Scuttlebutt Pipeline

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Well guess who is already back in the news. Although it might not be the result of yet another escapade in stupidity, wait scratch that, it is another escapde in stupidity, albeit of a different sort:

Paris Hilton is suing over the use of her picture and catchphrase “That’s hot” on a greeting card. Hilton sued Hallmark Cards Inc. in U.S. District Court seeking an injunction and unspecified damages to be determined at trial.

According to the lawsuit filed Thursday, the card is titled “Paris’s First Day as a Waitress” and shows a photo of Hilton’s face on a cartoon of a waitress serving a plate of food to a patron. In a dialogue bubble she says, “Don’t touch that, it’s hot.” The customer cartoon asks, “What’s hot?” She answers, “That’s hot.”

The suit says Hilton owns the trademark “That’s hot,” which was registered on Feb. 13, 2007.

The lawsuit claims commercial appropriation of identity, invasion of privacy, misappropriation of publicity, false representation that Hilton endorses the product, and infringement of a federally registered trademark. The damages would be based on profits from the $2.49 cards, said Hilton attorney Brent Blakely.

Hallmark defended the card as parody, which is normally protected under fair-use law.

“Some of Hallmark’s new humor greeting cards are parodies of today’s most popular celebrities and politicians,” said Hallmark spokeswoman Julie O’Dell in an e-mailed statement.

“These cards take a satirical look at news and gossip surrounding these public figures, including Paris Hilton, and we do not believe Hallmark has violated any of Ms. Hilton’s rights,” she said.

(source)

Believe me when I say I have about a million and one zingers floating around in my head right now and it is taking an amazing amount of control not to launch into them. Miss Paris Hilton, you wanted to throw your daddy’s money around and become a well known celebrity. You did everything you could to get splashed across the front pages of dozens of magazines, newspapers, and trash rags. Here’s a news flash, one of the prices you have to pay for being in the spotlight is the loss of privacy and the fact that you will be parodied and made fun of on a large scale when you do something stupid. And since you are the epitome of stupidity…well what did you honestly expact?