Posted on 08/05/2008 12:18:51 PM PDT by Red Steel
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 8/5/08 There has been a major backfire with presidential candidate John McCains TV ads comparing Barack Obamas rock-star status and intelligence to celebrities Paris Hilton and Britney Spears.
Not only has the highly- influentional Hilton family struck back, who once donated to McCains campaign, about the affront to their offspring, fans across the nation are riled by the commercials offending their women, no matter how controversial they may be.
Moreover, Paris can sue McCain in many states who have right of publicity laws. Simply stated, you cannot use a person image to sell anything without their approval and likely a large check. Try using Michael Jordans face in your TV ad without permission and see how many lawyers call by 9 a.m..
The question will be is selling votes a sale? Political speech, like HT has First Amendment rights to run a public figure, yet TV ads may be an exception yet this may be a question for the Supreme Court. Obama may wish to run a Bruce Springsteen song or face on his ads, but he cant without permission.
A spokesman for Paris Hilton complained that Miss Hilton was not asked, nor did she give permission for the use of her likeness in the ad.
Paris may be blonde, but like Madonna, is anything but dumb. She has multiple corporations, a fashion line, makes her TV appearances and board meetings on time and has kept out of trouble. She is still young and rich, so subject to any rock star-like messes but she can be cool as any CEO.
Similar with Britney, who is worth as much many women in business. Yet McCain played them as bimbos and compared them to Obama as one. McCain on Friday denied that his campaign had taken a negative turn, saying, We think its got a lot of humor in it, were having fun and enjoying it.
Paris Hiltons mother doesnt share McCains frivolity. On Sunday, Hiltons mother, Kathy Hilton, a McCain donor, registered her disapproval, calling the ad a complete waste of the money John McCains contributors have donated to his campaign.
Kathy Hilton and her husband donated a total of $4,600 to McCains campaign earlier this year.
This will be McCain’s ‘Sister Souljah’.
“Paris may be blonde, but like Madonna, is anything but dumb. She has multiple corporations, a fashion line, makes her TV appearances and board meetings on time and has kept out of trouble. She is still young and rich, so subject to any rock star-like messes but she can be cool as any CEO.”
Who actually built their own financial empire, and who was handed theirs via genetic relation to someone else who did?
Sue Paris Sue!!!
Sue Britney Sue!!!
I would love to see this ad seen by millions more on YouTube, and I would love to see public contempt for Obambi, Paris, and Britney grow.
Therefore, ladies (sic), go ahead an make a big fuss about this for weeks and months to come.
Tee hee, the author is a blonde too!!
WoW, this thing has gotten a lot of free press — if you didn’t know BHO was as dumb as a couple of hollyweirdos, you do now...
That is great press — I hope they keep talking about it...excellent job hollywood.
Kathy Hilton was quite ok with videos of Paris snorting blow off a guy's stomach, and blowing another, but she won't stand for her being compared to a 1/2 black man. That sounds racist to me.
lol!!!
Did she really mean a "complete" waste???
I agree. Comparing Obama to Britney and Paris is an insult! To Paris and Britney that is.
In the words of Ben Stiler as Hutch “Do it! Do it!...Do it!”
Seriously, the public is tired of these ultra celebs and their product lines, their publicity, their lamebrain “acts” and the fact that they are “news.”
If they sue McCain on Obama’s own words, it’ll back fire on them, not McCain.
Have to go along with McCain on this one, they are bimbos.
Paris Hilton has had her picture on every TV station in the country.
She has become such a photo-op hog that she doesn’t have a chance of suing and winning, IMO.
She asked for this kind of noteriety, and it was used in one of the most tasteful ways I have ever seen her pics used.
She is such a skank. I would be more than ashamed if I were her mother.
Don’t think the Hiltons can get a refund on their donations, either.
Please, Mrs. Hilton is as big a media prostitute as her daughter (if not more so)
This is about PR for herself and her daughter.
She was called a celebrity and a star and at worst vacuous.
Mrs. Hilton better put her rubber gun back in its holster.
Now McCain has done it! He’s lost the Britney Spears and Paris Hilton fan vote.
Paris Hilton is still a filthy skank without principles beyond that of money. How would one else characterize a girl that distributes a video of herself doing... well I won't get graphic here. Funny that her parents have to defend their "mature" heiress from these eeeevil McCain ad, while they apparently have no problems with her "lifestyle".
“fans across the nation are riled by the commercials offending their women,...”
Don’t you be offendin’ my womenses!
Paris Hilton suing John McCain will be a badge of honor for him, especially with social conservatives who’ve been lukewarm toward him. This is better PR than anything Mac could buy.
Ooooh. Big money.
How does the paparazzi stay in business?
“Similar with Britney, who is worth as much many women in business”
Jeffrey Jolson and the editors of this rag need to proofread their drivel a tad bit better.
http://newsbusters.org/stories/mccain_not_first_compare_obama_paris_hilton.html
Why didn’t she sue Obama? He’s the one who made the comparison first. That’s where McCain’s people got the idea.
Paris’ mommy also cried about the injustice of having her daughter actually be punished for not obeying the laws little people have to obey. If the Hilton sisters are braindead celebrity whores they can blame it on their mother the enabler.
Well they might as well sue the Morning Joe show for calling her a “skank” no less than 3xs this AM.
With enemies like Paris Hilton, who needs friends?
The Senator’s Humble Beginning
Rising Star Barack Obama Is Resolutely Down to Earth
By Mark Leibovich
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 24, 2005; Page C01
There’s nothing exotic or complicated about how phenoms are made in Washington, and, more to the point, how they are broken.
“Andy Warhol said we all get our 15 minutes of fame,” says Barack Obama. “I’ve already had an hour and a half. I mean, I’m so overexposed, I’m making Paris Hilton look like a recluse.”
...
Except for that going to jail thing.
How was McCain’s ad “insulting” to Ms. Hilton? It merely showed her and called her a “celebrity”. Is that not what Kathy Hilton has been driving her daughters to for their whole lives?
This is baloney
Hilton is a celebrity, and her image can therefore be used this way
liberal judge and lawyers
Minor point but what would be the product that McCain is "selling"?
Paris Hilton has a TV REALITY show where she plays herself as a celebrity who is a bimbo.
now McCain portrays her as a bimbo.
seriously, are they trying to say by association that Obama is NOT like them?
My understanding is that political ads are immune from suit ... look at the lies and distortions they all use year after year, campaign after campaign. But this commercial did not sell anything, it was not a revenue advertisement. Not a lawyer, but I'd like to have more than this excuse as a reason to bring action, seek damages.
These people are in the public domain. And exactly what product is McCain selling? Idiots...
Should be easy, all Paris has to prove is that she is not a pig...looking forward to it.
spare me...please...
How about a class action suit against Obama by those who cling to their guns and religion?
How does the paparazzi stay in business?
You can take someone's picture and put it in a news story. But you can't use a celebrity's picture as your logo or corporate mascot or some other commercial purpose without their permission.
Using Paris or Britney's pictures or names in a political ad would seem to fall into the latter category.
but, Momma Hilton, this is the video you object to?
actually political speech is a fair use issue, also she is a public figure because she has assummed the role of public figure.
(see Arhnold the governor public figure)
Is there anyone who isn’t offended by something and ready to blow a gasket? Anyone?
Could you, for example, take Tom Cruise's face and name (without his permission) and create a brand of Tom Cruise Salsa or whatever? Of course not. And you couldn't use his name and face as part of a political ad, either, without his permission.
“Whore Off”
credit South Park
Using Paris or Britney's pictures or names in a political ad would seem to fall into the latter category.
But a political ad is NOT a commercial purpose/venture as such, so how do you opine this to fall into that category?
LOL.
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