Hollywood, California - "The Jolly Green Giant," the former frozen vegetable spokesman, sued, Stan Lee, the man who built the House of Marvel Comics, in a Los Angeles Courtroom today.
According to filed pleadings, "The Jolly Green Giant" accuses Stan Lee of using his life story to create the "Incredible Hulk," while he was away in rehab for a chemical addiction to a Miracle Grow and a rage problem.
He is asking for 10 million dollars in compensation.
"My client confided his life story to Mr. Lee not knowing that it would be immortalize as one of his comic book characters," said the attorney for "The Jolly Green Giant".
According to a sworn affidavit, Stan Lee and "The Jolly Green Giant" became friends after a chance meeting on the studio lot of Bonanza where "The Jolly Green Giant" was reading for the role of "Hoss," looking to escape being typecast, known simply as "The Jolly Green Giant," spokesman for a frozen vegetables company.
Reportedly, it was there that Stan Lee witnessed firsthand the shadow side of "The Jolly Green Giant" as he became so enraged at being turned down for the part that he had to be forcibly be removed from the set and escorted off the lot by studio security, causing thousands dollars in damages.
Over the years, Stan Lee kept in touch as "The Jolly Green Giant" who was turned down part after part.
Later, in the mid 1970s, "The Jolly Green Giant" unsuccessfully sued George Lucas for racial discrimination when he was passed up for the part of "Chewbacca" for being the wrong color.
"The Jolly Green Giant" lost that suit that everyone thought a sure win because it was such a clear case of discrimination. However, he lost it because the lawyers for Lucas showed the jury a videotape of him going into a rage on the set of "Star Wars" when he found out he did not get the part of "Chewie."
"I never let my kids eat frozen peas after I saw that tape," said Mark Gomez, reflecting on his decision as the foreman of the civil suit jury that denied the discrimination claim. "He might be called, 'The Jolly Green Giant' but the way he tore up that movie set, he acted more like that Stan Lee character created, 'The Incredible Hulk."
Frustrated, by comments like that, "The Jolly Green Giant" decided it was time to reclaim his life story from the pages of Marvel comic books and the silver screen.
The videotape was so incriminating, however, it got "The Jolly Green Giant" fired from his only regular gig, as the sales of frozen peas fell because people feared it caused a rage problem. Soon he turned to Miracle Grow to self-medicate hoping to escape his problems, but it only worsened them.
He later had to change his name to simply "The Green Giant," having to drop "The Jolly" first part of his name, fearing a Truth in Advertising suit by the Federal Trade Commission.
Finally, "The Jolly Green Giant" while working on a movie script of his life story in rehab, he shook his addiction to Miracle Grow, learned to control his rage by using Eastern meditation techniques and found his smile. He was so happy he decided to call his old friend, Stan Lee, to share the good news.
"All my client wants is what has been denied him all these years: his own life story," said "The Jolly Green Giant's" lawyer. "Or a cameo appearance like Stan Lee."
