Oprah Seeks To Avoid '08 Draft:Threatens legal action over fan's campaign

[DeepModem Mom]

The Smoking Gun: Oprah Seeks To Avoid 2008 Draft
Talk show host threatens legal action over fan's campaign



SEPTEMBER 19--If nominated, Oprah Winfrey will serve...a cease and desist letter. Lawyers for the talk show host are threatening legal action against a retired Kansas City teacher who has mounted a one-man campaign urging the star to run for president in 2008. The entertainer does not want Patrick Crowe, 69, to use her name and image, according to a letter from Winfrey attorney Jerry Glover, a copy of which you'll find below. Through counsel, Winfrey contends that Crowe's use of the Oprah name "falsely implies" that she and her firm, Harpo, Inc., sponsor or endorse the campaign. Along with a self-published book urging a Winfrey White House bid, Crowe has established a web site--Oprah08.net--to push her candidacy. Crowe, a fan who believes a future Winfrey campaign would change the face of American politics, also drives a 1959 Ford with the license plate OPRAH8 and maintains a toll-free hotline....

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0919061oprah1.html

[hippiechick]

1. Whew, stalk much, dude ?

:scared: Now I feel sorry for Oprah.

[Mojambo]

3. Yeah, she's got it real rough. n/t

[hippiechick]

4. What I MEANT was ...

... how creepy to have someone be that much of a psycho that they're delusionally addicted to you.

Has nothing to do with all her moolah or houses or possessions or whatever.
Knowing that there's someone out there who's a little bit of a nutcase can be disconcerting, regardless of who you are.


Sheesh. :eyes:

[Mojambo]

6. Lucky for her she's got the resources to deal with said psycho

Most people dealing with a situation like this have far fewer options.

Compared to them, she's in pretty good shape.

That's what I meant.

[noonwitch]

18. John Lennon had those kind of resources, too

Look where it got him.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. He is not a psycho or a stalker

I know him. He used to teach with my dad. He's a nice guy with a crazy idea. I think Oprah needs to get over it. She should be flattered.

[Lost-in-FL]

2. Nah...

I'll rather vote for Pedro. :+

Seriously, that person sounds creepy or just want (as Oprah believes) to use her name for $$$

[Straight Shooter]

5. "falsely implies" that she and her firm endorse the campaign

Uh-huh. A one-man traveling show to promote Ms. O.W. for president, and Oprah actually believes that people will think she's endorsing it? Anyone possessing at least two brain cells would know that if she were endorsing any campaign, she would broadcast it on her show, or even in her magazine.

Maybe the guy needs help, but I think Ms. O.W. might be a bit over-reacting.

edit typo :)

[JVS]

7. You go girl! You make them leave you out of the election!

[Vinnie From Indy]

8. I, for one, think all Democrats that watch Oprah should push her...

to at least speak out against the Bush Admin. People like Oprah can do what they will, but as MLK said, "The ultimate measure of a man (or woman) is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." Oprah ain't all that if she refuses to speak out against the Bush Admin. To be honest, she may have spoken out against BushCo and I am oblivious. Then again, for all I know she is a raging GW Bush fanatic.

[Joe Bacon]

9. We know where she stands

Made me :puke: the first time she slobbered all over bush and then I did a double :puke: :puke: when she kissed Arnold's ass.

How I miss Donahue :cry:

[rocktivity]

17. DING DING DING! Joe Bacon, you're our grand prize winner!

We know where she stands...she slobbered all over Bush and then...kissed Arnold's ass...
I think that's the real reason why Oprah's overreacting: her game plan is to "sit out" this election because there's no way she can justify continuing to support Georgie and Arnold!

:headbang:
rocknation

[President Jesus]

19. Really? Try some facts:

Oprah Winfrey's campaign contributions

some Repuke, huh?

[blonndee]

24. Wow, I like that site.

Looked up Matt Damon:

DAMON, MATT
SANTA MONICA, CA 90405
SELF-EMPLOYED/ACTOR
DEMOCRATIC SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE (D) $26,700 11/28/05

Damon, Matt
Santa Monica, CA 90405
self/actor
MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION $5,000 06/23/04

DAMON, MATT
SANTA MONICA, CA 90405
MOVEON.ORG VOTER FUND $20,000 06/23/04

Damon, Matt
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Actor
JENNINGS, JON PAUL(D) House(IN 08) FRIENDS OF JON JENNINGS COMM $500 03/11/04

Damon, Matt
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Self/Actor
KUCINICH, DENNIS J (D)President KUCINICH FOR PRESIDENT INC. $2,000 2/27/03

http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Matt_Damon.php

[Hawkowl]

10. Free Speech

I think she will have a tough time winning this one. I believe it would fall under political free speech.

[lindisfarne]

13. My thought exactly. A bit tricky on the "image" issue if they're selling

her image on products ... but can one "copyright" one's image? If you can, why haven't political candidates put a stop to products which use their image to mock them?

[soup]

14. Gov baby brother!® Bush tried it

April 5, 2002

Bush seeks trademark on name
He wants third-party groups to stop capitalizing on his name

By Paige St. John
Gannett News Service

TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Jeb Bush says he'll trademark his name in order to stop a Miami-based organization from using it to raise money against Janet Reno.
>snip<

The object of his ire is Americans for Jeb Bush, an independent political committee run by some of the same people behind similar fund-raising attacks against Hillary Clinton. Its organizer was unabashed Thursday about continuing the campaign.
>snip<

The Bush-Brogan 2002 campaign followed suit by preparing to file trademark applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the phrases "Bush-Brogan 2002," "Jeb Bush for Governor," and "Jeb!"
>snip<

An individual's actual name cannot be trademarked, but Bush attorneys hope roping off the governor's slogans will prevent other groups from using the Bush name to raise money. It will not bar groups from using Bush's name in political activism -- that is protected speech under the U.S. Constitution.
http://www.floridacapitalnews.com/legislature/stories/020405mudbush.html

[krispos42]

15. Yes you can, but there are limits

I'm not sure what they are, but if, for example, you took a screen-shot of "Baywatch" with Pan Anderson looking particularly enticing and Photoshopped her holding Quizno's New Prime Rib Cheesesteak Sandwich, you'd get a nice lawsuit shoved up your add by an angry Kid Rock.

But if you used that same image in a "South Park" episode, you could get away with it.

I think you can use somebody's likeness in the course of satire. I don't know about the candidates' pictures, though. Sorry.

[greccogirl]

11. Jerk just wants to make money

off Oprah. Hope she sues his pants off.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. No he isn't looking to make money

He is really just a fan who wants her to run for prez.

[President Jesus]

23. naive much?

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. I know him.

He isn't a gold digger and he isn't a stalker either.

[countmyvote4real]

12. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz n/t

[rocktivity]

16. It's just a little fun--lighten up, girl!

Unless you have reason to believe this guy is an actual threat or starts taking donations, laugh it off as satire ("In the words of William T. Sherman, if nominated, I will not run") and ignore it--the less media attention he gets, the faster he'll disappear. The lawyer's letter should have asked him to include a disclaimer that it's not endorsed or associated with Oprah or Harpo. Haven't you learned ANYTHING in the past twenty years?

:headbang:
rocknation

[proud2BlibKansan]

22. Agreed

[rocktivity]

26. THIS JUST IN!!!

Oprah Says Her Lawyers Overreacted on Oprah-for-President website

''I feel flattered by it,'' the 52-year-old talk-show host told The Associated Press on Monday. ''My lawyers overreacted, I think, by sending him a cease-and-desist order because it really is a flattering thing.''

It should have been handled in a phone call, said Winfrey, who said she's thinking of calling Patrick Crowe of Kansas City, Mo., herself.

Sounds like she took our advice, LOL!

:headbang:
rocknation