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Bat Out of URL

Meat Loaf sues the owner of www.meatloaf.org

By percy thrillington Jul 19, 2012 10:35AM
The web has done all kinds of damage to the careers of musicians (even as it has invented careers for many others). What it has also done, of course, is to allow stories like THIS one to occur. Everyone's favorite corpulent melodramatist Meat Loaf (a.k.a. Marvin Aday, a.k.a. Meat Loaf Aday), is suing a Meat Loaf tribute act—who used to be an Elton John tribute act, but gained too much weight—for "cybersquatting" on the URL meatloaf.org. He wants $100,000 in damages.

And, for the record, Loaf seems to have www.meatloaf.net

And, for the menu, here's what's at www.meatloaf.com.

Though he looks like a cuddly snuggly teddy bear of a man, Meat Loaf is really really angry, and pretty damn litigious; he’s currently trying to sue the big frilly shirt and pants off of a UK-based tribute act, To Hell and Back.
The tribute act, fronted by professional Loaf-ster Dean Torkington, are being sued for $100,000 for sitting on a MeatLoaf.org domain name and generally impersonating Meat Loaf. 
Mr Loaf’s lawyers have this to say:
“[Torkington] commercially exploited the internet top-level domain name MeatLoaf.org to capitalise on the artist’s celebrity. [He is] liable for substantial damages, including statutory damages of up to $100,000 for cybersquatting”
Cybersquatting!? Call the internet police! We got a cybersquatting felon on our hands, and he’s dressed up like Meat Loaf! The pervert!
Dean Torkington has actually offered to sell the domain name to Meat (can we call you Meat, Meat?) for £8,000, but was only offered £1,300. Understandably he’s a bit upset:
“Earlier this month I received a copy of the lawsuit posted to my home and emailed. I have every intention of defending this to protect my good name and will not be bullied in this way. I really don’t see what his gripe is or legally where he is coming from, I am not guilty of cybersquatting or passing myself off as him.”
And good for you, Dean! Honestly, what is the world coming to, when a man can’t slip into a crushed velvet suit and sing Meat Loaf songs for money, huh? 
But there’s light at the end of the tunnel; before he was a Meat Loaf impersonator, Dean was an Elton John tribute act:
“I used to be an Elton John performer before that but put on quite a bit of weight so decided to become Meatloaf. I would emulate him as best I could.
“I've gone back to doing Elton John tribute acts more now as a result of all this. It's less hassle than being a Meatloaf tribute act any day.”
Wise words. But hey, Meat Loaf, instead of suing him for the possibly-not-a-real-crime of cybersquatting, maybe you should sue him for calling you fat? We want a 10% cut of the proceeds, natch.
4Comments
Jul 25, 2012 11:05PM
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Meatloaf: Biggest. Douchebag.Ever!!!
Jul 20, 2012 8:04AM
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Absolutely HILARIOUS that an Elton John tribute singer got too fat to perform as the Rocket Man, so he morphed into Meatloaf!!!  Now that's entertainment!!!  LOL
Jul 20, 2012 5:03AM
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Tribute bands are a bore, but Meatloaf probably needs the cash wherever he can get it. Who really likes his work? Wow, I  NEVER heard ANYONE say, "you know I am a Meatloaf fan". I guess most would say, "Really?...I mean REALLY?"
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