D’oh!: Fox slams parody “O.J. Simpsons”
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – An Internet parody of “The Simpsons” has drawn the ire of 20th Century Fox.
The studio is pressuring online video hub Broadcaster.com to remove “The O.J. Simpsons,” three animated clips that reimagine the Fox series starring the former football star. After receiving notices from Fox lawyers, Broadcaster Inc. is reviewing their demand but noted Friday that fair-use doctrine protects parodies.
“We respect the rights of content owners,” Broadcaster CEO Martin Wade III said. “We are examining all the issues raised by the Fox request. Our goal is to be a respecter of content rights and at the same time find legal ways to bring our community members the content they enjoy.”
Fox, which declined comment, has been aggressive about protecting perceived copyright infringements. In January, Fox had Google subpoenaed over uploaded episodes of “24” and “Simpsons.” Google complied, disclosing the names of individuals who did the uploading.
The three “O.J. Simpsons” clips are titled “Black and White Christmas,” “Warzone” and “If I Did It,” which directly references Fox and its decision to withdraw publication of O.J. Simpson’s proposed book about the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ron Goldman.
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