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Spike Lee Vs. Spike TV

MrRING

MrRING

Android Futureman
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Aug 7, 2002
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This is the most absurd case I've ever heard. Spike Lee is suing a cable company that is going to change it's name to Spike TV because he feels like they are basing it on him.

Spike Lee Sues Viacom on Cable Name Plan
By SAMUEL MAULL, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK - Filmmaker Spike Lee has sued Viacom Inc. over plans to rename its TNN cable channel Spike TV as part of its campaign to attract male viewers.

In court papers filed Tuesday, Lee asked for an injunction against Viacom's use of the name, saying he had never given his consent for it to be used.

"The media description of this change of name, as well as comments made to me and my wife, confirmed what was obvious — that Spike TV referred to Spike Lee," Lee said in court papers.

The judge directed Viacom to explain why it shouldn't be barred from using the name.

TNN, which bills Spike TV as "the first network for men," said it was "confident that the court will reject any legal claims by Mr. Lee to the popular word and name Spike."

Viacom bought TNN in 2000, and said in April that it would change the channel's name to Spike TV on June 16 in an attempt to increase the number of men in an audience that is already about two-thirds male. It said on Tuesday that it was confident the court would reject Lee's claims to the name Spike.

According to Lee, TNN's president, Albie Hecht, has said the public associates the name 'Spike' with Lee.

Lee, whose given name is Shelton Jackson Lee, included in court papers affidavits from people including former Sen. Bill Bradley, and actors Ossie Davis and Ed Norton. The affidavits said the signers had thought of Lee when they heard about Spike TV and some said they believed he had become affiliated with the network.

Lee directed Nike sneaker commercials with Michael Jordan. His movies include "Malcolm X," "Jungle Fever" and "Do the Right Thing."


I think this is ridiculous. What about Spike Jones or Spike Milligan? What about Elvis Costello's album "Spike"?

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...10&u=/ap/20030604/ap_en_mo/spike_lee_spike_tv
 
Obviously feels he's not getting enough media attention. Case of rectal implosion perhaps.

Didn't Victoria Beckham try (and fail) to do this with the word "Posh" recently too?
 
Spike Lee wins a small battle

from IMDB:

Lee Wins Injunction Against Spike TV

Spike Lee won a temporary injunction in the New York State Supreme Court Thursday preventing Viacom from renaming the TNN channel Spike TV until his lawsuit against the company is resolved. He was ordered to post a $500,000 bond to cover any losses Viacom might incur if he does not prevail in court. Viacom said it would immediately appeal.
 
Re: Spike Lee wins a small battle

Mr. R.I.N.G. said:
from IMDB:

Lee Wins Injunction Against Spike TV

...He was ordered to post a 0,000 bond to cover any losses Viacom might incur if he does not prevail in court. Viacom said it would immediately appeal.
Click to expand...
What a chancer, eh?

Mr Lee could be out by about $500,000 by the end of this one!

Spike Jones and Spike Milligan, must be having a chuckle, wherever they are! :p
 
Spike Jones I'm not sure about but Mr Milligan is playing in the army jazz band in the sky, or larging it on a cloud with the rest of the Goons!
 
Have I got a case against 'Wilson' tennis raquets?
By naming their company 'Wilson' they have grossly damaged my chances of using my surname as a business venture and screwed up my copyright rights!?!

It's a joke isn't it. These celeb's need a freakin reality check.
 
Yeah, Spike Jones was a comedy band leader: Spike Jonez is the director/actor.

Just who does Mr Lee think he is? Or rather, who does he think other people think he is? OK, if his name was Rumblefiddle Jones, or similar, fair enough, but Spike? Unusual, granted, but hardly unique.
 
Hehe well said AndroMan

Anyone got an airraid siren ? I feel a Blue Danube coming on :)
 
THis got sent to me from Telvision Weekly:

Spike Jones Jr. Jumps Into "Spike TV" Battle


Spike Jones Jr., son of the late bandleader, has jumped into the Spike Lee vs. Viacom fracas to declare his father the real Spike. In an affidavit supporting Viacom in their fight to rename TNN "Spike TV," Mr. Jones called the temporary injunction against the conglomerate "frightening."

"I do not believe that Spike Lee 'owns' or has any individual right to the use of the name 'Spike' or as an individual to prevent its use by others any more than do," wrote Mr. Jones. "If anything, I believe my right would be superior to his."

Viacom attached Mr. Jones' statement to an argument for an evidentiary hearing due to "the high costs of maintaining the opportunity" to rename the network Spike TV.

In the statement, Mr. Jones said he sold a story option for a film based on his father's life, tentatively titled "Spike." He is also attempting to mount a Broadway play with the same title.

"I am very concerned that the court injunction in Spike Lee's case against Viacom and MTV may hinder and interfere with the efforts we have been making for many years to promote, sell and market both my father's work and the autobiographical commercial projects mentioned above," he wrote.

Concluded Mr. Jones: "If Spike Lee is concerned about confusion in the marketplace, why hasn't he sued Spike Jonze? Both are motion picture filmmakers. I have known Spike Lee as a filmmaker who has pushed the boundaries of filmmaking in the name of artistic _expression, and who has championed filmmakers' freedom of speech. This lawsuit seems to be a violation of that spirit."
 
Well I think it's fair enough really.

I mean life is tough for these celebrities. If Spike Lee doesn't win this case he will have to put up with people ringing him up asking if he is affiliated with the new channel, and he'll have to say "No, I'm not".

Spike must be a busy man, he shouldn't have to put up with such hardship.

:rofl:

cheers

Floyd.
 
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