Woody, Worried About His Image

Woody Allen has slapped a big lawsuit onto the cult teen retail brand American Apparel--amounting to $10 million. At question are billboards in Los Angeles and New York, on which American Apparel displayed an image of Woody Allen. Apparently, Mr. Allen was not asked for permission to use his image, since the suit seeks damages, maintaining that American Apparel made “blatant misappropriation and commercial use of Woody’s image," with resultant implication of product endorsement, when there was none.

By now, I am sure that we all have images flashing before our eyes of notorious American Apparel CEO Dov Charney racing through stores in his underwear, shooting photos of skimpily-clad, female sales associates--and wondering if Woody crashed an American Apparel party or something. In case you don’t know, Charney has a bit of a reputation and he likes to stir up controversy [helps sell all those tees]. But no, the image of Woody Allen that was used showed him fully clothed. In fact, it was a still photo from the 1977 movie “Annie Hall,” and it showed him dressed as a Hasidic Jew. The billboard bore Yiddish text saying: “The Holy Rebbe.” [Now since Woody was born in 1935 and the film was released in 1977--it is highly doubtful that American Apparel’s young shoppers even have a clue who this is.]

What this has to do with teen fashions in L.A. is totally beyond Diva. In Diva’s opinion, Woody is not exactly a hot sex symbol for the younger set these days. And while his humor was acclaimed in its day, unfortunately, his last few flicks have been--frankly, pretty boring. [So maybe he needed the cash.] It is also doubtful that American Apparel thinks yarmulkes are going to be the next big fashion trend.

American Apparel claims that its rights are protected under the first amendment--freedom of speech. And according to an article in DNR, the company said that it had no intention of implying that Allen endorsed its merchandise. American Apparel maintains that it used the images in a non-commercial way, "for social or political commentary." [Have they never heard of copyrights and permissions? But hey, when you can steal all the music you want off of the Internet, what's an image or two?]

A headline in New York Magazine said: “Woody Allen vs. Dov Charney? Jew Have Got to Be Kidding!” And the New York Post headline said: “Oh, No Jew Don’t.” NYM commented, “…and we may have a city record for Jewdicrousness, folks.” Only in New York--you gotta love this place.

Sounds like an April fool’s joke [after all that was Tuesday of this week], but it wasn’t a joke. Come on Woody and Dov--work it out and make up.

--Diva

Photo: The movie, "Annie Hall," where the billboard image originated.