Man Sues Blue Man Group
By Margaret Lyons in News on Jan 24, 2008 6:59PM
If you can hear "Blue Man Group" and not think of this episode of Arrested Development....that's only because you haven't seen it.In 2006, James Srodon took his grandson to see Blue Man Group at Briar Street Theater. Now he's suing the group, theater owners and related entities for $50K because he says he was subject to the "esophagus cam." From TMZ's copy of the lawsuit, Srodon alleges:
...two of the actors intentionally held the Plaintiffs shoulders, neck and arms, and forced his head back causing Plaintiff to open his mouth, without notice to Plaintiff, without his express or implied permission and against his will...A Blue Man actor then intentionally forced the "esophagus cam" into the mouth of Plaintiff, JAMES SRODON, without notice, without his express or implied permission, and against his will.
At the time the "esophagus cam" was inserted into Plaintiff's mouth, it was covered in food, liquid, and grime from the Briar Street Theatre floor, including the thick blue paint used to coverthe actors' faces.
...[He] struggled to free himself and remove the "esophagus cam" from his mouth, but was forcibly restrained by the Blue Man actors
... That an image of Plaintiff JAMES SRODON's mouth and throat was then projected onto a large screen for all other audience members to see, including Plaintiff's 8 year old grandson.
...That the "esophagus cam", when intentionally forced into Plaintiff's mouth, caused him injury to his throat, mouth and dental work
...As a direct and proximate result of the aforesaid acts committed by the Defendant, Plaintiff... has experienced pain, suffering, emotional distress, disability, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and has incurred medical bills, all of which are permanent in nature.
It sounds more like a mouth cam than an esophagus cam, but either way--this happens at Blue Man Group shows? Weird. Unsurprisingly, Blue Man Group's publicist declined to comment.