Thursday, March 10, 2011

Live Free Or???

Okay, this started out as a light-hearted, "look at this funny headline". But the story's not so simple.

‘Bigfoot’ Suing New Hampshire
CONCORD, N.H. (CBS/AP) – It’s a headline you’d expect to find in the tabloids, but this is for real: Bigfoot is suing the government.

Performance artist and filmmaker Jonathan Doyle, who likes to dress up as Bigfoot and wander Mount Monadnock, claims the state of New Hampshire is stomping on his civil liberties.

The deal, apparently, is that Doyle didn't get the proper permits and insurance he needed to film a documentary in a state park. The permit is $100; no information was given on what level of insurance was needed. Now, if this were Hollywood coming in with sound trucks and trailers full of cameras, operators, etc. it's understandable that there should be steps taken both to minimize the impact to the area and to make sure that everything proceeds safely.

But we're talking about a dude in a Bigfoot costume with a couple of his buddies using camcorders. This isn't a big production. Heck, you'd be hard-pressed to differentiate a family outing from this (well, maybe a family outing of Ron Paul supporters...). And you need a permit and insurance to videotape in a state park? In New Hampshire, the only state in the union without a mandatory seat belt law? Now, whether the state of NH is "stomping" Doyle's civil liberties is a matter of discussion, but for now, it sure seems like they're taking a page out of the MA playbook.

Let Bigfoot run free, New Hampshire - he'll keep the wookie population at bay...

That is all.

4 comments:

Dave H said...

The radio report I heard last night said the authorities wanted him to have $2 million in insurance.

I'm curious how their permit regulations are worded. How is this different from a family shooting video of the kids playing in the park?

Irish said...

I took another view of this.
In today's litigious society, the "what if's" list is long with this one.

What if someone runs and gets hurt?

Some one has a heart attack?

One of your family members is the one that is hurt or injured? I think there would be repercussions?

I know the lawyers would crawl over themselves for the chance to sue.

What if someone like ..*ahem*.. Jay wants a Bigfoot head over the mantle?

This sounds innocent on the outside BUT I think it would open a Pandora's Box of legal trouble.

Anonymous said...

If it is a commercial venture, selling the film, I can see a permit. Your using the state property to earn income and The Man demands his cut.

Tha's very different from the Pauls family picnic.

$2M in insurance? A bit much for Bigfoot does Dallas.

Gerry

Steve said...

I think the problem is that every time some masshole falls off a cliff or stubs their toe in the woods, they call fish and game to be rescued thus sticking the taxpayers with the bill and a lawsuit anyway.