Recently, when some cheeky programmers created an app dedicated to estimating a man's penis for Hewlett-Packard's Palm OS platform, they hilariously dubbed it The Chubby Checker. Unfortunately, this didn't sit too well with legendary rock'n'roller Chubby Checker, who has now sued Hewlett-Packard and Palm, Inc. for a reported half a billion dollars.
The app was created by Magic Apps and uses shoe size to determine a man's penis size. According to webOS Nation [via the Guardian], it was removed from HP's App Catalog in September 2012 after being downloaded just 84 times.
This isn't entirely consistent with a press release from Checkers' legal team about the suit, which claims that "Hewlett-Packard refused to dismantle the operation and, therefore, continues to perpetuate degrading and derogatory content directly linked to Chubby Checker. The 'app' adversely affects Chubby Checker's brand and value and if allowed to continue, will cause serious damage to the Plaintiff's goodwill and will tarnish his image that he has worked to maintain over the last 50 years."
The suit was filed in Florida court by lawyer Willie Gary, who said in a statement, "This lawsuit is about preserving the integrity and legacy of a man who has spent years working hard at his musical craft and has earned the position of one of the greatest musical entertainers of all time. We cannot sit idly and watch as technology giants or anyone else exploits the name or likeness of an innocent person with the goal of making millions of dollars. The Defendants have marketed Chubby Checkers' name on their product to gain a profit and this just isn't right."
Chubby Checker — the man, not the penis app — began his career in the late '50s, and scored a dance craze hit in 1960 with his chart-topping cover of "The Twist."
The app was created by Magic Apps and uses shoe size to determine a man's penis size. According to webOS Nation [via the Guardian], it was removed from HP's App Catalog in September 2012 after being downloaded just 84 times.
This isn't entirely consistent with a press release from Checkers' legal team about the suit, which claims that "Hewlett-Packard refused to dismantle the operation and, therefore, continues to perpetuate degrading and derogatory content directly linked to Chubby Checker. The 'app' adversely affects Chubby Checker's brand and value and if allowed to continue, will cause serious damage to the Plaintiff's goodwill and will tarnish his image that he has worked to maintain over the last 50 years."
The suit was filed in Florida court by lawyer Willie Gary, who said in a statement, "This lawsuit is about preserving the integrity and legacy of a man who has spent years working hard at his musical craft and has earned the position of one of the greatest musical entertainers of all time. We cannot sit idly and watch as technology giants or anyone else exploits the name or likeness of an innocent person with the goal of making millions of dollars. The Defendants have marketed Chubby Checkers' name on their product to gain a profit and this just isn't right."
Chubby Checker — the man, not the penis app — began his career in the late '50s, and scored a dance craze hit in 1960 with his chart-topping cover of "The Twist."
