can you copyright a joke?

[motivez]

Originally Posted by 7960

how can you prove it came from them?

Well, are we talking hypothetically about some random person on a street corner or are we talking about performers who'll likely appear at various venues (tv shows, comedy tours, night clubs, etc)?

[motivez]

Originally Posted by JaJae

I think I still have to agree with 7960 here. I don't see anything wrong with quoting someone. People quote movies, politicians, actors, comedians, song lyrics etc all the time. It would be one thing if you didn't give credit where it came from, but the author seems to have. I just don't think we should be threatened with lawsuits for quoting someone.

Yeah, in this case it seems silly since the quote was properly attributed, but more in general I think it should fall under intellectual property.

[7960]

Originally Posted by motivez

Well, are we talking hypothetically about some random person on a street corner or are we talking about performers who'll likely appear at various venues (tv shows, comedy tours, night clubs, etc)?

I don't think that matters.

[motivez]

Originally Posted by 7960

I don't think that matters.

Why not?

Really outrageous hypothetical, but I can't see another way to approach the difference between something written and not:

If a bunch of people got together and created a play without writing anything down, memorized it by heart, and later wanted to sell it, but were beaten to the punch by someone who saw the performance and took it to make money off of.. is that not intellectual property theft?

How can you justify saying those people have no rights to something they've created any more than you can an author of a book simply because there's "paper and pen" involved?

[7960]

Originally Posted by motivez

If a bunch of people got together and created a play without writing anything down, memorized it by heart, and later wanted to sell it, but were beaten to the punch by someone who saw the performance and took it to make money off of.. is that not intellectual property theft?

No. I'd say it's a shitty thing to do but I don't think it'd be intellectual property theft.