WWE's lead attorney, Jerry McDevitt, is calling Martha Hart's lawsuit against WWE and the McMahon Family a "political stunt."
McDevitt, responding on behalf of WWE to the Associated Press, claims Martha Hart's lawsuit is the first time WWE has heard from her since both sides settled Owen Hart's wrongful death lawsuit in 2000.
Martha Hart has refuted the claim that her lawsuit is politically-motivated with former WWE CEO Linda McMahon running for U.S. Senate.
Martha Hart alleges in her lawsuit filed today in Connecticut that WWE has used Owen Hart's likeness to their profit without her permission. She cited the recent release of the "Hart & Soul" DVD as the latest example.
McDevitt responded to the AP that "WWE has the right to use its own copyrighted material."
Hart claims to have sent WWE a "cease and desist" letter on March 25, 2010. The lawsuit reads that "the Estate, through counsel, immediately notified WWE that it had no permission to use Owen's legal name or likeness in connection with the Video; nevertheless, the WWE released the Video for sale."
She added that the defendants (WWE, Vince McMahon, and Linda McMahon) "did not seek or obtain the Estate's consent to use Owen's likeness or legal name or other Original Intellectual Property for promoting or packaging the Video, and have no right to do so without the consent of the Estate."
source: pwtorch.com
June 22, 2010
WWE Responds to Hart Lawsuit
CHIKARA Brings Something Different to Wrestling
"It is not unlike a comic book come to life,” said founder, owner and performer Mike Quackenbush during a recent interview. “There’s a great blend of not just international wrestling styles, but of storytelling genres and elements from outside the pro-wrestling box. If the WWE is Top 40 radio, CHIKARA is that little college radio station at the end of the dial that plays all the wacky songs.”...More?
source: toledofreepress.com
Schiff Lives to Fight Another Day Aagainst McMahon
Peter Schiff eked out a place in the GOP Senate primary field Monday, locking up a spot on the Aug. 10 ballot against heavy favorite Linda McMahon and candidate-in-absentia Rob Simmons.
Needing 8,268 Connecticut Republicans to sign his petitions, Schiff collected 8,697 valid signatures from registered GOP members, according to the Secretary of the State's Office...More?
source: ct post
Wrestler's Widow Suing WWE, Conn. Senate Candidate
The widow of a World Wrestling Entertainment performer who died in a 1999 stunt says she's suing the Connecticut-based company and its leaders, including Republican U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon.
Martha Hart said McMahon, who stepped down as WWE chief executive to run for Senate, and her husband, Vince, the current chairman, have continued to use Owen Hart's image to promote the business despite agreeing to stop after his death.
Representatives for the WWE and McMahon's Senate campaign said they could not immediately comment but expected to release statements later Tuesday...More?
Might explain why Bret Hart is no longer on Raw...
WWE Partners with YouTube
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. and YouTube announced today a multi-year partnership that will make full episodes of WWE "Friday Night SmackDown(R)," "WWE NXT(TM)," "WWE Superstars" and "ECW(R)," available at WWE's official YouTube(TM) channel (www.YouTube.com/WWE ). This marks one of the first times that YouTube will feature complete episodes of primetime television programs on their site...More?
June 21, 2010
Batista Announces That He's Going to Fight for Strikeforce; Strikeforce Denies This
Former WWE Champion Batista announced that he's going to fight for Strikeforce. The TMZ cameras caught up with Batista over the weekend and he said he is finished with WWE, and intends to fight for the MMA promotion...More?
source: prowrestling.net
Strikeforce Denial
This Day in Wrestling History - The Debut of "Tough Enough"
The first episode of WWF(E) Tough Enough airs on MTV. The reality show/competition results in Maven and Nidia winning contracts after beating out 11 other participants.
June 21, 2001
June 20, 2010
John Cena Announces the Location of WrestleMania 30
John Cena told the New York crowd at Saturday's house show that WrestleMania 30 will be held in New York at Madison Square Garden.
source: prowrestling.net
