Portnoy Complains

Almost overnight, the world of Armand Portnoy, mild-mannered owner of a Parisian garage, was transformed. There were anonymous telephone calls, bad jokes from close friends and insinuating remarks from mere acquaintances. It was poor Portnoy's most harrowing experience since the day in World War II when he sought shelter from a German air raid by ducking under a loaded gasoline truck.

The garageman's problems began with the French publication last April of Portnoy's Complaint, Philip Roth's novel about a guilt-ridden, sex-obsessed young lawyer. Complained the Parisian Portnoy: "My wife read the book and very nearly had a nervous breakdown. I have two daughters at the Sorbonne, and their friends thought it a great joke to say, 'What a father you've got!' " On top of that, he added, "Alexander Portnoy and I are both Jewish." Worst of all, Portnoy's business partner is named Victor Branli, and branler is the French slang verb for masturbate. Branli, too, was unsettled. "Personally," he said, "I'd rather the confusion was with a Bluebeard than with a Portnoy."

Portnoy took his complaint to a Paris civil court in an attempt to bar Gallimard, the publishing house, from selling any more copies until the hero's name is changed. Argued the publisher's lawyer: "There is no risk of confusion. Philip Roth's hero is a New York lawyer. Our adversary is a French garage owner. This hero is not odious or detestable. He is touching." Besides, the attorney added, "How can you expect an American writer to investigate whether somewhere abroad there is a living person with the name of his hero?"

Last week Judge Andre Rouanet de Vigne-Lavit rejected Portnoy's request for a court order to change the name of Roth's hero, but he did suggest that Armand's next step might be to seek damages. Portnoy has not yet decided whether to pursue the action.

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