[...] Here’s the article from GamePolitics.com [...]

If JT really and truly wants to block GTA IV's release, which he promised he wouldn't do under their agreement, then he's defninitely rendered it null and void. No big surprise there.

And before he says anything, note that all we have is his say so - which is questionable to begin with. I doubt that Game Informer's article will be as specific.

Take 2 then is free to go after him. The smackdown they give him, combined with the one from the Florida Supreme Court, could be the one-two punch that knocks him out for good.

oh here we go again. good luck with that Jacko. They could put a parody of the pres in and as long as they dont use his real name they're in the clear. You know this. and you know its doomed to fail.

Dennis really hasn't left any possible arguement for Jack.

Goldenberg (the lawyers given name) is killed by Niko because he got on Mr McReary's bad side. Not because of his views.

@ Jadedcritic

"You know, I think you’re probably right. I sit here and try to think when he’s ever succeeded in blocking ANYTHING. He couldn’t stop Bully, couldn’t stop Manhunt2… Has he stopped anything at all? Since Cop Killer??? "

Heck, he can't even stop his son from buying Bioshock.......

I don't recall him complaining about his depiction in The Matrix: Path of Neo.

Hey, JT, I'm going to put you into Street Fighter II. No, no, not you... Just a likeness with the name "Tack Jompson".

Oh, right, that's too much of a resemblance, I'll put you in Phoenix Wright, then. It's a more lawyer-suited ame. You'll be the replacement for Prosecutor Payne.

What will be even more interesting is when Friday comes and goes and Take Two does absolutely nothing to change the game as it is. I then forsee John Bruce "Jack" Thompson filing a claim to block the release of the game due to illegal use of his image.

This will backfire on him for 2 reasons... maybe 3

a) Jack will violate the previous agreement he made with Take Two as he will be taking LEGAL action against a game's release (something the agreement clearly stated he wouldn't do for that would be grounds for Take Two to counter-sue and ruin him).

b) Take Two can prove Jack's full of it as all they have to do is prove that he is a parody and NOT the actual game-hating attorney.

c) Jack Thompson is sued, loses, and is FINALLY ruined. I can't wait to see it.

As the Genius Bakabon's father puts it:

"Kore de Ii no da!"

(Translation: "It's all good!")

~Otaku-Man

OK, first thing - I do hate Jack Thompson. He is clearly the devil incarnate, and I am sure that he is responsible for all the evil and murder and self-touching in the world.
However, he's got a point here, although I doubt he has the mental capacity to do anything about it at this point. The lawyer described is an obvious reference to Jack Thompson. All this crap everyone keeps posting about pie-loving doctors and how there are other video game lawyers misses the point. There is *one* lawyer which has been giving T2 fits in public about violence in video games and how he has deluded himself into believing it leads to real life violence. There is no need to start a contest with JT over who can make the most absurd claim.
I don't know what the court order said, so perhaps I am wrong here, but I am fairly sure the judge did not order Jack Thompson to refrain from filing any suit against T2. At most I can imagine he was ordered to cease filing frivolous suits about violence in games and generally acting as a self-appointed guardian of the public. To do much more would be an *extreme* abuse of discretion.
Last, there is a big difference between, well, most of the examples above and what happened here. Free speech doesn't allow you to shout fire in a crowded theater, no matter how awesome and funny you may think the results will be. Further, just because it's happened before without incident doesn't mean that this is parody, it just means that other people don't have a broken humor detector. I'm not familiar with what happens to Michael Jackson or Gary Coleman or whoever in video games, so I can't comment, but again you are compelled to sue just because you have a cause of action.
It's different than TV, since (last I checked, anyway) South Park is not an interactive environment. I don't remember steering Cartman around and making him eat cheezy poofs, anyway. It's not user-created content. It is definitely funny, but that does not make it parody. The representation of him definitely is, and if it were left at that it would be a no-brainer. But the game not only allows you to kill the character, it sounds like you are *required* to do so. The argument that video games make violent people by virtue of including violence has been tried and failed. The argument that suggesting that a specific individual should be killed may lead to violence against that individual has also been tried, with much more success.
As funny as we all may find it, courts have a definite aversion to being mocked, and T2 looks to be abusing the court order if it is their intended protection from the consequences of this. They very well may have given this obnoxious little imp a means of achieving a courtroom victory, thus shoring up his ego and ensuring we all get to put up with him for a few more years.

Good job!

BWAHAHAHA!!!! what a crybaby, wanker, wuss, moron, take your pic... if ever anyone deserved a good ribbing or roasting it's this guy

Nice to see other people remember that so called "satire/parody" offer.

For someone concerned about their personal safety and life being threatened, you sure do post your personal info at the drop of a hat, and you do not address others in a respectable manner. Have you *really* looked at yourself and the stuff you say/write?

While we here disagree with the likes of Grossman and Yee, we address them in a respectful manner because they in respect do the SAME! If they were as vile as you, we probably would address them in the same manner as they address us.

Too bad this is just one of those cases where the individual doesn't realize or want to admit how harmful their own personal actions are to themselves & others, and do NOT seek the professional help they need to improve themselves. And there are all sorts of medicines out there that can help with such matters, like stress....

It wouldn't be a true parody of Jack Thompson unless they made the lawyer racist too.

(Click my name if you have no idea what I mean)

[...] [._.]  [...]

@Dennis, GP editors in general:

Might I make a suggestion (actually two):

First, I look for Jack's posts, so I search for "Jack Thompson says". Unfortunately, it's in the text of the headline, which causes it to show up in all of the trackbacks. So if I might humbly suggest not writing the exact phrase "Jack Thompson says" into a headline?

Second suggestion, and it's just my opinion: don't even allow trackbacks. They're useless linkspam to 99.9% of us, only useful in large part to self-important "blogerati" who think links are more important than content.

Heads up to gamer idiots (sorry to be redundant):

Parody is one thing. Targeting someone who is a critic for copycat violence is quite another. Take-Two's deadline approaches.

I can careless about Gay rights you bnch of homo's. These types of games are played by the damn blacks and hispanic community who go and cpy cat shit rigt I freaking said it. I do as I please it needs ot be done. it would have been bette rot take a whole bunch of gays and kill thme off in GTA. TRUST ME ON THAT SHIT. More mature thne picky on Little old me..

Ironic ..

You're so vain, you probably think this game is about you...

Also I have read that the JT on here is an imposter, I was meant to be talking to the real JT if he ever bothers to read what we say.

What's the character's name in the game? Might i suggest "Zach Johnson"?

I just hope nobody manages to shut him down completely, he's too entertaining...

@Erik

Am I a mentally handiccaped violent thug?NO.I play Bioshock,Gears of War GRAW 2 and pretty much every war game and what happened because of that? I had fun,hes threatening that fun so thats why I bloody hate him and his crusade.

Who The fuck is Jack Thompson?
Im gonna write a flash game that features
FRAGGING a Guy named Jack Thompson over and over.
sue me.

hey guess what? Parody Rights.

how is it i know more about lawyering from watching Night Court?

Yea, there's the right to parody covered under free speech.

And you know what, here's some other interesting facts:
- Jack Thompson is not the only anti-gaming lawyer around (although they are rare)
- Take Two will not relent to a 2 bit lawyer moonlighting as a crusader

Good Lord! Not everything is about you, Jack! Contrary to your belief, the word does not revolve around Jack Thompson, Attorney.

This is getting absurd. I think I understand why the state bar wants to examine Mr. Thompson's mental capacity; Jack's behavior is starting to approach the realm of delusion.

Are you a second amendment rights advocate, Mr. Thompson? For God's sake, you don't even fit the parody you're griping about. And even if you did, you couldn't file suit over it. If you could, don't you think the industry mucky mucks who were depicted in an FPS mod you called for would have sued you by now?

OMG c0nsp1r4cy!!11!!

Didn't R* also parody him in Liberty City Stories? Or that might only have been speculation.

Kinda reminds me of the ol' Jakcy tried to get Midway to "Cease and Desist" distribution of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon because of a user-created character which looked like him.

So now every lawyer that is somehow involved with video games is Jack Thompson. Last time I checked, Thompson wasn't fighting against the second amendment, like the lawyer in the game, he was fighting video games.

So the parallels between Jack Thompson and GTA IV's lawyer:
1) both are lawyers.

Thats it. Someone needs to give this man a clue.

There is no evidence that the lawyer portrayed in this first mission of the game is Jack Thompson, period. Jack Thompson could do nothing beyond complaining about it.

/yawn

He must have been starting to feel cold from the spotlight being off him. What a joke.

You know I'm sure we'd really like it if Thompson was the only lawyer this deranged from all those hours of playing Sim Law Degree, but really, it's a broad scope.

Besides, Thompson doesn't have enough context. If this really is the first kill, maybe the line that the lawyer says haunts Niko and he continues to wonder whether his life of crime is the fault of playing Tetris in the '80s, and ultimately change his life to become a crusader against video game violence.

...or it's just a beta and is a mission that they just threw in there for kicks.

Besides, why would you trust a gaming publication, they're just a bunch of lying untrustworthy jackasses who're puppets of the industry, right?

And what are you doing reading Game Informer, anyway? Or are you annexing all your poor kid's stuff? You might want to check his wallet for an ACLU card, you're steering him in that direction.

(Now you have descended this low - using one of your games to threaten my physical safety… Failure to comply with the deadline… will result in my having to take necessary and proper means to stop release of the game which targets me personally… given the copycatting of violent games…))

copycatting GTA to go over to kill you? You are afraid of a bunch of 17-40 year olds running over to your house and sticking a controller in your face while pressing R1 and O at the same time? And Where does it say it targets you? HEY!! Well this just proves it. Jack Thompson is the ONLY video game hating lawyer around. And this lawyer in the videogame has to be him on the sole fact that he is a lawyer and that he hates videogames.

No dice Jack. Enjoy the contempt of court charge.

- Warren Lewis

Since Thompson is the only lawyer out there that targets video games, it's definatly him.

"...You are afraid of a bunch of 17-40 year olds running over to your house and sticking a controller in your face while pressing R1 and O at the same time?..."

Then when he acts stunned and confused at what you're doing, you run over to his car and start screaming "TRIANGLE TRIANGLE TRIANGLE!".

Guys, guys.
Video Games and the Second Amendment are both trademarked phrases of Jack Thompson. Come on.

Wait, no, they're not. This sounds more like an NRA lawyer, not Jack Thompson.

So Jack, this is, therein, clearly your weakass ploy, and I'm sure that Rockstar's lawyers, all of whom are bigger successes than yourself, will shoot your lawsuit down so fast you'll swear they were the Red Baron.

Paradies of public figures are legal; otherwise, how would South Park make money?

Go bitch in the corner you jackass.

Right... so, because some lawyer in a game said that video games kill people, he automatically assumes it's him...

And he claims he has no mental problems.

Ehh, I had no intention to buy this game in the first place, I'm not really into the whole GTA thing... except for Vice City, that's the only one I'm interested in.

oKAY, NOW THIS SHOULD BE GOOD.

And one more thing, and I'm sure it's going to be brought up at some point but... isn't Jack forbidden from trying to block the release of a game by Rockstar, under the terms of his settlement?

Well, if anything, JT certainly brings the latest games to the front page for free advertising. I think more folks wouldn't know or buy the games hadn't JT mentioned them in the first place.

Way to go JT, you just increased the sale of this game by 20%+!!!!

Oh, goddammit...

@E.Zachary Knight.

Yeah, I did the same, and couldn't find the quote except for here.

“Now you have descended this low - using one of your games to threaten my physical safety…”

Jack, here's a novel concept, try to wrap your feeble mind around it: EVERYBODY HATES YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE AN EGOMANIACAL ASSHOLE. Any threat to your own safety, real or perceived, exists not because of GTA IV, but because of your big mouth and bad attitude over the years. You don't see threats of violence against Leland Yee or Dave Grossman, do you? Believe me, if you do indeed have some kind of beat down coming in your future, this GTA IV parody came along WAAAY after the scales had been tipped.

"EVERYBODY HATES YOU BECAUSE YOU’RE AN EGOMANIACAL ASSHOLE."

This isn't so far off. And it's not just the crazed video gamers saying it either. David Walsh publicly denounced you, and you're supposed to be on the same side! You seem to have a long history of not getting a long with people. Why does it seem like every person you work with is incompetent or an industry shill? At some point you have to think that maybe the problem is you.

Good luck with the Bar investigation.

First of all, I want to make it clear that Dennis McCauley got this from the court file.

Secondly, this is not "parody." This is targeting. Big difference. This is rather foolish on Take-Two's part.

GP: That's true. Jack did NOT send this one my way. Which is odd, because he DID send something about a gay rights debate he wants to have down in Miami (um, Jack is against , in case you were wondering). I have zero interest in that story because there is zero video game connection.

So why didn't he send me this very relevant story?

@Murry

Oh no doubt, ever see South Park season 10? There's an episode where what is obviously a version of the president pretty much offs a guy execution style in the oval office to cover up that the government "is responsible" for 9/11. Considering that Matt & Trey probably aren't making new episodes from cells in Guantanemo - I think you're probably right.

One more thing: If Dennis McCauley were inclined to be a real journalist and "fair" he would make available the entire letter as the full context makes clear not the parody but the targeting, but such fairness, such journalistic ethics, would be asking too much of this "news" site.

GP: Ummm... the entire letter IS available. It's linked from the article.

"Threaten my physical safety" my ass.

This was not a death threat, Jackass. They could care less about you because you can't touch them anymore.

Actually I don't hate Mr. Thompson at all. I pity him. I've been the bitter angry guy in the past and it wasn't any fun at all. It takes a tremendous amount of effort to stay that angry all the time.

What makes me indignant is his cavalier attitude towards tactics like lying and character asassination.

sorry about the double post but to Mr Thompson, go for it, i'd love to see them bury you.....again

OH LAWD A LAWYER BEING KILLED IN A GAME WHO SAYS VIDJA GAMES SUCK

BAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

Thompson, you're more amusing and lulzworthy than any GTA game. Keep it up!

"Failure to comply with the deadline… will result in my having to take necessary and proper means to stop release of the game which targets me personally… given the copycatting of violent games…"

Wow. He truly believes the whole copycatting thing, doesn't he? I guess I haven't let that sink in quite enough.

So he's going to drag Take-Two back to court, totally breach the settlement, and get his ass legally assassinated, all because he's scared to death of a theory that no study has ever been able to prove? Oh, this is going to be fun show.

I think that TTWO/R* should take him on, as Jack Thompson would be breaking his agreement with Take Two and Rockstar and would get a 3rd lawsuit placed against him.

Er, this from the guy who offered a reward if a developer made a video game where you kill an employee of Rockstar's family?

@Jack Thompson

"Secondly, this is not “parody.” This is targeting. Big difference. This is rather foolish on Take-Two’s part."

Then you have absolutely no idea what parody is. If your logic was correct, the police organizations of three states can sue Take Two, several celebrities, radio personalities, several soft drink companies, toy makers, sports organizations, rival game companies, , hell, three state governments could have sued Rockstar by now, but they haven't, mostly because they aren't full of narcissistic idiots like you.

Face it Jack, you have no case. Screenshots or STFU.

This seems like a stretch to me. Lawyers (as characters) are a core element in crime dramas because they represent the public's perception that our legal system is corrupt and broken. In game characters making video game references, both pro and con, have existed since GTA III (if not earlier). These references let Rockstar make fun of themselves, and the greater industry and public opinion at large.

It seems flawed, if not purely self indulgent for Jack Thompson to assert these claims. Unless the character in question features mister Thompson's likeness (on a photographic level), I don't see his other assertions holding merit.

one more thing:
if Jack Thompson were inclined to be a decent human being, he wouldn't continually make personal attacks to make up for his inadequacies.

@ Jack

A threat is when someone tells YOU directly or in some cases indirectly that your life is at stake. It must name you and be sent to you. This does not name you. It does not aim its message at you. If anything this bit is a character assasination of the whole "video games are evil" debate. They could have easily used a politician for this, its just that they have a more personnal relationship with certain lawyers.

I suggest you look up the definition of paradoy and satire. Then I suggest you actually study some law for once and learn why those are protected speech.

@jadedcritic

He's basically a mix of Edgeworth and Von Karma. He villifies EVERYONE on the opposite side on the off chance they might really be psychopaths, much like Edgeworth got every defendant guilty on the off chance a killer might get loose, and like von Karma Jack is building up so much bad karma it's coming back to bite him, hard.

So, where was JT when Capcom released Phoenix Wright?

also, way to misuse the 'too clever by half' saying jack.

Hm, I read his letter to T2, and all I can think is, "Nah, I'm not really into Pokemon."

@ Jack Thompson

Doesn't this scene evoke some kind of debate over the measure of violence in society?

In GTA IV, a law firm who claims that violent games are responsible for violence are taken out by a plain, ordinary, non-game influenced protagonist. From the inside, it points out the terrible point that (a) guns have a bigger habit of launching bullets than games do, (b) the person behind the gun makes the choice to pull the trigger (and the way that trigger is pulled) rather than a video game, and (c) there are more reasons for violence than "I saw Sonic do it".
Highlights the idea that violent people do violent things under their own cognizance, rather than being zombies to violent media.

To look at it all from outside of the game, we see a game in which a violent act is being committed by a video game character, which brings irony to the whole affair.

But to say the attorney in the game is you explicitly, without possibility of it being based on someone else, or simply it being a representation of the IDEA you put forth, is a tad egotistical.

Chris,
To be honest, it throws me off too.

John Bruce's posts show up way back in the field, long after I've read up to a certain point, so I have to go back and look.

Plus GP tacks on his responses to some comments, rather than quote them, which means going back also.

Now, if there were a nice little GUI that could auto pull comments and highlight new (even if they were just released from hold) or edited comments (such as when GP adds their comments to someone else's), that would be great.

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

GP: for some reason, his posts get caught in a moderation queue. Don't know why. I suspect he may be using a proxy server or something. I've asked him, but it's like talking to the wall. No response.

So... his comments don't show up until I get around to clearing them.

The secret good news is that we're exploring a re-design of GP (but you didn't hear that from me - LOL) ...and I am asking the developer for nested comments.

How great would it be if the lawyer character's name was something along the lines of Tack Jhomson.


Watch out Jack. Fictional characters are coming for you.

Jack Thompson Said:

"One more thing: If Dennis McCauley were inclined to be a real journalist and “fair” he would make available the entire letter as the full context makes clear not the parody but the targeting, but such fairness, such journalistic ethics, would be asking too much of this “news” site.

GP: Ummm… the entire letter IS available. It’s linked from the article."

Dennis, I think the answer here is obvious. He's got "you didn't post the entire letter" written in a file somewhere and automatically copy/pastes it whenever a story is written about him.

Also, I should have added this - Jack, will you stop trying to insult Dennis' integrity and standing as a reporter. He, at the very least, has the decency to use facts, as opposed to you and your willingness to twist facts.

I think I know what my favorite mission in this game will be then. Care to comment Jack?

-Auto

Its so hard sometimes to believe jack is a real person, how can any human being be so idiotic and morally bankrupt? so fecitious and childish while keeping a law lisence? How can such a man exist?

I have faith in humanity, but it really stretched the benefit of the doubt when Jack comes along spouting nonsense and drivel like its divine intervention.

@nightwing

It can be a pain looking back for jack comments but dennis has made it clear its due to the system, I dont know what the rumoured change would do but I hope it will be interesting. in the meantime the setup is unavoidable and by no means problematic.

You know honestly I likely would not have made the connection between Jack and this Goldberg character if Jack hadn't made a stink over it. The only one targeting Jack is Jack.

*yawn*
okay Jack might be time to either up the medication dosage or cut it in half. The video game industry isn't out to get you, they couldn't care less about you, you started the fight with R* and Take Two and now they can't use lawyers in their games because they're parodying you? Uh might want to read those first amendment laws again. Where under it, public figures are completely legal targets. Honestly it's gotten to the point where when I read about Jack I don't even bat an eye any more, this is what he does. Quick someone set up a camera on the back of a truck and start driving, I want to watch him run after the truck for 30 seconds of airtime as an "expert".

And we all hate Thompson, all over this land!
And we all hate Thompson!
It's because he's not yet banned...

Oh this is too rich. I swear to god I hope this goes to court, just so I can see Jack get bitch-smacked by a judge... Again.

Guess what, Thompson. You're hardly the first anti-game lawyer to pop up. Take-Two is take a jab at a very well known sterotype; the 'let's blame games' figure. Unless I see a carbon copy of your ugly face on that figure being shot, you don't have a case. This is just more of your incessant high-pitched whining meant to make us all sick to our stomachs from hearing about you. Get over yourself, Mr. Martyr.

@Zerodash

"Don’t worry Jack- your behavior is enough for people to want to shoot ya."

Careful! He could claim you're threatening him!

I swear, November is so close and yet it feels so far away...

I hope this situation means the end for Jack, although I seriously doubt this is the last of him.

Jack Thompson Says:
September 18th, 2007 at 10:27 am

First of all, I want to make it clear that Dennis McCauley got this from the court file.

Secondly, this is not “parody.” This is targeting. Big difference. This is rather foolish on Take-Two’s part.

way to defend your claim Jack. If he is going to argue with journalists he needs to learn that simply repeating his claim that it IS targeting, will not suffice. Defend your claim with sound evidence that the game play you saw was targeting rather than parody, otherwise be quite.

Jack Thompson doesn't like video games and will attempt to stop another GTA game.

In other late breaking news candy is delicious, kittens are cute, and Jack Thompson isn't so good at this whole "lawyer" thing.

Jackhole, did you miss taking your paranoid schizophrenia pills yesterday?

Yes jacko is using a proxy. In fact the proxy he is using is btunnel.com

We know that because several weeks ago he posted a link to youtube but he wasn't smart enough to realize that the anonymizing site makes the url include btunnel so when he posted the link to youtube it was really a link through that site. Since we know that he used that site at least once, and we know that his real ip address wasn't unblocked, it makes sense to assume that he uses that site post here.

Sorry Jack but I don't think the connection to you is strong enough for you to be able to say undeniably that it is you. There are plenty of other anti-game lawyers and while I'm sure in most peoples minds it is a direct poke at you it is just as easily a go at the whole game/law/constitution battle that wages continuously. But hey, don't feel too bad, there are a few of us (non-Americans mostly I imagine) that see the unconstitutional argument to be completely counter productive. If both sides would tone it down a bit I'm sure everyone would get what they want.

Since when is being an attention-whore douchebag who is addicted to seeing his face on television or name in the news a RELIGION?

...and ..is he like the Pope of it?

I'm confused.

Isnt GTA 4 in new york and not in florida?

In otherwords it happens compleatly away from jacks home, so in no way could it be jack.


But if in jacks world parody is illegal, should he not get himself arrested for parodying himself?

@ kurisu7885

Oh....in that case...how about..

"Every time you play a video game god masterbates a kitten"

Or something of the like? I read that somewhere, maybe it was the internetz.

*yawn*

parody = protected. Sorry, you loose.

Oh and im so not surprised hes anti gay rights.... hes most likely anti-rights for anyone apart from people like him.

I'm on Jack Thompsons side... this time.

If there was a game called "Jock Thumpson: Game Raider" similar to the Panty Raider game, but with a twist of trying to eradicate cities full of game stores by busting into them and taking out the supply of filth (vigilante style), then perhaps JT would have have a case. It would be easy to find someone else named Jack Thompson, or even the same exact name he has to legally be the basis for the game, but it still would be close unless the game character looked exactly like him. That would be a sweet game actually, given that you get to create your own custom character. Also get to choose your side, pro, anti, neutral. Or more like the AD&D continuum, with chaotic lawful and chaotic evil players running around the sandbox towns. Some players could also be the game store clerks with weapons under the counter, wall-mounted lasers, trap doors in the floors and other fun mishaps to keep the enemies away. Other players could be deliverymen dropping off truckloads of games, or bike couriers passing around promotional copies of games. Just think about the possibilities of such a game.

@BlackIce

I hated enough in the hells of Junior High until I got the muscles and weight to defend myself better. I let that rage go when life stopped being a horrible experience for me however and I realized how little I gained from it. I can still be angry, just not hateful. ;) When I was full of rage I could beat doors down off hinges. So I know quite well the experience, thanks.

you know guys, your just getting him all riled up. hes probably trying to for gp to give him your email so he can track you down and throw you in jail for making fun of him.
@Jack
Seriously Jack, STFU your old news. no one cares about what you think anymore. go ahead and break your settlement. your just pissed that the guys at penny arcade actually care about other people. thats were this all started. they proved that gamers are not selfabsorbed killing machines, and that makes you a retard. enjoy the contempt of court charges. Also, stop accusing Dennis of being a crappy journalist. this is one of the most factual news sites i have seen.

@all GP patrons.
I say we need to just completely ignore him. when JT stories are posted, read them, laugh at them, tell Dennis hes doing a good job, and leave it at that. when he stops getting the spot light, all this will go away. if we do that , his posts on here will amount to "WHY ISN"T ANYONE PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO ME?!!!!
@GP nice job on all of your stories. i enjoy reading all of them. keep up the good work.

The document mentions a "new Bar complaint" from Take Two. What's he talking about? How new is it?

wow......It sounds like this guy has become ultra-paranoid like coke addicts do

normaly i dont reply to these, but wow, this jack fellow seems to be a bit on the delusional side. i mean with all due respect, even if rockstar was poking fun at him, could you really blame them? jack is bringing this on himself by blowing stupid stuff like this out of proporsion. if he is so concerned about violence, why doesnt he speak out again war? video games should be the least of his concerns. what about fathers who take their kids hunting? does shooting a deer not give kids an idea of violence? or the stuff they watch on the news, or television in general. frankly they are going to learn about it at some point, either way. the only people who would take any violence they see in video games to an extreme, are people who are already unstable. and frankly, maybe 'unstable' is why jack takes it to such an extreme.

The thing that never ceases to amaze me about Jack is his stubborn arrogance. No matter how bad his track record, he thinks he's always right. Well, he's not always right. Quite the opposite, in fact. And point of order, I cannot for the life of me recall a time Jack has EVER been proven right about ANYTHING. So where is all this arrogance coming from?

My theory? It's all a front of denial. Let's face it: we only know Jack from his press releases, TV appearances, and blog postings. We are not privy to his private life at home, however. For all we know, Jack ends his days curled up in a fetal position crying himself to sleep over what a spectacular failure he knows his life and career are. But is he about to let us see that side of himself? Of course not. So he puts up a brave, macho front that he's always right and will eventually have his way, even though he knows better.

Of course, this is all just speculation. He could also just be a nut.

@gamebrain89

JT's tangent reality just gives me ideas for games I will never have sufficient coding skills to produce. But in my head they play wonderfully. So in this real reality I should thank him for being such a moral hypocrite. Thank you!

My money says JT tries to argue attempted entrapment or something similar. "Take-Two knew I'd respond, so the tried goading me into violating our settlement." Which will just get thrown out because proving that would be nearly impossible, even if it were true. Just a hunch though.....

-Mike Schwinger

First of all, I want to make it clear that Jack Thompson should apologize for thinking this is newsworthy.

Secondly, this is not “targeting.” This is parody. Big difference. This is rather foolish on Jack Thompson’s part.

You're absolutely right, Jack. This isn't "parody."

It's PARODY, in big capital letters, underlined three times, and thrown at your face by an MLB pitcher.

JACK THOMPSON you are so gay.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*popcorn* *soda*

Let's see how long this goes on before T2 invokes the settlement agreement and sues Thompson into the ground.

I'm on vacation and come back to this. Brilliant!

Wow.

Anyone else have the urge to offer Jack's son $50 a day just to follow him around with a tape-recorder to hear what other rants spew from him that never actually make it to the public eye. Come on, think about it, if this is what he thinks will get a reaction, imagine how awesomely ridiculous everything Jack discards as too out there must be ... I bet it would be great to listen to some of the crackpot theories, if this is what he throws out as "sane."

@Dennis

Your patience is astounding. I'm nominating you for Sainthood.

jack thompons is stuped because he riery think that rockstar would put time and efered into putting him in thire game.!!!!! jack thompon=gay
PSN GTAmanx

Aaaaaand my spellcheck just vomited up a couple of vowels and some blood. Thanks a lot Chris.

I just find it amazing that Jack Thompson STILL has the ability to pull the strings and waste tax payer money like he does. He should be finded for the trite and petty childish crap that he puts through the legal system everytime he gets his tail feathers ruffled.

Chris - please stop using gay in a negative way like that.

It is targeting Jack.....for parody. Which is protected under free speech.

You lose.

"Conejo Says:
>how is it i know more about lawyering from watching Night Court?"

Because Dan was The Man.

@chris

Are you a Homophobe? Because I can understand your use of the word "gay" in context then. However, I really don't have a problem with Homosexuals, Bisexuals or strange looking sheep. Niether does any civilised person on this website, so please, Shut Up.

I actually want this game more now.

And how would he block all of the sales? (serious question)

"# Minisnor Says:
September 18th, 2007 at 1:30 pm

I thought the last case Jackie-boy lost against Take Two ordered him to sieze all future attempts of holding back the launches of Take twos products, that being through lawsuits or any other means?"

This isn't the end-all. If, for example, Take Two or Rockstar used his ACTUAL likeness in a game without his permission and refused to remove it, no judicial order can prevent him from seeking to block on the grounds that his ACTUAL likeness is used.

In that case, Take Two/Rockstar/whoever has used someone's likeness without permission and by making a profit is depriving someone control of their own ability to market themselves.

As that violates other federal laws, a regional judicial order cannot trump established legal precedent, if not federal copyright law, and he could sue.

That said, it appears they do not use either his name (an inherent trademark) or his actual physical likeness so he can't without first proving that they are CLEARLY (in the eyes of a judge/jury). If he can convince said judge/jury that they are clearly and obviously referencing him, Take Two must obtain a signed release to use that likeness or remove it from the game.

Ya follow that?

"control of their own ability to market themselves"

Who else had an image of a hooker spring to mind then? Classic wording.

I hope no one is confusing me with the other chris, the difference seems to be a link in the name.

Maybe I should have invested in some more originality to avoid dopplegangers.....

@Blackice

Oh trust me, jack wont bother with witnesses, since apparently hes against in some gay rights debate he seems to be picking up a new enemy. Next he'll likely accuse games of turning youths into homosexuals.

That's the point, Ashton. They used only your name. They didn't also use your profession AND your publically stated beliefs.

Is Thompson right? I don't think so. But it does give him an argument and that is sloppy. on Take Two's part.

By Jack's own logic, Gary Coleman and Michal Jackson should both be dead right now, since they both were targeted in video games; Mr. Coleman of course being in Postal 2, while Jackson, fittingly, finds himself in the Space Channel 5 series.

I see it like defending a trademark. If you don't at least put forth the argument - even if you lose - you lose the right to argue the point another day.

@JT:

You seem to think the world revolves around you. My advise: stop staring at the GPS.

Jack, will you represent me against Take2? I want to sue them because I am a 6' 1" white man, with brown hair and I do a lot of walking on city sidewalks.

I have been terrorized for YEARS because the GTA games allow people to drive cars and run over people that LOOK JUST LIKE ME! I am sick of this terroristic threatening, and promise of painful harm upon my person. I want it to end, so I want to sue so I do not have to suffer any longer.

You are nothing more than a bully, hypocrite, and punk.

"That’s the point, Ashton. They used only your name. They didn’t also use your profession AND your publically stated beliefs."

That still wouldn't matter.

If a doctor in GTA said when you killed them, "I like pies!" should every publically pie-loving doctor feel the need to sue Take Two? This is a spin on the whole "Games kill people" theory, and Jack Thompson is obviously not the only hearse chasing, game hating lawyer.

My whole point there was not to take his side, Ashton. It was to point out that Take Two screwed up by giving him an excuse to make waves. Was that necessary for the game? Nope. Does it give him an excuse to make waves and SEEK to get that agreement thrown out? Yup.


By baiting him, they just caused themselves that little bit of grief. He is wrong, but they are not innocent.

What kind of professional LOSES a court case and then afterwards instead of graciously walking away writes childish and petty letters to the Judge who sided against him?

How is this man allowed within the legal system?

[...] Jack Thompson Murder Simulator - Today, 19:19 GamePolitics.com

Anyone remember "A Modest Video Game Proposal?"

You know, the game Jack Thompson wanted to have made that depicted someone murdering "Paula Eibel"? Hell, the name actually resembles "Paul Eibeler," and that's not even the case with GTA IV.

If anything, T2 could have a nice countersuit against the creative works of JT here...

Let me get some popcorn and soda too! This going to be fun!
Jack, go ahead, try to block GTAIV, null & void your agreement with T2, and GP will be sure to cover T2's legal team annihate you in court, then followed up with the Florida Bar (finally) disbarring you. Why don't you set aside your ego, leave quietly, and save face... for once.

I suppose it's only natural that Jack should try to drum up publicity with (yet more) legal threats he knows are meaningless, what with the end of his career (and the peeling veneer of legitimacy it affords him) imminent.

Good luck getting airtime, debating appointments or plugging your worthless book once the Bar are finished with you, Jack. :)

I'm looking forward to the day he is disbarred.

anyone want to start a pool going on when this will cause jacky boy to finally lose his law license............

of course there will be no money involved and its mainly for bragging rights so take a thought to it....


Lmao See Duffy does come up with a good idea here and there

@hilaryduffgta

Be Quiet:P

@blackice


Ha Ha Duffy does not be quiet Just kidding

@kitsufox


Which Street Fighter 2....Super street fighter 2 or champion Edition???

@cullarn

A-ba ba. Muffin Baskets.

Famous people get killed all the time on South Park, Family Guy and Robot Chicken. And then they're exact likenesses identified by name and everything.

That's not even a case, let alone bringing down the entire company.

has jacky ever complained about south park or does he not care for television

better yet did he even make a scene during the time saints row was released..

seeing as how that game makes gta look like an episode of Muppet babies (man i miss that cartoon)

@ hilaryduffgta:


Champion Edition. See how he fares against the originals.

the parody of Jack Thompson on Liberty City Stories didn't reference him as a bisexual pedophile, it referenced him as someone who wants to ban the Internet because he Googled "children's watersports" with the SafeSearch off. Jack referenced HIMSELF as a bisexual pedophile by calling us "kiddies" and demanding our personal information.

@kitsufox

Champion edition was a good one...That reminds me too i need to find that Jt Caw for smackdown vs raw 2007....

Woops i guess i shouldnt have said that since now i'll get a deadline!

Damit

[...] Outspoken anti-games lawyer Jack Thompson has decided that a representation of a 2nd amendment lawyer in GTA IV is a mocking version of him. He has declared that if the representation is not removed he will attempt to block the release of the game. [...]

When he loses his license? I can just see him down town with a cardboard sign.

"Will make insane accusations about current video game for FOOD"

Maybe he will try to get a job with wwe.....


i know he can go on there and adopt hornswoggle

As is stated above...

Parody: a protected right.

Case closed...

One of these days one of these blatantly illegal attempts by Jack will get him stripped of his license...

@Kitsufox_FOX:

"Oh, right, that’s too much of a resemblance, I’ll put you in Phoenix Wright, then. It’s a more lawyer-suited ame. You’ll be the replacement for Prosecutor Payne."

Payne always loses, huh?

-P

So that's what JT mett up with Zelnick for. (Read the letter) "You said you were in a 'war' with me and that you would do 'whatever it takes' to win that war.

In Russia, game play YOU!

If Jack Thompson's argument had a leg to stand on, South Park would no longer be on the air from all the lawsuits. Parody is protected.

"@all GP patrons.
I say we need to just completely ignore him. when JT stories are posted, read them, laugh at them, tell Dennis hes doing a good job, and leave it at that. when he stops getting the spot light, all this will go away. if we do that , his posts on here will amount to “WHY ISN”T ANYONE PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO ME?!!!!"

Well... no. Then he'd think that everyone's afraid of him, and that he's won. A sample size of 0 of 'people who oppose me' is just as good to him as his sample size of 1 of 'minors who buy adult material unhindered.'

I should hope anyone referring to JT as a punk knows the actual definition, along with jocker. They are used both in prison environments and the hobo culture, if that gives you a clue. Just a small FYI for anyone new to the historical use of the word.

Chances are in a couple days or weeks he'll attack something else and put this incident on the bottom of his "To Sue" pile. Jack never seems to follow through with any of his "threats."

The mental image of Thompson sitting at his desk and reading Game Informer makes me chuckle.

For fuck sake YOU CAN'T STOP THIS GAME FROM BEING RELEASED! You've tried countless times and you've failed at just about everything you've ever attempted so shove those goddamn treats right up your ass.

Maybe if the character appeared as a big baby that cried all the time Jack'd have a case. That sounds exactly like him.

Oh, and I personally love the mis-use of "too clever by half" in the full document. The Cambrige International Dictionary of Idioms defines "too clever by half" to mean "to be too confident of your own intelligence in a way that annoys other people". My own experiences in a former British colony confirm that definition. It actually works against him in the document - by use of that idiom, all he does is say that Strauss is annoying him.

He so deserves this. He wants to be in the spotlight, hes certainly got his spot in it. He completely brought this on himself. If he didnt use his screwed up logic to make a name for himself, he wouldnt be in this. Rockstar is known for its parodies and if he had any brains, he wouldnt have attacked Rockstar and Take Two. I dont see anyway some hick "lawyer" (and I use that loosely) has any chance against a monster legal team from the corporate atmosphere. And frankly, I cant wait to see how many different ways I can kill the idiot.

Jack,
How come you were not this upset at your likeness being used as the King of All Cosmos in Katamari Damacy?

[...] Submitted by Matthew Bearup The latest story running on Gamepolitics.com has an entertaining twist. It was revealed in the September issue of Game Informer Magazine that the first mission of Grand Theft Auto IV’s morally grey hero (Niko) is to put a hit on a famous lawyer who opposes video game violence. So of course it’s no surprise that famed attorney Jack Thompson (who has a long history of persecuting Rockstar Games on the count of their violent games) has taken this as a jab at him. Mr. Thompson has demanded his likeness be removed from the game, as follows… The showcasing play of the game to Game Informer revealed that the first killing mission of the “hero” of the game, Niko, is to kill a certain lawyer. When Niko comes into this lawyer’s office, having used subterfuge to do so, Niko pulls a gun on the lawyer who says, “that the firm supports the second amendment and that ‘Guns don’t kill people. Video games do.’” [...]

[...] All around douchebag Jack Thompson goes after GTA IV. Again. Published in video games, GTA, Jack Thompson, Rockstar Games and TakeTwo Interactive. original article [...]

What the hell was Jack doing reading an issue of Game Informer?