Fox Sues Humorist Al Franken Over Slogan

The Washington Post ^ | August 11, 2003 | The Associated Press

[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.

[swarthyguy]

How frickin' stoopid. Fox's numskull lawyers now boost sales of Franken's book.

[The Wizard]

I've been waiting for this post about this sorry asshole getting what he deserves

[Stone Mountain]

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...

[T'wit]

I wish to sue Al Franken over his claim to be a "humorist."

[Orangedog]

"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.

[Arkinsaw]

How frickin' stoopid. Fox's numskull lawyers now boost sales of Franken's book.

Yep, and they don't stand a chance in court.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Related threads:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/962666/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/962232/posts

[Salgak]

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. . .

[betty boop]

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.

[Extremist]

Rush's next book should be titled: "Al Franken is a Little Gay Moron." What part of that title could Franken contest?

[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.

No need to tie up the courts with this nonsense.

[Stone Mountain]

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?

[Atlas Sneezed]

"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.

[Atlas Sneezed]

They all three come up for me. Be sure you are searching in the news form, and by title.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Typo correction: (news forUm)

[syriacus]

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.