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Wayans Ruling

Jun 02, 2018

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  • 8/10/2019 Wayans Ruling

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    ~~

    S u p e r i o r

    Court

    o f

    C a l i f o r n i a

    County

    o f

    Los

    Angeles

    S h e r r i

    R.

    a r t e r

    Exe

    M i r e

    Q

    i c e r / C l e r k

    By----

    Deputy

    ~,. Y (Janno

    SUPERIOR

    COURT

    OF

    THE STATE

    OF

    CALIFORNIA

    COUNTY OF

    LOS

    ANGELES

    DANIEL,

    Plaintiff,

    vs.

    ICM, etc.,

    et al.,

    Defendants

    Case No.:

    BC555610

    RULING

    RE

    SUBMITTED

    MATTER

    Hearing

    date:

    1

    2/

    1

    1/14

    Counsel

    for

    defendant/moving

    party

    Marlon

    Wayans:

    William

    Briggs;

    Celeste

    Brecht

    (Venable)

    Counsel for

    plaintiff/opposing

    party:

    Adam

    Reimer;

    Tessa

    King;

    Alisa

    Khousadian

    Reimer,

    etc.)

    Defendant

    Wayans

    special

    motion

    to

    strike

    complaint

    (CCP

    ~

    425.16),

    filed

    11/5/14;

    hearing

    date 12

    /

    1

    1/14.

    Defendant

    Wayans

    seeks

    an order

    striking

    the

    eight

    causes

    of

    action (1S t

    and

    4 t h

    through 10t h

    )

    alleged

    against

    him.

    73

    ONGKEKO,

    P R E S I D I N G

    RULING RE SUBMITTED

    MATTER

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    Having

    read and considered

    the moving

    and

    opposing

    papers,

    heard

    argument,

    and having taken the

    matter

    under

    submission,

    the

    court

    now

    rules as follows:

    Evidentiary

    rulings:

    Plaintiff's objections to

    defendant's

    evidence:

    #14,

    25.

    Overrule all

    others.

    Defendant's

    objections to

    plaintiff's

    evidence:

    Sustained

    as

    to

    Sustained.

    Defendant

    Wayans' motion

    to strike

    is

    GRANTED

    as

    to

    each

    challenged

    cause

    of

    action

    against

    Wayans,

    namely,

    the

    l

    st

    and

    4t n

    through

    10t hcauses of action.

    There

    being

    no

    other

    surviving

    causes

    of action

    against Wayans,

    the

    complaint

    against

    Wayans

    is

    (DISMISSED.

    DISCUSSION

    Timeliness

    Plaintiff's

    amended objection

    (filed 12/

    2/

    14)

    is

    based

    on

    a

    hearing scheduled

    beyond

    the

    30

    -day

    period

    under

    CCP

    425.16(f).

    This

    objection is

    overruled.

    Motion

    date

    availability

    in

    Dept.

    73

    is

    given by

    court staff

    as soon

    as

    practicable.

    Given

    the

    court's

    caseload

    and heavily

    congested

    motion

    calendar,

    despite

    daily

    law

    a n d

    motion settings,

    the

    very

    slight

    delay

    here

    of

    six

    days

    is

    not

    an issue

    for

    the court and

    certainly

    not a

    sufficient

    ground

    to

    deny

    a

    hearing on

    the motion.

    2

    73

    ONGKEKO

    P R E S I D I N G

    RULING RE

    SUBMITTED

    MATTER

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    Continuance

    request

    By

    his

    ex

    parte

    application

    filed

    on

    11/21/14,

    plaintiff

    sought

    a

    order

    continuing

    the motion

    and

    authorizing

    limited

    discovery

    to

    conduct three depositions,

    including

    inquiries

    into

    the

    standard

    union voucher defendant

    submitted (Ex.

    A

    to

    Alvarez'

    declaration

    and

    Wayans'

    alleged

    nondisclosure

    agreement.

    The

    court

    denied

    th

    requests without

    prejudice. Given

    the

    rulings

    below,

    there

    is

    no

    good cause to reconsider

    the ruling

    denying

    these

    requests.

    The

    voucher

    applies

    in

    Wayans'

    favor

    given

    his

    various

    roles

    in

    the

    production

    of the

    film

    and any

    nondisclosure

    agreement

    he

    might

    have would not change the

    result

    as

    against

    this

    plaintiff.

    (Merits

    CCP ~

    425.16

    `requires

    that

    a

    court

    engage

    in

    a

    two-step

    process

    when

    determining

    whether

    a

    defendant's

    anti-SLAPP

    motion

    should

    b

    granted.' (Citation

    omitted.)

    `First

    the

    court

    decides

    whether

    the defendant has made

    a

    threshold showing that the challenged

    cause of

    action

    is one arising

    from

    protected

    activity.

    [Citation.]

    A

    defendant

    meets

    this

    burden

    by

    demonstrating

    that

    the act

    underlying

    the

    plaintiff's

    cause

    [of

    actions

    fits

    one

    of

    the

    categories

    spelled out

    in

    section

    425.16,

    subdivision

    (e)

    [citation] '

    [Citation.

    [ y [ ]

    If

    the

    defendant

    makes

    this

    showing, the court proceeds

    to

    the

    second

    step

    of

    the

    anti-SLAPP

    analysis.

    [Citation.]

    In

    the

    second

    step,

    the

    court

    decides

    whether

    the

    plaintiff

    has

    demonstrated a

    reasonable

    probability

    of

    prevailing

    at

    trial

    on

    the

    merits of

    its

    challenged

    causes

    of

    73

    ONGKEKO

    P R E S I I N G

    RULING RE

    SUBMITTED

    MATTER

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    action.

    [Citations.]

    [~]

    Conversely,

    if the

    defendant

    does

    not

    meet

    its

    burden

    on

    the

    first

    step, the

    court

    should

    deny

    the

    motion

    and

    need not

    address the

    second

    step.

    [Citation.]

    (Citation

    omitted.)

    Hunter

    v.

    CBS

    Broadcasting (2013)

    221

    Cal.App.4t

    1510,

    1519

    (italics

    added).

    ~~Only a

    cause

    of

    action

    that

    satisfies

    both

    prongs of

    the

    anti-SLAPP statutei.e.,

    that

    arises

    from

    protected

    speech or

    petitioning

    and lacks

    even

    minimal

    meritis

    a

    SLAPP,

    subject

    to

    being

    stricken

    under the

    statute.

    Navellier v.

    Sletten

    (2002) 29

    Cal.4th

    82,

    89

    (Italics

    omitted).

    //

    //

    3

    ONGKEKO

    PRESIDING

    RULING

    RE

    SUBMITTED

    MATTER

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    First

    Prong

    Protected

    Activity

    Defendant

    Marlon

    Wayans' motion

    to

    strike

    contends,

    at

    6:26-

    7:1,

    that plaintiff's claims

    against

    him

    are

    based

    on

    activity

    that

    qualifies

    for

    protection

    under

    the

    anti-SLAPP

    statute's

    public

    forum

    -public

    interest

    statement,

    i.e.,

    any

    written

    or

    oral

    statement or writing made

    in a

    place

    open

    to

    the

    public

    or a

    public

    forum

    in connection

    with an

    issue

    of

    public

    interest.

    (CCP 425.16(e)(3)

    ).

    In

    his reply

    (filed

    1

    2/

    4

    /14),

    Wayans

    relies

    on

    (e)(4)

    as

    well,

    i.e.,

    any

    other

    conduct

    in

    furtherance

    of

    the

    exercise of the constitutional

    right of

    petition

    or

    the

    constitutional

    right of

    free

    speech in

    connection

    with

    a

    public

    issue or

    an

    issue of

    public

    interest.

    The

    motion contends

    that

    the

    protected

    conduct

    involves

    Wayans' Internet

    (via

    Twitter)

    post

    to

    social

    networking

    sites

    humorously

    comparing Daniel

    to

    the

    popular

    cartoon

    character

    Cleveland Brown. (7:1-2, footnote omitted.) However, plaintiff

    further

    contends

    that

    other

    acts

    and

    conduct

    (e.g.,

    racial

    harassment

    in

    the

    FEHA

    1

    St

    ause of

    action)

    are

    involved.

    Although defendant

    acknowledges

    that

    plaintiff

    describes

    other

    conduct

    by

    Wayans that

    may

    not be

    protected,

    defendant

    relies

    on

    the

    protections extended

    to

    such

    conduct

    if

    the

    gravamen

    or

    principal thrust of

    the claim

    is

    protected

    activity

    (7:26

    -

    28,

    fn.1, citations omitted).

    5

    73

    ONGKEKO

    P R S I I N G

    RULING

    RE

    SUBMITTED

    MATTER

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    73

    ONGKEKO,

    PRESIDING

    Having

    considered the

    admissible

    evidence

    from

    both

    sides,

    including the

    transcripts

    and

    the

    viewing

    of

    actual

    film

    footage,

    the

    court finds

    that

    the

    entirety

    of

    the

    claimed

    conduct

    meets

    th.

    first

    prong of

    the

    anti-SLAPP

    analysis,

    fulfilling

    defendant

    Wayans'

    burden

    to show

    all

    of

    his

    statements

    and

    conduct

    are

    protected activity

    under

    paragraphs 3

    and

    4

    of

    subdivision

    (e)

    of

    the

    anti-SLAPP

    statute.

    In determining

    the

    applicability of

    CCP

    425.16

    to

    the

    myriad .

    of factual

    situations

    presented in

    anti-SLAPP

    cases,

    courts

    shoul

    look

    at

    the principal

    thrust or

    gravamen

    of a

    plaintiff's

    claims.

    Dyer v.

    Childress (2007)

    147

    Cal.App.4t

    1273,

    1279.

    Notwithstanding his 43

    -page

    complaint

    and

    declarations

    in

    opposition,

    plaintiff's

    claims

    ignore

    the

    holdings

    in

    recent

    case

    which

    make it clear

    that

    even

    where

    FEHA

    violations

    are

    alleged,

    so

    long

    as the protected

    activity

    was

    not

    incidental

    to

    the

    FEH

    claims, the discrimination claims which constitute the

    very

    conduct

    on which

    such

    claims

    are

    based,

    are

    still

    subject

    to

    anti-SLAPP

    protections.

    Hunter,

    supra,

    at

    1522-1525,

    citing

    Tuszynska

    v.

    Cunningham

    (2011)

    199

    Cal.App.4t

    257.

    Just

    as

    in

    Hunter, where all of

    the

    allegations

    underlying

    Hunter's

    discrimination

    claims

    relate to

    the

    allegedly

    unlawful

    manner

    in

    which CBS selected its

    weather

    anchors

    (Hunter,

    supra,

    at

    1521),

    'here,

    all

    of

    plaintiff's

    claims

    relate

    to

    conduct

    and

    decisions

    made

    in

    connection with

    his

    one

    -day

    participation

    in

    the

    filming

    of the movie,

    ultimately

    distilled to

    his

    five

    seconds

    of

    film

    RULING

    RE

    SUBMITTED

    MATTER

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    3

    ONGKEKO

    PRESIDING

    time.

    Wayans' actions

    and

    conduct,

    particularly

    the

    decision

    to

    compare

    plaintiff

    to,

    and

    eventually

    name

    him

    as,

    the

    Cleveland

    cartoon

    character,

    were

    not

    simply

    incidental

    to

    plaintiff's

    claims, but

    comprise

    the

    very

    conduct

    upon

    which

    plaintiff's

    claims are

    based.

    Hunter,

    supra, at

    1525.

    Wayans has

    shown

    that

    plaintiff's

    role

    was

    limited

    as

    an

    extra

    to

    one day's work

    as

    a

    non

    -speaking

    furniture

    mover

    in

    an

    rated comedy that lived up (or

    down)

    to

    its

    rating,

    complete

    with.

    trashy,

    raunchy,

    racist,

    and

    offensive

    humor.

    Wayans,

    who

    has

    a

    body

    of work that

    deals with

    racial

    humor,

    among

    others,

    has

    also

    shown

    that the comedy

    depended on

    the

    artists'

    creativity

    based

    o

    improvisation that

    is

    encouraged and

    occurs

    spontaneously

    on

    the

    set.

    The creative process

    was ongoing

    and

    continued

    even

    when

    the

    cameras were not

    rolling.

    The

    evolution

    of

    the

    scene

    involving

    plaintiff as

    shown

    in

    the

    outtakes

    and

    final

    version

    is

    a

    prime

    example of the improvisational ad lib process. The Cleveland

    (character

    was born precisely

    from

    that

    process,

    using

    a

    name

    and

    (character

    at first

    unbeknownst to

    plaintiff

    until

    Wayans

    called

    (him

    by

    that

    name

    sometime that

    day

    before

    the

    cameras

    began

    to

    roll.

    The

    name was not

    chosen

    accidentally,

    but

    was

    based

    on

    Wayans'

    noticing

    plaintiff's

    physical

    similarities

    with

    the

    cartoon

    character.

    It

    is

    undisputed

    that

    plaintiff

    was

    called

    by

    the names

    of

    Cleveland and

    Cleveland

    Brown

    both

    on

    and

    off

    camera.

    It is undisputed that plaintiff

    willingly

    answered

    to

    Cleveland

    and

    Cleveland

    Brown and took

    direction

    from

    those

    in

    a

    position

    to

    7

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    SUBMITTED

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    3

    ONGKEKO,

    R E S I I N G

    (give

    directions (including

    Wayans)

    while

    so

    addressed.

    It is

    undisputed

    that

    plaintiff's

    brief

    role

    and

    purpose

    in

    the

    film

    wa

    limited

    to his

    character,

    which

    developed

    eventually

    as

    the

    comical Cleveland Brown

    character.

    The

    Cleveland

    Brown

    character

    like

    plaintiff, obviously

    black,

    heavy

    (plaintiff's

    role

    cast

    him

    as

    a

    heavy-set

    furniture

    mover

    strong

    enough

    to

    move

    and

    lift

    the

    safe

    that flattened

    the

    dog),

    with

    curly

    Afro

    hair

    (hence,

    the

    perm

    and Jheri curl jokes), were

    all

    incorporated

    humorously

    into

    the

    filming of the scene

    involving

    Wayans,

    his

    dog,

    and

    plaintiff

    Indeed,

    plaintiff

    fulfilled

    his

    role

    as

    an

    extra.

    The

    transcript

    and

    film

    clips

    show

    that

    plaintiff's

    concerns

    regarding

    Wayans'

    statements and conduct were part of

    the

    improvisational

    humor

    tha

    was

    important

    to the

    creative

    process

    and

    should

    have

    come

    as

    no

    surprise to

    plaintiff

    as a

    participant in

    that

    process.

    Apart

    from

    the photograph consent

    issue

    (discussed

    below

    in

    connection

    with

    the

    5

    th

    and

    6

    t h causes

    of

    action),

    Wayans'

    single

    Twitter

    post

    ~of

    plaintiff's photo alongside the Cleveland Brown cartoon

    (character

    with a caption using

    racially

    based

    humor

    with

    social

    media

    links to

    the

    film

    itself

    ( ahhmovie2 )

    and

    even

    a

    separate

    reference

    to

    Wayans'

    own

    website

    whatthefunny

    (CCP

    425.17(d)(2j)

    falls well

    within

    the

    ambit

    of

    the

    humor

    emanating

    from

    plaintiff's

    role in the

    film

    and

    its

    promotion.

    Despite the

    above

    circumstances,

    plaintiff

    claims

    the

    case

    is

    about a

    FEHA violation

    premised upon

    Wayans'

    race

    harassment,

    including posting a picture of

    Daniel

    that

    refers

    to

    him

    as

    a

    RULING RE

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    3

    ONGKEKO

    R E S I D I N G

    `nigga.'

    (Open. 4:19-21).

    Although

    not

    mentioned

    in

    his

    complaint,

    it

    cannot be

    disputed

    that

    Wayans,

    like

    plaintiff,

    is

    African

    -American.

    Plaintiff's

    declaration

    also

    refers to

    Wayans'

    calling him a

    black

    fat ass,

    nigga

    at

    least

    three

    to

    four

    times,

    and referring to his hair

    as

    an

    Afro,

    all

    the

    while

    evoking

    laughter from

    other

    individuals.

    (Daniels

    decl.

    9 [ g I 7

    9,

    0, 1, 2)

    Even

    construing

    plaintiff's

    evidence

    liberally,

    it is

    inescapable that

    the

    principal

    thrust

    or

    gravamen

    of

    his

    claims

    fall

    within activity

    protected by

    Wayans'

    rights

    of

    free

    speech

    in the context

    of

    the

    production

    of

    this

    type

    of

    film.

    It

    is

    undisputed that the

    statements and

    actions

    were

    made

    in

    furtherance

    of

    the constitutional

    right of

    free

    speech

    under

    (e)(4).

    Just

    as

    the

    creation

    of

    a

    television

    show

    is

    an

    exercise

    of

    free

    speech

    and

    where the

    defendants'

    acts

    helped

    to

    advance

    or

    assist in the

    creation,

    casting,

    and

    broadcasting

    (Tamkin v.

    CBS

    (2011) 193

    Ca1.App.4th

    33, 143),

    the

    creation

    of

    the

    Cleveland character through plaintiff, and all positive or

    negative

    statements

    and

    conduct

    that

    may

    arguably

    come

    with

    it,

    was part

    of the

    improvisational

    humor,

    both

    on

    and

    off

    camera

    that

    advanced

    or

    assisted

    the

    exercise of

    free

    speech.

    Cf.

    Hunter,

    supra,

    at

    1521, citing

    Tamkin,

    supra,

    at

    143.

    Thus,

    plaintiff's

    complaints

    about

    conduct occurring

    during

    breaks

    and

    throughout

    the

    filming day implicate

    Wayans'

    free

    speech

    rights

    under

    (e)(4)

    which

    qualify

    as a

    form

    of

    protected

    activity

    as

    the

    statute

    should

    be

    broadly

    construed.

    CCP

    425.16(a)

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    Wayans'

    posting

    of the photo occurred via

    social

    media

    over

    the

    Internet,

    a

    public

    forum under

    (e)(3).

    The

    remaining issue

    concerns

    the

    public

    issue

    or

    public

    interest

    requirement,

    as

    they appear

    in

    (e)(3)

    and

    (4).

    Section

    425.16

    does

    not define

    `public

    interest'

    or

    `public

    issue.'

    Those

    terms

    are

    inherently amorphous and thus

    do not

    lend

    themselves to

    a

    precise,

    all

    -encompassing

    definition.

    Cross v.

    Cooper

    (2011)

    197

    Cal.

    App.

    4th

    357, 371. In the

    court's

    view

    these

    are

    easily

    met

    by

    Wayans'

    linking plaintiff's

    specific

    role

    in

    the

    film

    to

    the

    Cleveland

    Brown character (an

    existing

    cartoon

    character

    in

    whom

    there

    was

    already

    an

    existing

    public

    interest-

    e.g.,

    I

    hope

    the

    Cleveland

    Brown

    show gets

    another

    season )

    and

    to

    the

    public's

    interest

    in

    Wayans' work, the movie sequel,

    and

    issues

    relating

    to

    race,

    stereotypes,

    and

    the

    like. That

    plaintiff,

    as

    an

    extra,

    became

    the focus

    of

    certain

    statements

    and

    conduct

    is

    unfortunate,

    but well within the protections intended by the anti-SLAPP

    statute.

    Defendant

    Wayans

    has

    met his burden

    under

    the

    protected

    activity

    prong

    of the

    anti-SLAPP

    statute.

    Second

    Prong

    Probability of

    Success

    on

    the

    Merits

    Once

    a

    defendant has

    established

    that the

    anti-SLAPP

    statute

    applies,

    the

    burden

    shifts to the

    plaintiff

    to

    demonstrate a

    probability

    of

    success on the

    merits. CCP ~

    425.16(b);

    Equilon

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    Enterprises

    LLC

    v.

    Consumer

    Cause,

    Inc.

    (2002)

    29

    Cal.4th

    53,

    67.

    [T]he

    plaintiff

    must demonstrate

    that

    the

    complaint

    is

    both

    legally

    sufficient and

    supported

    by

    a

    sufficient

    prima

    facie

    showing

    of facts

    to

    sustain

    a

    favorable

    judgment if

    the

    evidence

    submitted by

    the

    plaintiff is

    credited.

    Matson

    v.

    Dvorak

    (1995)

    40

    Cal.App.4th

    539,

    548

    (internal

    quotations

    omitted).

    The

    evidentiary

    showing by the

    plaintiff

    must

    be

    made

    by

    competent

    and

    admissible

    evidence.

    Morrow

    v.

    Los

    Angeles

    Unified

    School

    District

    (2007) 149

    Ca1.App.4th

    1424,

    1444.

    We

    decide

    the

    second

    step

    of

    the

    anti-SLAPP

    analysis

    on

    consideration of

    `the

    pleadings

    and

    supporting and

    opposing

    affidavits

    stating

    the

    facts

    upon

    ,which

    the

    liability

    or

    defense

    is

    based.' (

    425.16,

    subd.

    (b)).

    ,Looking

    at

    those

    affidavits,

    `[w]e do not

    weigh

    credibility,

    nor

    do

    we

    evaluate the

    weight of the

    evidence.

    Instead,

    we

    accept

    as

    true

    all

    evidence

    favorable to the

    plaintiff

    and

    assess

    the

    defendant's

    evidence

    only

    to

    determine if

    it

    defeats

    the

    plaintiff's submission

    as a

    matter of law.' [Citation.]

    [~]

    That

    is

    the

    setting

    in

    which

    we determine

    whether

    plaintiff

    has

    met

    the

    required

    showing,

    a showing

    that is

    `not

    high.'

    [Citation.]

    Grewal

    v.

    Jammu (2011) 191

    Cal.App.4th

    977,

    989.

    1

    ause

    of

    action-

    Race/national

    origin

    harassment

    in

    employment.

    (Govt.

    Code

    12940, et

    sea):

    Plaintiff

    has not

    shown that

    the

    various

    statements

    and

    actions

    attributed

    to Wayans

    unreasonably

    interfered with

    his

    work

    performance by

    creating

    an intimidating,

    hostile,

    or

    offensive

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    work

    environment.

    Thompson

    v.

    City

    of

    Monrovia

    (2010)

    186

    Cal.App.4

    t h

    860,

    876. The

    alleged

    harassment

    was

    not

    sufficiently

    severe or

    pervasive

    to alter

    the

    conditions

    of

    [plaintiff's]

    employment and

    create

    an

    abusive

    working

    environment.

    Kelly-Zurian v.

    Wohl

    Shoe

    Co.

    (1994)

    22

    Cal.App,4

    397,

    409.

    Plaintiff has not

    shown

    a

    probability

    of

    success

    on

    this

    cause

    of

    action.

    t

    cause

    of action

    -Unruh Act

    violation

    (Civil

    Code

    51,

    et

    seq.):

    Plaintiff

    alleges the

    same

    conduct

    relied

    on

    in

    the

    1

    t

    cause

    of

    action. (~78)

    He

    alleges

    defendants

    denied

    ;

    discriminated,

    and/o

    made a

    distinction that

    denied

    full

    and

    equal

    accommodations,

    advantages, facilities, privileges,

    and/or

    services

    to

    Plaintiff.

    (~75)

    The

    Unruh Act applies where

    businesses

    exclude

    individuals,

    and

    where treatment is unequal,

    based upon

    race,

    color,

    and

    ancestry,

    among other

    protected

    classifications.

    Cohn

    v.

    Corinthian Colleges,

    Inc. (2008)

    169 Cal.App.4th

    523,

    527.)

    The

    Unruh Act does not

    apply

    to

    employment.

    Rojo

    v.

    Kliger

    (1990)

    52

    Cal. 3d

    65. The cases

    cited

    by

    Plaintiff

    are

    inapposite.

    Plaintiff

    would not

    succeed on

    these

    allegations.

    The

    allegations

    concern, not the denial, but the

    rendition

    of

    services

    in

    connection

    with

    his

    employment

    (arguably

    the

    entire

    employment

    period

    of

    one

    day)

    which

    themselves are

    alleged

    to

    constitute

    the

    tortious acts. The

    Unruh Act

    should

    not

    be

    turned

    on

    its

    head

    in

    this

    manner.

    Even

    assuming

    the

    statute

    does

    apply,

    in

    arguing

    that he

    can

    demonstrate

    a

    likelihood

    of

    success

    on

    this

    cause

    of

    12

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    appropriating plaintiff's name,

    voice,

    likeness,

    et.

    cetera;

    and

    (4)

    resulting

    injury. Kirby v.

    Sega of

    America,

    Inc.

    (2006)

    144

    Cal.

    App.

    4th 47, 55.

    Here,

    Plaintiff

    maintains he

    never

    gave

    permission

    for

    his

    photograph to

    be

    taken or

    used on

    the

    Internet.

    (Daniel

    decl.

    ~~14-24, Ex. A.) The parties

    dispute

    the

    scope

    of

    the

    application of a waiver

    signed

    by

    plaintiff.

    The

    Standard

    Union

    Voucher that plaintiff

    signed

    provides,

    in

    relevant

    part:

    By

    signing

    this voucher;

    I

    acknowledge

    and

    agree

    to

    the

    following:

    (2) That

    I

    hereby

    grant to

    the

    Production

    Company

    of

    The

    Production,

    its

    successors,

    assignees,

    licensees

    or

    any

    othe

    person

    or

    company

    who

    might gain

    title

    or

    rights

    to

    the

    production, the right to photograph me and record

    my

    voice t

    use,

    alter, dub,

    and or

    otherwise

    change

    such

    photographs

    an

    recordings,

    in

    any

    manner

    whatsoever

    and

    for

    any

    reason

    in

    connection

    with

    Production,

    such

    right

    to

    be

    worldwide

    and

    in

    perpetuity.

    (Alvarez Decl.

    Ex.

    A.)

    Despite plaintiff's

    argument

    to

    the

    contrary,

    the

    above

    language

    is

    broad

    enough

    to

    include the

    right

    of

    defendant

    Wayans,

    a

    co-

    producer,

    to

    photograph

    plaintiff,

    and

    certainly

    broad

    enough

    to

    include the

    use of plaintiff's

    photograph

    in

    the

    tweet,

    which,

    per

    14

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    the

    Voucher

    was

    in

    connection with

    the

    film

    notwithstanding

    an

    additional

    link

    to

    Wayans'

    separate

    website.

    Defendant's

    transformative

    use

    defense

    is

    a

    secondary

    ground

    preventing

    plaintiff

    from

    prevailing, as argued in

    the moving

    papers.

    7t

    cause

    of

    action-

    invasion of

    privacy of

    false

    light:

    Plaintiff

    alleges

    the

    character

    of

    Cleveland

    Brown is

    known

    primarily

    for being

    ~~slow and

    having

    physical

    and

    emotional

    problems

    and

    that by

    drawing

    comparisons

    between

    plaintiff

    and

    that

    fictional character,

    the

    comparison

    drew

    inferences

    that

    plaintiff

    possessed

    the

    same

    traits as

    Cleveland

    Brown

    thereby

    showing

    plaintiff

    in a false light.

    (Complaint

    ~~136-37.)

    To

    prove

    a

    claim

    for

    false

    light,

    one

    must

    demonstrate

    (1)

    false;

    (2

    unprivileged; (3)

    publication

    by

    writing,

    printing,

    or

    other

    fixe

    representation;

    (4) exposes a person to

    hatred,

    contempt,

    ridicule,

    or

    obloquy,

    or

    which

    causes

    person

    to

    be

    shunned

    or avoided, or which has

    a

    tendency to injure person

    in

    his

    occupation;

    and (5)

    malice

    as to

    public

    figures.

    Briscoe

    v.

    Reader's

    Digest

    Association,

    Inc.

    (1971)

    4

    Ca1.3d

    529,.543,

    overruled

    on

    other grounds by Gates v.

    Discovery

    Communications,

    Inc.

    (2004)

    34

    Cal.4th 679, 697.

    Plaintiff

    argues

    the

    character

    of

    Cleveland

    Brown is associated with

    negative

    stereotypes of

    African

    Americans,

    exposing

    him

    to

    such

    assumptions

    based

    on

    the

    physical

    comparison.

    (Daniel Decl:

    9124.

    Plaintiff

    provides

    that

    he

    has

    received questions about whether

    he

    is the

    person

    in

    the

    photograph

    on

    the

    twitter post.

    (Daniel

    Decl.

    9[27.

    Plaintiff

    has

    15

    D E P T

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    failed

    to

    indicate that

    he has

    suffered any

    suffered

    any

    public

    ridicule

    or

    lost

    work.

    However,

    defendant's

    argument

    that

    the

    tweet

    did

    not

    contain any statements

    of

    facts

    has

    merit.

    Plaintiff's

    claim

    relies

    on

    inferences

    he

    assumes

    one

    would

    make

    based

    on

    the

    juxtaposition

    of

    photographs.

    Plaintiff

    has

    not

    shown a

    probability

    of

    prevailing on

    this

    cause of

    action.

    St

    cause

    of action

    for

    breach

    of

    quasi

    contract;

    9t

    cause

    of

    action

    for

    unjust

    enrichment:

    Plaintiff

    alleges defendant obtained

    a

    benefit

    from

    plaintiff

    by

    fraud,

    duress,

    conversion,

    or

    similar

    conduct

    when

    plaintiff's

    photo

    was

    taken and

    used

    for

    unjust gain

    on

    the

    Internet.

    (Complaint

    ~~154-156,

    171-172.)

    Here,

    it is

    unclear

    how

    the

    alleged quasi

    contract

    arose or what

    benefit

    was

    allegedly

    derived

    by

    defendant. Lance

    Camper

    Mfg.

    Corp. v.

    Republic

    Indem.

    Co.

    of

    Am.

    (1996)

    44 Cal.

    App.

    4th

    194, 203

    ( [A]n

    action

    based

    on

    an

    implied-in-fact or quasi-contract cannot lie where there exists

    between the

    parties a valid express

    contract

    covering

    the

    same

    subject

    matter. ); Falkowski

    v.

    Imation

    Corp.

    (2005)

    132

    Cal.

    App.

    4th 499, 518 ( implied

    contract

    cannot

    override

    the

    terms

    of

    an

    express

    agreement.... );

    Gorlach

    v.

    Sports

    Club

    Co.

    (2012)

    209

    Cal.App.4th 1497, 1507

    (implied

    -in-fact

    contract

    may

    be

    inferred

    from

    the conduct, situation or

    parties

    relationship,

    provided

    that

    there

    is an

    intent

    to

    promise);

    Davis

    v.

    Consolidated

    Freightways

    (1994)

    29

    Cal.App.4th

    354,

    366

    (existence of

    implied

    -in

    -fact

    contracts

    normally

    is determined by

    triers of

    fact,

    except

    where

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    EPT.

    3

    the

    facts

    are

    undisputed,

    and

    support only

    one

    conclusion,

    in

    which

    case

    summary judgment may

    be

    entered).)

    The

    same

    is

    the

    case

    regarding

    unjust

    enrichment

    as

    it

    is

    unclear

    what

    benefit

    defendant is

    alleged to have received.

    Peterson

    v.

    Cellco

    Partnership (2008)

    164

    Cal.App.4th

    1583,

    1593.)

    Alvarez'

    declaration establishes that plaintiff

    was

    paid

    for

    his

    services.

    (Alvarez

    Decl.

    y [ 4

    Ex.

    A.)

    In

    any

    event,

    the

    terms

    of

    the

    vouche

    in (1)

    provide

    that

    his

    wages will

    be

    payment

    in

    full

    for

    all

    services

    rendered by me.

    Plaintiff

    has

    not

    demonstrated

    a

    probability

    of success

    on

    the

    merits on

    these

    causes

    of

    action.

    t

    cause

    of

    action for IIED:

    Because no

    cause

    of

    action

    survives

    against

    Wayans,

    particularly

    his

    FEHA

    claim,

    this

    claim

    fails

    as well.

    Defendant Wayans' motion

    is

    granted in

    its

    entirety.

    IIT IS

    SO

    ORDERED.

    DATED: December 31,

    2014

    ~''

    ~AFAEL

    A.

    ONGKEKO

    J

    ~E OF

    THE

    SUPERIOR

    COURT

    17

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