True  whenever I see him he is just Mr. Bean  lol.  And then there is other examples like: Actors/actresses  trying to sell you e.g.  cosmetics or whatever and they totally act like their most famous movie/TV show role.

The creaters totally want you to think its the same person from your favorite  TV show/movie. And noone sues them.

Poor guy.

did they call him butler in the bridgestone commercial? if not, what has the fictive person butler to do with that?

hope sony loses this

Sony fans love Kevin Butler, so Sony sues him. I can see why Sony is doing so well now, with all of their great decision making.

There will be something in his contract that says once you leave sony you can't make ads for nintendo or microsoft for 3 years or something like that. Its the same if you work for a pizza joint in my contract it says I can't work for rival pizza joints until at least 1 year after my employment has ended.

It REALLY isn't

Are you willing to tell me that If I- working for DC comics, hired Robert Downey JR, placed in him an IronManesqued costume (without saying it was actually Ironman) and stood to make a ton of money for myself and DC comics from it, Marvel wouldn't get their panties in a twist because Ironman was their IP?

Your Mr Bean example fails because Rowan Atkinson actually created the Mr Bean character himself I don't mean made him famous, I mean ACTUALLY invented the guy himself.

There is a thin line between Actor Allursion and out-right tail coat riding.

Note: I haven't said whether or not I agree with the decision to sue, I'm just saying consider all sides before all jumping to one conclusion.

There was a similar (ish) case between the first Spiderman film and the Broadway show "The Producers"

Spiderman featured an ad for The Producers subtly in the background of the film and got sued for "Unwanted publicity" since The Producers won their case, it's not completely impossible for Sony to argue the same thing and win

Non-compete clauses are standard in everything. If you buy a restaurant for instance like subway, they make you sign a non compete saying you wont also buy a quiznos. Sony has every right to sue, I just don't like seeing someone get hit with a lawsuit. He dug his own grave, he of all people should have known.

No offense but that's a pretty stupid side of the argument.

There are tons of commercials with people we recognize from other places. Lambert is in Bridgestone ads that don't include the Wii.

guys you have to understand Sony's side here. they need all the cash they can get