Metrano claims Family Guy stole his act

Seventies entertainer Art Metrano claims the cartoon ripped off his deliberately rubbish tricks in a scene showing how Christ’s miracles had been overstated.

The animated comedy then cut to Jesus performing an act Metrano’s lawsuit says is ‘identical in music, sound and action’ to his own.

Metrano, who played Captain Mauser in two of the Police Academy films, wants more than $2 million in damages for each of four alleged infringements of copyright and other rights, plus unspecified punitive damages.

Here’s his act:

And here’s the Family Guy clip:

Earlier in the year, veteran comedian Carol Burnett launched a similar lawsuit over a parody of her act in the show, but it was thrown out by a federal judge.

Incidentally, Art Metrano’s own website plays the A-Team theme tune, with no acknowledgement of the music’s copyright holders.

Published: 6 Dec 2007