House of Cease and Desist
Waxy.org has been sent a cease and desist for hosting the House of Cosbys videos, and the out-of-print “Cosby Talks to Kids About Drugs” album. They’ve taken down the album because that’s pretty clearly illegal, but they’re leaving the videos up.
House of Cosbys was an animated show made for a site called Channel101. That site also received a cease and desist, and while they wanted to keep hosting the show they were forced to take it down after their web host was also threatened, and in turn threatened to shut off their site. It’s pretty obvious that the show is parody and thus protected as fair use, just like the many other times Cosby has been parodied in the mainstream media (there’s a list on the Waxy post). But when you’re small you get bullied, and that’s exactly what’s happening here – this is how fair use gets eroded. If you don’t have the money to defend against a lawsuit, fair use doesn’t really protect you.
All this aside, if you have somehow missed the House of Cosbys train, you should take a look. It’s pretty funny: House of Cosbys on Waxy.org.
Thing a Week 23 – A Talk with George
Chapter 23 in which you are visited by the ghost of George Plimpton and he relays to you an important message about life.
It was Jim Hanas who told about the song contest going on at The Plimpton Project, an organization dedicated to getting a statue of the man erected somewhere in the city. George was a hell of a guy, and he deserves about 10 or 15 statues, but I guess one would be a good start. I met him at a Paris Review party once, and he was pretty charming for a Harvard man. The song: A Talk with George
Gig Tonight
Just a reminder, if you look in the box above you’ll see the details for my appearance at Invite Them Up tonight in NYC along with John Hodgman and David Rees. Should be a fun show – come on out if you can.
Also, here is this example of why you should not drink the night before your appearance on a morning show: because it will make you very sad.
Stupid Gut
Spent all of yesterday flat on my back with some kind of a stomach flu. Remind me not to get sick again, because that sucked. A few things I’ve been meaning to get off my chest:
1. Congrats to Team Fenson who captured the first ever US olympic curling medal – they did not in fact keep the Canadians down, but they did edge out Great Britain. I also have word that Curl has gotten some airplay on MIX 103.7 in Minnesota. Rock!
2. Just did an interview with John Moe for a show called The Works on KUOW in Seattle that should air tomorrow night at 8 PM. Thanks Jon!
3. I found this picture of a half-pony half-monkey monster sculpture on Flickr. Someone has too much time on their hands (um, besides me).
4. Paul and Storm, my co-bills for the March 19th gig, have released this tribute to Don Knotts.
5. Here is a million dollar idea about 20 years too late.
6. And finally, here is this cover of Skullcrusher Mountain from David Stevenson.
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