Getbig Bodybuilding, Figure and Fitness Forums
Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: The.Giant on December 16, 2007, 11:28:54 PM
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Seriously, how hard up for cash do you have to be to sue NBC for a joke made 2 years ago? No wonder nobody takes bodybuilders seriously.
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Bodybuilder Drops Heavy Lawsuit on NBC's Conan O'Brien Over Clay Aiken Joke
Posted by Eriq Gardner
Obrienconan Conan O'Brien shouldn't mess with bodybuilders. NBC Universal was sued yesterday after the "Late Night" host used a picture of champion bodybuilder Dennis "The Menace" James to tell a joke nearly two years ago.
According to the complaint, filed by attorney Steven Sokoloff in Los Angeles Superior Court, O'Brien "showed a Christmas Card which featured the face of 2003 American Idol runner-up, Clay Aiken, smiling on the right side of the card, and the phrase 'All I want this year is a White Christmas' on a fold out flap on the left side of the card. O'Brien then opened the left side of the card to reveal the punch line, '...And a Black Body Builder,' above which was a photograph of Plaintiff posing at the 2004 IFBB Mr. Olympia Competition."
James helpfully attaches several photos of himself to the complaint, as well as the offending prop from "Late Night." The photocopy job is pretty grainy, but they're worth checking out. He's seeking general, special, and punitive damages on claims of misappropriation of image and likeness, misappropriation of right of publicity, unjust enrichment, and quantum meruit.
The case reminds us of a great NY Times story detailing how NBC lawyers quickly jumped into action to register the domain name www.hornymanatee.com after O'Brien mentioned it as an ad lib on the show. The fear was that someone could register it surreptitiously, put inappropriate content there, and NBC could be liable. Now the network sells Horny Manatee t-shirts on the site.
Interestingly, one of the most famous misappropriation cases involved another late night talk show host. In the early 1980s, Johnny Carson successfully sued a toilet maker called Here's Johnny Portable Toilets Inc. for taking his show's signature catchphrase.
http://reporter.blogs.com/thresq/2007/12/bodybuilder-dro.html
Not sure if this is a repost, but if it is, here it is again.
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I agree. Not worth suing over at all, and 2 years after it happened ::) But hey, everyone sues these days ::)
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Everyone loves easy money.
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Seriously, how hard up for cash do you have to be to sue NBC for a joke made 2 years ago? No wonder nobody takes bodybuilders seriously.
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Bodybuilder Drops Heavy Lawsuit on NBC's Conan O'Brien Over Clay Aiken Joke
Posted by Eriq Gardner
Obrienconan Conan O'Brien shouldn't mess with bodybuilders. NBC Universal was sued yesterday after the "Late Night" host used a picture of champion bodybuilder Dennis "The Menace" James to tell a joke nearly two years ago.
According to the complaint, filed by attorney Steven Sokoloff in Los Angeles Superior Court, O'Brien "showed a Christmas Card which featured the face of 2003 American Idol runner-up, Clay Aiken, smiling on the right side of the card, and the phrase 'All I want this year is a White Christmas' on a fold out flap on the left side of the card. O'Brien then opened the left side of the card to reveal the punch line, '...And a Black Body Builder,' above which was a photograph of Plaintiff posing at the 2004 IFBB Mr. Olympia Competition."
James helpfully attaches several photos of himself to the complaint, as well as the offending prop from "Late Night." The photocopy job is pretty grainy, but they're worth checking out. He's seeking general, special, and punitive damages on claims of misappropriation of image and likeness, misappropriation of right of publicity, unjust enrichment, and quantum meruit.
The case reminds us of a great NY Times story detailing how NBC lawyers quickly jumped into action to register the domain name www.hornymanatee.com after O'Brien mentioned it as an ad lib on the show. The fear was that someone could register it surreptitiously, put inappropriate content there, and NBC could be liable. Now the network sells Horny Manatee t-shirts on the site.
Interestingly, one of the most famous misappropriation cases involved another late night talk show host. In the early 1980s, Johnny Carson successfully sued a toilet maker called Here's Johnny Portable Toilets Inc. for taking his show's signature catchphrase.
http://reporter.blogs.com/thresq/2007/12/bodybuilder-dro.html
Not sure if this is a repost, but if it is, here it is again.
Are you saying Denis James loves the penis?
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I agree. Not worth suing over at all, and 2 years after it happened ::) But hey, everyone sues these days ::)
why not if ther is a chance of winning the case and get a bit richer
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why not if ther is a chance of winning the case and get a bit richer
i don't think gh15 needs more money.
He sells drugs and gets information from Planet Nibiru.
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why not if ther is a chance of winning the case and get a bit richer
True, but i still stand by the notion that Dennis James is a bitch. Take a joke. He got his picture shown on The Late Show, its more publicity than he would ever normally get.
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True, but i still stand by the notion that Dennis James is a bitch. Take a joke. He got his picture shown on The Late Show, its more publicity than he would ever normally get.
And suing will get him ALOT MORE PUBLICITY!
DJ is a smart man.
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And suing will get him ALOT MORE PUBLICITY!
DJ is a smart man.
Ah, true. Didn't think of that.
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And suing will get him ALOT MORE PUBLICITY!
DJ is a smart man.
From the DEA
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Everyone loves easy money.
So true one of the big problems today in US
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So true one of the big problems today in US
would you rather people love money or love war? ::) The US is fine the way it is
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would you rather people love money or love war? ::) The US is fine the way it is
cause they love both? ??? ??? ???
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Here is the court complaint:
http://reporter.blogs.com/thresq/files/bc382256.pdf (http://reporter.blogs.com/thresq/files/bc382256.pdf)
Wonder if Dennis is hard up for money? Or maybe he is doing it for publicity. The case is getting him some press coverage.
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Thanks for another repost on this topic.
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Thanks for another repost on this topic.
You're welcome.
Thanks for posting nothing that adds to the conversation.
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be easy on the big Fellow. ;D, he hasn't been top 6 in a while and he needs to keep up with the goodies. I hope he wins the lawsuit, NOT
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The question is if a public figure can sue over what clearly is a joke. I think Jerry Farwell tried to do that to Larry Flynt a while back. Should be interesting.
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if that's the case, then everyweek there would be a lawsuit against these comedians. these brainless lawsuits are without merit to say the least.
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Dennis probably pissed off that someone mistook him for black. :D
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The question is if a public figure can sue over what clearly is a joke. I think Jerry Farwell tried to do that to Larry Flynt a while back. Should be interesting.
No, it won't.
Just keepin' ya real, man. :)
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No, it won't.
Just keepin' ya real, man. :)
Agreed. DJ won't get a penny, he'll be out thousands in legal fees though.
Good thing he has all that Olympia money to.......oh, never mind.
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I know a little bit about sue-happy bodybuilders...
Is he suing because they used his image to make money?
Who took the pic? He is a public figure, but who owned the pic? I can take a pic of Bill Gates at the airport. Can I make money from his likeness by putting him on my site? No. NBC did make ad revenue from airtime containing dennis james.
He may have a case, and NBC will likely offer something small to make it go away. For them, it's just shelling out $ allocated for these kinds of things. For him, it'll be more than he'll make onstage the rest of his IFBB career.
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Good luck Dennis ;D