at the press conference. He says he has other sponsors willing to chip in if Lautner appears.

How would McMahon fare against the superbuff “Twilight” heartthrob? “He works out regularly,” Obeid said. “But he’s a 47-year-old man. He’s no Taylor Lautner.”

Lautner lawyer Robert Barta turned down the push-up contest, but welcomed a contribution to charity:

“McMahon’s RV’s response to our client’s legitimate claim further demonstrates the lack of professionalism that Mr. McMahon, his company and his employees have exhibited from the outset, and that compelled the filing of this lawsuit in the first place,” Barta said in a statement.

“This suit is not about a ‘customized’ RV, it is about McMahon’s RV’s refusal to deliver the vehicle in the safe, drivable condition that was promised, as every purchaser has the right to expect. A cursory review of McMahon’s RV’s record with the Better Business Bureau shows that this is a repeated pattern of conduct; Mr. Lautner just happens to be a high profile customer that is holding them accountable. Indeed, Mr. McMahon, through his attorney, has already apologized to the Lautners for his and his company’s conduct.

While we will not dignify Mr. McMahon’s facetious suggestion of a contest to settle a legal claim with a response, we do welcome the opportunity for him to resolve this matter by making a $40,000 donation to the charity of Mr. Lautner’s choice, and we will be in touch with his counsel to see if he will make good on this offer.”