Roger Ebert is involved in contract negotiations:

Roger Ebert has turned thumbs down on thumb reviews for "At the Movies with Ebert & Roeper."

Ebert, who is negotiating a new contract with the syndicated TV show's distributor, Disney-ABC Domestic Television, is a copyright holder on the signature "thumbs up-thumbs down" judgment that's part of each film review.

He has "exercised his right to withhold use of the `thumbs' until a new contract is signed," the Walt Disney Co.-owned company said in a statement released Friday to The Associated Press.

Health problems have kept Ebert from appearing on the show for more than a year, with guest hosts filling in. In the new season starting this weekend, co-host Richard Roeper will be joined for the first few months by movie critic Robert Wilonsky of the Dallas Observer.

Two episodes have been filmed so far without the catchy thumb assessment, which has become a staple of movie marketing and, in turn, a big part of the show's influence.

I wonder if I'm going to get sued?

UPDATE: I don't see how you could copyright this. You might be able to trademark it, but that's an entirely different thing. If Ebert holds a trademark on that, he certainly could prevent that show from using it without her permission. But trademark protection is much different -- and I'm not even sure I believe it would survive court challenge.

Not that it would matter to me if I got served. Ebert's got a lot more money for lawyers than I do, and thus the Golden Rule applies. ("Whoever has the gold makes the rules.")

Posted by: Steven Den Beste in Site Stuff at 08:32 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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