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Astronaut Sues Dido For Album Cover

Posted by samzenpus on from the get-me-off-that-thing dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Astronaut Bruce McCandless is suing Dido for her album cover that uses a famous NASA photograph of a tiny, tiny, tiny McCandless floating in space. McCandless doesn't own the copyright on the photo, so he's claiming it's a violation of his publicity rights ... except that he's so tiny in the photo, it's not like anyone's going to recognize him."

7 of 264 comments (clear)

  1. That's why he's suing,so people will know it's him by noidentity · · Score: 5, Funny

    except that he's so tiny in the photo, it's not like anyone's going to recognize him.

    By suing, everyone will know it's him, regardless of how tiny he is in the picture, thus giving him grounds to sue. So if he doesn't sue, he has no grounds to sue, therefore he must sue!

  2. Probably won't get the first claim at least by cappp · · Score: 5, Informative
    Well it seems he'd lose under his claim to Statutory Right of Publicity

    (a)Any person who knowingly uses another's name, voice, signature, photograph, or likeness, in any manner, on or in products, merchandise, or goods, or for purposes of advertising or selling, or soliciting purchases of, products, merchandise, goods or services, without such person's prior consent, or, in the case of a minor, the prior consent of his parent or legal guardian, shall be liable for any damages sustained by the person or persons injured as a result thereof.

    (1)A person shall be deemed to be readily identifiable from a photograph when one who views the photograph with the naked eye can reasonably determine that the person depicted in the photograph is the same person who is complaining of its unauthorized use.

    That being said, the entire area of Right of Privacy law is fascinating. I was reading through this website and there's some really good meat there for discussion.

    1. Re:Probably won't get the first claim at least by JasterBobaMereel · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's a picture of a spacesuit .... McCandless happened to be the occupant but it is impossible to tell that from the photo ....

      If I take a picture of a 747 can all the occupants sue me?

      --
      Puteulanus fenestra mortis
  3. Re:That's why he's suing,so people will know it's by nacturation · · Score: 5, Funny

    By suing, everyone will know it's him, regardless of how tiny he is in the picture, thus giving him grounds to sue. So if he doesn't sue, he has no grounds to sue, therefore he must sue!

    And what we can't see in the photo is that under the space suit, it's really Chewbacca. Which makes no sense.

    --
    Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
  4. Dear Bruce McCandless by tool462 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I want to thank you
    For giving me the best day of my life.

    Sincerely,
    Dido

  5. Re:Broken News... by TheoMurpse · · Score: 5, Informative

    "a singer you've never heard of"
    You've gotta be trolling. 21 million copies sold of her debut album, MTV Music awards, BRIT awards, Grammy nominated, #98 best selling of the 21st century, duet with Eminem, music featured in a big movie, song the opening theme of a US TV show, haircut named after her, sold-out world tours...

    I mean, I can only name like three or four of her songs from the early 2000s, but "a singer you've never heard of"?! Come on!

  6. I'm suing too... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you look down at the Earth just below and right of McCandless, you can see me looking up shouting at him to get out of my sky.