Not a lot of plot, but a lot of clues.
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Hollywood Docket: Fox Loses Dodgers Ruling; Hip-Hop Blog Saved; Anti-Piracy Debate Heats Up
Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers have prevailed over Fox in a dispute about whether the team can auction future media rights in advance of a sale of the franchise.
At a hearing yesterday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Gross overruled Fox’s objection that the planned sale violated terms of a contract with one of its affiliates. Fox had argued that it held broadcast rights through the 2013 season as well as the right to exclusive negotiations until November 2012.
Gross said at the hearing that he wasn’t convinced that moving up the date would constitute material harm. ”I am satisfied the proposed modifications are not material,” Gross said. “That, to me, is the key.”
Fox says it will appeal.
In other entertainment and media legal news:
A popular hip-hop blog has been rescued from copyright purgatory. A year ago, the U.S. government seized DaJaz1.com, and 81 other sites for facilitating piracy. Since the action by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, attorney Andrew Bridges at Fenwick and West has been fighting the government’s charges and contending with court documents that were filed under seal by ICE. The attorney, who worked pro bono on the case, has called an about-face by the government to abandon its lawsuit a victory for the First Amendment.
A federal judge has refused to allow an Oregon blogger who questioned the ethics of a trustee of a bankrupt investment group to use a media shield law to protect sources. The woman has been ordered to pay $2.5 million for making defamatory statements, and observers wonder if the case could harm digital media.
A legal war has broken out over the estate of Nina Simone, with the singer’s daughter suing her ex-stepfather for attempting to improperly transfer ownership of various assets including master recordings and personal writings. The lawsuit accuses Andrew Stroud, the late singer’s ex-husband and former manager, of using shell games to transfer assets and demands he pay restitution for those itsms valued at $155 million.
The battle to frame the “Stop Online Piracy Act” continues. Harvard Professor Laurence Tribe is the latest to weigh in, saying in a legal memo that the pending anti-piracy bill is unconstitutional because it violates the “prior restraint” doctrine, suppressing free speech without due process. Earlier in the week, on the MPAA’s blog, Paul Hortenstine made his own arguments for the bill’s adoption, saying that the censorship charges are overblown and that critics have done little to show how enforcing IP rights violates First Amendment rights.
Hollywood Docket: Fox Loses Dodgers Ruling; Hip-Hop Blog Saved; Anti-Piracy Debate Heats Up
Alaskan Winter Doesn’t Freeze Protesters’ Resolve
Enlarge KUAC
“A tent sitting there with a woodstove in it, to me, certainly looks like camping,” says Fairbanks Mayor Luke Hopkins.
KUAC
“A tent sitting there with a woodstove in it, to me, certainly looks like camping,” says Fairbanks Mayor Luke Hopkins.
November 27, 2011 from KUAC
The frigid air needles exposed flesh and sinks through clothing, but that hasn’t kept at least one protester from occupying a park in Fairbanks, Alaska, for more than a month. The temperature has been 30 to 40 degrees below zero in recent weeks.
This time of year, the days are short. It’s dim, bleak and other-worldly in the nation’s northernmost Occupy protest. While local officials want the protesters’ tents taken down, occupiers say the shelter is necessary in such cold weather.
Protester Beth Hughes says she’s outfitted to continue the effort in Fairbanks Veteran’s Memorial Park.
“A down, one-piece snow machine suit, and my gloves and hand warmers and my wolverine mittens — I’m ready,” she says.
Hughes, a 50-something retiree, says she’s not about to give up the ’round-the-clock Occupy protest, a movement she says she’s been waiting for all her life.
“I missed out on the ’60s, and with all the people that have been dedicated to this in the lower 48, we’re small. We’re Fairbanks, Alaska, but I believe this is just a ripe opportunity to really make a statement,” she says.
Nearby on a lawn chair wrapped in blankets, fellow protester William White wears Army surplus mukluks on his feet. White, an Alaska native, says he’s drawing resolve from European America’s most iconic hero. He displays a Boy Scout bandana with a depiction of George Washington at Valley Forge.
“It’s got George kneeling in prayer, and so that’s kind of been our inspiration,” he says.
The local struggle is against the cold and the borough government, which wants protesters to remove their tents. Mayor Luke Hopkins says camping is illegal in the downtown park.
“A tent sitting there with a woodstove in it, to me, certainly looks like camping,” he says.
Occupy Fairbanks stalwart Ethan Sinsabaugh says the gear isn’t for sleeping.
“We just need warmth and shelter,” he says.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks student says given the extreme cold, the tents are essential to the protest.
“You’re gonna take away our ability to peacefully assemble, and we feel that goes against the Constitution,” he says.
The protesters have received a lot of public support, but others say if camping is illegal in the park, they shouldn’t be there. Hopkins says borough attorneys are looking at how to proceed.
“People have the right to assemble, but as decisions have been, you know, in the higher court system … it can be called out time- and space-specific,” the mayor says.
Hopkins is considering options to keep the protesters warm that wouldn’t break the no-camping rule, like a car running nearby. He says in the meantime, police are checking on the protest, to make sure it remains quiet and peaceful.
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‘Two and a Half Men’ Enlists ‘Disaster Date’ Prankster (Exclusive)
6:42 PM PDT 9/23/2011 by Lesley Goldberg
Upright Citizens Brigade and Second City alum Monika Smith is heading to CBS’ Two and Half Men.
The former prankster on MTV’s Disaster Date is scheduled to guest star on the Oct. 24 episode as Kiki, a girl Walden (Ashton Kutcher) and Alan (Jon Cryer) meet at a bar.
STORY: ‘Two and a Half Men’: Judy Greer Will Play Ashton Kutcher’s Ex
On the Charlie Sheen-less Men, Alan is turning into the ladies’ man as his roommate-to-be Walden mends a broken heart.
The casting follows news that True Blood’s Joe Manganiello is heading to the CBS comedy as the new boyfriend to Walden’s ex-wife Bridget (Judy Greer).
STORY: ‘Two and a Half Men’s’ Ashton Kutcher vs. Charlie Sheen Ratings: Who’s #Winning?
Part 2 of the Men premiere airs Monday on CBS. The series’ return shattered ratings record when it bowed to nearly 28 million viewers this week.
Smith is repped by Don Buchwald & Associates/Fortitude and Principato-Young Entertainment.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit
‘Two and a Half Men’ Enlists ‘Disaster Date’ Prankster (Exclusive)
Foam Boater Movie Guy Strikes again . . .
September 20th, 2011 by Malina
Just for fun, here’s a hilarious new video from the foam boater movie guy! Don’t worry, no actual club boaters were harmed in the making of this video (all footage was donated–yay for people who have a sense of humor even when it comes to their boating prowress!).
This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 20th, 2011 at 10:00 am and is filed under AO Weekly: Company News and Entertaining Stories. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.