Bacon's Rebellion

How About Changing the Name to “Black Velvet Bluce Ree”?

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by

James A. Bacon
in

Gregory Letiecq, the blogger behind the Northern Virginia blog “Black Velvet Bruce Lee,” has received a cease and desist letter from the Los Angeles law firm representing the estate of the late Bruce Lee. Letiecq, a 42-year-old computer programmer who comments on Prince William and Manassas politics, said he won’t fight it, according to the Manassas Journal-Messenger. He doesn’t need the trouble.

I have to say, though, I love Letiecq’s idea of his changing the name to “Not Black Velvet Bruce Lee.” How could the Bruce Lee estate complain with that? The blog would explicitly state that it’s NOT black velvet Bruce Lee. No room for trademark confusion there!

(By the way, for a great laugh, view “Something to Really Complain About.”)

As blogs gain readership and prominence, expect more legal actions against them for trademark/copyright infringement, libel, defamation, violations of political campaign laws, or God knows what else. Welcome to the real world, baby.

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3 responses to “How About Changing the Name to “Black Velvet Bluce Ree”?”

  1. Greg L Avatar
    Greg L

    You give me even more to think about — so far the blogosphere has been providing me with a treasure trove of suggestions for alternative names, and I appreciate it.

    Maybe someday I’ll cease being the designated whipping boy for everyone with a legal axe to grind, but I guess that will require my ideological opponents to get thicker skin or rack up a few losses before they do. I guess it’ll take a while before that happens.

  2. CG2 Avatar
    CG2

    Jim:
    At the risk of being accused of being humourless, I would encourage you to think about whether your attempt at humor in the title of this post is up to your usual standards of professionalism and respect for all views and all Virginians.

    For my part, I think that such stereotyped, Charlie Chan style stuff is well beneath your usual standards.

    Claire

  3. Ray Hyde Avatar
    Ray Hyde

    Sterotypes can be cruel, but the laugh is on us if we forget that sterotypes get that way for a reason.

    What is the sterotypical PC response to a stereotype joke? Oh, that’s right PC is a sterotype.

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