Detroit dojo accuses 'This Is Us' TV show of ripping off their ritual

DETROIT (WJBK) - They say imitation is the best form of flattery, but, in the case of a tear-jerker scene from NBC's new hit show "This Is Us," Detroiter Jason Wilson calls it something else.

Wilson runs The Cave of Adullam Transformational Training Academy in Detroit, and says the show ripped off the student initiation ritual he created and shared in videos that went viral.

In the initiation ritual, the student climbs on his father's back. Dad bears the weight and does pushups until his strength gives out. In one particular Cave of Adullam video, the student's dad is not there so other men step up to the plate.

Just like in the recent episode of "This Is Us."

"You can clearly see from the videos that we had out in social media prior to this show airing, that they clearly took everything from our video to make this show impactful," Wilson says.

Wilson adds that everyone that aired the video that went viral contacted him and asked for permission. Wilson says that didn't happen this time, and that Cave of Adullam wasn't even acknowledged in the credits -- even though show creator Dan Fogelman said in Entertainment Weekly they got the idea for the scene after watching a video online.

"I feel like someone stole our property," says student Richard Houston.

"I feel like when you go and take something that's not yours, and you didn't really understand the extent of what it means, you basically destroy the value of it when you put it on TV, "says Genesis Anderson.

Wilson is using this as a teachable moment.

"They don't know what we go through in here," he told his students. "And for them to take it like that, is worth fighting for. Do you understand? But we don't resent them; we don't show any resentment or anger. We don't practice that. Do we understand?"

"Yessir!" the students respond.

FOX 2 reached out to the writer that found the video for the show. He said that while he wants to comment, he cannot because lawyers are now involved.

He apologized on Twitter Wednesday and said he intended to mention the group and the video in the credits, but somehow the ball was dropped.

Wilson would just like to be acknowledged and get credit for that scene, and for the impact his dojo has had from the show.