Judge bars Bears fan from changing name to Peyton Manning

Fresh from the slow news day file, the Canadian Press reports that Chicago Bears fan Scott Wiese was denied his request to legally change his name to Peyton Manning after losing a bet when da’Bears lost da’Bowl.

“I had told the judge that I was not doing this because I wanted to change my name, but I was doing it because I was honoring a bet,” Wiese told the Decatur Herald Review.

What the hell is this world coming to? He didn’t make the agreement under duress (though, perhaps he had tossed a few beers back beforehand). The judged said that allowing the name change would cause confusion and infringe on the privacy of Peyton Manning (of the Colts). How, exactly? Who is going to confuse the two? Does this mean that no one can be named after a public figure from now on? What about that Michael Bolton guy from Office Space? Even he caved eventually.

What do you think? Should the judge have let the name change go through? I seem to remember someone getting their name changed to Trout Fishing In America some time ago. That seems a bit more out there than “Peyton Manning.”

01
March 31st, 2007 12:24 am

Don’t forget “Optimus Prime.”

Leave Your Comment

Name*
Mail*
Website
Comment