Updated at 5:02 p.m., Thursday, December 6, 2007
Wal-Mart pulls 'Superbad' DVDs with 'Hawaii' prop
Advertiser Staff
Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann this afternoon announced that Wal-Mart will voluntarily pull the DVD release of the movie "Superbad" from the shelves of its seven stores in Hawai'i at his behest, with plans to do the same at stores across the country.The DVD is packaged with a plastic card that resembles a Hawai'i driver's license. The card was a prop used by one of the characters in the movie.
"We're very pleased that Wal-Mart has taken prompt, corrective measures to comply with the city's request to protect the integrity of our driver's license. It was foolish of the movie studio to include this prop in the DVD, particularly because it could be used by unscrupulous people to deceive others who are unfamiliar with our driver's license. For example, those who saw 'Superbad' know the underage teenager used his fake Hawai'i license to buy liquor."
Hannemann yesterday had objected to the inclusion of the pseudo driver's license — which serves as the primary identification card for most Hawai'i residents — and sought Wal-Mart cooperation in removing the product from its shelves.
The mayor said, "We're grateful that Wal-Mart was very responsive to our concerns and even took this matter to the very top of the corporate headquarters. We hope Sony Pictures, which produced and marketed the film, will be as responsive."
Under state law, anyone convicted of using a fake Hawai'i driver's license faces misdemeanor penalties of up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $1,000. Anyone convicted of forging a license faces Class B felony charges, with penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $25,000.
