Yogi Berra Suing TBS For $10 Million

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Yogi Berra once observed that you can observe a lot just by watching. Apparently the baseball legend is now concerned that viewers might infer entirely too much about him by observing subway and bus stop ads for TBS’ “Sex and the City.” Berra is suing TBS for $10 million, claiming that his image has been tainted by the cable network’s improper use of his name.

Berra, who also once declared, “I didn’t really say everything I said,” takes exception to a TBS ad challenging readers to identify the proper definition of “Yogasm.” The options include “a) a type of yo-yo trick,” “b) sex with Yogi Berra” and “c) what Samantha has with a guy from yoga class.” Fans of the racy show presumably know that the last answer is the correct one, Berra still isn’t pleased.

In documents obtained by the good people at TheSmokingGun.com, Berra first notes that he never, orally or in writing, gave TBS permission to use his name and that, as a former Yankee great, much of Berra’s current income is contingent on the use of that name. In the complaint, filed with the New York State Supreme Court, Berra is described as a married man with children and grandchildren, as well as “a deeply religious man who has maintained and continues to maintain a moral lifestyle, and has a spotless reputation for integrity, decency and moral character.”
The complaint charges that use of Berra’s name in the “Sex” ad “engenders a moral taint that has damaged his otherwise spotless reputation. Berra also claims to have suffered “emotional hurt.” To quote the great catcher, TBS made “too many wrong mistakes.”

Berra, inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, hit 358 home runs and drove in 1430 runs. He won three MVP crowns and earned 10 World Series rings. In addition to the success he earned on the baseball field, Berra’s quotability make him one of the game’s most popular players.

The only thing that’s for sure is that it ain’t over til it’s over.

Credit: Zap2It