The Sting: Paul Newman asked to keep his legacy from eBay

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For Immediate Release:
Contact: Anthony Burke Boylan		Attention: Entertainment and Business editors
Phone: 312.953.1649
email: Tonyboylan@aol.com

The Sting: Paul Newman asked to keep his legacy from eBay

New York, NY - September 10, 2008 -- Terminally ill American film and philanthropy icon Paul Newman is being asked NOT to allow any of his memorabilia to be sold on E-Bay because the company’s monopolistic and unfair business practices are stinging its most loyal sellers.

E-Bay, a company that succeeds on the efforts of its most active sellers, has late been acting in a way to that would make even Doyle Lonnegan blush. Lonnegan is the Chicago crime boss played by Robert Shaw in the Newman classic, “The Sting.’’

In particular eBay protestors are asking that a collectible racing helmet that depicts Mr. Newman’s career in film not be sold on eBay by Newman racing team member Graham Rahall. It has been reported the helmet will be auctioned off to raise money for Mr. Newman’s charitable Hole in the Wall Gang camps. (http://www.autoracingdaily.com/news/indycar-series/paul-newmans-movies-on-a-helmet/

Anyone who has enjoyed the acting career, social activism and philanthropy of Mr. Newman, 83, is saddened by the fact that he is reported to be terminally ill. At least one ghoulishly opportunistic seller already is offering on eBay a signed copy of a Newman book attributed to “the late Paul Newman.’’ http://cgi.ebay.com/Easton-Press-Shameless-Exploitation-PAUL-NEWMAN-sign_W0QQitemZ250283611000QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item250283611000&_trkparms=72%3A1075%7C39%3A1%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C240%3A1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

eBay protestors organized a one-week site boycott earlier this year because of a number of new rules that are harmful to the people who made their living on the site by significantly increasing their fees and opening them up to more buyer scams.

A message from Mr. Newman or someone involved with his estate that he’d like his memorabilia sold on competing sites more fair to its patrons would allow him an opportunity for one more stand for a democratic cause to punctuate a life already rich in social justice. Also using eBay to auction any of his legacy would prevent people currently boycotting eBay to bid as well.

The request is being led by Gabriel Majors (Gmajorspresents) a New York artist who has done interior design work for Mr. Newman and his wife, Joanne Woodward.

“Mr. Newman may have no idea what a corrupt and monopolistic company eBay is,’’ Majors said. “He never would want his legacy to be handled through a company that is destroying free enterprise and the American dream.’’

Contact: Anthony Burke Boylan, Tonyboylan@aol.com, 312-953-1649

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Background

This year eBay has:

· increased fees 66% on sellers, while insulting them by calling it a “decrease’’

· restricted sellers with a one-sided feedback system that benefits buyers and opens sellers to more fraud

· forced merchants to offer any transactions be done through its subsidiary, PayPal, which takes a second bite out of small business profit and holds sellers’ money for 21 days

· generally adopted policies that favor large corporate sellers and are breaking the backs of individuals and small businesses who made their living through the site.

The Internet is filled with blogs, posts and YouTube videos from sellers who are suffering because of the rule changes. They organized an eBay boycott earlier this year and are desperately seeking an alternative to the auction titan.

A recent eBay seller convention in Chicago was poorly attended and rife with irate sellers who have lost their livelihood. YouTube is filled with videos showing the anxiety over the rule changes.

In addition to being a World War II veteran, Mr. Newman sponsors an annual first amendment award, has contributed large sums of money to Kosovo refugees and his alma mater Kenyon College, and was No. 19 on Richard Nixon’s enemies list.

Gabriel Majors, who uses the name Gmajorspresents, has been active in the boycott of eBay, including listing the Golden Gate Bridge for sale on eBay last year, a tactic that earned media coverage for the cause. Majors initial discomfort with eBay was over counterfeit Gibson guitars being sold on the site.