Sydney Sweeney did not have permission to climb the Hollywood sign and hang bras66%
By Tracy Brown57% Richard Winton78%
1/26/2026, 4:47:58 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 7 faulty reasoning types, including Anecdotal, Availability Heuristic, and Self-Serving Bias, with Appeal to Authority as the most egregious example at 31.8% saturation with 174 hits. Analysis detected 462 faulty-reasoning hits from 548 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 60.1% and a BS Rank of 66% (7,467 of 21,887 articles). This article is worse (more manipulative) than 65.90% of the article peer group.
Well, they do say any attention is good attention.
Actor Sydney Sweeney was in the spotlight Monday after being captured on video recently scaling the H of the Hollywood sign under the cloak of darkness — to hang up some bras.
TMZ reported on the footage, which was part of a promotion for Sweeney’s upcoming lingerie line.
But according to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the alleged publicity stunt was not authorized.
The chamber owns the intellectual property rights to the sign, which is managed by the nonprofit Hollywood Sign Trust.
Neither the chamber nor the trust knew about the apparent Sweeney stunt until they saw the video, officials told The Times.
"Anyone intending to use and/or access the Hollywood Sign for commercial purposes must obtain a license or permission from the Hollywood Chamber to do so," the chamber’s chief, Steve Nissen, said in a statement.
"The production involving Sydney Sweeney and the Hollywood Sign, as reported by TMZ, was not authorized by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce nor did we have prior knowledge of it."
Nissen also said that the organization "did not grant a license or permission of any kind to the production ... nor did anyone seek a license or permission from the Chamber for that production."
Footage obtained by TMZ shows Sweeney climbing up the Hollywood sign to help string up a clothesline of assorted bras across the familiar landmark.
The "Christy" star is accompanied by a small crew that is filming her handiwork.
The team did obtain a general permit to film in the area from FilmLA.
But as is explained both on the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Hollywood sign websites, filming the sign itself requires additional clearance and payment of a licensing fee.
The chamber says a portion of the proceeds goes to a trust that assists in maintaining the Hollywood sign.
Access to the Hollywood sign is generally restricted.
So far, a police report that could trigger a trespassing investigation and review by prosecutors has not been filed, according to L.A. Police Officer Tony Im, a department spokesperson.
Built in 1923, the Hollywood sign was donated to the city 21 years later.
Climbing or altering the sign is not permitted — though that has happened over the decades.
Famously, the letters were changed to "Hollyweed" by a local college student on New Year's Day 1976 when California downgraded the possession of a small amount of pot from a possible felony to a misdemeanor.
That stunt was repeated in 2017.
In that case, the suspect was arrested on suspicion of trespassing.
In 1987, Caltech students changed the sign overnight to read "Caltech."
Last February, a man was arrested after he climbed onto the letter D as part of a social media promotion.
As for Sweeney, this is not the first time the actor has been scrutinized for promotional activity involving clothing.
The "Euphoria" star previously faced backlash for the slogan of an ad campaign involving jeans.
(Sweeney later addressed the controversy, telling the Hollywood Reporter that she was "surprised by the reaction" and that she "[doesn’t] support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign."
Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true.")
Representatives for Sweeney did not respond to The Times' request for comment.
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