Woody Allen Lawsuit

Who thought this was a good idea?

Filmmaker Woody Allen filed a lawsuit Monday seeking more than $10 million from clothier American Apparel Inc. over unauthorized billboard and online advertisements featuring the actor and director dressed as a rabbi.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, alleges the Los Angeles clothing maker and retailer, without his permission, put up billboards in New York and in Hollywood, Calif., in May 2007 that featured an image of Mr. Allen, who is Jewish, dressed as a rabbi from one of his films and contained text in Yiddish that translates to "the Holy Rebbe."

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"Allen was unaware that AAI was going to utilize his image on its billboard and Web site," the lawsuit said. "Allen was not contacted, nor did he in any way give his consent to the use of his image and likeness, and he was not in any way compensated for the same, either prior to the infringement or thereafter."

The complaint said the unlawful use of Allen's image for commercial advertising was "especially egregious and damaging because Allen does not commercially endorse any products in the United States of America."
[From Woody Allen Files Lawsuit Over American Apparel Billboard - WSJ.com]

Plaintiff Woody Allen, by and through his attorneys Loeb & Loeb LLP, for his complaint against Defendant American Apparel, Inc., alleges as follows