The garbage disposal lawsuit was ridiculous

Is our society too Litigious or do they have a valid point? Either way I'm sure NBC will win because lets face it...they have the big bucks.

Article from E! online:
A husband-and-wife team of artists have sued NBC Universal and the creators of Heroes for allegedly pilfering the artist-who-paints-the-future plotline from a short story they wrote several years ago, an idea they also exhibited in a painting series and in a short film.
In their lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court, New Yorkers Clifton Mallery and spouse Amnau Karam Eele have accused two people who identified themselves as writers from the NBC procedural Crossing Jordan of taking copies of the couple's work from a 2005 exhibition at NYC's Hunter College.According to Mallery and Karam Eele, Isaac on NBC's hit drama is "strikingly similar" to the character they created in their story and artwork—an artist who paints the future, including the destruction of two prominent New York buildings.
Meanwhile, NBC is standing behind Heroes creator and executive producer Tim Kring, whose comic-book-inspired show has become a breakout hit for the Peacock Network and saved it from total scripted-series embarrassment last fall. (Kring is also the creator of and an executive producer on Crossing Jordan.)
"We intend to defend [the lawsuit] vigorously and expect to prevail," NBC said in a statement.
Heroes was also picked on last year by a garbage disposal maker that objected to an alleged depiction of its appliance as a hand-mangling accident waiting to happen.
Emerson, which is based in St. Louis, sued NBC in October after Claire (Hayden Panettiere), anxious to prove her healing capabilities, stuck her hand in an In-Sink-Erator disposal and pulled out a bloody stump. The company stated that NBC didn't have the right to display the trademarked appliance and that the scene cast the disposal in "an unsavory light, irreparably tarnishing the product.
Source

Cry me a river

She should be glad that people are still talking about her. TEAM FAMILY GUY!
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Article:

Comedian Carol Burnett is suing the FOX comedy "Family Guy" for using one of Burnett's signature characters and an altered version of her theme music without permission.

In a lawsuit filed in federal court yesterday, Burnett alleges that FOX requested permission to use "Carol's Theme" -- the theme music from "The Carol Burnett Show" -- in an episode of "Family Guy." When permission was denied, the lawsuit claims that FOX then went back and had the show rewritten to "disparage Ms. Burnett using Ms. Burnett's signature ear tug."

In the episode titled "Peterotica," the main character on "Family Guy," Peter, goes into a porn shop and remarks how clean it is. One of his friends says it is clean because "Carol Burnett works part-time as a janitor." The lawsuit says the camera then cuts to one of Burnett's signature characters from her TV show -- "Charwoman" -- wearing her "trademarked blue bonnet, bucket and mop" and "a slightly altered version of 'Carol's Theme' is playing."

Later in the scene, one character makes fun of Burnett's signature ear tug by saying, "She was really saying goodnight to her mom." To which another replies, "I wonder what she tugged to say goodnight to her dad." In fact, Burnett's ear tug was actually a hello to her grandmother.

Burnett claims this was all done without her permission or consent and is seeking in excess of $6 million in damages.

A statement from FOX reads: "'Family Guy,' like the 'Carol Burnett Show,' is famous for its pop culture parodies and satirical jabs at celebrities. We are surprised that Ms. Burnett, who has made a career of spoofing others on television, would go so far as to sue 'Family Guy' for a simple bit of comedy."SOURCE and SOURCE