Man says he’s addicted to cable; threatens to sue cable company

Fond Du Lac Reporter ^ | January 07, 2004 | Lee Reinsch

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Cable TV made a West Bend man addicted to TV, caused his wife to be overweight and his kids to be lazy, he says.

And he’s threatening to sue the cable company.

Timothy Dumouchel of West Bend wants $5,000 or three computers, and a lifetime supply of free Internet service from Charter Communications to settle what he says will be a small claims suit.

Dumouchel blames Charter for his TV addiction, his wife’s 50-pound weight gain and his children’s being “lazy channel surfers,” according to a Fond du Lac police report.

Charter employees called police to the local office at 165 Knight’s Way the evening of Dec. 23 after Dumouchel showed up with a small claims complaint, reportedly intimidated an employee and made “low-level threats” to employees’ safety, according to a police report.

The report states Dumouchel gave an employee five minutes to get a supervisor to talk to him or their next contact would be “in the ocean with the sharks.”

According to the report, Dumouchel told Charter employees he plans to sue because his cable connection remained intact four years after he tried to get it canceled.

The result was that he and his family got free cable from August of 1999 to Dec. 23, 2003.

“I believe that the reason I smoke and drink every day and my wife is overweight is because we watched TV every day for the last four years,” Dumouchel stated in a written complaint against the company, included in a Fond du Lac police report.

“But the reason I am suing Charter is they did not let me make a decision as to what was best for myself and my family and (they have been) keeping cable (coming) into my home for four years after I asked them to turn it off.”

According to the police report, Dumouchel called Charter to stop his cable service in August of 1999 and was taken off the billing but not the cable service.

In a written statement, he said he put the family TV in the basement in 1999 after he had called to get cable disconnected, but soon thereafter, his wife had moved it back and hooked up the cable connection, and it still worked.

He stated he “made a deal” with her that “she could watch TV as long as the cable worked.”

He then went back to Charter and asked that they disconnect his service, which they reportedly never did.

He stated that he called Charter several times to get the service disconnected for good because he felt it was addictive, according to the report.

Charter’s director of government and public relations for eastern Wisconsin, John Miller, says he doesn’t take the threat of a lawsuit seriously.

“Even though we consider our services to be a very powerful entertainment product, I don’t think it’s reached a medical level yet where it could be proved to be addictive,” Miller said.

“In our society, any kind of legal action shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone,” he added.

Wisconsin Circuit Court records show no civil lawsuit papers filed in Dumouchel’s name.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

Good for him! I think it's about time the cable and satellite companies got what's coming to them. I'm considering a lawsuit against Sealy Posturepedic because their mattress has caused me to sleep too deeply. This has led to me calling in late to work, or even miss work altogether because I couldn't get out of bed.

[Vetnet]

Hey, you've got a point!

I'm addicted to Free Republic; who do I file my claim with? LOL

[nmh]

Nothing like being irresponsible and blaming someone else for it.

As for FR, I can honestly say I am NOT addicted. I pop in from time to time ... then I spy some idiotic replies and people and simply have better things to do with the small amout of spare time that I have. I do like FR for breaking news but as for serious debate ... LOL!

[The G Man]

Your link must be broken. It doesn't take me to The Onion.

[TexasCajun]

..can we turn this into a Class Action suit and sue AOLTimeWarner as well!

[nuconvert]

I'm addicted to Free Republic; who do I file my claim with?

That might turn into a class action suit.......

[concerned about politics]

Must be the evil cable company shoved that TV right in his face and forced him to watch it, aye?

The Socialists "Victim-hood" propaganda is working. The more chaos, the more social programs and oppressive laws are needed to save us from ourselves and each other.

The original sin in Eden wasn't sex. It was the concept of self.

[Guillermo]

We're not allowed to post articles from The Onion.

[Constitution Day]

Just get some Freepadone, and all will be well!

[No Blue States]

"He then went back to Charter and asked that they disconnect his service, which they reportedly never did. He stated that he called Charter several times to get the service disconnected for good because he felt it was addictive, according to the report."

Turn the crap off, ever heard of a power button or plug? your kids may be lazy because YOU dont give them chores and do not lead as the man of your house. Stop placing blame for your own failures where they do not belong. Accept responsibility.

-end rant-

[TexasCajun]

And can we sue AOLTimeWarner for false advertising!

Their adds say they have now doubled the speed of their internet cable service.

I guess they figure from not-working to working is doubling my speed???

[NYDave]

<<“I believe that the reason I smoke and drink every day and my wife is overweight is because we watched TV every day for the last four years,” Dumouchel stated in a written complaint against the company, included in a Fond du Lac police report.">>

He should sue Budweiser. I think I'll move to wherever this moron lives. AQ would never consider an attack there. Who would give a flying f**k. This is from a guy who was one block from the WTC when it all came down on 9/11.

[nuconvert]

.13 seconds

[antiRepublicrat]

get a supervisor to talk to him or their next contact would be “in the ocean with the sharks.”

Maybe he was referring to, respectively, the courtroom and lawyers.

[concerned about politics]

“But the reason I am suing Charter is they did not let me make a decision as to what was best for myself and my family and (they have been) keeping cable (coming) into my home for four years after I asked them to turn it off.”

Uh....he could have unplugged it.

[bolobaby]

I hate the cable companies, too, because cable TV is waaaaay too expensive. Good ol' broadcast TV was FREE, fer chrissakes! But this lawsuit is frivilous. The judge should rule for the defendent and then force the plaintiff to get a gym membership and wear diapers in public for a year for being such a crybaby.

[LeftIsSinister]

This has led to me calling in late to work, or even miss work altogether because I couldn't get out of bed.

Maybe the new mattress is actually making you sleep worse, so that you have to sleep more to make up for it...

I don't know--I just wanted to make some rational point in this OTHERWISE TOTALLY RIDICULOUS situation... what a loser! (the guy in the story, not you)

[tsmith130]

I....I....I'm speechless......

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

This poor man should sue his television manufacturer. Apparently the set doesn't have an OFF button.