Goodfellas actor files $250 million lawsuit against The Simpsons for allegedly stealing his likeness
Actor Frank Sivero has filed a $250 million lawsuit claiming a mob stooge on the TV show The Simpsons is a ripoff of his iconic character from Goodfellas.
In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, Sivero says he used to live in the same apartment complex as some Simpsons writers, and that the show was therefore "highly aware" he was developing the character Frankie Carbone for Goodfellas. One year after the film's release, The Simpsons debuted a mafia lackey, Louie, whose "appearance and mannerisms are strongly evocative" of Sivero's character, the suit states.
The lawsuit names Fox Television Studios as a defendant, and seeks $250 million in restitution because Sivero "has suffered, and continues to suffer severe financial damages in the form of lost income."
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Here's to hoping no party in the lawsuit hires Lionel Hutz as representation.
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Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.