Wellywood. Stupidity is truely global.

Why would anyone want to mimic Hollywood. Well I am fucked if I have a sensible answer.

 Wellington the New Zealand Capital City sure as hell doesn't want it , over 60% of the the city think is it is a stupid idea and with only 22% saying it is a good idea  why the fuck would you do it. From the New York Times yesterday

"Plans to erect a “Wellywood” sign mimicking the Hollywood sign in Wellington, New Zealand — part of an effort to promote that city’s growing film industry — have riled Hollywood insiders.

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which holds the trademark to the sign, insists that Wellington Airport needs permission to use the image and is threatening legal action.

“Over the years, we’ve been contacted by a lot of people who want to mimic the sign,” Leron Gubler, president of the chamber, said. “We usually tell them, ‘Do something of your own.’ ”

Do something of your own is good advise, threatening legal action is fucking stupid. Kiwi's are battlers and the opportunity to humiliate the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in a NZ court is the sort of thing that many of us would enjoy. Issuing empty threats about legal action you won't win if my understanding of the copyright law is correct is a bit like Goliath giving David a slingshot. 

" Since the blockbuster “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was shot in New Zealand, that country’s film industry has proved a boon to tourism, with foreigners eager to climb the peaks that served as Mount Doom.

Last year, New Zealand officials agreed to contribute special financing to ensure that the two movies based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s “Hobbit” would be shot there, and the Wellywood sign was supposed to boost “Middle-earth” affection further.

The Hollywood chamber is less amused by take-offs. In the past, the sign was a favorite target of vandals and pranksters, who would adjust it to read “Hollyweed” or “Jollygood.”

A fence and webcam now protect against vandalism.

The chamber first contacted Wellington Airport about the Wellywood sign last year, expressing misgivings and legal concerns. Until recently, it assumed Wellywood was dead. But last weekend, the airport issued a statement brightly asserting its intention to begin construction."

Wellington is arguably the cultural capital of New Zealand in much the same way as Hollywood is America's cultural capital. Why the fuck we would want to trade our rich culture for the utter shit that masquerades as culture in Hollywood is beyond me.

 “I expect widespread support for the intent of the sign, even if a Wellywood sign isn’t everyone’s cup of tea,” Steve Fitzgerald, the chief executive of Wellington Airport, said in the statement. “Everyone benefits from increasing tourism for Wellington.”

But on Wednesday, a fight broke out in New Zealand that would put “Bridesmaids” to shame. Some Wellington city councilors urged the airport to reconsider, saying the sign would undermine the city’s reputation for cutting-edge creativity. Others called opponents “impetuous fools,” among other things.

More than 25,000 people have joined a Facebook group called “Wellingtonians Against the Wellywood Sign.”

Actually the fight is huge.

" A beer bounty is being offered to whoever destroys the Wellywood sign once its put up.

Blenheim brewery Moa will reward "successful acts of disobedience" with 15 cases of beer.

"Well obviously it's an outrage and the public have voiced their opinion and this is our way of supporting them and our form of protest as well," Moa market manager Sunil Unka said.

"Obviously we don't want anyone injuring themselves so if they can do it as safely as possible that  would be great. The best case scenario is for it to disappear and recycled some how.”

He agrees that the promotion is encouraging people to break the law but says the general population of Wellington and New Zealand didn't want the sign and would support destroying it.

Mr Unka said they would look at paying legal bills if people act on the bounty "

When  you offer a Kiwi 15 cases of premium beer to commit an illegal community sevice well you will probably find a taker.

"..in the past, the sign was a favorite target of vandals and pranksters, who would adjust it to read “Hollyweed” or “Jollygood."

He He. I rather suspect the NZ Police would give attacks on the sign a low priority.