American Apparel Settles with Woody Allen

The scuffle between Woody Allen and American Apparel CEO Dov Charney hasn't come to blows. Although the director extraordinaire was livid with Charney for using an unauthorized image from the film Annie Hall of Allen dressed as a Hasidic Jew, he has accepted a $5 million settlement from the CEO.

Allen has long refused to endorse commercial campaigns with his image. He initially demanded $10 million, but the final settlement (roughly a year later) spares both men the monetary expense and embarrassment of a trial.

According to The Guardian, Charney wasn't so much trying to promote his company with the image as make a statement. He felt that, in visually nodding to Annie Hall, he was commenting on our culture's need for tabloid scandals. "The billboards were designed to inspire dialogue. They were certainly never intended to sell clothes," he said.

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By Dan on May 20, 2009

According to The Guardian, Charney wasn't so much trying to promote his company with the image as make a statement.... "The billboards were designed to inspire dialogue. They were certainly never intended to sell clothes," he said.

-I say he is full of crap. Businesses pay for billboards for advertising. If it was meant to be a social statement, he wouldn't have put his company's name on it. The Hope is that someone thinks that the statement he is making is cool and associates it with American Apparel...which would entice people to shop there. It is a bit different than his usual approach where he uses urban hipsters in various states of undress to bring people in.

By Tang on May 20, 2009

That all seems very academic, Dan, but it just sounds like you're trying too hard. Do you honestly think that the tween hipster has even seen Annie Hall? Give me a break. It was obviously different, which is why it attracted attention. I live in LA, eat at Burrito King underneath that billboard, and they're always using it to promote different social causes. If anyone's full of crap, it's obviously you.

By Jeff on May 20, 2009

I suggest the official ban of the phrase "trying too hard."

By Anon. on May 20, 2009

If it's not an ad, why must they put their name on it? If you're shooting for altruism, why does it matter if "american apparel" is typed on it as well?
It's clear that the point was for "American Apparel" to sell their clothing, with this ADVERTISEMENT - and if it WAS to make a statement or what-have-you, it would only for them to come across as some kind of truth-bearing, light-givers - in turn, making their apparel more appealing, more trust-able.

And aside from what I said, I think it is plausible for teens to know what Annie Hall is about, and to have seen it. I mean, especially Hipsters - who are supposedly all about the vintage, and the ironic - of which Woody Allen is an icon, by the way. Way to underestimate the culture of today's youth, too. Do you honestly think Hannah Montana is the only effing thing teens know about these days? Please.

Look at you Tang, condemning pretentiousness while exhibiting high levels of it. I mean, christ, this is a comment box - who gives so much of a shit that we're arguing over a this? This isn't freaking world hunger.

Look at that.... just wasted about three paragraphs of my life.

By HMH on May 22, 2009

@Anon,

I think what Charney said was that he signed the company's name to ad because it was something they were going through. He is the CEO, yes, but American Apparel was also named in the suits and most people use Dov & AA interchangably.

For people making pretty heated accusations don't you think the onus is on you to answer why, after never having used a celebrity's image before or since, he would have deliberately stolen Woody Allen's likeness?