A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit against actor and comedian Marlon Wayans alleging harassment and discrimination over a tweet comparing a movie extra to a cartoon character. The judge granted an anti-SLAPP motion filed by Wayans in response to the suit citing First Amendment protections of the creative process. Venable partner William Briggs and counsel Celeste Brecht who represented Wayans argued that the extra signed a waiver allowing his likeness to be used in tweets and that he voluntarily appeared in an R-rated comedy where he would hear things considered offensive outside that arena.
Multiple publications featured news of the ruling including the Wall Street Journal on January 6, 2015, The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, TMZ, and MyNewsLA.com on January 5, 2015.