American Idol sues over 'Stripper Idol' contest

AUSTIN – "American Idol" wants an Austin strip club to take it off. The company that owns the popular television show sued in federal court to stop the weekly "Stripper Idol" contest at Palazio Men's Club. FremantleMedia North America also wants to seize Palazio's profits from the amateur stripping contest.

In its lawsuit against Palazio, FremantleMedia calls "Stripper Idol" a trademark violation that could mislead the public to think the TV show sponsors the event, The Dallas Morning News reported in Tuesday editions.

Advertisements for the stripping contest use a logo with a "color scheme, design and font" similar to the TV show's. Waitresses at the club also wear T-shirts emblazoned with the logo, according to the lawsuit.

"Defendants are infringing upon FremantleMedia's trademark rights," the suit alleges. "There is a substantial likelihood that consumers will be confused, misled or deceived as to the sponsorship ... of the defendants' stripper talent contest."

Palazio managers initially thought the lawsuit was a joke. But they don't plan to end the Thursday night strip-off.

The club's managers said their contest doesn't resemblance the TV show. In "Stripper Idol" the women have 60 seconds to dance topless, then are ranked by audience applause to win $500.

Fremantle can't lay claim to the word "idol," said "Kinky" Kelly Jones, a club manager and the show's emcee.

"It's shocking. We're just a local company it's not like we're some big threat," said club operations manager Scott Stevenson.

In fact, the lawsuit has brought the club national attention. Its contest is in its 12th week and has a growing popularity, club managers say.
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Odd News-After 55 days, contest ends for 2 living in truck

What, 55 days in a truck, that is odd!
MADISON, Wis. – A Wisconsin radio station had to make two contestants an offer they couldn't refuse in order to get them to quit a game to win a new car.

Tommy Kempfer, 26, of Sun Prairie, and Lisa Thompson, 40, of Westfield, had been living in a truck, hoping to outlast the other to win a new $30,000 vehicle from WMAD-FM in Madison.

After 55 days, the station became concerned that the contest would never end.

"We sensed these two were not going to back down," said John Flint, a co-host on the station's morning show. "There was no way we expected this to go 55 days. If it was not for the deal, it's possible they could have gone on until New Year's."

On Tuesday, the station offered the two a compromise: End the contest and receive $10,000 toward the purchase of a car, among other prizes, or continue with the runner-up receiving nothing.

Within 15 minutes, both agreed to the deal.

"Both of us were ready to go home," Kempfer said, "but we didn't want to leave with nothing after you put in that much time."

Thompson called the contest a "very good experience" but said she wouldn't do it again.

Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, http://www.madison.com/wsj

Chinese wins tightrope contest across Seoul river

SEOUL, South Korea - A professional tightrope walker from China zipped along a wire strung across the Han River in just under 11 minutes to win Seoul's second international high-wire championship, which concluded Saturday.

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Yakefujiang Maimitili, competing Friday on the second day of the three-day contest, beat 26 other competitors in traversing the three-quarter-mile-long wire to claim the $20,000 prize.

Colombia's Alan Martinez came in second place with a time of 11 minutes, 23 seconds. Last year's winner, Abudusataer Wujiabudula of China, finished in 11 minutes, 28 seconds, for third place.

Maimitili, 20, said he has been a tightrope walker since the age of 7, following in his ethnic Uighur family's tradition in his native Xinjiang in northwestern China.

"I was really excited while I was walking on the rope," Maimitili said Saturday.

Tightrope walking is also a Korean tradition going back centuries, with performers often leaping and turning somersaults in midair — and sometimes even cracking jokes — to entertain onlookers.

A 2005 film, "The King and the Clown," which featured a troupe of entertainers who became court jesters, rejuvenated interest in the Korean tradition.

Organizer Kwon Won-tae, a professional tightrope walker who did the stunt work in the film, also competed this week. He credited the competition with keeping the tradition of tightrope walking alive, and said he hopes to eventually compete in communist North Korea.

"Sometime in the future, I want to hold this high-wire championship across the Taedong River in Pyongyang," North Korea's capital, he said Saturday.

Onlookers watched as competitors walked along the 1.2-inch-thick wire, supported by 69-foot-tall towers on the north and south banks of the Han River, which divides the South Korean capital.

No one needed the safety net slung under the wire. Colombia's Marcos Luis Martinez lost his balance at one point but caught himself and managed to run across.

"I am so proud of myself to finish my performance on the single-strand wire," he said.

Ayaixiguli Maimitili, who said she came from China to watch six fellow Uighurs compete in Seoul, including the winner, decided to try her hand at crossing the tightrope — with bowls on her head.

"Traditionally, Uighur women put bowls on their head to keep their balance," she said.

The competitors hailed from 14 countries, including Tino Wallenda and his daughter Aurelia of the "Flying Wallendas" high-wire act.

Onlookers later had the chance to try walking a shorter tightrope — not as high up — themselves.

"I felt nervous and cool at the same time," said tourist Kai Schneider, 22, from Germany.
On the Net: High Wire World Championship: http://www.x-highwire.org/eng/

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