The Powers That Be: Daily Hogan’s Gawker Legacy & A Disney I.P. War
Jul 29, 2025
Eriq Gardner, author of Puck's What I'm Hearing Plus newsletter and legal expert on Hollywood, dives into the lasting impact of Hulk Hogan's landmark lawsuit against Gawker, revealing how it changed media legal risks. He discusses the privacy and media ethics issues that arose and their relevance today. Gardner also addresses Disney's aggressive fight against unauthorized Mickey Mouse merchandise, exploring the complexities of trademark laws and the anticipation of certain characters entering the public domain, hinting at the future of intellectual property in entertainment.
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Covering Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker
- Eriq Gardner was the first to break the story of Hulk Hogan suing Gawker and extensively covered the long legal battle.
- Early on, many considered the case a joke, but it evolved into a landmark trial with wide industry impact.
Trial's Impact on Media Privacy
- The Gawker trial marked a shift where celebrities could win privacy lawsuits against media outlets.
- It changed the digital media industry's approach to privacy and legal risk, breaking the previously assumed media invincibility.
Gawker Trial and Trump Era Lawsuits
- The Hulk Hogan lawsuit helped inspire a wave of celebrity defamation suits in the Trump era.
- It connected directly to increased public and political skepticism of media outlets.