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Fox Sues Humorist Al Franken Over Slogan
The Washington Post ^
| August 11, 2003
| The Associated Press
Posted on 08/12/2003 10:26:19 AM PDT by Stone Mountain
Fox Sues Humorist Al Franken Over Slogan
The Associated Press Monday, August 11, 2003; 5:15 PM
NEW YORK - Fox News Channel has sued liberal humorist Al Franken and the Penguin Group to stop them from using the phrase "fair and balanced" in the title of his upcoming book.
Filed Monday in Manhattan, the trademark infringement lawsuit seeks a court order forcing Penguin to rename the book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right." It also asks for unspecified damages.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: duplicate; searchisyourfriend; usethesearchtool; wewantu2succeed
To: Stone Mountain
How frickin' stoopid. Fox's numskull lawyers now boost sales of Franken's book.
To: Stone Mountain
I've been waiting for this post about this sorry asshole getting what he deserves
3
posted on
08/12/2003 10:28:37 AM PDT
by
The Wizard
(Saddamocrats are enemies of America, treasonous everytime they speak)
To: The Wizard
I've been waiting for this post about this sorry asshole getting what he deserves
I dunno - I don't think FOX has a chance in this suit. Parody is protected - precedent set by Falwell v. Hustler...
To: Stone Mountain
I wish to sue Al Franken over his claim to be a "humorist."
5
posted on
08/12/2003 10:31:18 AM PDT
by
T'wit
To: The Wizard
"Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them...Bill talk from the ilk who doesn't have a problem with people "lying" so long as it's about sex, rape and purgery.
6
posted on
08/12/2003 10:32:37 AM PDT
by
Orangedog
(Soccer-Moms are the biggest threat to your freedoms and the republic !)
To: swarthyguy
How frickin' stoopid. Fox's numskull lawyers now boost sales of Franken's book.
Yep, and they don't stand a chance in court.
7
posted on
08/12/2003 10:36:38 AM PDT
by
Arkinsaw
To: Stone Mountain
To: Stone Mountain
1. They're only trying to get the title changed.
2. "Fair and Balanced" is a trademark of Fox News: if they DIDN'T attempt to defend it, the trademark would go into public domain the next time someone tried using it. . .
9
posted on
08/12/2003 11:04:29 AM PDT
by
Salgak
(don't mind me: the orbital mind control lasers are making me write this. . .)
To: swarthyguy
Gee, I wonder why WP calls Al Franken a "humorist".... He has to be one of the most unfunny people on the face of this planet.
10
posted on
08/12/2003 1:28:28 PM PDT
by
betty boop
(We can have either human dignity or unfettered liberty, but not both. -- Dean Clancy)
To: The Wizard
Rush's next book should be titled: "Al Franken is a Little Gay Moron." What part of that title could Franken contest?
To: Salgak
Fox just needs to publicly announce that the slogan is trademarked and then admit that parody (no matter how poor the parody is) comes under the "fair use" doctrine.
No need to tie up the courts with this nonsense.
To: Beelzebubba
Geez, I searched for both "Franken" and "Fox" before I posted and those threads didn't come up. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
To: Salgak
"if they DIDN'T attempt to defend it, the trademark would go into public domain the next time someone tried using it"
That would be true with respect to infringing uses, but not with respect to uses on unrelated goods or services.
To: Stone Mountain
They all three come up for me. Be sure you are searching in the news form, and by title.
To: Beelzebubba
Typo correction: (news forUm)
To: Bluntpoint
Fox just needs to publicly announce that the slogan is trademarked and then admit that parody (no matter how poor the parody is) comes under the "fair use" doctrine. And what is "fair use" when it comes to using someone's registered trademark or service mark?
I'm planning on using the words
By Al Franken
someplace in the subtitle of a satirical novel
Maybe the title could be like this
Healing Malformed Teeth in the Middle East:
A Novelized Biography of the esteemed Egyptian Orthodontist
By Al Franken
My main character will be a orthodontist named By Al Franken.
Maybe I'll include a caricature that looks like Al Franken in scrubs on the cover, too.
Putting Franken's name and picture on the cover should boost sales.
17
posted on
08/12/2003 5:41:45 PM PDT
by
syriacus
(I plan to use the words "By Al Franken" in the subtitle on the cover of my next book.)
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