Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

[disneytim]

Independent music publisher Bourne Co., which owns publishing rights to Disney songs from Pinocchio and the Silly Symphonies, filed a federal lawsuit against 20th Century Fox on Wednesday for misuse of the song "When You Wish Upon a Star" in an episode of the Fox animated series Family Guy. The show's creator Seth MacFarlane, among others, was also named in the suit.

The Family Guy episode "When You Wish Upon a Weinstein" features a song entitled "I Need a Jew" which Bourne claims is a "thinly-veiled copy" of the classic Disney tune with "new anti-Semitic lyrics."

Bourne wants all copies of the song destroyed and is seeking damages of over $150,000.

In a statement, Fox Television said it had no comment.

Source: Billboard

[Melonballer]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

That episode aired years ago and they are suing now? The song only vaguely resembles "when you wish upon a star" . Looks like someone is trying to make a fast buck.

[GuardianDragon_Mushu]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

I'm with MelonBaller, they sure waited a long time to do anything, that was made what, three, four years ago? And isn't comical parody/satire pretty much protected, anyway? Eesh...well if it's anything like what happened with Carol Burnett, it'll be thrown out pretty quickly. ^^;

[FrumiousBoojum]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

Parody is protected under fair use.

They didn't even need to get Disney's permission for this song. I Need a Jew is classified as being an original song.

Something sounds fishy here... why would a music publisher being the one to initiate the suit and not Disney?

[TheManator]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

Another pointless lawsuit.
What's next, Disney suing Family Guy for making Minnie Mouse get naked for a deranged Walt Disney? .

At least When You Wish Upon a Weinstein was the last GOOD episode of Family Guy.

[flynnibus]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

^guess you missed the star wars one

[IndyJn511]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

If I remember the DVD commentary correctly, Seth McFarlane had the episode approved by two Rabbais before he submited the final cut, and they approved based on the fact that Peter learnes his lesson at the end of the episode.

[sediment]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

Fox could put Bourne out of business with a countersuit.

[krystledm]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5ODzIylqKg

sorry, this one is better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGDcpWElPBI

it only sounds like "WYWUS" in a few lines, is that enough to sue on considering that all music is only made of 8 notes(given there are flats, sharps and different pitches, but they are still the same 8 notes)?

[TheManator]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

^guess you missed the star wars one

I wish I missed that piece of rubbish...sadly I did watch it.

[audibleatom]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

everybody loves to sue...its sad

[FrumiousBoojum]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

everybody loves to sue...its sad

That's not true! I'm going to sue you for libel!

[RumRunner31]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

McFarlane's description of the original joke idea is priceless.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LrUlRAe6S7Y

[MickeyMania]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

I'm more surprised that some small label outfit owns the rights to WYWUAS, since it's virtually the corporate anthem. A shrewd Disney suit would be hoping Fox obliterates these people, so the Mouse can swoop in and buy out the rights to the company's most marketable theme song.

[Zero Signal Band]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

I was wondering if this was going to happen. The thing is, what took them so long? According to IMDB, this episode aired on 11/9/03. And since this episoide has been released on DVD, how does the publisher plan to have all copies destroyed? Fox will probably take the stance that this is satire and that it's perfectly legal anyway, so why is the publisher wasting it's time and money for a measly $150,000.00? Just my thoughts...

[disneytim]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

I'm more surprised that some small label outfit owns the rights to WYWUAS, since it's virtually the corporate anthem. A shrewd Disney suit would be hoping Fox obliterates these people, so the Mouse can swoop in and buy out the rights to the company's most marketable theme song.

Bourne only owns the publishing rights to the song, i.e. sheet music. They also own the publishing rights to chestnuts like "Some Day My Prince Will Come," "Heigh Ho," "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?," "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee," and "Give a Little Whistle," among others.

I was wondering if this was going to happen. The thing is, what took them so long? According to IMDB, this episode aired on 11/9/03. And since this episoide has been released on DVD, how does the publisher plan to have all copies destroyed? Fox will probably take the stance that this is satire and that it's perfectly legal anyway, so why is the publisher wasting it's time and money for a measly $150,000.00? Just my thoughts...

The episode is even older than that. Because of its controversial elements, Fox kept it off the air for a few years before Cartoon Network's Adult Swim debuted it in 2003.

$150,000 seems little more than a token amount and demanding all copies of the song be destroyed is impractical at best. Bourne claims they were "rebuffed" by Fox when they attempted to negotiate an earlier settlement. Maybe filing suit was what was needed to get Fox's attention.

[Guy Hutchinson]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

The fact that a lawsuit is done years later is no reason to doubt it's validity. Often there must be a few years to establish long term damages.

[xerotheory142]

Re: Music Publisher Sues Fox Over Alleged Anti-Semitic 'When You Wish Upon a Star'

^guess you missed the star wars one

HEAR HEAR!

Best. Episode. Ever. (oh, wait, wrong show. but still)

anyway, back on topic......