Judge Dismisses Fraud Claim From ‘Spinal Tap’ Lawsuit

A U.S. district judge dismissed all but one of the co-creators of the 1984 classic mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap from a fraud and contract-breach lawsuit against production studios Vivendi and StudioCanal. Harry Shearer and Michael McKean and director Rob Reiner were dismissed because they joined the lawsuit as "loan out companies." Actor Christopher Guest’s suit will continue. Shearer, McKean, and Reiner issued a statement after the ruling say they will amend the complaint to include their names instead of "loan out companies." The judge also dismissed a fraud claim against the studios. The four of them brought the lawsuit last year and, despite decades of cult success, claimed they had made just $81 in merchandising income and $98 in musical sales. The lawsuit demands as much as $400 million in damages.