Writing Parody as Protected Speech · 6:46pm Oct 4th, 2022
When researching writing, there are two things you will not often find together
1. The US Supreme Court
2. Humor (in this case, The Onion)
Far smarter people than I will eventually put together far better articles about this, but in summary, Mr. Novak made a parody Facebook page featuring his local police. Having no sense of humor, the Parma police took rather impolite umbridge at it, i.e. had him arrested and prosecuted, only to have him elude the steel cuffs of the law by the technicality of a full trial and jury deeming him not guilty of whatever they were trying to accuse him of other than being funny.
(Please keep this in mind when making certain pony parodies. Some people have no sense of humor and can pay lawyers. Even if you're in the right, you can be bankrupted and tossed in the clink, so be careful.)
In good time, Mr. Novak sued the Parma police for their rather irrational and excessive actions against him. (For some reason, he was a little upset at spending time in prison and having to pay a vast amount of money to avoid staying there. I wonder why.) And this case seems headed for the US Supreme Court.
I'm a big fan of parody. I like to try writing it on occasion. I own an original paperback copy of Bored of the Rings and a full collection of Weird Al albums. But I can't top The Onion in this regard.
At this link you will find a Supreme Court brief of The Onion as Amicus Curiae of Petitioner on behalf of Mr. Novak and his right to make fun of people in good humor. (but without ice cream)
Yes, that's right. They submitted it. To The US Supreme Court. That takes nerve. I would encourage everybody even remotely interested in parody to go read it. Expect every bit of sarcasm and wit that the Onion has been giving us for years. For example: (and don't ask me to translate, please.)
IV. It Should Be Obvious That Parodists Cannot
Be Prosecuted For Telling A Joke With
A Straight Face.
This is the fifteenth page of a convoluted legal filing
intended to deconstruct the societal implications of
parody, so the reader’s attention is almost certainly
wandering. That’s understandable. So here is a paragraph
of gripping legal analysis to ensure that every
jurist who reads this brief is appropriately impressed
by the logic of its argument and the lucidity of its prose:
Bona vacantia. De bonis asportatis. Writ of certiorari.
De minimis. Jus accrescendi. Forum non conveniens.
Corpus juris. Ad hominem tu quoque. Post hoc ergo
propter hoc. Quod est demonstrandum. Actus reus.
Scandalum magnatum. Pactum reservati dominii.
This country is the world’s biggest clown show.
Romanus Domus Exuant.
5690319
Gotta appreciate their conclusion:
By all rights, this should cause more of a shitstorm than George Floyd. Because that specific black guy getting murdered was just the latest example of a problem that has been around for centuries, but this is them trying to change things towards totalitarianism.
The only silver lining is that if this fails the Fox News defence becomes invalid. I'm curious how the courts decided that an outlet calling itself news can get away with it for profit but not an individual.
I sincerely hope The Onion and Anthony win, because if they don't, we all may lose. I have to say I love his idea, and he sounds like a really funny guy who should have the right to openly mock the authorities at his pleasure.
Well there is prescient with mad magazine, national lampoon magazine and other parody makers
Even if it wasn't parody truth of the matter the police represent the government and freedom of speech against the government is what the First Amendment is about
It's worth noting that judges rarely read amicus briefs. At least that's what a lawyer friend told me.
Surprised they didn't sneak a "Pedicabo ego vos et irrumabo" in there.
Or borrow from https://wiki.lspace.org/Latatian_Phrases#Legal_Phrases
Thanks for sharing this, Georg. I hope they win their case, not just for the sake of parody and those who produce it, but for the very freedom that lets us all poke the absurd buffoons that believe they are smarter than the rest of us.
How much longer until I get thrown into the pokey for the audacious crime of liking non-masculine things like books, baking, and cartoon pones? Or maybe I will be deported for not meeting certain physical characteristics like having longish hair or not looking like a muscle bound gym model. The current powers that be would have a monostate where everyone is expected to act if not look exactly the same...hum hum our town
5690319
The whole world is a clown show.
But yeah, comedy is important and it should definitely be provoking.
https://m.In Fairness to The Onion, they already have their work cut out for them creating stuff that is plausible satire in this day and age already.
5690459
you need to become swole.
Grunt with manly might atop the Tower of Power
I will not be responsible for my own actions if they lose their court case.