Confused? Imagine how the good people of Grant County in southwestern Wisconsin felt when local music storeowner William Harold Fenrick changed his name to Andy Griffith to drum up publicity for his county sheriff campaign. Surely the name Andy Griffith looms large in law enforcement circles (as a police officer on The Andy Griffith Show and lawyer on Matlock), but name alone doesn't make one qualified to lock up the town drunk, go fishin' on Saturdays or perform other important sheriff duties. Apparently Grant County voters agree; Fenrick/faux-Griffith finished third in the election. But the real Griffith is still suing because he believes the faux-Griffith changed his name for the "sole purpose of taking advantage of Griffith's notoriety in an attempt to gain votes," according to a lawsuit filed Nov. 3 in U.S. District Court in Madison. Griffith is asking the court to order him to go back to his original name and for him to publish disclaimers and an apology in newspapers that say he has no association with the actor. It also seeks unspecified damages and court fees. Note to future sheriff candidates: Change your name to Don Knotts. He's dead, and therefore can't sue.
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