Headline of the day: Chubby Checker sues HP over penis size app

[The Straight Story]

Chubby Checker, the musician best known for his 1960 hit recording of "The Twist," is suing HP over a novelty app for Palm OS of the same name that claims to check the size of your "chubby." The sum sought is a mind-boggling half a billion dollars.

The rock-and-roll star, whose real name is Ernest Evans, filed the suit this week in a Florida federal court, simultaneously releasing a statement describing the reasoning behind the suit. Willie Gary, an attorney who has already chalked up a number of large-sum legal wins, says that the app has caused "irreparable damage" to Evans' reputation and legacy.

"Chubby Checker" was a $0.99 app originally made for Palm OS (which was abandoned in 2009 in favor of Palm's WebOS). It allowed users to input the size of a male subject's feet and receive, in return, an estimation of the size of that guy's genitalia. For entertainment purposes only, of course.

Such novelty apps are now commonplace, naturally, as is the understanding that such apps are developed by companies or developers totally independent of the larger corporations that offer them in App Stores, such as Apple or Google. Takedown requests for apps that abuse copyrights or trademarks are also commonplace, although going after damages is uncommon — and damages of this scale are unheard-of.

http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/chubby-checker-sues-hp-over-penis-size-app-1C8383682

[arely staircase]

1. objectification

reducing men to their penises.

sad

[MADem]

2. This is the 2nd time in as many days that I have seen the word PENIS in an OP.

That said, I don't think Chubby has a case. I don't think anyone is thinking of him when they use that term in the context of an engorged member.

Otherwise, every Bill, Dick or Johnson would be suing the makers of naughty movies and ribald novels for improper use of their names as well...

[The Straight Story]

3. Well, I almost didn't use the word for fear ashcroft would cover it up

[MADem]

7. I know he'll drag out the blue velvet curtains for an alumimum bosom, so one can't be too careful!

You do know we'd be guilty of the "No sex threads" admonition over at DU2 for this bit of snark-n-silliness!

[Bake]

8. That's "Richard" to you! LOL

I actually think he has a case, although maybe not 500 million bucks. They used his NAME, fer cryin' out loud, which I would imagine he has copyrighted. Do you think they would call their app Chubby Checker if there had never been a singer named Chubby Checker?

Of course they wouldn't have.



Bake

[MADem]

10. Point made! Valid, too! But he should profit share, not try to put them out of business.

Hell, if he had a sense of humor, he could really make some money!

I can just see the commercials....

[Initech]

4. Say this five times fast: Chubby Checker's Chubby Checker

[arely staircase]

6. i did

and now can't stop

[Politicalboi]

5. Chubby meaning

A boner and or fat. Chubby Checkers should get over himself. Unless the song The Twist is played, kids today have NO idea who he is. I didn't even know if he was still alive. Yes I've heard of him, I'm 52.

[Bake]

9. How would you like if if they called it Politicalboiner?

I think he has a legitimate case (see my comment above).



Bake

[MADem]

11. Bit of a sidebar, but I heard a caller on one of those C-Span shows call John Boehner

(only she pronounced it BONER) a "dick."

I almost fell off the couch!

[Honeycombe8]

12. Is he still alive? I did not know that. He's right to sue over that name, tho. It's stealing his

famous name, the name he made worth money. That's the only reason that app uses that name.

[Poll_Blind]

13. He owns the trademark to "Chubby Checker" and owning a trademark means defending it.

That's why you register a trademark.

PB

[NoGOPZone]

14. When i first read the headline

I thought he was disappointed in the performance of the app, or perhaps the performance of something else. Kind of anti climatic to learn it's a copyright case.

[0rganism]

15. figures that the app was originally made for "Palm" OS

quite a "handy" gadget to have in the right circumstances.