When a Texas-based “patent-troll” sued comedian
Adam Carolla (host of the world’s
most downloaded podcast) for using its “groundbreaking
innovations in the distribution of serialized online media,” he
went to war.
When sued for patent infringement, most defendents quickly
settle no matter how baseless the claim because that’s cheaper than
paying lawyers. Carolla countersued the firm, Personal Audio, and
launched a legal defense
fund. (So far he’s raised $471,000.) He also took a trip to
Washington, D.C. to discuss patent reform during a Senate
briefing.
Carolla explained his thinking to Reason‘s Zach
Weissmueller in a recent
interview:
It’s kind of like when terrorists take hostages, if you start
negotiating with them then they start kidnapping more camera crews.
We figured let’s save the next camera crew, and we’ll take the duck
tape and the zip ties.
Personal Audio has since offered to drop its case against
Carolla, because the comedian
wasn’t earning enough money to justify the shakedown.
Carolla rejected
the offer, stating that his production company has already
incurred “hundreds of thousands of dollars” fighting the suit.
He’ll continue his counterclaim and request that
the patent in question be invalidated.
Click below to watch Zach’s entire interview with Carolla:
Bonus content: Watch Ted Balaker’s
2010 interview with Carolla about legalizing drugs, cutting
taxes, and fixing California.
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