Fox Nearly Sued Itself Over 'Simpsons' Parody

[Catshrink]

Matt Groening mentioned on NPR's "Fresh Air" that Fox News wanted to sue the Simpsons because of a parody. This has been discussed earlier this week, but now Yahoo has a story...

"In an interview this week with National Public Radio, Matt Groening recalled how the news channel had considered legal action, despite the fact that "The Simpsons" is broadcast on sister network, Fox Entertainment.

According to Groening, Fox took exception took a Simpsons' version of the Fox News rolling news ticker which parodied the channel's anti-Democrat stance, with headlines like "Do Democrats Cause Cancer?" "

<snip>

"While the lawsuit never materialized, Groening said some action was taken.

"Now Fox has a new rule that we can't do those little fake news crawls on the bottom of the screen in a cartoon because it might confuse the viewers into thinking it's real news," he said."

Link:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20031029/od_afp/lifestyle_us_television_031029172820

edit: added text

[incapsulated]

1. The title of this thread says it all, lol! n/t

[ComerPerro]

2. WTF???

"we can't do those little fake news crawls on the bottom of the screen in a cartoon because it might confuse the viewers into thinking its real news"


That kind of pisses me off, as I imagine it pisses off Matt Groening.

I mean, WTF???

Do they think Simpsons viewers are as fucking stupid as people who watch Fox News?

[Trek234]

3. Come now

I think we all have confused cartoon journalists with real people before, haven't we?

[ComerPerro]

9. Yes, I suppose that all of us have done that at least once

I swear to God, I saw an episode of The Simpsons that didn't have Kent Brockman in it, and I figured that he had left to go work for CNN or MSNBC.

[Catshrink]

10. So, it isn't just me?

I remember Simpson's lines all the time -- can get embarrassing. Luckily I teach kids who know a lot of the lines themselves.

[short bus president]

16. NEVER!

And I'm gonna tell our ant overlords you said that, too!

:P

[Cha]

5. I think the answer is "yes" ...they think the viewers

are as stupid as they are.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

25. Wasn't he actually making a dig at Faux not being 'real news'

[tridim]

4. When you sue yourself

do you go blind? Hairy palms? Something like that..

What's Faux News afraid of anyway? All the Simpsons did was give them some of their own fairness and balance.

[Cha]

6. Word is gettting out about fauxsux!

And I couldn't be happier! I was on to them in 2000 before anyone even mentioned how "fair&balanced" they were. Not.

[Melsky]

7. Crazy like a faux

That scene they are talking about is one of my all time favorite simpsons scenes.

[Catshrink]

8. I have a Simpsons "shrine" in my classroom

Several posters, a Homer clock, and a few other things. This morning I told my homeroom kids about the lawsuit threat -- they thought it was hysterical. One of them told me he's a republican, but he thinks Fox and Bush are stupid. D'OH!

[julka]

11. how old?

I work in a jr. high, media production......

we do "who am I?" presentations every trimester, and Simpsons is by FAR the most-liked TV show.....any others are not even close.

best part is, all day long, I keep an open ear to any political discussions that might arise. not many do (sometimes I mention current events, often WRT our pRes), but NOT ONE time has any student EVER said a positive thing about Bush.

not once!

almost always they laugh at what a buffoon he is.

it's really hard not to egg them on, though I always try to keep the discussion going in a neutral way; try to get them to expand on why they say what they say, etc.

[Catshrink]

13. High school

home room is all juniors. The freshmen seem to like them the most -- but all of them love the show. What's not to love?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

12. I sued myself last year, and lost. It cost me a fortune.

[WindRavenX]

14. Is it even legally possible to sue yourself..?

I'm asking a serious question.
I knew from the moment I saw that episode that FOX was going to raise some hell...
The Simpsons takes some serious jabs at Republicans. It was only a matter of time before they did something...

[Catshrink]

15. I just hope they don't pull the plug on the show

but they won't -- it makes money and we know how repugs like $$$

[ComerPerro]

17. Hell, Republicans love money way too much

To do something as stupid as cancelling the Simpsons.

If they were going to drop the show, they would have done it around the sixth season (when it really started getting good).

But, they know the Simpsons is a huge moneymaker.

And Republicans would sell their mothers, their spouses, and their children for the right price (and then they would brag about the bargain they got).

[WindRavenX]

19. They wouldn't

Even though the show has declined in quality, it still beats 99% of the stuff out there. The Simpsons offers a truly amazing mirror image of our life and culture. It evolves with us. It's really funny to download old episodes and just realize how f--ked up we all are :)
And it makes a buttload of money. I've heard rumour of a movie in the works.

[baldguy]

18. You Honor, we intend to prove . . .

that out client, the Left Hand, was victimized and traumatized by the malicious and deceitful actions and practices of his partner, the defendant in this case: the Right Hand . . .

[ComerPerro]

20. Hmm, I need to get my mind out of the gutter

When I saw "left hand", "traumatized", and "partner", I thought you were going somewhere else with that.

[Catshrink]

21. You're sick, sick I say!

[baldguy]

24. I don't even want to think about where you thought . . .

[Davo Dinkum]

22. Suprise!

I am just amazed that there hasn't been more trouble with the Simpsons and Fox and/or the conservative movement. Does anyone remember Birchibald T. Barlow and where the Springfield Republican H.Q. is? I am suprised that there haven't been orders from 'up top' or complaints from those who bleat about the 'liberal media' to cut down on the harsh references to conservatives.

[Catshrink]

23. The cast was on Actor's Studio

and one of them said that one of the agreements Groenig made was that there were to be no notes from management. In other words, he was to have complete control over the show. I think this is the first time management has interfered.

Just like O'Really, no sense of humor, can't take a joke.

[newyawker99]

27. Hi Davo Dinkum!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[slinkerwink]

26. Faux News can be so stupid.....

Honestly, "The Simpsons" and "Malcolm in the Middle" are the only two worthwhile shows on Fox----the rest are just pure crapoola.

[jeanmarc]

28. Wholly without merit, both factually and legally

'It's time to rid ourselves of frivolous lawsuits, unless it's a Republican that is the plaintiff' - the Republican party