1115.org

“Hello, I’m Kent Brockman, and I’m a cartoon character. Even so, I’m more credible than this guy.”

The legal department at Fox News was getting an itchy trigger finger. The Al Franken suit had been dismissed, and people everywhere were stepping all over Fox news’ trademarks in the name of something called “satire”. Call out the lawyers!

The target: The Simpsons, which is owned by…uh….Fox.

Thankfully, someone at Fox realized that it would not be good press for the company to sue itself. But according to a Recent NPR Interview with Simpsons creator Matt Groening, this situation came close to happening. A recent episode of The Simpsons used a satirical version of the Fox News ticker with headlines such as “Do Democrats Cause Cancer?”, “Study: 92 per cent of Democrats are gay”, “JFK posthumously joins Republican Party”, and “Oil slicks found to keep seals young, supple”. Fox News was not amused.

I would suggest that someone over at Fox News needs to get a sense of humor. Naturally, the leading candidate for this job is former comic and supposed Fox News commentator Alan Colmes. But for that to happen, someone will have to go into Sean Hannity’s office to unbind him and take the ball gag out of his mouth.

Zed: Bring out The Colmes.
Maynard: I think The Colmes is asleep.
Zed: Well, I guess you better go and wake him up then.

Until that day arrives, I suppose the guys over at Fox News will have to find someone else’s ass to get medieval on. With any luck, that someone won’t be me.

(*1115.org note to Fox’s lawyers: the words “fair and balanced” were not harmed during the typing of this post.)