Spike Lee spikes SpikeTV [Archive] - Front Office Football Central

oykib

06-12-2003, 10:21 PM

Well... in the age of corporate branding, is this really so absurd. If Oprah can start a channel, why is it absurd to imagine that Spike might start one. In that case it is reasonable to conclude that this could cost him possible future revenue.

Also, orange juice is pretty popular. But if I made an O.J. product, I'd imagine that Minute Maid wouldn't be the first thing you thought of. In the same way, the word 'spike' is a commoon usage English word, but he does have a certain claim as having built it up as a media brand.

sabotai

06-12-2003, 10:30 PM

"If Oprah can start a channel, why is it absurd to imagine that Spike might start one. In that case it is reasonable to conclude that this could cost him possible future revenue."

And in the words of many people, "tough shit." Spike Lee does not own a copywrite on the word 'spike'. Just because the word 'spike' reminds some people of Spike Lee does not give him exclusive rights to use the word in any brand.

What next? My first name is Jason. I'm gonna go sue the makers of Freddie vs Jason because some people think of me whenever they hear the name 'Jason'. Some day, me and my friend Freddie might want to make a movie called Freddie vs. Jason. If the makers of this movie are allowed to continue, it's going to cost us future revenue.

tucker342

06-12-2003, 10:35 PM

Sometimes are justice system amazes me with how pathetic it is...

tucker342

06-12-2003, 10:35 PM

dola-

Agreed sabotai

oykib

06-12-2003, 10:42 PM

Originally posted by sabotai

And in the words of many people, "tough shit." Spike Lee does not own a copywrite on the word 'spike'. Just because the word 'spike' reminds some people of Spike Lee does not give him exclusive rights to use the word in any brand.

What next? My first name is Jason. I'm gonna go sue the makers of Freddie vs Jason because some people think of me whenever they hear the name 'Jason'. Some day, me and my friend Freddie might want to make a movie called Freddie vs. Jason. If the makers of this movie are allowed to continue, it's going to cost us future revenue.

Yeah, but you didn't turn 'Jason' into a media brand. My name is Michael Moore. It's on my birth certificate. But if I write a screenplay, I'm gonna have to sign it a different way.

sabotai

06-12-2003, 10:54 PM

oykib, but that's not because there is a famous Micheal Moore. You could easily write a screenplay and sell it have it made into a movie while using the name Micheal Moore.

What you can't do is have it made by a "Hollywood" studio or any movie production company that has an agreement with the Screenwriter's Guild. The Screenwriter's Guild is a union and has deals with just about everyone.

In order for you to sell your script to one of these production companies, you'd have to join the Screenwriter's Guild. And they don't allow any members to have the same name for the sake of telling them apart.

That is why you'd have to sign it differently. Because of a union, not because there happens to be another Micheal Moore who is famous.

Draft Dodger

06-12-2003, 11:03 PM

it's a temporary injunction, people

SuburbanPimp

06-12-2003, 11:28 PM

as long as it doesn't prevent the airing of THE MOST EXTREME ELIMINATION CHALLENGE, i don't care.

best show on tv, kids.

Draft Dodger

06-12-2003, 11:30 PM

oh, and the fucking channel blows no matter what stupid name they give it

korme

06-13-2003, 12:06 AM

DD did not take his nice pills today

Draft Dodger

06-13-2003, 12:07 AM

neofied

06-13-2003, 12:57 AM

I think some of the programs show promise. They'll have a few cartoons aimed at the adult male. I think this channel will be The Man Show on steroids.

Taur

06-13-2003, 06:01 AM

Wow, add found this quote "TNN as the first testosterone-centric cable network" a mention to something being "on steroids" and those Star Trek Trekkies all in the same paragraph.

How come every time I think of all those geeks at a sci-fi convention I don't think of any thing to do with MEN. Estrogen yes, testosterone no.

robbgmaier

06-13-2003, 09:00 AM

Geez, I thought this was about the spice channel, the real men's network :)

cuervo72

06-13-2003, 09:05 AM

Originally posted by robbgmaier
Geez, I thought this was about the spice channel, the real men's network :)

Ahh, the Spice Channel. Do they still, um, edit their movies? Do they still show Hot Body videos in between movies? :)

Aylmar

06-13-2003, 09:05 AM

Shouldn't Spike be worried about working on his next terrible release instead of playing around with the legal system?

KWhit

06-13-2003, 09:27 AM

Originally posted by neofied
I think this channel will be The Man Show on steroids.

Be careful. Sammy Sosa might sue you. When I read "on steroids" I thought of him.

John Galt

06-13-2003, 09:39 AM

Originally posted by sabotai
"If Oprah can start a channel, why is it absurd to imagine that Spike might start one. In that case it is reasonable to conclude that this could cost him possible future revenue."

And in the words of many people, "tough shit." Spike Lee does not own a copywrite on the word 'spike'. Just because the word 'spike' reminds some people of Spike Lee does not give him exclusive rights to use the word in any brand.

What next? My first name is Jason. I'm gonna go sue the makers of Freddie vs Jason because some people think of me whenever they hear the name 'Jason'. Some day, me and my friend Freddie might want to make a movie called Freddie vs. Jason. If the makers of this movie are allowed to continue, it's going to cost us future revenue.

This decision epitomizes why the legal system is so horribly misunderstood. First off, this is just a preliminary action under the merits are addressed. It just means that Spike Lee has a colorable claim, not that he is right. Second, all the examples people are using here miss one crucial piece of evidence - the head of TNN was dumb enough to say "Spike" was a good name in part because of Spike Lee. If he hadn't said that, I doubt this claim would still be alive. I doubt Lee will win, but he certainly should be allowed to proceed given the idiocy of the TNN head.

KWhit

06-13-2003, 09:45 AM

Originally posted by John Galt
It just means that Spike Lee has a colorable claim...

RACIST!

;)

cuervo72

06-13-2003, 09:52 AM

Originally posted by KWhit

Originally posted by neofied
I think some of the programs show promise. They'll have a few cartoons aimed at the adult male. I think this channel will be The Man Show on steroids.

Be careful. Sammy Sosa might sue you. When I read "on steroids" I thought of him.

Actually, I'm surprised The Man Show wasn't sued by the estate of Jack Albertson (http://us.imdb.com/Name?Albertson,+Jack).

Fritz

06-13-2003, 09:58 AM

Originally posted by sabotai
What next? My first name is Jason. I'm gonna go sue the makers of Freddie vs Jason because some people think of me whenever they hear the name 'Jason'. Some day, me and my friend Freddie might want to make a movie called Freddie vs. Jason. If the makers of this movie are allowed to continue, it's going to cost us future revenue.

My legal name is Frederick. When do we start production?

Maple Leafs

06-13-2003, 10:29 AM

This suit isn't that off-base. As others have pointed out, you couldn't start a talk-show channel called "Oprah TV" or a high school basketball channel called "Lebron-vision".

I think the question is: would a reasonable person who knew the name and watched the channel assume a connection to Spike Lee?

Personally, I wouldn't, and I doubt he'll win. He's not that well-known, and the channel is fairly generic. (If it was a channel dedicated to black filmmaking, he probably would have a case.) So I doubt he'll win, but that doesn't mean he's right out of left field on this one.

clintl

06-13-2003, 10:32 AM

It sounds like SVT would be a better name for the channel, anyway.

ISiddiqui

06-13-2003, 10:33 AM

Jeez... people don't read articles, just thread titles, is that it?

From the article:

State Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub on Thursday said Lee presented enough evidence at a hearing this week to warrant a trial to decide the fate of the network's new moniker. Until then, no name change can take place.

But just in case he can't prove his case in the courtroom, Tolub made Lee post a $500,000 bond to cover Viacom's potential losses.

Like John Galt said, it is temporary halt for the trial. If Spike Lee is correct (and they find, say, memos which say they did it because of him) then you won't have to figure out the damage for having 'Spike TV' on the air as the trial was going on.

MylesKnight

06-13-2003, 10:39 AM

They better not decide on Myles TV either.. That is, unless they want my a$$ to get paid. Stupendously.

panerd

06-13-2003, 12:53 PM

Originally posted by ISiddiqui
Jeez... people don't read articles, just thread titles, is that it?

From the article:

Like John Galt said, it is temporary halt for the trial. If Spike Lee is correct (and they find, say, memos which say they did it because of him) then you won't have to figure out the damage for having 'Spike TV' on the air as the trial was going on.

No, we aren't as stupid and you and John Galt think we are. Who cares if it is just an injuntion? It's fucking stupid, that's our problem! Why a legal system would even allow this to go to a trial is beyond words. And don't give me the "where do you draw the line" arguement either. I draw the line at Spike Lee thinking 99% of the country even gives a shit about him and TNN being forced to wait to change the name of their network.

John Galt

06-13-2003, 01:12 PM

Originally posted by panerd
No, we aren't as stupid and you and John Galt think we are. Who cares if it is just an injuntion? It's fucking stupid, that's our problem! Why a legal system would even allow this to go to a trial is beyond words. And don't give me the "where do you draw the line" arguement either. I draw the line at Spike Lee thinking 99% of the country even gives a shit about him and TNN being forced to wait to change the name of their network.

Whoa, chill. I never called anyone "stupid." And calling this "fucking stupid" really doesn't explain anything. A preliminary injunction in cases like these is important because otherwise you could start a Madonna TV station with all Madonna stuff and reap tons of profits until you lost a lawsuit brought by Madonna, probably years later. A bond is kept so that if TNN/Spike loses money, then Spike Lee will actually pay them. It isn't an ideal solution, but it is hardly "fucking stupid."

clintl

06-13-2003, 01:13 PM

You don't think major corporations file exactly the same sort of trademark infringement suits all the time? The bottom line is that that companies and celebrities have the right to control how and when their names are used commercially, and the courts are the institutions responsible for sorting out where the line gets drawn with regard to trademark law.

ISiddiqui

06-13-2003, 02:15 PM

Who cares if it is just an injuntion? It's fucking stupid, that's our problem! Why a legal system would even allow this to go to a trial is beyond words.

No it isn't 'fucking stupid'. What if Spike Lee actually has a case? He seems to have some evidence (the TNN head mentioning him by name). If he actually wins in the end, then TNN was able to make a ton off his name without an injunction.

preliminary injunction in cases like these is important because otherwise you could start a Madonna TV station with all Madonna stuff and reap tons of profits until you lost a lawsuit brought by Madonna, probably years later. A bond is kept so that if TNN/Spike loses money, then Spike Lee will actually pay them.

Bingo.

panerd

06-13-2003, 02:46 PM

Sorry about the f-bomb. But you guys don't change the way I feel, it is stupid. (No f-word this time) And lawyers who accept these cases are no better than ambulance chasers. Do I think all lawyers suck and are idiots? No way. Close to every lawyer I have ever dealt with is smart, dignified, and very honorable. But I think that lawyers that accept cases like this are scum.

To put some perspective on this, I am a teacher and I think a lot of the nation's criticism of American education is well deserved. There are some really rotten, worthless teachers out there. When somebody puts up an article about something stupid a teacher has done I agree with them. There are a lot of teachers who will try to explain the stresses and nuances of being a teacher. I won't waste my breath. I instead save mine for good people who are unfairly misjudged. It seems (and this may be just as bad of a generalization, but it least I am admitting it) that lawyers will quickly jump to defend the McDonalds lawsuits as part of the great American legal system. I would so much more respect for the profession if they called a spade a spade. This lawsuit is that big of a joke to me.

cuervo72

06-16-2003, 09:08 AM

I was going through the sattelite guide trying to find something on Friday night, and my wife asked, what is "WE? I don't even know what half of these channels are". I replied that it was Women's Entertainment or something like that...and oh, by the way, TNN is becoming Spike TV. "Oh, no, for Spike Lee"? So maybe Spike has more of a claim than I first thought (of course she is exposed to Spike Lee all the time on Nickelodeon, where they have a short cartoon based on his children's book "Please, Baby Please" that they play between shows).