Chi Chi to Universal Pictures: Thanks for Nothing, I’m Suing
Golfer Chi Chi Rodriguez sees nothing funny about the hit comedy “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.”
Rodriguez, 59, has sued the movie’s production company and Universal Pictures over a drag queen character named Chi Chi Rodriguez.
The golfer’s lawyers said that the character, played by John Leguizamo, engages in numerous “disreputable acts and is portrayed as sexually promiscuous.”
Rodriguez filed suit Thursday in U.S. District Court here. The golfer lives in Florida but has business interests in Las Vegas. He seeks to prevent the movie from being shown using his name. Defendants are the movie’s production company, Amblin Entertainment, and its studio, Universal Pictures.
“We’re aware of the suit. We don’t comment on pending litigation,” said Alan Sutton, a spokesman for Universal Pictures in North Hollywood.
The comedy tells the story of three drag queens traveling across the country to Hollywood who find themselves stranded in a small Nebraska town.
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