Rock'n'roll singer famous for The Twist had been seeking half a billion dollars over the penis-measuring app

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Rock'n'roll star Chubby Checker, best known for his 1960 version of The Twist, has settled the 2013 lawsuit he brought against Hewlett-Packard over a "penis-measuring" app.

Checker, real name Ernest Evans, had been seeking half a billion dollars from Hewlett-Packard for "irreparable damage and harm" caused by the Chubby Checker, an app for Hewlett-Packard's Palm OS platform.

The settlement agreement has not been disclosed, and neither side has accepted liability, but Hewlett-Packard has apparently agreed not to use the singer’s stage name, related trademarks, or likeness on their products.

Checker had claimed in 2013 that the penis-measuring app had violated the Communications Decency Act, a claim which was thrown out of federal court in August last year. His claim against trademark infringement, however, was allowed to proceed and was scheduled for October.

"This lawsuit is about preserving the integrity and legacy of a man who has spent years working hard at his musical craft and has earned the position of one of the greatest musical entertainers of all time," explained Checker's coincidentally named lawyer, Willie Gary, at the time.

The Chubby Checker app allowed users to input the shoe size of a man (UK, US and European shoe sizes were accepted) to return a measurement of his penis.

The app was withdrawn from the WebOS App Catalog in 2012 after a cease and desist order from Checker's lawyers.

Some estimates showed it had just been downloaded just 84 times at a cost of $0.99. This news story – priceless.



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