Louis C.K. Releases Copyright Notice To Block Reporters From Quoting His Shows
Louis C.K.’s controversial comeback post-scandal hasn’t gone so well. He’s insisted on reducing his recent foibles down to uncomfortable jokes that only make him the center of more contentious debate.
Most notably was the stand-up performance in which he said Parkland survivors thought they were interesting because they “went to a high school where kids got shot.” These instances led to more bad press for the fallen comic. Now he has tried to keep a similar situation from happening again by releasing a copyright notice that prevents reporting during his current slate of shows, reports Consequence of Sound.
James Shotwell of Vulture mentioned on Twitter that comedy clubs booking the comedian, such as Acme Comedy Co. in Minneapolis, recently posted a copyright statement pertaining to his forthcoming performances. The note tells attendees that the show will be “phone-free” and audience members are required to place any devices into Yondr pouches for the entirety of the gig. According to CoS, this is typical for a stand-up performance, as phones can be distracting for comedians and any videos shared online of their jokes essentially makes the material “dead” for other shows.
However, the rest of the message is where things divert from what is considered the standard practice.
“Louis CK owns all rights in the content and materials, including any jokes and sketches (the ‘Materials’), delivered during his performance. The Materials may not be copied, translated, transmitted, displayed, distributed, or reproduced verbatim (the ‘Use’), in whole or in part, in any form, media, or technology now known or later developed, without the express prior written consent of Louis CK.”
The notice goes on to state that any usage of the materials without the previous written permission of Louis C.K. is prohibited and any person who violates the message will “be subject to all available legal remedies.”
While it is normal for a comic to copyright their material, Louis has tried to bar anyone in the audience from being able to even quote from anything that may be said during a performance.
Louis C.K.’s actions have prompted a variety of responses from many different avenues, with some considering it absurd that the comedian has asked for consent considering his alleged victims were not so fortunate as to have that luxury. As CoS reports, some, like Conan writer Laurie Kilmartin, do think the action has value in the long run, but still believe Louis C.K. should have barred himself from even attempting to make a comeback.
