European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 28, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Pagi 4 the stars a fed stripes monday March 28, 1988 Fisherman claims to be i a a Kisser pkov1dpnce, . Up Fisherman George Mondonsa says it s no Tail talc that he did the kissing but life Magazine insists there s no Wuy to Tell. Mendonsa. 65, is suing time inc. Claiming he is the famous Kissin Sailor an amorous Seabbie caught by life photographer Alfred Eison Stael bussing an unsuspecting it try on a a Day in times Square the Newport resident also wants the company to compensate him for the Money in his made off the aug. 1j. 194 5, Smooch. I want the Mondonsa said. That s the fight is for. I did in. The photo is famous. Why should Eison Standl gel All the credit i saw one of his interviews once. He said i want to hi1 in own As the photographer who took thai picture Wei 1.1 want to be known As i he nne that did it. Me Dimsa has cleared an initial hurdle in his Legal Battle. On feb. 24. . District judge Ronald la Eui a rejected time s motion to dismiss his suit. The judge said the Fisherman May have a legitimate claim to Stime of inc Money the company made Selling copies of the photo. Time s recent april i r1 attempt to sell the Pho to graph in limited editions for clearly had a Ciummu i Ial purpose apart from the dissemination of wrote. Lime has a differed View. Harry Johnston general counsel fur i Ime s Magarino group insists the Issue of mini Trubl use is irrelevant because the first Amend Tyml guarantees free dissemination of inc picture. He said the repercussions of the Kisun Sailor controversy could be far reach ing i think if the re publication and dissemination Ofa news photo and a famous one such As this is found to be a violation of an individual s rights because of inc images in in this will have a potentially devastating cd Fri on photojournalism. Paintings or any medium in which Tome person s image May be captured and Sigild to someone else Johnston said. Mondonsa s i the fire to Lay claim to being inc Kissin Sailor although he is the most Perisien of the romantics. On Tuluii Fini Sius Day. He was on in arc leave after 20 a i Chi at i i. In Acra is that he and his Girlfriend him Ivory. Iii his a Ife. Were Siling in Kadio City Mic la jul when the end of the War was announced. They ran into times Square to join other celebratory Mondonsa says the top of a cry s face is shown above i Rig a shoulder in the photo As he bends the uniformed nurse backward. Mendonsa also argues his height matches the Sailor s his quartermaster . Rat ing paid dangles from the Sai i r 5 pocket his hands he the sailors Are heavily own Cal from pulling up falling acis and dose of the Sailor s right forearm reveal his tattooed initials. Men Ilunga Sasin he first saw s life cover photo when a Friend showed it to him about 20 years ago. He has been hauling with the Laa Gaiin since. I Al been to life and written a million letters he said. Their Alli Ludo has been i should get the Maga Ine maintains 10 sailors have come for Ward and claimed to be the Kissin Sailor. One of the would be is Bill Swicegood. A Kansas City. Mo., Arlisle who told life Maga inc he was Uli than to to fume Tom several men have claimed lot the Liln Sailor seen in the famous photo Titan an Al a in times Squire. Undoubtedly Ilie mysterious Kisser because of the Simi Larity in looks hand and body. Clarence Bud Harding a Printer at the Indiana Rolis Star and news a planned slut he singular ways hairline recedes to a Point on his Temple and a bulging vein on his right hand proves he is the Kissin Sailor. Jack Russell a psychologist in Hillier calif., pointed m his unusual left handed kissing clutch As proof positive he was Eison Staudt s subject. The Magazine says there is no Way the real Kissin suitor s identity will Ever be known conclusively. Eis in Siadi s nates and Oiher negatives have disappeared life said in a 1980 feature on the controversy. But Mei Donsa said there can be no denying he s the Man i old life hey could bring in those other sail on and i d sit across the table and eliminate any one of them he said. Mendonsa s lawyer Patrick Hayes said the Cut probably will no go to trial until next year. He declined comment on the possibility of it settlement. He also refused o identify the when cows he planned to Call to establish Mendonsa As inc True Kissin Sailor. It will be up to a jury to decide what if any compensation to which Mendonsa is entitled Hayes said. While the Sailor s identity has yet to be Confin cd Johnston said it May not matter. We think that the dissemination of a limited Edi Tion print news photo conveys information o the pub every bit As much As if Eison Staudt had written a poem about the Kissin tailor he said. Profit Selling is not the Issue j conveying information the Public is i is Johnston said. In entitled to have seriously Ali you hopefuls try some humor Boston a the democratic presidential hopefuls could have stifled All that derisive Early Canna Ign talk about bring the seven Dwarf by Sim ply paving along with the gag. Says pm Lesur Josfph Hnsen. If t j were smart they Ivo old have labelled i m , i m Doc and Hal would have it. Whatever happened lop a in Ca void Kosum who is a Book about the connection Between humor and social change. The Boston University history professor is disturbed that this Vejr i presiden tial contenders generally seem about As Tunny As a Doorknob. He labels vice president George Bush the most sanctimonious in a Field full of self and Calls former presidential hopeful Gary him a Clear exam ple Ofa dour approach to life the other men who would be presi Dent arc no better when it comes to humor he said. They re basically a Ster Ling Bunch but i Don t hear the humanity of Sumnr in ?m." Boskin 5s. Big Lisci candidates need humor to Prevc thy arc human Quick thinking ant self effacing not humor As a form of oppression or a weapon but As a Means of liberation or he links u demise of lightness with he Rise of the the chronic Media starting with radio. Until the 1930s, storytelling was an Art form and Public figure come Rise a Long Way a no a Knack Tor spinning Good yams. Now with television time so precious and expensive Boskin said politicians think they have to gel everything in in o minute instead of seeing things in a larger contextual the candidates do manage an occasional Jab an occasional jibe he admits. Bushy bowed Massachusetts gov. Michael s. Dukakis recently joked that rep. Richard Gephardt had eve Bro envy a line fed to him by an aide. Vou Don t hear them spontaneously making things up As they go bos Kin a i. What i be often argued is Dukakis needs a levity adviser. The Story about him is he s so straight he even Linn up his socks in his top so who among recent . Leaders had _ Light touch Boskin admired John f. Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey. Asked Why he appointed his brother attorney general Kennedy one replied because he needs the experience. Bos Kin said Humphrey would poke Tun at himself for talking too Long. He would say i should shut up now bul i can to i think one of the problems in Ameri Ca is we separate humor out from seriousness. Politicians who Are obviously concerned about getting elected Are More hypersensitive to this than Othen. They think if they use humor they can t be taken on the contrary Boskin argues if presidential contenders show a sense of humor the Public is Marc Likely 0 warm to item when talk turns to weightier issues
