Paul Newman Is Still HUD

The New York Times ^ | 08/19/03 | PAUL NEWMAN

[Pokey78]

he Fox News Network is suing Al Franken, the political satirist, for using the phrase "fair and balanced" in the title of his new book. In claiming trademark violation, Fox sets a noble example for standing firm against whatever.

Unreliable sources report that the Fox suit has inspired Paul Newman, the actor, to file a similar suit in federal court against the Department of Housing and Urban Development, commonly called HUD. Mr. Newman claims piracy of personality and copycat infringement.

In the 1963 film "HUD," for which Mr. Newman was nominated for an Academy Award, the ad campaign was based on the slogan, "Paul Newman is HUD." Mr. Newman claims that the Department of Housing and Urban Development, called HUD, is a fair and balanced institution and that some of its decency and respectability has unfairly rubbed off on his movie character, diluting the rotten, self-important, free-trade, corrupt conservative image that Mr. Newman worked so hard to project in the film. His suit claims that this "innocence by association" has hurt his feelings plus residuals.

A coalition of the willing — i.e., the Bratwurst Asphalt Company and the Ypsilanti Hot Dog and Bean Shop — has been pushed forward and is prepared to label its products "fair and balanced," knowing that Fox News will sue and that its newscasters will be so tied up with subpoenas they will only be able to broadcast from the courtroom, where they will be seen tearing their hair and whining, looking anything but fair and balanced, which would certainly be jolly good sport all around.

Paul Newman, an actor, is chief executive of Salad King.

[Paul Atreides]

More like, DUD.

[prognostigaator]

DUH.......

[thegreatbeast]

Damn! Where do you find comedy like that but in the NYT?

Paul Newman- another celebrity eager to demean himself instead of quietly going off with dignity.

[jocon307]

You know, it's really Spike Lee who started all this. As one writer put it, Somewhere Nick Nolte is kicking himself that he didn't sue Nick at Night before the statute of limitations ran out.

[ahadams2]

but when is the New York Times going to admit it's just a latterday attempt to revitalize the National Lampoon?

[nothingnew]

But is he doing this with "Absence of Malice"?...I'll find out...I'll call my friend Sally Fields.

FMCDH

[fish hawk]

What came first? Hud the Gov. or Hud the movie. If the Gov.agency existed first, they should be able to sue Paul Newman.

[sinkspur]

Paul, what we have here is, a failure to communicate.

Newman's sniffing too much of his ragout.

[WOSG]

New York Times sues The Onion for copyright infringement

or is it the other way around?

[Princeliberty]

The movie came first in 63. LBJ gave us HUD.

Hey, I think he got a point on this one.
I think Fox was silly to sue.

[BradyLS]

MY parents shoulda sued. ;)

[Lizavetta]

HUD...HUD...Oh yeah, they're the ones who won't help me buy a house because I'm white

They're also the ones left with missing millions after Cuomo Jr.'s tenure.

[Hildy]

How come these people didn't pipe up when Spike Lee sued viacom. This isn't even clever.

[Hildy]

I'm going to say this again...if somebody wrote a book, put my picture and the name of my store on the cover and the words CROOK appeared in big bold letters I'd sue too. I believe what he is saying is malicious slander.

[gcruse]

Our next door neighbor in Amarillo back then was a local TV personality named Warren Anderson. In the opening scenes of HUD, you might recall a barkeeper sweeping glass up from his sidewalk. Someone asks him what happened last night. He says, "I had Hud last night!" That bartender was our neighbor.

[BraveMan]

Unreliable sources report . . .

Confirmation that this is indeed a Times article . . .

[fish hawk]

I dont know if it is true or not but on another thread today I read that if Fox didnt challenge this, they would lose the rights to "fair and balanced".

[Torie]

If using the generic term "fair and balanced" is deemed a copyright infringement by any court in this land, I will stop eating meat. This is a really stupid suit by Fox. Fox takes itself too seriously, and it should be slapped down, and will be.