Posted on 08/05/2004 8:37:32 AM PDT by elfman2
NEW YORK -- The creators of a popular Internet cartoon that satirizes U.S. President George W. Bush and his Democratic challenger John Kerry are being sued by the copyright holder of Woody Guthrie's classic folk song This Land is Your Land for using the tune without proper authorization.
Ludlow Music asked Jib Jab Media (at jibjab.com) to remove its parody and present an accounting of all incomes derived from the cartoon, complaining it has caused substantial harm to the value of Guthrie's song. Acting on behalf of Jib Jab, the Electronic Freedom Frontier responded that use of the music is protected by the fair use doctrine of U.S. copyright laws.
The cartoon features a cut-and-paste Bush and Kerry trading sing-song insults while dancing to a version of Guthrie's tune. "I'm a Texas tiger, you're a liberal wiener," sings Bush, sitting atop a horse while lassoing Kerry in a hot dog costume. "You have more waffles than a house of pancakes. You offer flip-flops, I offer tax breaks. This land will surely vote for me."
Kerry responds: "You can't say nuclear, that really scares me. Sometimes a brain can come in quite handy," while giving Bush a brain transplant. He continues, "but it's not going to help you, because I won three purple hearts!"
The cartoon mimics the end of Dr. Strangelove in a shot of Bush riding a flying missile while yelping, "It's true that I kick ass!" It also features a sad-faced Indian in ceremonial headdress bemoaning that, "This land was my land," as the desert landscape behind him fills up with icons of American commerce.
The lawsuit is only the latest twist in a roller-coaster month of extremes for Gregg and Evan Spiridellis, who are the sole owners and creators of Jib Jab. Since posting the cartoon on July 8, the brothers have become media darlings. The publicity spike caused millions of people to download the cartoon and prompted Jib Jab's servers to crash repeatedly. The cartoon is now hosted by Atomfilms.com.,
In a recent radio interview, Woody Guthrie's son Arlo said he enjoyed the cartoon and even referred friends and relatives to the site. "I think my dad would have absolutely loved the humour in it," he said
Could you take this photo and add "Not Fit to be" before the word
President. And change "The Real Deal" to "The Raw Deal" ?hehe! Sure. Here tis! .....
:~)
(I can even make out the "Johnboy.com" underneath the pilot's door.
You're almost there already! Got to drive. 45 min to BEER!hehe! My little community voted us "Wet" on May 18th. In about 2 weeks now, I will be able to walk across the street and buy my beer locally (finally, after living here 18 years). :^D
Thank you, Happy! :^D
Right
Lots oF Elvis vocals get played on the web
Result?
Elvis* estate says his music sales are the highest ever!
What kind of music do you know?
I likes it I does
45 minutes from work to home for me. We are in a wet county
Guthrie was a lib-dem socialist-commie scumbag; his laaaaaaaw-yers still are money-grubbing vermin.
:^)
Since the NINTH circuit ruled that it did, does that mean it didn't?
BTW, I've not read the book in question, but how can a "style" be copyrighted?
That is my intended implication. Remember, this is the court that found that "under God" was unconstitutional in our pledge. The SCOTUS then reversed that opinion for the flimsy reason that Newdow had no standing to bring the suit. I say flimsy only in that the standing issue should have been obviously decided at the first court level.
Justice Stevens delivered the opinion of the Court.
Each day elementary school teachers in the Elk Grove Unified School District (School District) lead their classes in a group recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Respondent, Michael A. Newdow, is an atheist whose daughter participates in that daily exercise. Because the Pledge contains the words "under God," he views the School District's policy as a religious indoctrination of his child that violates the First Amendment. A divided panel of the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit agreed with Newdow. In light of the obvious importance of that decision, we granted certiorari to review the First Amendment issue and, preliminarily, the question whether Newdow has standing to invoke the jurisdiction of the federal courts. We conclude that Newdow lacks standing and therefore reverse the Court of Appeals' decision.
...
The case was referred to a Magistrate Judge, whose brief findings and recommendation concluded, "the Pledge does not violate the Establishment Clause." Id., at 79. The District Court adopted that recommendation and dismissed the complaint on July 21, 2000. App. to Pet. for Cert. 97. The Court of Appeals reversed and issued three separate decisions discussing the merits and Newdow's standing.
Hmmm, much more observant than me. Speaking of the Simpsons, do you know off the top of your head who wrote the Simpsons theme? Hint Im a big fan.
Visit www.snpp.com for all your Simpsons-related needs.
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