Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

The Senate is Voting on…Something?

Today, the Senate will vote on something to do with health care, but it’s not clear exactly what. The Senate has been working to pass, or at least debate, some sort of bill to repeal and replace Obamacare for weeks, but the most recent efforts were derailed when senators couldn’t agree on the “replace” portion. After that, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell started pushing for a “repeal now, replace later” approach.

One of the challenges for Senate Republican leadership is that no more than two Republican senators can defect. Senator Susan Collins of Maine has made it clear that she intends to vote “no.” While Senator John McCain, who was diagnosed with brain cancer last week, is reportedly returning to Capitol Hill to cast his vote, other defections could stop McConnell’s plan to move any sort of action forward. All eyes are now on two senators who seem likely to join Collins in dissension–Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.

Regardless of what happens today, the secretive nature of the procedures have frustrated many:

Health care vote today.

– No final text
– No final Byrd guidance
– No final CBO score
– No public hearingshttps://t.co/SCxwL0g5Ev

— Dylan Scott (@dylanlscott) July 25, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: July 25, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Intelligence Officials: Trump Campaign Had Regular Contact With Russia Before Election

Donald Trump’s campaign team had regular communication with Russian officials before the election, U.S. intelligence officials said yesterday. Though contact between campaigns and foreign governments is not unusual, the frequency of these incidents and the fact that the interactions involved some high-level members of Trump’s team raised suspicions. The reasons for the communication are unknown, but officials claim it happened concurrently with Russia’s apparent election-related hacking. Some are claiming that Trump aides collaborated with Russian intelligence to release information that would damage Hillary Clinton’s campaign, but there is currently no evidence to prove that claim.

This raises fundamental questions about Russia’s influence on the presidential election. We need answers now. https://t.co/EGTNYpxTi8

— Martin Heinrich (@MartinHeinrich) February 15, 2017

This morning, Donald Trump took to Twitter (of course) to criticize the “fake news media,” Russia, the NSA, and the FBI. He also tweeted that the “illegal” leaking is an attempt to “cover up” mistakes made by Clinton’s campaign.

This Russian connection non-sense is merely an attempt to cover-up the many mistakes made in Hillary Clinton’s losing campaign.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 15, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: February 15, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Trevor Noah vs. Tomi Lahren

In a divided nation it’s important to try to communicate with people who have different viewpoints. Last night Trevor Noah gave it a try on “The Daily Show” by inviting very conservative TV host Tomi Lahren to be his guest.

Trevor and @TomiLahren discuss Black Lives Matter, the KKK, and Colin Kaepernick’s national anthem protest. https://t.co/3ZXncZSVdm pic.twitter.com/8YrybRYRBX

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) December 1, 2016

What was impressive: how both of them could keep cool despite having such different views.

What was less impressive: how Lahren tried to walk back her own opinions. She said her statement that Black Lives Matter is the new KKK is not based in racism at all, since she doesn’t “see color.” But then, regarding her loud criticism of Colin Kaepernick for kneeling during the national anthem, she said: “So because I don’t agree with what he did, I should shut up because I’m white? I should shut up? I shouldn’t be able to talk about black issues because I’m white?” Noah’s clever reply: “No one brought up white at all […] I don’t see color.”

Tomi Lahren: “what did the kkk do?”

All black people in North America: pic.twitter.com/SZpwGBwe9i

— Lil jesse (@smokingdick) December 1, 2016

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: December 1, 2016 appeared first on Law Street.

On Wednesday morning, writers’ rooms were probably frantically trying to re-write many of their planned monologues and sketches in line with election night’s unexpected results. Many of them probably struggled with what tone to approach the news with, as the man who had been their main source of comedic material for the past 18 months is not a joke anymore–he’s now our president-elect. While these hosts were more somber than usual, they still brought the laughs, and demonstrated that not all hope was lost.

If the election results have you stressed, hopefully these late night hosts can offer you the comedic comfort food your soul needs.

“Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver

John Oliver’s last show of the year issued some pretty serious messages and dire warnings in between its laughs. John Oliver urged viewers to “actively stand up for one another” by supporting organizations such as The Trevor Project, Planned Parenthood, the International Refugee Assistance Project, and a myriad of others. He also advised that we constantly remind ourselves that “this is not normal” with regard to a Trump presidency. Oh, and he also “blew up” 2016 at the end, because this year has been all-around awful.

“The Daily Show” with Trevor Noah

This election cycle was seriously missing the voice of Jon Stewart, but Trevor Noah delivered on Wednesday with material that could make a viewer want to laugh and cry at the same time. Particularly moving was a bit by Hasan Minhaj, in which he almost broke down in tears while telling the story of his mother, who is currently abroad and can’t return to the U.S. until February, but wasn’t entirely sure whether she’d be let back in under Trump’s confusing and ever-changing “Muslim ban.” He needs her…and she also owes him $300.

Another moving moment from this week’s show was when correspondent Michelle Wolf also simultaneously laughed and cried as she discussed the absurdity of Trump’s win and its depressing implications for American women.

In the 2016 election, 42% of women voted for Donald Trump. @MichelleIsAWolf responds: https://t.co/lU43mqpyPz pic.twitter.com/BJZCxetT5s

— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) November 10, 2016

“Late Night” with Seth Meyers

Seth Meyers just might be the man to blame for a Trump presidency: in 2011, he delivered scathing jabs at Trump for his “birther” comments about President Obama. He also laughed off Trump’s interest in a campaign for the presidency at the time, while cameras showed Trump was in the audience silently seething and accepting the challenge.

Despite that, Meyers received praise for his election coverage, with his “Closer Look” segments. His post election remarks were somber, hopeful, and humorous at the same time, and had Meyers himself on the verge of tears.

“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee”

The central message of Bee’s show? We need to get to work. Bee was definitely angry with the results, blaming the large white voter base that voted for Trump. Bee also shushed white people who didn’t vote for him, and said “if Muslims have to take responsibility for every member of their community, so do we.”

But Bee wasn’t just angry, she was also hopeful for the “nasty women” of the future that need to step up so that we can have more and more women representing us in office.

“The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert

Another character who was sorely missed this election cycle was Stephen Colbert’s “Colbert Report” persona. But even though we didn’t get to hear from his alter ego, the man himself was there to support us through the tough Election Night and into the next day.

Stephen Colbert’s live election night coverage on Showtime ended before Trump’s victory was announced, but at that point it was already clear that a Clinton win was unlikely, so the night ended on a somber and uncertain note. But the next morning, after it was official, Colbert captured the nausea-ridden hangover that overcame much of the country the day after the election. Colbert was blunt about his feelings (“This suuuucks”), but if you’re feeling down, I guarantee that watching Colbert put on cat ears and pretend to be a “sexy kitty” will definitely improve your day.

Mariam Jaffery

Mariam was an Executive Assistant at Law Street Media and a native of Northern Virginia. She has a B.A. in International Affairs with a minor in Business Administration from George Washington University. Contact Mariam at mjaffery@lawstreetmedia.com.

The post Here’s How Late Night Hosts Reacted to the Election Results appeared first on Law Street.

Yes, you read the title right.

On Monday’s episode of “The Daily Show” Trevor Noah sat down with Democratic National Conference (DNC) chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz to discuss the current presidential primary race from the Democratic side.

In between discussing the RNC’s Republican “clown car” and her party’s use of superdelegates, the conversation turned a little PG13 when Noah asked Wasserman Schultz if the DNC is conspiring to prevent Bernie Sanders (I-VT) from securing the nomination against Hillary Clinton. Noah asked,

A lot of people feel that Bernie Sanders … is being cockblocked by the DNC. Is there any merit to this?

The question comes after Wasserman Schultz has repeatedly faced scrutiny over the low number of debates the Democrats have had during this campaign cycle, and accusations that she’s acted more in the interest of Clinton due to biased favoritism.

Now my guess is, it isn’t very often that Wasserman Schultz finds herself being questioned on whether or not she’s “cockblocking” someone. That being said, she managed to handle the question pretty well firing back,

You know, as powerful as that makes me feel, I’m not doing a very good job of rigging the outcome or… “blocking” anyone from being able to get their message out.

She added,

The reality is that I have a job as national party chair that is one that requires a thick skin. It requires me to be able to absorb the body blows so our candidates can stay above the fray.

Watch the full clip below

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trevor Noah Asks DNC’s Chair if She is ‘C*ckblocking’ Sanders appeared first on Law Street.

Jon Stewart, the host of the “Daily Show” for 16 years, and a quintessential late night presence was spotted on a few other hosts’ shows this week. Stewart went to visit both the “Daily Show” and the “Late Show” to advocate for a bill called the Zadroga Act that would extend the health care benefits of 9/11 first responders. Stewart may be retired from regular late night, but that doesn’t mean that his appearances are anything but a welcome presence, and in this case, for an incredibly worthy cause.

The Zadroga Act–its full name is the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act–is named after a now-deceased 9/11 first responder. It was first enacted in 2010, but has since expired. Stewart’s narrative is that its reauthorization is being held up for purely political reasons.

First, there was Stewart’s appearance on the “Daily Show,” now hosted by his successor Trevor Noah. Stewart stopped by on Monday to argue in favor of  the Zadroga Act. The “Daily Show” then aired footage of Stewart and some 9/11 first responders wandering around Congress in an attempt to ask various senators why they aren’t supporting the bill. In addition to being pretty entertaining, Stewart’s efforts were sort of successful–Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) signed on to the bill the very same night.

Then, last night, Stewart dropped by Stephen Colbert’s new “Late Show.” It was also a natural partnership given that Colbert essentially got his start in late night TV by being a correspondent on the “Daily Show” during Stewart’s tenure. In order to get viewers’ attention on the push to reauthorize the Zadroga Act, Colbert encouraged Stewart to imitate everyone’s least favorite headline-grabber–Donald Trump. Stewart sported a wig and let Colbert smush Cheetos on his face to get that signature Donald-glow.

So far, Stewart’s strategy seems successful–his reappearance on the Daily Show garnered tens of thousands of shares on social media, if not more, and plenty of media outlets have picked up coverage of his Trump impression last night. It’s nice to see that Stewart is still using his soapbox (albeit one borrowed from other great hosts) for good.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Jon Stewart Uses Late Night Connections for Advocacy Good appeared first on Law Street.

As it turns out, there’s a lot of unedited, raw footage of Ted Cruz out there. It’s a not-so-secret trick that campaigns use to coordinate with their corresponding Super PACs–by releasing the footage publicly, PACs can use whatever they want. While the Cruz campaign uploaded the roughly 15 hours of raw footage this summer, the denizens of the internet appear to have just recently found it. Now, everyone is having quite a bit of fun at the expense of the Cruz family.

The entire thing is incredibly awkward. As New York Magazine stated about the segments of footage:

Presented in segments ranging anywhere from 24 minutes to more than an hour long, they contain unedited video from ad shoots for presidential campaign videos. What comes across is a bizarro campaign ad, full of awkward pauses, multiple takes, and uncomfortable hugs.

A lot of the best moments have already been cherry-picked; here’s my personal favorite:

The Daily Show host Trevor Noah had a bit of fun with Cruz’s footage, pointing out that the 15 hours of tape can be mixed and matched to create pretty much whatever. He dubbed it #CruzYourOwnAdventure, and gave some examples.

Noah then encouraged viewers to make and submit their own versions. Check out some of the best of #CruzYourOwnAdventure below.

Cruzac Commercial from Justin Bare on Vimeo.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best of #CruzYourOwnAdventure appeared first on Law Street.

“The Daily Show’s” new host, Trevor Noah, has made an enemy: Jeff Kaufmann, the chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa. Kaufmann denied “The Daily Show” press credentials to attend the Iowa Growth and Opportunity Party, and in the process, inspired Noah’s comedic wrath. In fact, Noah pretty much lambasted him on the show last night–check out the full clip below:

Then, “The Daily Show” correspondent who would have been the one covering the event joined Noah to poke fun at Kaufmann.

The reason that Kaufmann gave for the denial of “The Daily Show’s” press credentials was that he was concerned the comedy news show would make fun of the state of Iowa. But Noah’s attack accused him of a more duplicitous motive, stating that Kaufmann:

Shouldn’t hide behind Iowa when the things you really don’t want people to make fun of are pretty obvious here. You don’t want people making fun of your terrible candidates and your ridiculous event.

But, as Noah pointed out, not inviting “The Daily Show” won’t keep the satirical show from poking fun. In fact, Noah delivered some blistering jokes about the event, including a jab about a Hillary Clinton scarecrow that was on display.

Trevor Noah on Iowa Hillary scarecrow: “If you want a fake empty Hillary Clinton you should just use Carly Fiorina.” pic.twitter.com/tZFCES32tJ

— Ryan Adams (@filmystic) November 4, 2015

Noah also created a mocking event on Facebook–“The Daily Show’s Official Jeff Kauffman-less Blowout.” The event description includes the following:

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah is having a party, and everyone but Jeff Kaufmann is invited!
That’s right, anybody can come! As long as you aren’t Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann. If you are Jeff Kaufmann, you will be asked to leave.

Party schedule:
6pm – 7pm: Eating all Jeff Kaufmann’s favorite foods
7pm – 11pm: Talking smack about Jeff Kaufmann
11pm – 12am: All Jeff Kaufmann’s most embarrassing stories, told by Jeff Kaufmann’s friends and family

“The Daily Show” is certain to continue to make fun of the GOP field, and the GOP as a whole, through the 2016 campaign. But on Kaufmann’s part, denying the press credentials was probably a bad move, because it gave Noah especially easy and hilarious fodder.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post “The Daily Show” Barred From Iowa GOP Event: Trevor Noah Fights Back appeared first on Law Street.

South African comedian Trevor Noah really seems to be coming into his own as the new host of the “Daily Show.” Fresh faced and full of “millennial approved” banter, Noah has confidently revamped the hit satirical news show, while frequently paying homage to his famed predecessor, silver fox Jon Stewart.

However, during last night’s show Noah managed to outdo himself by perfectly tackling two heated issues currently center stage in American politics–abortion and gun control. In the video clip below, Noah criticized “pro-life” GOP primary candidates that fail to fight for gun control, which is also another potentially life-saving measure.

Noah said that “when it comes to restricting access to abortion, they’re killing it.” And he’s right, they are. Despite abortion being legal, anti-abortionists have managed to impose intrusive mandates in some states, such as forced vaginal ultrasounds and mandatory three-day waiting times, that aim to make obtaining an abortion more difficult.

Noah goes on to say,

It’s truly amazing how much the pro-lifers have been able to accomplish in the anti abortion fight. Just imagine what they could do with an issue where the facts are actually on their side?

 

At this point the segment truly came to life. Noah began by presenting scenarios where pro-lifers negatively addressed efforts to promote gun violence, and then asked “imagine if we could bring some of that pro-life passion into being more pro-life.” He then started swapping in pro-life soundbites from the same candidates as appropriate alternative responses to mass shootings.

Noah’s newscast ended on a somber note with this powerful closing message:

The point is, if pro-lifers would just redirect their power towards gun violence, the amount of lives they could save would reach superhero levels. They just need to have superheros’ total dedication to life, because right now they’re more like comic book collectors–human life only holds value until you take it out of the package and then its worth nothing.

However, not everyone was crazy about the clip. Vox argued that Noah’s segment fails by oversimplifying GOP ideals when it comes to gun control. Vox reporter German Lopez writes,

The fault of Noah’s critique of pro-life conservatives who oppose gun control lies in the fact that they don’t believe gun control can save lives. In fact, many gun rights advocates genuinely believe that gun control can get people killed — since without guns, they won’t be able to, for instance, defend themselves from home invaders.

While his point is valid, it doesn’t make Noah’s point any less so. As a comedian on the “Daily Show,” he’s allowed some leeway when it comes to using hyperbolic statements in order to make a point about a current issue at hand. In a little over a week in Stewart’s former chair, he’s making waves by doing just that. As the presidential race continues to heat up, it will be interesting to see what else Trevor Noah has to say.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trevor Noah Points Out Huge Hypocrisy of Pro-Lifers on Gun Control appeared first on Law Street.

Thousands of people try to make it big in the comedy world each year. Whether you are making YouTube and Vine videos or you are working the comedy club circuit, what rights do you really have to your own material? Successful comedy builds on the human experience, so many jokes seem to be about similar topics, but what are the chances that the wording two comedians use will be the same?

Accusations are thrown from one comedian to another over who really “created” a bit, causing problems for everyone from the late Robin Williams to Jimmy Fallon. It’s important to keep in mind that jokes are in essence little stories or songs–it takes time to perfect the verbiage, and then it takes even more time to perfect the delivery. These jokes, theoretically, are the creative property of the person who initially tells them, but it’s a little more complicated than that. Read on to learn about different rights and controversies in comedy plagiarism.

Protecting Comedy

Legally, it can be very difficult for comedians to protect their content–much harder than it would be for writers, singers, or even actors. Most comedians don’t record their shows, especially when they are just starting out in the business. They also may change up their routines each night depending on the way they read the crowd. They might tell the same joke, but use different words or a different delivery, which makes it hard to prove that it was “their” joke. Many comedians are now recording their sets (made easier with the proliferation of smartphones) as a way to publicize their acts, but also in anticipation that there will be some way to copyright what they do.

Copyright in the Internet Age

Comedians who post material on YouTube, Vine, or other social media sources face an even higher risk of being infringed upon because often the videos get buried in the plethora of material found online. In the video below, check out the reactions of YouTubers who watch Jimmy Fallon sketches that many claim have been stolen from famous YouTube comedians or video-bloggers. The comments come toward the end of the video.

The Independent recently published a piece highlighting the trouble with plagiarism within the comedic community. In an article titled “Plagiarism is No Laughing Matter for Comedians,” Gary Delaney, a British comic, spoke about his own interactions with the internet and his material:

It used to be the case that a comic’s set would last decades. But now I’ve got jokes I wrote in May, June, and July that aren’t working by October because they’ve been absolutely trashed around the Internet.

There are some products currently available to comedians, including a piece of software called iThenticate, which is often used by students to check papers for plagiarism; however, it could also be used to help comedians determine if their jokes have been duplicated online. The catch is that it can only find jokes that have been plagiarized in someone else’s writing, not in another format such as audio or video.

YouTube is able to find duplicate content through a system called ContentID; however, this system only works for videos that are similar–so it won’t do anyone any good if it is someone different telling the jokes or doing a funny scene. It just catches people who re-upload someone else’s videos.

YouTube itself has plagiarism rules, but they tend to focus more on the “big” companies or figures. For instance, reposted videos from Jimmy Kimmel’s “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets” series are more likely to be found and deleted than someone finding and re-posting a make-up tutorial from Gigi Gorgeous–even though she has well over a million followers. It all has to do with who brings in the most money, and that tends to be powerhouse comedians with television followings.

YouTubers, especially famous YouTubers like Jenna Marbles, Grace Helbig, Tyler Oakley, and Shane Dawson–have taken to doing “challenges” where they credit the original idea, but the question remains as to whether or not those will catch on.

So, can you steal comedy?

What exactly would the stealing of jokes entail? Since we are all living in the same world, it is important to note that the best jokes are often rooted in current events. This means that many jokes will have similar tones or topics, but the punchlines will be different. Take a look at this video of the late night hosts making similar jokes about ObamaCare.

Each one has a similar topic and each one has similar points–but they all tell the jokes a little bit differently with unique styles and takes on the topic.

Famous comedians, including Patton Oswalt, have admitted that sometimes jokes can be similar, even if someone has never heard the joke before. He also says that sometimes the joke slips out without thinking, saying: “Sometimes someone else’s joke sneaks into one’s brain without attribution, leading to an accidental instance of punch-line thievery. But the correct thing to do in that case is apologize and not do it again.” In fact, some of our most famous comedians have “stolen.” Milton Berle is a classic comedian, and even he has admitted to borrowing a joke or two.

But what is it that makes a joke original and someone’s property in the first place? That’s another problem that comedians have to identify and contend with. For example, “SNL” was recently accused of ripping off a “tiny hats” sketch. The two sketches in question here actually aren’t that similar, save for the fact that characters in them wear tiny hats as part of the punchline. Tim and Eric, the comedians doing the accusing, essentially claimed ownership over the comedic idea of tiny hats–but how could someone determine if that’s true? There’s no easy answer to these kind of controversies, or any real body of law to help comedians make these judgments.

Case Study: Carlos Mencia

One of the most reviled comedians of the last few years is Carlos Mencia, who was confronted at one of his shows for stealing jokes. A video of the confrontation is found here. It contains graphic language, and most likely is not appropriate for work, but shows the argument between the comedian and his accuser.

Mencia has been accused of stealing jokes from George Lopez, Ari Shaffir, and Bobby Lee. One of his more famous accused thefts comes from Bill Cosby.

Though there was really nothing that any of the comedians could do about the theft, Mencia still felt the repercussions after the accusations. His fanbase shrank and a comedian who once had a bright career now struggles to pick up the pieces.

But Mencia is just one example of comedians who have been accused of stealing jokes. “South Park”  came under fire over an “Inception” joke that was already written for College Humor. Future “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah was accused of stealing jokes from Russell Peters. In another instance, Howie Mandel was accused of stealing a  joke from an “America’s Got Talent” hopeful.

Conclusion

So is there a reason to create laws around jokes and the rights of comedians? The United Kingdom already has some select laws, including one that says that any joke that is recorded is the sole property of that person. In an age where almost everything is recorded, we might be getting there worldwide. Until then, it is up to comedians to hold him or themselves accountable for the material they deliver–it ought to come straight from them and their own mind. While the laws may not quite be there yet, public reception is still something for comedians to worry about.

 Resources

Independent: Plagiarism is No Laughing Matter For Comedians

Time: Patton Oswalt on the Unsavory Business of Joke Theft

Center for Journalism Ethics: Comedian Daniel Tosh Calls Out ESPN For Plagiarism… With a Bit of His Own

Comedy Clinic: BUSTED! Comedian Caught Stealing Another Comic’s Material During ‘America’s Got Talent’ Taping?

Cracked: Six Ways to Not Suck at Stand-Up Comedy

Mediaite: Comedian Russell Peters Claims Trevor Noah Steals Jokes: ‘You Don’t Borrow in This Business’

Mental Floss: Stop Me if You’ve Heard This Before: A Look at Comedy Plagiarism

Plagiarism Today: YouTube’s Copyright Problem

Plagiarism Today: The Copyright Frustrations of a YouTuber

Slate: For Sale: Milton Berle’s Complete Joke Files

Split Sider: Is There Ever a Justification for Joke Stealing?

Noel Diem

Law Street contributor Noel Diem is an editor and aspiring author based in Reading, Pennsylvania. She is an alum of Albright College where she studied English and Secondary Education. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, theater, fashion, and literature. Contact Noel at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Already Heard That One? Problems in Comedy Plagiarism appeared first on Law Street.

I was heartbroken last month to hear that Jon Stewart would be leaving his seat on “The Daily Show” for presumably bigger and better things after an impressive 16 plus years as the show’s host. Even though I was so sure that my girl Jessica Williams was primed to take Stewart’s spot, I was both impressed and excited when Comedy Central announced yesterday that South African comedian Trevor Noah had been awarded the coveted position. The world appeared to be geared up to embrace Noah and his international spin on politics, until fans of the show began to comb through his Twitter account and found some old tweets that have been deemed offensive to both women and Jews.

.@Trevornoah, new ‘Daily Show’ host, faces criticism for tweets http://t.co/K7QeoYNGQz pic.twitter.com/CWa34wcgI2

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 31, 2015

Some of the tweets in question include:

South Africans know how to recycle like israel knows how to be peaceful. — Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) June 2, 2010

So she gets fat? RT @missdanibagel: When a woman is loved correctly, she becomes 10 times the woman she was before

— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) July 18, 2014

Almost bumped a Jewish kid crossing the road. He didn’t look b4 crossing but I still would hav felt so bad in my german car! — Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) September 18, 2009

This one is a gem.

A hot white woman with ass is like a unicorn. Even if you do see one, you’ll probably never get to ride it.

— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) November 28, 2011

His comments have been called both anti-semitic and anti-feminist, but we need to take a second to remember one thing–Trevor Noah is a comedian. He’s not a politician, school principal, or “real” news correspondent. He makes a living telling jokes and making people laugh, and while humor is in fact subjective, these tweets appear to have been intended as jokes.

He’s not the first comedian to have his social media taken out of context, and he won’t be the last. As a top source for televised comedy, Comedy Central likely understands this and doesn’t seem to be putting too much stock in the controversy. I doubt Noah will lose his new position over this, but how he handles the situation will be telling.

Noah seemingly acknowledged the controversy Tuesday, sending out a tweet just before 9 a.m. Eastern time that read, “Twitter does not have enough characters to respond to all the characters on Twitter.” The tweet was deleted shortly after. Maybe he’s already learned his first social media lesson, at the very least: don’t fuel the Twitter trolls.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Trevor Noah: First and Foremost a Comedian appeared first on Law Street.