Broadway Actor Sues To Find Out Anonymous Tweeter Who Says He Has Crabs

from the someone's-feeling-a-bit-crabby dept

Wed, Oct 20th 2010 7:35am — Mike Masnick

In the latest of a series of recent cases where people are suing to identify anonymous folks who made immature, insulting or mean comments about them online, we have the case of Broadway actor Marty Thomas. An anonymous Twitter user, who apparently only had about 100 followers, apparently had posted a bunch of "blind item"-type Twitter messages, including accusing another Broadway actor of giving Thomas crabs. Now, of course, Thomas is suing to get Twitter to reveal who the anonymous Twitter user was. But, again, as we've noted in other cases, before this, very few people would have seen the claim, and even fewer likely would have taken it seriously. Yet, now, the story is being splashed across various NY tabloids, which seems like it only serves to call a lot more attention to the overall issue.

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Filed Under: defamation, marty thomas, twitter

34 Comments

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Rose M. Welch (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 6:46am

Maybe Marty Thomas wants the publicity?
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Jay (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 7:43am

Perhaps someone hit a little too close to home?
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Pixelation, 20 Oct 2010 @ 7:46am

Marty Thomas has crabs?

If he wants publicity their are better ways.
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Oct 2010 @ 7:49am

Re:
That's exactly what I was thinking.
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Oct 2010 @ 7:55am

Well, maybe...
If Marty didn't have crabs, this wouldnt be an issue at all.
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KnownHuman (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:06am

I think there needs to be a website that showcases every instance the Streisand Effect. It would certainly serve as a warning that people could be pointed to prior to pursuing legal action.

"Yes, Mr. Broadway Actor, you could sue. Or, you could just let that thing slide. Only one of these actions will allow the rumor die. The other will permanently tie your name with "has crabs" in the minds of people and the Google hivememory."
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Anonymous Bastard, 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:07am

Crabby Marty
Marty Thomas totally DOES have crabs. All over his crabby areas. My name is James Carmichael; learn to take a joke or sue me.
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Free Capitalist (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:14am

Curious...
If this were to actually go forward as a defamation-type lawsuit, could the defense subpoena Marty Thomas medical records to corroborate their clients story?

Curious because it seems extremely hard to attain one's own medical records in some states these days, much less get access to someone else records.
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:19am

Re: Curious...
So down the road, if it becomes a proven fact that he has crabs, would it become legal to just go around and tell he does, factually, have crabs? I mean, can you get sued for stating facts? Although, Marty's crabs are probably a matter of National Security somehow.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:22am

Re: Re: Curious...
Okay, seriously. This is really ridiculous. First of all, I'm pretty sure that getting a subpoena for a plaintiff's medical records in a defamation suit is going to be damn near impossible.

Second of all, Marty Thomas did NOT get crabs from another broadway actor.

He got them from molesting children....
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Paul Hobbs (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:29am

Re: Re: Re: Curious...
You're a funny fuck! Far and away my favourite commenter.
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Ben, 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:30am

Crabs...
Who the Hell is Marty Thomas?
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Spointman, 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:32am

Re: Re: Re: Curious...
At least in the case of slander and libel, truth is an absolute defense. I would imagine the same would be true in defamation (though to to be fair, the law rarely makes sense, and IANAL). Thus, the defense would have every right to present proof of his status, and medical records (or at least, the results of a medical test for crabs) are definitive proof in the legal sense. I could see a judge ordering a medical test for crabs, as if Mr. Thomas does have them, his entire case kinda falls apart.
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Hephaestus (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:34am

Re: Crabs...
The guy with the crabs from molesting children ...
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:38am

crabs aids sipholis and lice
gentlemen he is the queen
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:41am

Re: Crabs...
He was in this one show with a bunch of animals singing and running around... Crabs or Cats or something.
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Dark Helmet (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:50am

Please let this be him....
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3477352/

The one credited role of his would be....interesting....
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Oct 2010 @ 8:56am

Re: Crabby Marty
Any relation to the world renowned Charles Carmichael?
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TriZz (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 9:00am

Re:
I don't know about publicity...but those crabs are probably making a pube-city.

/fail
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Crab, 20 Oct 2010 @ 9:11am

Hey! I'm suing!
By bringing a defamation suit, I believe he is implying that having me is bad - thus defaming me.

I intend to bring a suit against him.
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Free Capitalist (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 9:19am

Re: Re: Re: Curious...
First of all, I'm pretty sure that getting a subpoena for a plaintiff's medical records in a defamation suit is going to be damn near impossible.

I'll bet you're right on that count. The only thing is, that since this guy's got crabs... well how is that defamation?

defamation - a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions

Revealing factual privileged medical information might be an offense of its own, but to my untrained mind it is not defamation.
Innocent until proven cheeky, I guess.
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ChimpBush McHitlerBurton, 20 Oct 2010 @ 9:31am

Marty Thomas Has Crabs?
So, let me get this straight...

Someone said that Marty Thomas, the Broadway actor, has crabs?

So, Marty Thomas Has Crabs?

Or, *does* Marty Thomas Have Crabs?

CBMHB
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John Smith, 20 Oct 2010 @ 9:44am

Re: Crabby Marty
I too can affirm that Marty Thomas has crabs. And is crabby.
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DS, 20 Oct 2010 @ 9:45am

Re: Please let this be him....
That's "Gay" as in happy right? It's a Big Happy Musical then?
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Oct 2010 @ 10:04am

Re: Re: Crabby Marty
Nope, I'm just a regular crab expert.
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harbingerofdoom (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 10:27am

Re: Well, maybe...
but see there is the problem...

... Does broadway actor Marty Thomas have crabs? The answer may be more surprising than you think!

/Streisand effect
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ChurchHatesTucker (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 10:28am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Curious...
"I could see a judge ordering a medical test for crabs, as if Mr. Thomas does have them, his entire case kinda falls apart."

Even if he doesn't:

Your Honor, he doesn't have them *now,* so he has obviously had them taken care of. In the future I will say that Marty Thomas is a Broadway ho-bag who HAD crabs, if it please the court.
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Xander C (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 10:40am

It could be much worse...
At least he didn't get accused for the possible rape and murder of a girl back in 1990!
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Dark Helmet (profile), 20 Oct 2010 @ 12:14pm

Re: It could be much worse...
I've never heard him deny he did so, though...
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Pixelation, 20 Oct 2010 @ 4:45pm

I needed a good laugh
After getting home from work, reading the comments on this one gave me a good laugh.
Thank you Marty Thomas!... and your crabs.
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Anonymous Coward, 20 Oct 2010 @ 4:56pm

T-Shirt coming soon
I wish *I* had given Marty Thomas crabs. /attentionwhore
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KristoferA, 20 Oct 2010 @ 11:05pm

load of crab
sounds like a load of crab...
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Annoyed, 28 Oct 2010 @ 10:59am

AND...
what the story doesnt tell you is the affect this has had on OTHER people. Mr. Marty Thomas claimed that he knew who was running the twitter account and blamed a young New York student. The claim was false, and there is proof of this, but this girl lost her job and her apartment because of the claim... yet while she is sleeping on friends couches, thousands are congratulating Marty Thomas for standing up to bullying. Interesting.
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mndoyle07 (profile), 28 Oct 2010 @ 8:05pm

Questionable..
Is all publicity good publicity? Honestly, if he doesn't talk about this incident I continue on with my life never knowing who Marty Thomas is.

As stated a number of times...if Thomas doesn't say anything, no one knows about the anonymous tweeter. Now he has brought attention to the subject. Even if Thomas has no ulterior motive and this wasn't attention-seeking behavior...I perceive it to be so. His personal brand is tarnished. Also, with an allegation of defamation on his part...he is just setting himself up for more humiliation.

Just give it up, Marty...
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