The Sting: Keep Paul Newman's legacy off of eBay

Contact: Anthony Burke Boylan, Tonyboylan@aol.com, 312-953-1649

For Immediate Release -

9/29/08 --The estate of American film and philanthropy icon Paul Newman is being asked NOT to allow his memorabilia to be sold on E-Bay because the company's monopolistic and unfair business practices sting its most loyal sellers.

E-Bay, a company that succeeds on the efforts of its most active sellers, has late been acting in a way to that would make even Doyle Lonnegan blush. Lonnegan is the Chicago crime boss played by Robert Shaw in the Newman classic, "The Sting.''

In particular eBay protestors are asking that a collectible racing helmet that depicts Mr. Newman's career in film not be sold on eBay by Newman racing team member Graham Rahall (http://www.autoracingdaily.com/news/indycar-series/paul-newmans-movies-on-a-helmet/)

The request is led by Gabriel Majors (Gmajorspresents) a New York artist who has done interior design work for Mr. Newman and Joanne Woodward. In lieu of an auction, Mr. Majors is calling on the American public to make donations in Newman's name to the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps, Mr. Newman's facilities for seriously ill children that were funded by more than $250 million from Newman's Own food company. (http://www.holeintheallcamps.org/contribute.cfm)

Majors asks that every American citizen who can afford to do so give $2, one for themselves, and one for someone else who isn't able to. Then the helmet and other Newman memorabilia could be put on display at the camps.

"Mr. Newman may have had no idea what a corrupt and monopolistic company eBay is,'' Majors said. "He never would want his legacy to be handled through a company that is destroying free enterprise and the American dream. Mr. Newman was as American as Baseball, apple pie and Eagles tickets on the Fourth of July.''

At least one ghoulishly opportunistic seller already has dealt a signed copy of a Newman book attributed to "the late Paul Newman.''

http://cgi.ebay.com/Easton-Press-Shameless-Exploitation-PAUL-NEWMAN-sign_W0QQitemZ250283611000QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item250283611000&_trkparms=72%3A1075%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

eBay protesters organized a one-week site boycott earlier this year because of new rules that are harmful to the people who made their living on the site by significantly increasing their fees and opening them up to more buyer treachery. The helmet, which has images of Mr. Newman's films, may violate eBay's own copyright rules. Any e-Bay sales also would mean the current boycotters would be unable to participate.