Paul Newman is still HUD!

:: I absolutely love it! I mentioned earlier that Fox News is suing Al Franken, one of my favorite comedians and political satirists, for using the phrase "Fair and Balanced" in the subtitle of his new book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look At The Right." Now Paul Newman has joined in the discussion, with a short but brilliant op-ed piece in the NYTimes. Paul Newman is still HUD! (ID and PW: podbay) Full text of the editorial is below:

"The Fox News Network is suing Al Franken, the political satirist, for using the phrase "fair and balanced" in the title of his new book. In claiming trademark violation, Fox sets a noble example for standing firm against whatever.

Unreliable sources report that the Fox suit has inspired Paul Newman, the actor, to file a similar suit in federal court against the Department of Housing and Urban Development, commonly called HUD. Mr. Newman claims piracy of personality and copycat infringement.

In the 1963 film "HUD," for which Mr. Newman was nominated for an Academy Award, the ad campaign was based on the slogan, "Paul Newman is HUD." Mr. Newman claims that the Department of Housing and Urban Development, called HUD, is a fair and balanced institution and that some of its decency and respectability has unfairly rubbed off on his movie character, diluting the rotten, self-important, free-trade, corrupt conservative image that Mr. Newman worked so hard to project in the film. His suit claims that this "innocence by association" has hurt his feelings plus residuals.

A coalition of the willing — i.e., the Bratwurst Asphalt Company and the Ypsilanti Hot Dog and Bean Shop — has been pushed forward and is prepared to label its products "fair and balanced," knowing that Fox News will sue and that its newscasters will be so tied up with subpoenas they will only be able to broadcast from the courtroom, where they will be seen tearing their hair and whining, looking anything but fair and balanced, which would certainly be jolly good sport all around.

Paul Newman, an actor, is chief executive of Salad King."

(From NYTimes, August 19, 2003). One can only imagine what the increased publicity from this lawsuit will do for the sale of Franken's book. On August 13, it was #1 on Amazon, and today it is #3. BTW, the book isn't on sale until Saturday.

What is it with the right, anyway? It's ok when they dish it out, but when it's tossed back at them, they have the thinnest of thin skins.

Posted by Randy at August 21, 2003 12:31 AM | TrackBack