Dwarf couple sue over jokes made on E! TV's "The Soup"

"The Soup" used their photo to spoof the onslaught of reality TV programs that had popped up about big families, dwarfs, cake and tattoos. They say the doctored image has wreaked havoc on their emotions. (Philadelphia Daily News)

Comments

[twerp]

Sometimes it's best to use cartoons for illustrations instead of real people.

[Lambiepie]

must have been quite a shock for them
I don't believe anyone would want to see a photo of themselves being used as a joke-point, and since the photo was part of an article on the difficulty of having children when you have a congenital disability makes it kind of icky

[MidtownCoog]

Anybody on Reality TV is fair game. I wish Reality TV and Facebook would go away.

But if these little ones must file, I say we restrict them to Small Claims Court.

[twerp]

LMAO @ COOG! OK, now I feel really ashamed for laughing at that.

[BFT]

nice one midtown

[Me]

hope they didn't sign a release when those pictures were taken

[Jim Romenesko]

I have a friend who has a genuine fear of "little people." He'd freak out, I suspect to even see this couple's photo on The Soup. By chance, does anyone else have this phobia?

[Somebody]

Fear of little peoples reminds me of the Baroness from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

[icecycle]

tinyophobia.

I just had to look that up.
No, for me it is fear of running out of ammo.
(that is my most entertaining nightmare.)

I, long ago, learned to enjoy nightmares.
Either that or cry a lot.

[stevenvictx]

AWWWWWWWWW
Lets all gather around, hold hands, and sing to the injustice of this lovely couple.

Short people got no reason
Short people got
No reason to live................

[twerp]

My phobia and it's actually one of my obsessions is weather-related. I freak out whenever there's a chance of severe thunderstorms.

I should have gone into meteorology.

But no, I don't know of anybody who is afraid of "little people."

[KDP]

Don't you just love these "emotional distress" claims? No proof required.

[Bill]

You are repeating the popular belief, but you happen to be very wrong KDP. They have the burden of producing medical experts who will testify and be subject to cross-examination about their "emotional distress".

I imagine they are looking for a quit settlement, as a trial by judge or jury will be far more distressing.

[Phranqlin]

E! had no business using the photo without the couple's permission. Hopefully the couple will wring a giant-sized settlement from the mental midgets who came up with this idea.

[KDP]

I must disagree on the first point, Bill. Personally I think that the professions of psychiatry and psychology just a notch above witch doctoring.

Medical experts testifying in court will always support whoever is paying their bill for the day.

I will agree that if the couple goes to court they will have genuine distress to contend with. But they have made their choice to try to obtain a settlement from a corporation with very deep pockets and probably an army of lawyers.

[sometimesilie]

Talk Soup is one of the few shows I enjoy watching on television. I liked the old guy John Henson (?) the best. I've only seen the new version a couple times. Not as funny, but pretty OK.

[Jim]

One thing for sure,,,, it's a short subject!

[RockyMtnMac]

I LOVE The Soup. It is better than any other source of "News" on any network. I usually skip TV and just watch the recaps. Plus, Mankini makes me LMAO. They spoof EVERYTHING, so if anyone took the picture of the Dwarf couple and that story seriously, they are morons.
Joel McHale is my hero.

[Sigh]

Did they talk to the Soup people and ask for a retraction --- and the Soup refused? That would make me a lot more sympathetic. Pulling out the lawyers here is only going to make the lawyers richer.

Clearly, the Soup was insensitive in using their photo. But:
> Was it illegally used (in violation of copyright) or fair use?
> Are those people public figures, since they put their photo and condition in a newspaper?
> Did the Soups usage and modification of the photo impact their ability to make an income -- or deprive them of revenue from the photo?
> Was there any defamation, in fact, considering it was clearly a parody?

[Krash]

Hey Jim,
Keep up the good work here at OSR&R, but please tell your friend to get a LIFE! Go see a shrink or adopt a "real" phobia... say agoraphobia or something... maybe then he won't have to see "Little People" if he's closeted in his domicile.
Really folks, at 5'1" myself, I've spent years enduring weird looks, jokes, insipidly STUPID off-handed commentary and truly back-handed "compliments"... and I'm NOT even remotely close to what these people must live with. WTF is WRONG with people!!!
TAX the Fat-Ass, rich and POOR. Pay airfare the same as Shipping... by the Fvcking SIZE of the container.

Like, this Country is TOTALLY Fvcked; know what I mean, Vern.

[Lots42]

Personally, I would have gone for 'unauthorized use of my likeness' and not let the entire world know some third-rate cable crap program made me cry.

[Lots42]

Personally, I would have gone for 'unauthorized use of my likeness' and not let the entire world know some third-rate cable crap program made me cry.