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Yoko Ono to Compete in Special Courtroom Episode of 'Win Ben Stein's Money'
Posted by Defamer Hollywood at 6:25 AM on April 25, 2008
As one might have expected following the opening-weekend success of his anti-Darwinism documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Required, everybody in town wants a piece of Ben Stein. Among them: Yoko Ono, a huuuuuge Stein fan from back in his Nixon speechwriting days who nevertheless bristled at the part of the film that featured "Imagine" without the John Lennon estate's permission:
In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan, Ono accuses the producers of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed of suggesting to viewers that those who guard John Lennon's legacy somehow authorised or sponsored the film.
The producers of the film ... said they used only "a very small portion of the song." "Based on the fair use doctrine, news commentators and film documentarians regularly use material in the same way we do," Premise Media said in a statement. "Unbiased viewers of the film will see that the 'Imagine' clip was used as part of a social commentary in the exercise of free speech and freedom of inquiry."
Worse yet, the complaint alleges that "Internet 'bloggers' immediately began accusing Mrs. Lennon of 'selling out' by licensing the song to defendants." Having also been on the receiving end of such "bloggers"' wrath in the past, we deeply sympathise with Ono and hope her .029% share of Expelled's staggering $3 million opening gross covers the indignity of anyone thinking she would exploit her husband's legacy. To that end, we hear Stein's defence will consist of him playing the Original Broadway Cast Album of Ono's bomb Lennon in its entirety at full blast.
- Yoko Ono sues in NY [AP]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Evanessence
Posted 7:02 AM 25/4/08
Yoko should be encouraged to team up with Ben. That way - the production (and "the monotoned one") will fall apart and spin into oblivion-encrusted chaos. And all this time we thought Jimmy Kimmel was Ben Stein's Yoko. Who knew?
Evanessence
Sweet Panda Love
Posted 6:49 AM 25/4/08
I never thought both of you would say that.
And yes - to echo - go Yoko! Ben Stein was probably part of the crew trying to deport Lennon back in the day, and now he wants to co-opt his cool.
And there's free speech and free thought, and then there's idiotic speech and no thought. Guess which one Expelled falls into?
Sweet Panda Love
pureblarney
Posted 6:43 AM 25/4/08
@raincoaster: Jinx.
pureblarney
pureblarney
Posted 6:42 AM 25/4/08
I never thought I'd say it, but way to go, Yoko.
pureblarney
raincoaster
Posted 6:40 AM 25/4/08
I never thought I would say this, but GO YOKO!
raincoaster
raincoaster
Posted 10:36 AM 25/4/08
@gwendemarco: No, that's just what you don't understand. Yoko hates even her FRIENDS. She's an equal-opportunity harridan.
raincoaster
gwendemarco
Posted 10:22 AM 25/4/08
Team Stein. It's fair use and if the messenger was someone she liked, she'd be OK with it.
gwendemarco
Xylo
Posted 10:50 AM 25/4/08
@Sweet Panda Love: Exactly. Stein probably helped Nixon draw up his infamous enemies list, and put John Lennon on it; Ben Stein deserves every bit of legal trouble Yoko can throw at him.
Xylo
kylo4
Posted 11:59 AM 25/4/08
Good point, Yoko should go after him. Ben Stein is too cheap to pay for stuff, which is why he gives only $200 away on his game show (usually).
kylo4
Cacafuego
Posted 7:19 AM 26/4/08
I think y'all are giving Ben Stein way too much leverage for a junior speech writer. J. Edgar Hoover & Nicxon came up with the enemies list--aas if Nixon needed "help".
Cacafuego
AgitpropVT
Posted 8:52 AM 26/4/08
This seems like that whole Giant Douche vs. Turd Sandwich scenario from South Park come to life.
AgitpropVT
cinerama
Posted 6:38 PM 26/4/08
Let's see, what is Yoko suing for:
"Imagine there's no Heaven. It's easy if you try."
Uh oh, Defamer's lawyers better prepare for a letter from Yoko's now.
But that's right, the wacko lefty crowd has no problem with Defamer.
cinerama