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The Bottom Line:
Formally Numb, same person, same views of M3 -
By JAMIE GUMBRECHT, CHRISTIAN BOONE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/13/08
The publishing company that owns the Curious George image says it is considering legal action to stop the sale of a T-shirt depicting Barack Obama as the monkey from children's books.
The T-shirts are being peddled by Marietta bar owner Mike Norman at his Mulligan's Bar and Grill in Cobb County. They show a picture of Curious Georgie peeling a banana, with the words "Obama '08" underneath.
Rick Blake, a spokesman for publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which owns Curious George, said Wednesday that the company didn't authorize the use of the character's image, but hasn't been in touch with anybody selling or manufacturing the shirts.
"We find it offensive and obviously utterly out of keeping with the value Curious George represents," Blake said. "We're monitoring the situation and weighing our options with respect to legal action."
Norman has said he got the T-shirts from someone in Arkansas. He started selling them at his bar -- known for the provocative, ultra-conservative political slogans often posted on signs out front -- in April but said he has no plans to mass market them.
The sales came to light this week when a loose coalition of local groups called a protest of the T-shirts.
About a dozen protestors rallied against the shirts Tuesday afternoon, condemning them as racist and asking Norman to stop selling them.
Norman acknowledged the imagery's Jim Crow roots but said he sees nothing wrong with depicting a prominent African-American as a monkey.
"We're not living in the (19)40's," he said. "Look at him . . . the hairline, the ears -- he looks just like Curious George."
Marietta native Pam Lindley, 47, joined Tuesday's protest after reading about the controversy.
"I don't want people to think this is what Marietta is all about," she added, motioning towards the tavern. "This is what some people think the South is still like. Marietta's come a long way but I guess it's still got a little ways to go."
She said she'd like to see the city ban Norman's provocative musings regularly posted on a sign out front of the bar, which is near Marietta's downtown square. Those who gathered Tuesday say they will continue their campaign against Norman's "hate speech."
But his defenders are just as resolute. Mulligan's is a refuge, they say, in an otherwise hypersensitive world. Smoking isn't only allowed at the bar, it's expected.
"This place is a diamond in the rough," said Gene McKinley, a Woodstock engineer among the patrons Tuesday. "People here are genuine and honest. It's the one place I can go without having to worry if I'm offending someone."
Norman said he fielded calls throughout Tuesday about his T-shirts. An ajc.com story about the controversy was picked up on the Drudge Report. "One guy in New Jersey wanted me to send him 100 shirts," said Norman, 63.
He said he noted physical similarities between the Democratic frontrunner and the cartoon monkey while watching a Curious George movie with his grandchildren.
Someone -- "probably a customer, I don't know" -- from Arkansas sent him the shirts, Norman said.
The Tennessee native said he's providing a public service of sorts, reminding people they have a right to offend.
"This is my marketing tool," he said.Chuck Norris doesn't cut his grass, he just stares at it and dares it to grow -
The Tennessee native said he's providing a public service of sorts, reminding people they have a right to offend.
WTF is this crap?
Proof that the extreme conservatives are just as despicable as the extreme liberals.Chuck Norris doesn't cut his grass, he just stares at it and dares it to growComment
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About the same as Hoosier's crapOriginally posted by Gunakor
Hmmm....does this mean that Tyrone Bigguns is just a liberal or an extreme liberal?Originally posted by Gunakor
Originally posted by Tyrone BiggunsComment
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I find it interesting that they used Curious George. The fact of the matter is that they're not getting sued for the T-shirt's political content as copyright and trademark infringement. Had they done this with a generic monkey, they wouldn't have anything to say about it, and if any of us used CG unauthorized for anything and the publisher found out about it, we'd get sued too."Greatness is not an act... but a habit.Greatness is not an act... but a habit." -Greg JenningsComment
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Its a free country and I have no problem if these idiots want to make a shirt with a monkey/Obama on it but the fact that they were dumb enough to use a globally copyright image in this day and age without permission says pretty much all you need to know about these folks.Originally posted by MJZiggyC.H.U.D.Comment
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Are you really incapable of understanding the difference between comparing Dubya to a chimp (the logic: Dubya is goofy) and comparing Obama to a monkey (logic: black men are subhuman)? If the difference between these two comparisons (hint: one is a personal attack and the other is a racist cliche) is too hard for you to grasp then I guess we'll just have to leave it at that--that Kiwon ain't the sharpest tool in the shed...Originally posted by KiwonAbout the same as Hoosier's crapOriginally posted by Gunakor
Originally posted by GunakorComment
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I know where there are some to choose fromOriginally posted by MJZiggy
The Bottom Line:
Formally Numb, same person, same views of M3Comment
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My god, you are an idiot. I said go ahead and post a pic, if it looks like the pic. IF they feel he looks like a monkey, they are free to do so...i don't think he looks a thing like curious george..not to mention the racial overtones.Originally posted by KiwonAbout the same as Hoosier's crapOriginally posted by Gunakor
Hmmm....does this mean that Tyrone Bigguns is just a liberal or an extreme liberal?Originally posted by Gunakor
Originally posted by Tyrone Bigguns
But, leave it to you to decry the Bush pic, but i don't see you decrying this pic and saying how horrible it is. I guess it is only horrible when it is bush.
dope.Comment
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The guy that put out these shirts is damn lucky he's a Democrat. If he was a Republican or even a Hillary supporter, he would be crucified--literally.
Such is the double standard of the media.What could be more GOOD and NORMAL and AMERICAN than Packer Football?Comment
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Read the story again. Dude who put out the shirts was an ultra conservative. He seems to still be alive and sans nail holes. He's just getting sued for copyright infringement."Greatness is not an act... but a habit.Greatness is not an act... but a habit." -Greg JenningsComment
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Tex doesn't let minor details like that get in his way when he's got a point to make.Originally posted by MJZiggyComment
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I think Tex meant to say that the anti-America sick liberals who own the Curious George copyright are trying to crucify this guy because he's a patriotic conservative.Originally posted by hoosierI can't run no more
With that lawless crowd
While the killers in high places
Say their prayers out loud
But they've summoned, they've summoned up
A thundercloud
They're going to hear from me - Leonard CohenComment
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I heard the guy was an Obama supporter doing a fund-raiser for Obama. You're telling me he is NOT?
If that's the case, CNN and MSNBC got it wrong too.What could be more GOOD and NORMAL and AMERICAN than Packer Football?Comment
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READ THE STORY!!!"Greatness is not an act... but a habit.Greatness is not an act... but a habit." -Greg JenningsComment
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