Chuck Norris Sues 400 Facts Author and Publisher
Here’s an amusing little news story that broke just before Christmas, but I thought I would post about it now since things are still pretty slow around here at the moment. Chuck Norris… you know him and love him, and with the popularity of the website www.truthaboutchuck.com, he has become a bona-fide internet sensation. The monstrous list of so-called “facts” about Chuck Norris (including the fact that outer space exists only because it’s afraid to be on the same planet as him) was recently compiled into a book called The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 Facts About the World’s Greatest Human.
Although Norris has admitted to finding the joke flattering and amusing in the past, the publishing of a book was apparently too much for him to take. He is now suing the publisher Penguin and author Ian Spector for “misappropriating and exploiting Mr. Norris’s name and likeness without authorization for their own commercial profit”. While it may seem like Norris is being a jerk with this lawsuit and going against fans who are helping to keep him in the public consciousness, I have to admit to taking his side on this one.
When you own a copyright or have a public image, you are legally obligated to defend it if someone tries to use it without permission. I’m not saying that’s necessarily the case here, but somehow I doubt it was Chuck’s idea. His lawyer no doubt advised him that it would be a good idea, and let’s not forget, he’s not getting a cent from that book. Either way, I certainly wouldn’t want to be this Ian Spector fellow right about now. Did you know that Chuck Norris played Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun and won? Run, while you still can!
Comments (9)
My concern with the book is that Norris is a liar. Many of the same jokes he himself read on talk shows and laughed at, he’s claiming in the suit that is defaming his character and giving the impression that they are actual facts and views of Norris. BULL SHIT.
if he was just upset that they’re now making money off his name thats fine, why he had to go to that next level is absolutely absurd, and makes him look extremely unappreciative for what that book did for him. Norris has exploited those ‘facts’ in commercials, for his religious wacko column, and while endorsing Mike Huckabee. Out of his mouth these jokes are fine, but out of anyone elses mouth they are ‘offensive’
Posted by Goon on January 3rd, 2008Yeah I don’t understand why he would act as if they’re offensive, but I can totally understand him being pissed that money is being made off of his name.
I think the facts are pretty funny, but I also hate the site you link to. Having to refresh all the time is annoying and just calls attention to the fact that somebody wants to make a living off of the site, which I have no respect for. Money totally takes the fun out of everything.
Posted by Henrik on January 3rd, 2008Yeah, this line from the lawsuit is pretty laughable:
“Some of the ‘facts’ in the book are racist, lewd or portray Mr. Norris as engaged in illegal activities.” Still, I guess they’d use any excuse possible to make the lawsuit seem legit. I can’t see him winning it to be honest.
Henrik: There’s actually a better site at http://www.chucknorrisfacts.com. The one I linked to was just the original one that is involved in the lawsuit.
Posted by Sean on January 3rd, 2008Oh yeah there we go. Great stuff. My friend actually has walls of just printed out lists of Chuck Norris facts in his apartment.
Posted by Henrik on January 3rd, 2008chuck norris is just doing this to make a quick buck/
Posted by Drew on January 3rd, 2008chuck norris doesn’t need money, money needs chuck norris.
Posted by fizzle on January 3rd, 2008Why shouldn’t Chuck Norris get paid for this?? Without him this book and or website would not even exist. They’re making money based solely on the use of his name! He should be paid, he’s the one who’s worked his ass off to make his name what it is.
Posted by Mike on January 3rd, 2008I can see why Norris is stepping up at this point since with the book and all money will now be involved. Before this point it was just a funny internet thing that you could view for free. If he’d sued before it would be kind of like if Sean Connery sued the maker(s) of http://www.yourethemannowdog.com/
Also, you can essentially say whatever the hell you want to on the internet, but if this stuff is being published in a book that’s going to be making money for someone, I would be upset if it were about me, too. Some of the “facts” are a bit inappropriate in my opinion, even though they’re all obviously just jokes, including one which states that Chuck Norris invented racism because he was angry at Mr. T. It sounds ludicrous, of course, but it’s also rather offensive.
Posted by Rian on January 3rd, 2008Chuck Norris is not famous because of the ‘facts.’
the ‘facts’ are famous because of Chuck Norris.
Posted by z4ch on January 6th, 2008Leave a Reply