Bobby Berosini
Encyclopedia
Bohumil Berousek, known professionally as Bobby Berosini is a Czech-born American
entertainer best known for his long-running show involving live orangutan
s.
Berosini emigrated from Czechoslovakia
in 1964, and eventually made his way to Las Vegas
. He was a fixture at the Stardust Resort & Casino
starting in the mid-1970s, and his act was featured on Going Ape!
, a 1981 comedy film starring Tony Danza
. Earlier, in 1978, one of his orangutans, Clyde, appeared in Every Which Way but Loose with Clint Eastwood
.
However, his career was derailed in 1989 after a Stardust dancer secretly videotaped Berosini grabbing, slapping, punching and shaking his orangutans before going on stage with them. The dancer, Ottavio Gesmundo, sent the tapes to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
, and the resulting outcry forced the Stardust to cancel Berosini's act. Although he later moved his act to Branson, Missouri
, he has only made sporadic appearances in Las Vegas since then. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service
later canceled Berosini's wildlife permit.
Berosini sued Gesmundo, PETA and another animal rights group, the Performing Animal Welfare Society
, for defamation and invasion of privacy
. In 1990, a jury found in favor of Berosini and awarded him $3.1 million in damages. However, the Nevada Supreme Court threw out the judgment in 1994, saying that the tape was an accurate portrayal of Berosini's behavior and fell within the realm of "protected opinion." It also ruled that Berosini had no expectation of privacy in the crowded backstage area.
This judgment was affirmed on a rehearing of the case a year later, and in 1996, a Nevada District Court
judge ordered Berosini to pay a total of $417,000 in attorneys' fees to PETA and PaWS.
PETA subsequently alleged that Berosini had moved more than $2 million out of the country to avoid paying court costs. Berosini and his wife, Jean, claimed that the money was for a land investment in Central and South America. In February 2000, a federal magistrate ordered Berosini to return the money, finding that Berosini was deliberately hiding his assets. Berosini and PETA agreed to a settlement in which Berosini paid $340,000 in court costs and interest. However, two years later, Berosini was ordered to pay three law firms $250,000 for the time they spent trying to find the $2 million. Berosini contested this judgment four times on appeal and lost each time, and PETA claims that it is considering further legal action against Berosini for filing a frivolous appeal.
Berosini told Harper's Magazine
in 1993 that he and his wife received numerous death threats against themselves and their orangutans in the middle of the night. He also said he had to shop at a different supermarket every day for several months due to threats that the orangutans' food would be poisoned.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entertainer best known for his long-running show involving live orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
s.
Berosini emigrated from Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in 1964, and eventually made his way to Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
. He was a fixture at the Stardust Resort & Casino
Stardust Resort & Casino
The Stardust Resort & Casino was a casino resort located on along the Las Vegas Strip in Winchester, Nevada.The Stardust opened in 1958, although most of the modern casino complex was built in 1991. At its March 13, 2007 demolition it was the youngest undamaged high-rise building to ever be...
starting in the mid-1970s, and his act was featured on Going Ape!
Going Ape!
Going Ape! is a 1981 comedy film directed by Jeremy Joe Kronsberg and produced by Paramount Pictures. The original music score was composed by Elmer Bernstein...
, a 1981 comedy film starring Tony Danza
Tony Danza
Tony Danza is an American actor best known for starring on the TV series Taxi and Who's the Boss?, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award and four Golden Globe Awards...
. Earlier, in 1978, one of his orangutans, Clyde, appeared in Every Which Way but Loose with Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
.
However, his career was derailed in 1989 after a Stardust dancer secretly videotaped Berosini grabbing, slapping, punching and shaking his orangutans before going on stage with them. The dancer, Ottavio Gesmundo, sent the tapes to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an American animal rights organization based in Norfolk, Virginia, and led by Ingrid Newkirk, its international president. A non-profit corporation with 300 employees and two million members and supporters, it claims to be the largest animal rights...
, and the resulting outcry forced the Stardust to cancel Berosini's act. Although he later moved his act to Branson, Missouri
Branson, Missouri
Branson is a city in Taney County in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s....
, he has only made sporadic appearances in Las Vegas since then. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats...
later canceled Berosini's wildlife permit.
Berosini sued Gesmundo, PETA and another animal rights group, the Performing Animal Welfare Society
Performing Animal Welfare Society
The Performing Animal Welfare Society is a U.S. based group for abandoned or abused performing animals as well victims of the exotic animal trade. They claim 30,000 members...
, for defamation and invasion of privacy
Invasion of privacy
United States privacy law embodies several different legal concepts. One is the invasion of privacy, a tort based in common law allowing an aggrieved party to bring a lawsuit against an individual who unlawfully intrudes into his or her private affairs, discloses his or her private information,...
. In 1990, a jury found in favor of Berosini and awarded him $3.1 million in damages. However, the Nevada Supreme Court threw out the judgment in 1994, saying that the tape was an accurate portrayal of Berosini's behavior and fell within the realm of "protected opinion." It also ruled that Berosini had no expectation of privacy in the crowded backstage area.
This judgment was affirmed on a rehearing of the case a year later, and in 1996, a Nevada District Court
Nevada District Courts
The Nevada District Courts are the trial courts of general jurisdiction in the Nevada state court system.In the District Courts "criminal, civil, family, and juvenile matters are generally resolved through arbitration, mediation, and bench or jury trials."...
judge ordered Berosini to pay a total of $417,000 in attorneys' fees to PETA and PaWS.
PETA subsequently alleged that Berosini had moved more than $2 million out of the country to avoid paying court costs. Berosini and his wife, Jean, claimed that the money was for a land investment in Central and South America. In February 2000, a federal magistrate ordered Berosini to return the money, finding that Berosini was deliberately hiding his assets. Berosini and PETA agreed to a settlement in which Berosini paid $340,000 in court costs and interest. However, two years later, Berosini was ordered to pay three law firms $250,000 for the time they spent trying to find the $2 million. Berosini contested this judgment four times on appeal and lost each time, and PETA claims that it is considering further legal action against Berosini for filing a frivolous appeal.
Berosini told Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
in 1993 that he and his wife received numerous death threats against themselves and their orangutans in the middle of the night. He also said he had to shop at a different supermarket every day for several months due to threats that the orangutans' food would be poisoned.