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Musician Chubby Checker sues HP and Palm over penis-measurement app

Musician Chubby Checker sues HP and Palm over penis-measurement app

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Rock-and-roll legend Chubby Checker has apparently sued HP and Palm over a webOS app designed to calculate penis size. In a press release, attorney Willie Gary argues that Checker (aka Ernest Evans) has been caused "irreparable damage and harm" by the app, which is also called "Chubby Checker:"

Despite numerous attempts to cease the "app," Hewlett Packard refused to dismantle the operation and, therefore, continues to perpetuate degrading and derogatory content directly linked to Chubby Checker. The "app" adversely affects Chubby Checker's brand and value and if allowed to continue, will cause serious damage to the Plaintiff's goodwill and will tarnish his image that he has worked to maintain over the last 50 years.

We've reached out to both Checker and his attorney for further comment. HP hasn't actually produced Palm devices since 2011, and webOS is currently open source, but Checker is reportedly seeking $500,000 in damages, presumably including profits from the $0.99 app. Magic Apps, which developed the offending software, no longer appears to even exist, and it's highly unlikely anybody could really be held responsible at this point. If Checker is genuinely worried about the brand, this is a classic example of the Streisand effect — in all honesty, we're not even sure how he found this obscure app for a nigh-dead platform in the first place.

Update: We've since received a somewhat confusing and noncommital statement from Chubby Checker's management. In part, it reads thusly:

The name Chubby Checker is used by many companies and they know that it's a brand. It gets the attention of the people. It's a very very valuable commodity. There is a new song out called "Changes" by Chubby Checker. With all of this activity surrounding the excitement and the legend, we're more interested in airplay than litigation. As they say in the legal community, "Let the lawyers handle it."