Marty Thomas Talks Twitter Suit to Talk About Equality

News broke on Thursday that Broadway's Marty Thomas (Xanadu, Wicked, The Secret Garden) has filed a law suit against Twitter to reveal the identity of a twitter-user, BwayAnonymous who recently tweeted "Which Avenue Q cast member gave Marty Thomas crabs?" 

The account has been shut down, however, Thomas is pursuing legal action against the user for the comment which, he claims "negatively impacts my reputation and negatively reflects on my business as a professional actor... Clearly, there is no doubt that other people in the Broadway community saw and were affected by the statement."

Thomas clarifies in the report that he does not and never has suffered from a sexually transmitted disease. Legal papers were filed on October 13, against Twitter pressuring the site to reveal the identity of the anonymous user so that Thomas can pursue further action.

On Saturday, Thomas talked to Talk About Equality and said:

With the introduction of social networking sites, it seems to be getting more and more forgivable that journalists write whatever they feel like and whatever they can invent to bring down a human being. Professional and accredited journalists aside, Social Networking sites like Twitter will offer anyone with a computer or fancy phone an anonymous voice and platform to say anything they like, while hiding behind a veil of anonymity. This isn't fair, or legal. When someone spreads vicious defamatory lies in any public forum, they should be held accountable and made to answer for their actions. This is why we have a public court system, to protect citizens from situations like this.

I didn't release this story to the press, nor did I want the public attention that this story has received. I filed a suit in court against Twitter because it was the only legal action I had to find the identity of an individual who has been stalking me, and bullying me via the internet. I'm not the only performer this particular Twitter account has attacked, and there are countless accounts just like this one. It definitely makes you feel powerless to read something horrible and false about yourself in a public forum and know that there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.

The news is flooded with stories of innocent people losing their jobs, their sanity and going as far as taking their own lives due to bullying. Mine is a clear cut case of cyber bullying that simply must be dealt with. It's very easy to write mean things about someone when you don't have to stand up and take credit for your comments. It's high time that these sites take responsibility and force users to attatch a face and name to their thoughts/feelings/accusations. I have stood up for myself and am proud to say that I won't be bullied and I won't stand for misinformation of any kind being spread about my life in any forum."

For more information on Talk About Equality, Click Here.

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski