NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tough-guy actor and martial arts expert
Chuck Norris sued publisher Penguin on Friday over a book he claims
unfairly exploits his famous name, based on a satirical Internet
list of "mythical facts" about him.
Penguin published "The Truth About Chuck Norris: 400 facts about
the World's Greatest Human" in November. Author Ian Spector and two
Web sites he runs to promote the book, including
www.truthaboutchuck.com, are also named in the suit.
The book capitalizes on "mythical facts" that have been circulating
on the Internet since 2005 that poke fun at Norris' tough-guy image
and super-human abilities, the suit said.
It includes such humorous "facts" as "Chuck Norris's tears cure
cancer. Too bad he has never cried" and "Chuck Norris does not
sleep. He waits," the suit said, as well as "Chuck Norris can
charge a cell phone by rubbing it against his beard."
"Some of the 'facts' in the book are racist, lewd or portray Mr.
Norris as engaged in illegal activities," the lawsuit
alleges.
Norris, who rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s as the star of such
films as "The Delta Force" and "Missing in Action," says the book's
title would mislead readers into thinking the facts were
true.
"Defendants have misappropriated and exploited Mr. Norris's name
and likeness without authorization for their own commercial
profit," said the lawsuit.
The suit, filed in Manhattan federal court, seeks unspecified
monetary damages for trademark infringement, unjust enrichment and
privacy rights.
Norris, whose real name is Carlos Ray Norris, claims in the suit he
is protective of what his name is associated with. He has recently
made U.S. headlines for backing Republican presidential candidate
former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.
A spokesman for Penguin, owned by Britain's Pearson, was not
immediately available for comment.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071222/en_nm/norris_lawsuit_dc
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