Norris sues Penguin over facts

Andrew Green

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NEW YORK (AP) — Trading karate chops for lawyers, tough guy actor Chuck Norris is taking on a new book titled "The Truth About Chuck Norris," saying it's a big lie and he wants to stop its distribution.
On Friday, Norris sued Penguin Group Inc. and the book's creator, Ian Spector, saying his good image is being spoiled by a book that depicts him as callous and unlawful and which he says includes false "facts" that are sometimes racist and lewd.

...

The actor was a six-time undefeated World Professional Middle Weight Karate champion who in 1997 became the first man in the Western Hemisphere to be awarded an 8th degree Black Belt Grand Master recognition in the Tae Kwon Do system, the lawsuit said.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j7s2IwViaGNzkTahTl2PA1gH9UogD8TMAMM00

I could be wrong about this, but I am quite sure there are a good many 8th degree blackbelts in TKD in North America...

Regardless, shouldn't this fall under satire? Not really libel as no one is going to believe the facts to be true...
 

Kacey

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NEW YORK (AP) — Trading karate chops for lawyers, tough guy actor Chuck Norris is taking on a new book titled "The Truth About Chuck Norris," saying it's a big lie and he wants to stop its distribution.
On Friday, Norris sued Penguin Group Inc. and the book's creator, Ian Spector, saying his good image is being spoiled by a book that depicts him as callous and unlawful and which he says includes false "facts" that are sometimes racist and lewd.

...

The actor was a six-time undefeated World Professional Middle Weight Karate champion who in 1997 became the first man in the Western Hemisphere to be awarded an 8th degree Black Belt Grand Master recognition in the Tae Kwon Do system, the lawsuit said.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j7s2IwViaGNzkTahTl2PA1gH9UogD8TMAMM00

I could be wrong about this, but I am quite sure there are a good many 8th degree blackbelts in TKD in North America...

Regardless, shouldn't this fall under satire? Not really libel as no one is going to believe the facts to be true...

I believe there are several - GM Sereff being the one who comes to mind first - and I believe he was the first non-Asian VIII Dan, also the first non-Asian IX Dan... and I can't speak for the WTF, but in the ITF, Grand Master is IX Dan, not VIII Dan.
 

tellner

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The best defense against libel or slander charges is the truth. If they've done their research and can back up their contentions good for them. If the truth damages his reputation, then maybe his (bloated, over hyped) image needs to be damaged.
 

SFC JeffJ

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I'm sure he'll be his own counsel in the suit. Then he can see if anyone objects to his roundhouses to the heads of those offending him.
 
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A

Andrew Green

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The best defense against libel or slander charges is the truth. If they've done their research and can back up their contentions good for them. If the truth damages his reputation, then maybe his (bloated, over hyped) image needs to be damaged.


That's the thing, there is no truth. This is a book of "facts" like:

Chuck Norris's tears can cure cancer, to bad he never cries.

and

Under Chuck Norris's beard there is no chin, just another fist.
 

thardey

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I know that Mr. Norris does not mind the idea of most of the "Chuck Facts", but he does work hard to keep a "respectable image" -- and some of the facts floating out there are borderline obscene. I can see how he would take exception to those.

Also, the "Chuck Facts" were collected by some kid who put up the original website, and I understand that the actual "facts" are his intellectual property, but there's still the issue of using Mr. Norris' image/persona to make money.

When I was at the UFAF convention a year ago, they were selling a Chuck Norris endorsed poster with some of the more common facts behind him in a fighting pose, so I figured there must be some agreement between the "Chuck Facts" guy and Mr. Norris himself.
 

arnisador

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I know that Mr. Norris does not mind the idea of most of the "Chuck Facts", but he does work hard to keep a "respectable image" -- and some of the facts floating out there are borderline obscene. I can see how he would take exception to those.

I've also heard he takes exception to some that attribute divine powers to him, as he's a dedicated Christian and finds some of them disrespectful (e.g., I heard him say once that only Jesus Christ could cure disease, so hearing that his tears would cure cancer was a little bothersome, though he took it in good humour).

there's still the issue of using Mr. Norris' image/persona to make money.

Yeah, fair's fair.
 

Xue Sheng

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To be honest the first time I saw this I thought Chuck had gone off the deep end, but I was afraid to say that…Chuck being Chuck… but then I realized they were talking about the book company not the actual flightless bird
 

MarkBarlow

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As an actor and public figure, he's going to have a hard time proving malice. I'm sure the publisher will stand behind the defense of parody. To be honest, it's hard to see where he's being damaged. While there are probably some less than tasteful "facts" in the book, most are harmless and it certainly keeps him in the public eye.

On the other hand, I've met him a couple of times (yeah, I know, me and a million other people) and he has always struck me as a nice and decent guy. I hope he comes out on top.
 

Karatedrifter7

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I know someone that had a bit part in one of his films. He said that Chuck Norris is alot more easy going, and low key, in comparison with some of his hard nose characters. If anything I think he would be nicer than one would expect. But you can distort anyone's image.
 

chrispillertkd

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When did Sereff get promoted to 9th and by whom?

GM Sereff was promoted to IX dan December 8, 1997, the same day as GM Hwang, Kwang Sung was. Both men were promoted by Gen. Choi, Hong Hi.

GM Rhee, Ki Ha was promoted to IX dan about 6 months previous (June or July of 1997, IIRC).

Pax,

Chris
 

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