'Bigfoot' takes free speech fight to NH high court

September 2010, an artist and filmmaker Jonathan Doyle made a video of himself wearing a Bigfoot suit, surprising hikers along mountain trails at New Hampshire’s Mount Monadnock State Park — a project Doyle says was “just a spontaneous idea and social experiment.” 


Jonathan Doyle, a performance artist, has appealed a case involving his right to film bigfoot skits in New Hampshire’s Monadnock State Park to the NH Supreme Court. He argues that the permit requirements are unduly onerous for small-scale productions.

According to Boston Globe, this is why he's fighting:

On a whim two years ago, performance artist Jonathan Doyle paraded around the bustling peak of New Hampshire's Mount Monadnock in a $40 Bigfoot costume from iParty. He thought his deadpan video interviews with hikers describing their Bigfoot sightings would be worth a few chuckles on YouTube, and might boost the profile of his other artwork. But the staff at Monadnock State Park found the Yeti act abominable. When Doyle returned with friends to shoot a sequel, the park manger quashed the production and ordered Doyle off the mountain, insisting he needed a state permit to film a movie in the park. Bigfoot stepped up with a lawsuit, alleging that the park's permit regulations are unconstitutional. The New Hampshire Supreme Court next month will hear Doyle's complaint. Though many elements of the dispute border on the absurd, the case raises some serious free speech issues.

Some people say this isn't really a free speech issue at all. They believe this is a case of the "Big boy rules" being applied to the little guy. You can't shoot a Hollywood movie in a national park without the proper permits, that's something that no-one wants to argue. However, the park isn't going to stop a family busting out a video camera and recording their holiday hike.

Others believe this is an "important free speech issue". They believe that the park management are using selective enforcement of (possibly outdated) regulations against people who merely annoy them.

Fox 25 News - 'Bigfoot' Lawsuit! Interview with Jonathan Doyle

Comments

  1. It's all fun and games until some jackass gets shot then what are people gonna be bitchin about. That's everyone's answer to problems now a day's LAWSUIT. Like I said if this guy or anyone else like him gets shot NO fault should be put on the shooter. Just another hunting accident. Dumbass

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ditto on the above comment, dress like a deer or bear and there would be no discussion at all, just call him a Dumbass for thinking about it...

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  3. I 've seen his interview on YouTube he says there was blood every where surely it would be on his clothes !!!!! Evidence no one was taking pictures !!!!! I don't believe it ....i can only hope it's not true

    ReplyDelete
  4. I 've seen his interview on YouTube he says there was blood every where surely it would be on his clothes !!!!! Evidence no one was taking pictures !!!!! I don't believe it ....i can only hope it's not true

    ReplyDelete

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