Sounds unbelievable, like an over-the-top pitch for a the sequel to True Lies, or maybe Alice in Wonderland, but it's not. In May, 2004, at the request of Maria Shriver, trial lawyer Singer sued try to stop sales of a satirical "Arnold with a Gun" political bobblehead, proceeds of which went to a sarcoma cancer charity, the Kristen Ann Carr Fund www.sarcoma.com. For Singer this was business as usual: he's fond of California's 'right of publicity' law, which protects against the unauthorized use of a private citizen's likeness.
The only problem was Singer's client is now a public official. Governor Schwarzenegger is subject to the free speech guarantees of the Constitution's First Amendment, which includes the use of satire as political commentary. Schwarzenegger's legal status had changed, but his trial lawyer's tactics had not. Singer, perhaps unaware that his client had been elected Governor, had misapplied the wrong statute. That's where Arnold's legal and political problems began....... |
