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View Full Version : Hulk Hogan Says Calling People 'Brother' And Your Muscles 'Guns' Violates His Rights




Kludge
02-26-2011, 11:36 AM
"Another day, another silly publicity rights claim. Apparently Hulk Hogan is suing a car dealership in St. Louis for violating his publicity rights. From the THREsq post on this:
Hogan is suing Southland Imports and Suntrup Automotive Group over a commercial that warns unwary car buyers of getting "body slammed" over bad deals and that invites customers "tired of wrestling for a good deal." The lawsuit filed on Tuesday in Florida District Court alleges that the defendant violated Hogan's likeness and implied an endorsement by imitating his voice and using his catch phrases.

And what catch phrases does Hogan claim in the lawsuit to have popularized?

The heavy use of "brother" to refer to one's acquaintances
Pointing to one's own muscles and referring to them as "guns" (Watch out, Ron Burgundy)
Reference to fans as "Hulkamaniacs"


Yet another case of publicity rights gone mad. Calling someone "brother" and referring to muscles as "guns" is something that's gone on for ages. Even if he did popularize it, it doesn't mean only he gets to use the phrases. But this is the sort of situation that's created by the pernicious nature of "ownership" culture, where people are being taught that they can "own" pretty much any idea or concept. It inevitably leads to clearly ridiculous lawsuits such as this one."

Original story, reference links, and comments @ http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110225/10045413254/hulk-hogan-says-calling-people-brother-your-muscles-guns-violates-his-publicity-rights.shtml

Mini-Me
02-26-2011, 02:16 PM
Way to cement yourself as a washed-up has-been, Hulk...

BuddyRey
02-26-2011, 02:19 PM
By Hogan's logic, he should have been sued by Stan Lee decades ago for jacking the name "Hulk" from Marvel Comics.

Mini-Me
02-26-2011, 02:21 PM
By Hogan's logic, he should have been sued by Stan Lee decades ago for jacking the name "Hulk" from Marvel Comics.

LOL, you should send that comment to the car dealership or their lawyer to use in court. ;)

axiomata
02-26-2011, 02:24 PM
The man has got to find some way to keep up his standard of living into his golden years. I don't suspect his body can take too many bodyslams these days.

BlackTerrel
02-26-2011, 03:30 PM
"Another day, another silly publicity rights claim. Apparently Hulk Hogan is suing a car dealership in St. Louis for violating his publicity rights. From the THREsq post on this:
Hogan is suing Southland Imports and Suntrup Automotive Group over a commercial that warns unwary car buyers of getting "body slammed" over bad deals and that invites customers "tired of wrestling for a good deal." The lawsuit filed on Tuesday in Florida District Court alleges that the defendant violated Hogan's likeness and implied an endorsement by imitating his voice and using his catch phrases.

And what catch phrases does Hogan claim in the lawsuit to have popularized?

The heavy use of "brother" to refer to one's acquaintances
Pointing to one's own muscles and referring to them as "guns" (Watch out, Ron Burgundy)
Reference to fans as "Hulkamaniacs"


To be fair that obviously would refer to him. I don't think I've ever heard anyone else use the term hulkamaniac.

gerryb
04-10-2011, 11:12 PM
To be fair that obviously would refer to him. I don't think I've ever heard anyone else use the term hulkamaniac.

Not only that, but if they are using all of his other catch-phrases together, in a similar voice to his.. He might have a case.

newbitech
04-11-2011, 05:28 AM
If the car dealership is trying to to make money off his fame, he should sue them and win. Yeah heavy use of the word "brother" by itself is not a reason to sue and win, or any of the others points. All of them together though? Sounds like if true, the car dealer should have just paid him the $1000 bucks to make the commercial and get the real Hulk Hogan in there.