Marty Thomas suing Twitter

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 9:09am

The actor, who has been seen in WICKED and XANADU, is demanding to reveal who runs the now-shut-down Twitter-name "BwayAnonymous," which suggested that, among other things, an AVENUE Q cast member transmitted pubic lice to Thomas.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/10/13/2010-10-13_broadway_star_of_xanadu_and_wicked_marty_thomas_sues_to_reveal_twitter_poster_be.html?r=entertainment

[MotorTink]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 9:18am

This whole "gossip girl" facade on Twitter has been very annoying overall lately.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 9:32am

Sounds like the equivalent of grade school scribblings on the bathroom wall.

I feel bad for him but this publicity isn't going to do him any favors either.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 10:44am

Go for it, Marty.

Posted: 10/14/10 at 10:54am

Indeed, go for it.

[newintown]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 10:57am

Slimy. This is what our courts are for?

Posted: 10/14/10 at 10:59am

Yes. It's exactly what they are for, actually.

[newintown]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 11:11am

What, suing someone for saying you caught crabs? This justifies a two-year backlog due to over-litigation? Really? It's utterly trivial.

[WhoCouldBeBlue]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 11:18am

Get over it, Marty! Did you also complain to the teacher when someone called you a name in grade school? sheesh.

[Boq101]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 11:33am

I just think it's funny because now that this is published EVERYWHERE more people know than before. He should've just hushed up until the rumor died.

[newintown]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 11:43am

Oh, I don't know - any performer knows that getting their name out there (in any context) is the first hurdle to establishing a career.

Look at Vanessa Williams, for instance - the porn/beauty queen issue is what made the larger public notice her.

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 11:48am

Get over it, Marty! Did you also complain to the teacher when someone called you a name in grade school? sheesh.

The difference? When someone called him a name in grade school, he was not an adult in the (semi) public eye, and the name was not heard by people who decide whether or not to hire him. Finally, calling someone a name is not the same as making an accusation about someone's health or sexual habits.

"You're a poopyhead" does not have the same consequence to one's career as "you have crabs."

As JoeKv99 said, this is what our courts are for. If everyone decided it was too much trouble and let things like this slide, then more people would engage in hurtful and malicious libel and slander, simply because they knew they would get away with it. Even if Marty is bringing more attention to this issue, he is also setting an example that this kind of thing should not be tolerated. It's not about letting the rumor die, it's about holding the person behind the rumor responsible.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 11:52am

The issues of online libel, slander and invasion of privacy are fascinating, and a case like this, in which an individual sues a giant technology company, could help define how those established laws will apply to the new media.

If this goes to court, Marty might have a good chance of winning. Probably not for libel or slander, but very possibly for invasion of privacy: Asserting that someone has a sexually transmitted condition would fall under what the courts consider invading a person's right to privacy about "medical conditions."

So Twitter would have to decide whether they will give up the name or defend their right to keep their subscribers' anonymous.

In this way, Twitter is actually the OLD new media, because it still uses fictitious screen names to provide anonymity. (Like BroadwayWorld.)

The NEW new media is what Facebook has created: Your name and your face is attached to everything you say.

The article quotes one of bwayanonymous's posts as saying "Before 'damages' even become relevant, you have to prove something was libelous or slanderous in nature. "So if someone posts something that is actually true, or posts it in a way that doesn't assert it as a fact, then it isn't libel, or slander. It just means that you have to stop acting like a moron."

But that's just not true. "Truth" can be used as a defense against slander and libel but NOT against invasion of privacy.

newintown--maybe you should check some of your old posts.

[newintown]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 11:55am

Thanks, Joey, you can go ahead and do that.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 11:59am

"newintown--maybe you should check some of your old posts."

Or at least learn the purpose of the judicial system.

[newintown]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:02pm

Fosse, are you Sukreet Gabel's mother?

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:19pm

I love Marty, and while I do agree that should absolutely look after his best interests, I wonder if suing will do more harm than good in the end. How many people knew about the tweet, and if so even remember it? Will Marty will be known as the guy that had to sue to prove he didn't have crabs. Howard Stern and Regis and Kelly have already discussed it. Marty has a great point, but in the end, is that what people will remember?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:32pm

And nobody had asked yet which AVE Q puppet gave Marty this lice?

Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:54pm

PJ gave a pretty great summation of why this is EXACTLY what our courts are for- and while you jest that this is like getting called name in Grade School people sue over things like getting called a name in grade school all the time.

The issues the courts will have to decide will include is this guy well-known enough to be considered a public figure? Did this allegation cause him harm? Can Twitter be held liable for its user's posts?

This is exactly how law is made when a new technology appears.

[morosco]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 12:58pm

Will Marty will be known as the guy that had to sue to prove he didn't have crabs. Howard Stern and Regis and Kelly have already discussed it.

No such thing as bad publicity.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 1:14pm

The theater community seems to be rallying behind him.

Apparently a lot of actors would like to put an end to what they call "anonymous defamation"--and who can blame them?

One of them even referred to the "a$$ who posted lies on BroadwayWorld a year ago"...

newintown--were you the ass?

[newintown]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 1:25pm

Sorry, Joey, I don't know Thomas (other than seeing him skate in Xanadu), don't consider him gossip-worthy (if anyone is), and I draw the line at Twitter. Just don't have time for that on top of the rest of the electro-communication available these days.

But starting a tongue-in-cheek (up front false) rumor (like the Rob Schneider one on "Family Guy") - that would be fun.

How about this: "Lincoln Center Theatre is currently suffering a bedbug infestation because they chose the lowest bidder on wig providers." Discuss.

[newintown]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 1:26pm

Or were you referring to some other "lie?" From a year ago?

... What would that be...? Oh, I wish people would be more specific with their words.

[winston89]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 1:57pm

While it was pointed out that Facebook is different than twiter due to your name and face being associated with everything that you say, I do wonder something. If Broadwayworld changed its format and had everyone use their real names rather then a username, would that change the kinds of comments people post?

I often get the impression that there are a lot of people out there who think that because they are hiding behind a username, and becaues they think that they aren't important enough that their words won't matter they can say whatever it they want and aren't worried about the reprecussions of their words. How quickly do you think that would change if people were forced to use their real names?

[newintown]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 2:13pm

As in any occupation there's a lot of "playing nice" in the theatre, i.e. saying only positive things even when there is room for criticism, out of reluctance to spoil a relationship.

That's the prime fun of chat boards like this - once in a while, you can tell that the info is coming from a primary source.

Unfortunately, you have to listen to a lot of griping from people whose parents hit them if they ever said a negative thing, instilling in them a horror of anything but the most pleasant and sweet of statements.