tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post2484087638208069744..comments2024-03-27T04:34:22.607-04:00Comments on Jade Varden Official Blog: Writing 101: Can You Use Celebrity Names in Fiction?Jade Vardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10684439238295775063noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-44344123990511467082021-04-17T14:03:02.501-04:002021-04-17T14:03:02.501-04:00can you get aaway by "spoofing" a celebr...can you get aaway by "spoofing" a celebrity name?... say, Robbie Downer Jr, perhaps?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13361748716757626847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-12180120727075917412020-08-29T10:38:09.302-04:002020-08-29T10:38:09.302-04:00I wrote a short essay about the secret to the incr...I wrote a short essay about the secret to the incredible success of one incredibly famous person (a kind of esoteric view). I doubt I can use his name. What if I change his name, but so that he is still recognized, is that enough?Sirkohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14452973185184594851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-18502472201052794112019-04-22T07:48:15.729-04:002019-04-22T07:48:15.729-04:00Hi Jade, thank you for the info. Further to your c...Hi Jade, thank you for the info. Further to your comment above, I am in the process of producing a time travel roleplaying game where due to an unfortunate accident every looks like Ringo Starr. They are not him, but both men and women share his basic appearance, this is obviously mentioned quite a lot in the text, but I also have heavily altered images of Mr Starr. What would your take be on this based on what you mention above?karlatplay@google.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964961469208777031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-76860661260060707512017-06-12T18:02:15.857-04:002017-06-12T18:02:15.857-04:00Dead celebs I know are another matter - there is a...Dead celebs I know are another matter - there is a series of mystery stories featuring Marlene Dietrich and others. My question is about the name of the book and the cover art - I'm not sure how they use a dead celebrity's name and image on a book cover, though I've seen it.Pietra Chandlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18016808708064051146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-18242444204128786342016-12-24T17:51:11.211-05:002016-12-24T17:51:11.211-05:00Too funny, I also am writing a book and wanted to ...Too funny, I also am writing a book and wanted to use her for it. I actually have a few interviews I just changed names on and hope that works out okay. Good luck and do post if you get a response...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-63571254101860986162016-10-26T07:00:50.106-04:002016-10-26T07:00:50.106-04:00my protagonist has a dream in which he is engaged ...my protagonist has a dream in which he is engaged in a public debate with a rock star , but he laments that he can't even debate him cos the rock star is so thick. Is this defamatory ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-66678152032211891502016-09-06T17:13:33.527-04:002016-09-06T17:13:33.527-04:00I want to use a NASCAR drivers name as part of a s...I want to use a NASCAR drivers name as part of a scene where my character becomes a little delusional due to extreme cold, hunger and being alone. He passed in 2000. There would be nothing bad written, of course. Only that she dreams of dating him, and eventually marrying him. Would this be something I need permission for?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-9793180768655122132016-09-06T17:10:21.057-04:002016-09-06T17:10:21.057-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-5750440172499788932016-09-06T17:06:56.859-04:002016-09-06T17:06:56.859-04:00Morgan Freeman is the actor who played him in the ...Morgan Freeman is the actor who played him in the early movies. At least before they mistakenly replaced him with Tyler Perry (Horrid choice in my opinion.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-46926161645867409332016-08-25T12:37:05.103-04:002016-08-25T12:37:05.103-04:00I actually just read an article about this. It dep...I actually just read an article about this. It depends on which state the person died in. For instance, in CA there are rights after death. In NY there are not.Hello out therehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00615187476664013166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-11388306153070324002016-04-27T09:25:53.605-04:002016-04-27T09:25:53.605-04:00If I wanted to mention a band name or a song name,...If I wanted to mention a band name or a song name, as in what my character is listening to or what kind of music she likes, would that be okay or no? Author AC Cameronhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05620948873558516119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-31838004948538604842016-04-20T15:30:03.638-04:002016-04-20T15:30:03.638-04:00Whose to say he didn't pay for the rights.Whose to say he didn't pay for the rights. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-21005983320818116572016-04-20T15:28:50.711-04:002016-04-20T15:28:50.711-04:00That's an issue, because the deceased's fa...That's an issue, because the deceased's family own their rights. This means the family could sue you. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-89732139885898179412016-04-14T18:37:39.291-04:002016-04-14T18:37:39.291-04:00What if you use the celebrity first name but chan...What if you use the celebrity first name but change their last night or what if you just describe their features the same as the celebrity,but have different names.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11990967313733244807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-48565032697377102272016-04-11T04:17:32.232-04:002016-04-11T04:17:32.232-04:00If the celebrity is not named but you have a chara...If the celebrity is not named but you have a character that does something similar to what the real celeb did in real life, does that cause a problem? <br /><br />In my book I have a scene in which several celebrities are portrayed as being another (non-human) race and are watched by members of that race so they are not accidentally revealed. No names are actually used, but a certain pop stars recent behavior is 'exposed'.<br /><br /> Dream Janushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01362471268084120270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-39365440657654734802016-02-27T14:34:34.369-05:002016-02-27T14:34:34.369-05:00No. Satire is a first amendment right. No. Satire is a first amendment right. Clyde the Dadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192148698789296522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-39847526820805024042016-02-26T21:56:20.968-05:002016-02-26T21:56:20.968-05:00After thought... Does this imply that shows like F...After thought... Does this imply that shows like Family guy and all that jazz pay a premium for taking jabs at celebrities and musicians EVERY EPISODE or does that fall under a different code of ethics? Clyde the Dadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192148698789296522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-28013139149509222942016-02-26T21:47:05.347-05:002016-02-26T21:47:05.347-05:00Ha! This is funny - I wrote an intro for a friends...Ha! This is funny - I wrote an intro for a friends story about mailmen and I said 'The profession was even given the Hollywood treatment in that Kevin Costner movie no one has seen.' .. I hope Mr. Costner finds it as funny as I did. Clyde the Dadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00192148698789296522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-43511681643196918072016-02-15T23:20:34.043-05:002016-02-15T23:20:34.043-05:00How about referencing characters from a TV show?
(...How about referencing characters from a TV show?<br />(Specifically, someone in mine finds out demons are real & not believing it, sarcastically asks if Sam & Dean are going to bust through the door.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-5097126236234078422015-12-31T07:12:19.032-05:002015-12-31T07:12:19.032-05:00I'm writing a contemporary story about two peo...I'm writing a contemporary story about two people who share a passion for Buster Keaton and his 1920s and '30s movies. I just discovered that I can't use his image on the cover because the Cohen Brothers own the rights, but can I write this story with mentions of him, his past life, and his films? Some are public domain. Buster Keaton died in 1966.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-21177479994456779572015-12-26T00:23:12.023-05:002015-12-26T00:23:12.023-05:00I want to write a book about an aspiring critic. i...I want to write a book about an aspiring critic. it would include criticism and praise for a lot of actors and directors in the industry. Will it be a problem?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-61463339291736967322015-12-07T15:59:11.305-05:002015-12-07T15:59:11.305-05:00Using a celeb's appearance is perfectly fine! ...Using a celeb's appearance is perfectly fine! In fact, James Patterson has written often that his character Alex Cross looks like Denzel Washington. Jade Vardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10684439238295775063noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-66788453818819737032015-12-07T14:25:40.355-05:002015-12-07T14:25:40.355-05:00What about descriptions? Say I wanted to refer to ...What about descriptions? Say I wanted to refer to a character as resembling a famous person. Is that taboo or perfectly acceptable? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-33751956289036924322015-11-10T12:25:08.452-05:002015-11-10T12:25:08.452-05:00"They meant trademark which anyone with $250 ..."They meant trademark which anyone with $250 can do with a somewhat unique name"--That's not entirely true. A personal name can't be trademarked unless it has a secondary meaning, e.g. association with a product or service. Brad Pitt, as far as I've seen, can't trademark his name because there is no "Brad Pitt Cologne" or similar. Ralph Lauren can trademark his name because it's associated with a brand of clothing and other products.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1139108380465924768.post-46413047432804271172015-11-08T17:54:26.623-05:002015-11-08T17:54:26.623-05:00They meant trademark which anyone with $250 can do...They meant trademark which anyone with $250 can do with a somewhat unique namekwhilbornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07464237999017194364noreply@blogger.com