Photog Could Get Sacked Over Skier's Shrinkage

76. Ski area photogs barely make a living wage, and are usually photo buffs who like to ski. "Sue him for all he is worth"?!?

Posted at 11:52PM on Jan 12th 2009 by chefbobcat

77. Has anybody left their zipper down? You cannot see his face or identity. Unless someone knows him intimatly and they have 10/10 vision. This political correct thing leaves all humor in the gutter. The photographer loses his job but Madoff returns to his penthouse. Ford introduces a 545 HP mustang and the global warning "inside the belt" lawmakers warm up their limo's before entering. If you can't laugh and love yourself, you can not do it for others. Brrrrr, that was a cold but not cruel moment.
Ski resort should now shut down the lift, hire consultants, try to re-creat the accident, install new anti stick coatings, add ski patrol watchers under lift every 50 feet, bucket trucks every 100ft, large canvas covers to block public viewing (like they do putting down a horse at horse races) Install directional infared heaters to keep incapacitated skier bum warm and lastly ban all camera's from mountain without permit from government

Posted at 4:12PM on Jan 12th 2009 by robert

78. Who ever #4 is...pleas go away. We don't like tight assed people like you around here...you are the sick one here buddy!

Posted at 12:24AM on Jan 13th 2009 by Larry

79. I am rather bemused at the levels of outrage expressed here by the same culture that has no problem with celebrities accidentally (or not so accidentally) flashing their bits. If it had been Brad Pitt hanging upside with his danglies displayed, the net would catch fire from everyone trying to get a look... but let it be everyday Joe, and your moral outrage suddenly kicks in because you think, what if it were me...

What I would suggest is everyone take a deep breath, calm down, grow up, and realize that we will all face embarrassments, and there will always be someone around to laugh at us, and maybe we'd be a bit happier if we laughed with them. And for the sake of humanity, stop wishing unemployment on people for doing something you know you'd have done, probably with your crappy cell phone camera, if you'd been there.

Posted at 5:13PM on Jan 12th 2009 by RuggyBear

80. How is this invasion of privacy? If anything it is indecent exposure or public nudity. This guy was outside, why can't you snap a photo? If you go to Cancun and see some boobs and snap a pic, is that invasion of privacy? I could understand that claim if the guy went into this guy's bedroom and snapped the pic or something...

Posted at 12:31PM on Jan 13th 2009 by Justin

81. If I have every seen a news worthy photograph IT IS THIS ONE!! LOVE IT, LOVE IT!! He should be happy with the exposure for being such a dumb ass!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 6:51PM on Jan 12th 2009 by Nastiness

82. @Donna. You are an idiot and illustrative of what is wrong with America. What the hell does this have to do with politics?

Posted at 4:42PM on Jan 12th 2009 by wtf

83. If you do not want a photographer to snap your photo, then for heaven's sake don't go naked on a ski lift. If you are out in the big wide world out there, in a public place, you have NO EXPECTATION OF PRIVACY. You might have one in a bathroom stall, or in a phone booth, or behind a locked door in a hotel room, but not out in public. If you don't want your picture taken, STAY AT HOME. Some lunatic here suggested that the photographer violated the skier's privacy rights. This is just completely wrong. Someone else said he should be sued. If someone sues the skier, who cannot be identified from the image, the photographer will win. Taking photos on your off time shouldn't expose you to a job loss. Even the nuts in Vail ought to understand that!

Posted at 9:34AM on Jan 14th 2009 by A. L. DeWitt

84. This is not a "total and complete violation of privacy" actually. First Amendment rights protects the photographer. Of all the privacy torts, Intrusion or Public Disclosure of Private Facts would be the only two that could apply. B/c this event happened in a public place with no reasonable expectation of privacy, an Intrusion tort would not hold up. The second tort would not stand b/c the two most common defenses, Newsworthiness and Event took place in Public, often favor the defendent.

If the photographer gets fired, he could sue his employer for violation of First Amendment rights as well. Was it appropriate to take the picture? depending on who you are, yes or no. Was it within his Constitutional right? yes. Did the skier have his Constitutional rights violated? no, b/c he did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in public.

Posted at 7:21PM on Jan 12th 2009 by jbach

85. I love some of the comments on here about "this is how liberals" have fun!!! Unbelievable! I'm actually laughing out loud. Someone's obviously upset about the RNC's sadly sinking ship and looking for channel other than calling in to the Rush Limbaugh echo chamber to spew your cognitive disonance. This is absolutely hysterical and less offensive than your stupid comments. BTW, California has the worlds 6th largest economy on it's own and from engineers in Silicon Valley to artists in Hollywood...from wine makers in Napa Valley, to farmers in the valley... and the academics in Stanford & Berkeley, California was built and has always been run by "Liberals".....so check your ignorance at the door. The word "liberal" has been hijacked and we're taking it back...... Jesus Christ and Abraham Lincoln were liberals. Lighten up.... and if you feel soooo sad for this guy, maybe you go hanging chairlift naked from bootstraps yourself in a show of solidarity with this goofball....... I'll be there to take a picture and laugh cause I know good comedy when I see it. I'm already workiing on how I'm going to be this guy for Halloween. too funny. "liberals".....hahaha!!!!

Posted at 8:32PM on Jan 12th 2009 by Skier

86. That is just good luck to have a camera ready for an opportunity like that. One in a live time shot there. Not that dude's fault it looked small it was coooold out!!

Posted at 1:18AM on Jan 13th 2009 by sdlikeit

87. It is a sad reflection on any news media that thinks this type of incident is a must for readers or viewers. Are they so desparately in need of some thing to print. It's all at the expense of a perfectly innocent parent/husband. I wonder if the photographer stood poised ready for him to drop and then we would have been treated to shots of him in mid air and then as he hit the ground. Perhaps later it would have been pictures of the funeral service. I would sack the editor(s).

Posted at 12:58PM on Jan 13th 2009 by Yelsgup

88. the only way you could fall though the seat is if the seat was not pulled down when they opened for the day.the lift attenedant was not watching the lift very good or he would have been able to stop the lift before the skier got on he's the one who should be fired.before you ask i worked as a lift atttenedant for 5 years in nh so dont say i dont know what i'am talking about!

Posted at 6:56AM on Jan 13th 2009 by tom

89. I think the skier should take a camera along, find Marty Odem, beat the ever loving hell out of him until he's a bloody pulp, yank his pants down and then take pics of the bloody naked mess on the floor and sell the pics.

Posted at 7:00AM on Jan 13th 2009 by Tired Of This Crap

90. Fire the BUM.... Who needs to see this CRAP... Only people without a LIFE...

Posted at 7:47AM on Jan 13th 2009 by Joe Perfettio