Catherine Zeta-Jones sues topless club

[karyn]

Sunday, October 24, 2004 Posted: 10:56 AM EDT (1456 GMT)

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- British actress Catherine Zeta-Jones has sued a Nevada topless club she said used her image for advertising and promotion without her permission.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S District Court in Los Angeles said The Spice House, which bills itself as "Reno's friendliest topless cabaret," displayed her picture on "numerous pages" of its Web site, sometimes alongside partially nude women.

That created the false impression the actress "endorsed or approved of the sexually explicit content" and could "dilute the value of her celebrity endorsement," the lawsuit says.

The star of "Chicago" and "Intolerable Cruelty" has never authorized the club or its owner, Wesglow Resources, to display her image, according to the lawsuit. She seeks unspecified damages and an order barring further use of her likeness.

A call to The Spice House's executive office was not immediately returned.

[BrightStar]

They should try to get stars that really approve instead.

[karyn]

did they think no one would figure out catherine zeta-jones was not really going to perform at their club? i hate stupid people

[BrightStar]

I agree.

[Tequila Zaire]

That's not her being stupid...that's her nailing idiots for using her image in a way that was legally questionable to begin with. It's not the matter of people thinking she was going to perform...it's a matter ot giving the impression the star endorses the place...

Stupid club owners...easy lawsuit.

[BrightStar]

Thats what I mean. I hate when they make false or misleading advertisements like that.

[MistressJennifer]

Yes, they do that a lot, they use Shannon Tweed's photo for this New York escort service...

OH, Shannon Tweed is Gene Simmon's of KISS's girlfriend, now common law wife.

Catherine seems to be a bit of a fuss budget or should I say DIVA, although, they are in the wrong, definitely...

But I think she is really pretty and sexy, just stunning.

[Thurbane316]

I love that sexy Welsh accent.

[skully]

now for all you lawyers out there:

if they put up a section of the site saying "here are some celebrities that have attended our club and then put a couple pictures of her (with or without naked women) would it still be illegal?

[BrightStar]

now for all you lawyers out there:

if they put up a section of the site saying "here are some celebrities that have attended our club and then put a couple pictures of her (with or without naked women) would it still be illegal?

It would be legal to say she attended the club, but not legal to say that she agreed to perform or endorsed it etc.

Even though the other stuff would be legal, she could POSSIBLY sue on an " Invasion of Privacy " Charge, and some other charges as well, due to technicality conditions.

[Tequila Zaire]

now for all you lawyers out there:

if they put up a section of the site saying "here are some celebrities that have attended our club and then put a couple pictures of her (with or without naked women) would it still be illegal?

Honestly it depends on the celebrity...some could care less...others may be a bit put off by being "used" to pimp a club. Really depends on what image the club has...I'd give it a shot though since you could always take them down if you're contacted by a lawyer and what not. It's not really in the same vein as delibrately using them in your advertising...plus if you have pictures of them there...well hell you're not lying now are ya? They WERE there and that's all you're really saying. Not like it stops other sites from posting compromising images of them in resteraunts and what not...so I think you'd be in the clear on this.