Group videotapes strip club patrons

St Paul Pioneer (de)Press / AP ^ | 1/30/02

[Valin]

JANESVILLE, Wis. -- Patrons who were videotaped entering a strip club complained about invasion of privacy but were told the group, People Advocating Decency, has a legal right to tape them.
An employee of Screamin' MeeMees nude juice bar called police Friday night when patrons asked a worker why a stranger was taping them as they walked into the club.
Bill Sodemann said he stood on the sidewalk in front of the juice bar for about 1 hours Friday night to "apply positive peer pressure." Police told him he was allowed to stay there as long as he didn't bother anyone.
"We just wanted to make people think twice before they go in," Sodemann said. "They might think, 'I don't want the world to know about this."'

Screamin' MeeMees owner Jim Halbach said Sodemann's right to videotape on public property is protected by the First Amendment, as is his right to run the juice bar.
A few of his customers were upset because they didn't know what Sodemann intended to do with the pictures, Halbach said.

Sodemann's wife, Kay, formed the group after Screamin' MeeMees opened in December. On Monday she urged the Janesville City Council to pass strict regulations on sexually oriented businesses so "the City of Parks doesn't become the City of Porn."
The group wants to prevent suggestive magazines from being displayed in grocery stores, ban loud, "offensive" music from car stereos, and get rid of rude bumper stickers.

© 2002 PioneerPlanet / St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press / TwinCities.com- All Rights Reserved copyright information

[Enterprise]

Well hells bells! Get out a camera and video tape them right back. Hire a private investigator and follow these people around and video tape THEM during the course of their lives.

[VoodooEconomics]

Bill Sodeman, a simple man, qualified to determining what loud, "offensive" music from car stereos might be, and what rude bumper stickers are. Bill - the new arbiter of tastes and 'positive peer' pressure. Bill is watching us all.

[Freemyland]

So I guess it would be OK for someone to sit outside the Sodemann's house and videotape them coming and going?

[FreePaul]

Bill Sodemann and his screwy crew need to get their lives straightened out before they try to impress their views on others. Surely there are some worthy charities that could use extra help. On the other hand these people may have branded themselves as unusable by their silly behavior.

[Valin]

Actually, yes it would.

[Procyon]

Soderman is the kind of guy you want to videotape to see if he washes his hands after a wee-wee. Or maybe collect and inventory the contents of his trash?

[gdani]

Hi, Neighbor - I'd like to compliment you on the fine-diddley-ine job you're doin'

[Valin]

We had something similar here in the twin cities with porn theaters. Local people started to picketing them and photographing the "patrons". It got to the point where women couldn't go outside without getting hit on by guys looking for hookers.

These Janesville folks had me until I got to the last paragraph, at that point they strayed off into nonsenseland.

[Dead Corpse]

Mrs. Grundy would be proud.

Bill and his blue-haired harpies should form a card club or something. Keep 'em out of everyone elses business.

[boris]

If they'd taped in Pasadena some years ago, one of the fellows they caught would have been Richard Feynman, the Nobel-Prize-winning physicist. He had his own special table at a local strip club.

When the City Council tried to have it closed down, he testified on behalf of the club, and stated that it was "necessary to his work," and that he could not conduct his research without it. The club was allowed to remain.

--Boris

[JimRed]

Get out a camera and video tape them right back.

Sounds fair to me! They can follow me everywhere, videotape me all the time if they like. There's only one hazard involved: they'd die of boredom!

[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

Here's a good one for you.

Sodemann's wife, Kay, formed the group after Screamin' MeeMees opened in December. On Monday she urged the Janesville City Council to pass strict regulations on sexually oriented businesses so "the City of Parks doesn't become the City of Porn." The group wants to prevent suggestive magazines from being displayed in grocery stores, ban loud, "offensive" music from car stereos, and get rid of rude bumper stickers.

The lifestyle police strike again.

[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

I started to "ping" you on this, but I figured that you would find it. These people need to get a life.

[VetoBill]

This videotaping people in public is something I have never understood. Everytime I see a reporter filming a crowd, I do not understand how they can use an image/audio of an individual to help sell advertisement space on/in their newspaper/radio/television station.

My image is mine, not anyone elses. If I wish to be seen on television I believe I should have to sign a waiver allowing such, or be compensated. Video tape is much different than walking around in public and being seen by others. Reporters are in business to make money. To make money they need news. If they provide interesting enough news to gather a loyal following, advertisers will buy space in that medium. Why should the public be expected to provide the raw material without compensation or the right to deny broadcasting a tape with their appearence?

[unixfox]

Patrons who were videotaped entering a strip club complained about invasion of privacy but were told the group, People Advocating Decency, has a legal right to tape them.

And I'm sure the PATRONS have a right to sue as well.

What if the person going in is not a PATRON but someone doing building repairs or maintenance?

These people should get a life and stop trying to decide what is morality for everyone else.

[riley1992]

and get rid of rude bumper stickers.

Like this?:

"My Kid Got Your Honor Roll Student Pregnant."

[WindMinstrel]

Though I think he was being a self-righteous prick, I think that Mr. Sodermann was indee within his rights to do as he did. There is no law against people being jerks, right?

[unsycophant]

Do you remember a story from a few years ago that happened in Florida? A neighbor of a stripper was uploading her pics to online sites. He claimed she gave them to him. She claimed he stole them. Their was some controversy about who was responsible for the uploading--the accused swore he didn't upload them, and blamed his roommate. The roommate denied knowing anything about it. The stripper had to go to expensive court to stop the uploading of her pics. There has to be a lesson in there somewhere-maybe it has something to do with privacy (?).

btw: I enjoyed reading your profile, although it is distressing that you identify yourself as a moderate, especially considering your background in the adult entertainment movie industry. Does that explain your concealed-carry permit, or is there more to it?