Fan Says Rock Singer Berated Him for Seeking Autographs

DETROIT (CN) – A Michigan autograph collector seeking Iggy Pop’s signature claims he was verbally and physically assaulted by Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme before TMZ falsely reported he called the singer names.

Jason Leckrone – who attended an Iggy Pop concert in Detroit last year that featured Homme – accuses the singer of assault and also claims TMZ defamed him after the incident, in a lawsuit filed Monday in Wayne County Circuit Court.

Leckrone, a school teacher who collects autographs as a hobby, says he wanted Iggy Pop’s autograph after the show but was unable to get it because of security personnel.

Homme passed by shortly thereafter and, according to the complaint, “confronted autograph seekers and said something to the effect of – I am not signing autographs for you blood sucking ebayers [sic], I am tired of you making money off me but I will take photos with you.”

“Plaintiff pointed out that defendant Homme benefitted from these types of people who attended the concert,” the complaint states. “Defendant Homme began taking photos with people while swearing at plaintiff between photos.”

Leckrone further alleges, “When defendant Homme finished the last photo, he approached plaintiff [and] was right in his face screaming profanities.”

The lawsuit says Homme went into an after-party for a few minutes, but then returned “and confronted plaintiff again and threatened him … [saying] that he wanted to punch him in the face.”

Homme pointed his finger “inches from plaintiff’s face … [and] then intentionally and physically grabbed plaintiff around the shoulder area,” Leckrone alleges.

A witness videotaped the incident and sent the footage to TMZ, who posted the video on its website, along with an article “that indicated that plaintiff was involved in a ‘nasty name-calling exchange’ with defendant Homme,” the complaint states.

Leckrone says the statement is untrue and cast him in a false light, and that TMZ exploited him for commercial use. He seeks at least $25,000 for claims of assault, defamation, false light, appropriation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The defendants listed in the lawsuit include Homme, TMZ Productions Inc., TMZ.com, EHM Productions Inc., Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., the Richard and Jane Manoogian Foundation and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

TMZ did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment.

Leckrone is represented by Gregory Wix of Shelby Township, Mich.

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