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TMZ: Nintendo sued by performer hired to wear Donkey Kong costume

Dressing up as Donkey Kong was no monkey business for a guy who claims the poorly designed costume left him injured.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Nintendo of America hired Michael Oconitrillo to play the famous gorilla at a mall in Culver City, CA. He says even though the Kong suit was "poorly ventilated and unreasonably and dangerously hot" ... he had strict orders to keep it on.

It may sound like a typical Halloween, but Michael says he suffered permanent damage, as well as mental and emotional distress -- though he doesn't list any specific injuries.
Nintendo doesn't seem to be sweating the suit -- a rep says, "We have nothing to announce on this topic."

Source: http://www.tmz.com/2016/06/01/donkey-kong-costume-nintendo-lawsuit/?

Edit: No, this isn't the same lawsuit as the one before. Two separate Donkey Kongs performers have sued Nintendo. Here's the other one: http://www.polygon.com/2014/12/2/7324843/donkey-kong-actor-sues-nintendo-over-damaged-heart
 
giphy.gif
 
Yup, I remember this awhile back.

Different guy

http://www.polygon.com/2014/12/2/7324843/donkey-kong-actor-sues-nintendo-over-damaged-heart

An actor who portrayed Nintendo's iconic Donkey Kong during the summer of 2013 is suing the game maker for poor working conditions he said led to a damaged heart, the LA Times reports.

Parker Mills was hired to play the giant ape during a May, 2013 launch event for Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, according to the man's attorney, the Times reports.

In the suit, Mills says that he wasn't allowed to take breaks and wasn't provided required ice packs to help keep him cool at the event held at the LA Zoo. The attorney says Mills suffered a tear in his aortic wall and had to undergo surgery to implant a heart defibrillator.
 

fernoca

Member
It sounds similar because there was another lawsuit from a different guy a few years ago, also for the DK costume.
 
Okay, I KNEW this story was familiar but, holy cow, a different guy?

Methinks the problem might be that Donkey Kong suit. Geez. You never see the Pikachu performers have these sort of problems.
pikachu-group-dance.gif

Dancing in unison like this always cracks me up and makes me smile.
 

Schnozberry

Member
The suit alleges no specific injury. Did Nintendo settle the previous case out of court or something? Some lawyer must have smelled blood.
 

Nosgotham

Junior Member
Can you actually suffer a tear in your aortic wall from overheating? I figured he would have passed out from heat exhaustion by that point.

Anyway so this is like the second or third lawsuit involving a DK costume and Nintendo? There's got to be something going on here.

heat exhaustion is pretty serious stuff, i suffered it almost to heat stroke. uncontrollable cramping, basically lose bowel control and if you dont get your temp up you are going to faint and get serious internal damage to different systems. i dont know the extent of this guy's condition but if he got heat stroke or neat exhaustion he wouldve been hospitalized at least for a short period

now if he got hydrated because he didnt drink water and was sweating thats different
 

Johndoey

Banned
Overheating is super dangerous, and can cause some pretty bad permanent damage. If this is the second person with the same issue they had to know the suit was poorly designed.
 
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