Woody Allen reached a $5 million settlement Monday with a popular clothing company that will keep his image off its billboards – and his dirty laundry out of sight.
The filmmaker sued raunchy American Apparel chief guru Dov Charney for $10 million over billboard ads showing Allen in black Hasidic garb in a scene from “Annie Hall.”
The settlement in Manhattan federal court came as jury selection was set to start in the case.
“It’s of course possible by going through the trial a jury might have awarded me more money but this is not how I make my living and five million dollars is enough to discourage American Apparel or any one else from ever trying such a thing again,” Allen said outside the courthouse.
Allen briefly showed up in the courtroom – where a marshal asked him to put away his copy of the Daily News – before heading to the judge’s chambers to sign off on the deal.
“Their liability in the case was immediately clear to the judge, who told them so,” Allen said.
“It was also clear that the court considered their phony First Amendment ranting and claims of parody, sheer nonsense.”
Charney, notorious for provocative ads and for once pleasuring himself in front of a female reporter, insisted the ads were about free speech and blamed the deal on
American Apparel’s insurance company.
“American Apparel is a corporation,” he shrugged.
Charney said he respected Allen, even after his lawyers placed the filmmaker’s ex Mia Farrow on the witness list.
That tactic led Allen’s lawyers to accuse Charney of trying to capitalize on the couple’s 1992 split – and Allen’s later marriage to one of Farrow’s adopted daughters.
“Threats and press leaks by American Apparel designed to smear me did not work and a scheme to call a long list of witnesses who had absolutely nothing to do with the case was also disallowed by the court,” Allen said.
“I suspect this dose of legal reality led to their eleventh hour settlement.”
Charney said he remained an Allen fan despite the pricey settlement.
“I hope to meet Mr. Allen on more friendly terms,” he said. “I’m looking forward to his next film.”
Charney joked that a Hasidic member of his entourage – Brooklyn Rabbi Dovber Pinson – might be a better choice for future American Apparel.
He then gushed about Allen’s attorney, Michael Zweig, and tried to smother the startled lawyer with a hug.
“I can’t do this,” Zweig said. “It’s not appropriate.” BY NY DAILY NEWS
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