The tram car rolls down the Wildwood Boardwalk during a summer day. (Courtesy of the Wildwoods)
They may be the most famous five words at the Jersey Shore.
“Watch the tram car, please.”
The woman who voiced the iconic phase heard for decades by countless tourists on the Wildwood Boardwalk believes she should finally be paid for it.
Floss Stingel, now in her 80s, has filed a lawsuit against the city of Wildwood, the Wildwood Boardwalk Special Improvement District, the Wildwood Business Improvement District and other entities alleging that they have profited off the phrase while she has never received any money.
“Ms. Stingel’s voice recording has been used in television documentaries about the Wildwoods and to make and sell memorabilia — including T-shirts, toy tramcars, brochures, and postcards — which is also used to attract tourists and bring in revenue for Defendants,” according to the suit.
Lisa Fagan, a spokeswoman for Wildwood, declined to comment Wednesday on the litigation.
Stingel’s voice recording is used about 6,000 times a day during the summer in Wildwood to remind people on the Boardwalk about the tram cars passing by, her suit says.
“Every time an operator of the Wildwood Tram Car presses a button to warn pedestrians of the tram car, Ms. Stingel’s voice recording plays,” the suit states. “Her voice can be heard on the boardwalk by people passing by and by locals living in the area when the wind blows her voice their way.”
Floss Stingel speaks during the news conference to announce her lawsuit. (Courtesy of 6abc Philadelphia)Stingel and her attorney, Emeka Igwe, held a news conference Tuesday on the Boardwalk to announce the suit.
“She has not been paid a single penny for this,” Igwe said. “All she receives are free tram car tickets, which she usually gives away.”
Back in 1971, Stingel’s boyfriend had her record the now legendary “Watch the tram car, please” message.
“A man I was dating at the time worked for Ramagosa, who owned the tram cars. And I just spoke into a recorder and it's been used ever since,” Stingel said during the news conference.
Although she says she hasn’t ever been paid, the last straw came when Boardwalk stores began selling tram car plush toys last year using her famous phrase without her receiving any money.
In her suit, she is demanding that Wildwood be barred from using her voice recording in the future “without proper authorization and compensation.”
The question now is whether Wildwood will reach a settlement with Stingel to continue using her famous voice.
“People from all over the world have heard and imitated Ms. Stingel’s voice,” the suit claims.
