I DON’T WANT TO BE LIKE MIKE WHY ONE MAN SUED MICHAEL JORDAN FOR $832 MILLION
Many people have been told they have a passing resemblance to a celebrity, and they usually have a funny story or two. To Allen Ray Heckard, his celebrity look-alike was no laughing matter. In 2006, he sued Michael Jordan for looking too much like him and ruining his life. The amount of the lawsuit was $832 million, and Heckard not only sued Jordan but also Nike, reasoning that the company helped Jordan achieve his incredible fame. The complaint argued that the resemblance to Jordan “has troubled Heckard’s nerves” and being stopped by fans caused him emotional distress for over 15 years. He requested damages for defamation, permanent injury, and pain and suffering. For someone tired of being “recognized,” Heckard didn’t shy away from media coverage. When asked how he arrived at the astronomical $832 million lawsuit figure, he gave this much-shared (yet difficult to parse) answer: “Well, you figure with my age, and you multiply that by seven and, ah, then I turn around and, ah, I figure that’s what it all boils down to.” When asked why he felt the resemblance to Jordan had affected his life so negatively, he could only
answer, “I want to be recognized as me, just like Michael’s recognized as Michael.”
Funnily enough, most people didn’t think Heckard and Jordan looked alike at all. While each had a bald head, mustache, and a gold earring, the similarities seemed to end there. Many news stories noted that, compared to Jordan, Heckard is 8 years older and 6 inches shorter. One question reporters did not appear to ask was why Heckard felt that Jordan should be held personally liable for hundreds of millions of dollars simply for his natural appearance. Sadly, we will probably never know the answer because the case ended rather unceremoniously. After a few weeks, Heckard dropped the lawsuit. He never publicly shared why, but a Nike spokesperson was glad to speculate that Heckard “finally realized he would end up paying our court costs if the lawsuit went to trial.” In the end, many ’90s kids would argue that Heckard was most guilty of looking a gift horse in the mouth. After all, there is no higher achievement than to “be like Mike.”
Simple Bok Choy Chicken Soup
YOUR REFERRALS MEAN THE WORLD TO US
Inspired by TheSpruceEats.com
Is the chill of winter lingering? A hot bowl of this Asian-inspired soup will warm you right up! Our recipe makes 4–5 servings.
There is no greater compliment we can receive than a client
INGREDIENTS
telling a friend or loved one about us. If you know somebody who has been injured and needs an attorney who will fight on their behalf and give their case the attention it deserves, please pass along this newsletter and have them give us a call at 314-293-4222. Thank you for spreading the word about Finney Injury Law.
• 3 cups chicken broth • 1 tsp red pepper flakes • 2 tsp soy sauce • 2 tsp sesame oil • 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 10 leaves bok choy, thinly sliced • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. 2. Stir in red pepper flakes, soy sauce, sesame oil, and garlic. 3. Add bok choy leaves and rotisserie chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the bok choy is dark green and tender. 4. Enjoy with slices of your favorite whole-wheat bread!
Practicing in Missouri and Illinois
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator