New Hampshire Supreme Court says it’s OK to make a goofy film about Bigfoot on Mount Monadnock without a state permit
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| 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.” |
According to the New Hampshire Supreme Court, Jonathan Doyle, a performance artist, has the right to film Bigfoot skits in New Hampshire’s Monadnock State Park. Doyle argued that the permit requirements were unduly onerous for small-scale productions. The court's ruling was handed down Friday morning.
This is what the MONADNOCK LEDGER-TRANSCRIPT published today about the NH Supreme Court ruling:
The New Hampshire Supreme Court issued a ruling today backing a freelance filmmaker who dressed up as Bigfoot, talked to hikers on Mt. Monadnock, and filmed the conversations.
The plaintiff in the case, Jonathan Doyle, formerly of Keene, successfully made one video in Sept. 6, 2009, posted it on YouTube and was preparing to shoot another on Sept. 19, when Monadnock State Park officials told him he would need a costly special-use permit to film again, and ordered him off the mountain.
A Superior Court judge last year affirmed the actions of the Department of Resources and Economic Development and the Monadnock State Park. Doyle appealed to the state Supreme Court with the help of the state branch of the American Civil Liberties Union.
In the ruling issued Friday, Justice J. Duggan wrote that Doyle’s activities did not reach the level required for a permit. “The First and Fourteenth Amendments do not permit a state to make criminal the exercise of the right of assembly simply because its exercise may be ‘annoying’ to some people,” he wrote.
Fake. And so utterly boring I can't stand it. Bigfoot is so dull. the pursuit of bigfoot is worse. so what if they do find him? Look at him for a bit? uggh. Even if he wasn't so boring, which he is, nobody could stand to look at him for more than an hour. He would have the same arms, legs and head as an average gibbon or orangutan. so what? I would be disappointed if the bigfoot you describe is real. Snore.
ReplyDelete@BiB- You sure do sound alot like Doogle Norris!lol!!! Go get a life. Big Dad
ReplyDeleteIt's no doubt either one of Dyer or Smeja's redneck friends (BiB). I find it hard to believe this was an issue. How many times do people go into parks and act out goofy stuff for a home movie or just for a YouTube clip. I have an ongoing gag at my blog where I run into BF footprints everywhere I go, even ridiculous places like the desert. I can't imagine a state park employee strolling over and going after me for making a goofy little film in his park. I think they got some bad press and had to make nice-nice with the public. I'd be more concerned what their laws are regarding shooting BF.
ReplyDeleteI cant beleive how many BF "Researchers" have this exact costume. Tcsjrbigfoot owns this and uses it at Westbranch. He even someone where it at his Westbranch Bigfoot Weekend.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great country we live in... This guy took his argument all the way to his state's supreme court and won. What a great story of the preservation mechanisms we have for our rights that we so often take for granted. Congratulations to this brave man.
ReplyDeleteThank God Mr. Doyle had the good sense to pull this off in New Hampshire and not in the Dixie Mountain Game Refuge of California where Mr. Smeja could get him in his sights.
ReplyDeleteChuck in Ohio
It's a bit dangerous to be walking around in a bigfoot suit nowadays. You could end up with some shot in your rump.
ReplyDeleteThat costume cost like $200 online, in all honesty that is pretty funny.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many times this costume has faked people out. It's not bad if you got $500 to throw around.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thehorrordome.com/deluxe-sasquatch-bigfoot-halloween-costume.aspx
I think it was an important ruling. What about people and families just taking film of the nature around there. Next thing you know they would be prosecuting people filming bears without a permit!
ReplyDeleteIt was the right decision.
Chad
I had to go to the bank. God it was boring. Not as boring as bigfoot, but pretty boring. I mean, bigfoot is unsurpassed in it's ability to induce boredom. You have to be annoyed that this boring story is posted here. It's amazing to me that there's even more than one story a month worthy of a blog posting. I guess that's why it's filled with Costumed nerds and fake videos. This fake world of bigfoot is totally boring, but can you imagine a world of bigfoot with out the costumed frauds, faked evidence, dopey fake footprints, articles written by bone-headed experts and stupid bigfoot TV shows? you wouldn't have to turn your monitor on, you could just sit and drift off, because that's what the real bigfoot world would be. Nothing. A big boring nothing. At least people wouldn't think you were a knob if you just sat and looked at your screen for a few hours a day. They might think it's relaxing. Boring, but relaxing.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy for the guy.If you think you're right,fight it.
ReplyDelete'bigfoot is boring' is boring. Anyways, looking at that cheap full body suit there, you really have to wonder about the sanity of people still thinking the Patterson film's fake.
ReplyDelete