Man changes his name to Andy Griffith and runs for sheriff

[Connonym]

<snip>May 07,2007 | MADISON, Wis. -- A man who changed his name to Andy Griffith and ran for sheriff did not harm the actor who played Mayberry's folksy sheriff on the "Andy Griffith Show," a federal judge ruled.

The suit claimed William Harold Fenrick violated trademark and copyright laws and the actor's privacy after he changed his name last year to Andrew Jackson Griffith. The suit was filed the day after the independent candidate came in a distant third in his race for Grant County sheriff in southwestern Wisconsin.

During the campaign, Griffith played up his name by comparing himself to the television character who dispensed heartfelt wisdom. Denouncing law enforcement practices such as speed traps, he declared: "They never did unethical stuff like that in Mayberry!"

Fenrick/Griffith, who turns 43 this month, won about 7.5 percent of the vote, finishing far behind.

http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8OVS5U01.html

[Hugin]

1. Think how much he'll save on Campaign Materials...

There's probably a ton of Vote Andy posters and brochures online.