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Say That Again

by Mike Masnick

Tue, Feb 23rd 2010 4:16pm




Filed Under:
copyright, ed colbert, olympics, stephen colbert, trademark


Colbert Takes On Ridiculous Restrictions Over Talking About The Olympics

from the I'd-sue-you dept

On last night's Colbert Report, Stephen brought on his brother, Ed Colbert, an international copyright lawyer to discuss the totally ridiculous restrictions on what he can and cannot say concerning his Olympics coverage, to avoid getting sued by either NBC or the Olympics, leading Colbert to dub his reports the "Vancouverage of the quadrennial cold weather competition" to avoid saying things like Vancouver, Olympics or even winter games, as those are all on the forbidden list. Watch here (probably US only, tragically):

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Vancouverage 2010 - Ed Colbert
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full EpisodesPolitical HumorSkate Expectations
Separately, if you watch the following segment on TV or online, I noticed that Comedy Central had to change the online coverage as compared to what was shown on TV last night. Last night, there were video clips from NBC's coverage of the opening ceremonies. I don't know if this was licensed or if Viacom/Comedy Central realized that those clips were fair use. But if you watch the online version, everywhere that Colbert showed a clip on the live version, there was, instead, a still photo -- such as when he discusses the dancers from the opening ceremony and the lighting of the torch. I'm guessing that there's some sort of licensing issue that explains why the online version of Colbert left those clips out, even though that seems ridiculous. Separately, if you look carefully in that same clip, you might catch a glimpse of occasional Techdirt contributor Blaise Alleyne who is seen laughing in the audience at one of Colbert's jokes...

23 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  

    Clip OK Here in NZ

    identicon
    Lawrence D'Oliveiro, Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 4:47pm

    I was able to see it. And NZ certainly isn’t part of the US. Not since the demise of ANZUS, anyway...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Short clips are not US only

    icon
    nelsoncruz (profile), Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 5:09pm

    Full episodes are unfortunatly US only, but short clips are viewable worldwide.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  
    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 5:19pm

    Did anyone else see a pirate flag flying in that collection of flags?

    Colbert would be an awesome pirate. He could dress up in an American flag themed pirate outfit. He could figuratively cut open a RIAA exec too. And his show is a news show, there's no syndication for that right?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re: Short clips are not US only

    icon
    Modplan (profile), Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 5:19pm

    Not in the UK, apparently.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Re: Re: Short clips are not US only

    icon
    nelsoncruz (profile), Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 5:27pm

    I'm in Portugal and it works. And according to Lawrence so does New Zealand. I doubt they singled out UK...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only

    icon
    Mike Masnick (profile), Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 5:40pm

    I'm in Portugal and it works. And according to Lawrence so does New Zealand. I doubt they singled out UK...


    Actually, I can confirm that it doesn't work in the UK. I was using my VPN when I first went to write up this post, and was logged into a UK server, and couldn't see the video until I logged out.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    Re:

    identicon
    inc, Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 5:42pm

    ya i noticed that... I still love how they got to use all the words.. just educating the public on what they can't say... I guess little line of the United States Constitution doesn't apply to copyright. Does being in Canada mean they can tell people in the US what they can't say since our laws don't apply there?

    "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  8.  

    Gay Olympics vs Special Olympics

    icon
    Oroboros (profile), Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 6:15pm

    Fuck the "> litigious and homophobic IOC.

    If I ever find out my home city is in the running to host the games, it will be my mission to derail it.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  9.  

    Seven dirty words

    identicon
    Annoyed, Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 6:25pm

    " those are all on the forbidden list." Mike, If you are going to link the term "forbidden list" let's have it point to, well maybe a list of forbidden words... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_dirty_words

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  10.  

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only

    icon
    nelsoncruz (profile), Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 6:32pm

    Mike, that's really weird. Maybe some UK TV channel has exclusive rights to Colbert.

    Mike, where you using that UK VPN to watch Olympics? Naughty, naughty boy! :)

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  11.  

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only

    icon
    Modplan (profile), Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 6:55pm

    FX has the rights to air Colbert Report here. A shame, as being the offspring of The Daily Show you'd expect (hope) they'd be on the same channel (Daily Show is shown on More4).

    FX doesn't allow streaming of its shows either, whereas More4/Channel 4 does.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  12.  

    IN CANADA COMEDY CENTRAL VIDEOS....

    identicon
    NAMELESS.ONE, Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 6:59pm

    its ok i used bit torrent anyways.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  13.  

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only

    icon
    Marcus Carab (profile), Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 7:37pm

    In Canada, we get a link to The Comedy Network. Naturally nobody bothered to make it a proper contextual link that would take me straight to the relevant clip - it brought me to a home page, from where I had to find the menu of shows and then The Colbert Report, at which point I was presented with four untitled clips from last night's show and no way to find the one I wanted, or even know if it was there.

    So I ended up finding an unauthorized source for the whole episode (which took all of ten seconds). It's funny that somehow I'm supposed to feel guilty about that.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  14.  

    Canadian Mirror

    identicon
    Joe, Feb 23rd, 2010 @ 8:25pm

    http://watch.ctv.ca/
    or
    http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/shows/videolist.aspx?sid=3351
    or
    thepiratebay.org

    sigh.......

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  15.  

    Re: Short clips are not US only

    icon
    The Groove Tiger (profile), Feb 24th, 2010 @ 12:06am

    I'm in Peru and have no problem whatsoever watching the full episodes at colbertnation.com

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  16.  

    Re: Short clips are not US only

    icon
    The Groove Tiger (profile), Feb 24th, 2010 @ 12:07am

    I'm in Peru and have no problem whatsoever watching the full episodes at colbertnation.com

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  17.  

    Only the UK blocked?

    icon
    ferridder (profile), Feb 24th, 2010 @ 12:23am

    It would make a lot of sense for the Colbert report (& maybe the daily show) to explicitly exclude webcasting to the UK, in order to avoid libel tourism.

    Is anyone reading this outside the UK blocked?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  18.  
    identicon
    Ingeborg, Feb 24th, 2010 @ 3:37am

    I can see the short clip in the Netherlands, but haven't tried the full episode.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  19.  
    icon
    Xyro TR1 (profile), Feb 24th, 2010 @ 6:28am

    Great clip. :D

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  20.  
    identicon
    myrna minkoff, the minx, Feb 24th, 2010 @ 6:35am

    we tv stations sign deals that allow us to show olympic coverage on the air EXCLUSIVELY & we are FORBIDDEN from using any of the same footage online. that's how the deal's written...

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  21.  

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only

    identicon
    Ron, Feb 24th, 2010 @ 6:41am

    He was uploading torrents!!

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  22.  

    Re: Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Feb 24th, 2010 @ 12:11pm

    I was using my VPN when I first went to write up this post

    What, you use a VPN? What are you hiding? You must be one of them "pirates" I keep hearin so much about.
    /s

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  23.  
    icon
    Captain Canuck (profile), Feb 24th, 2010 @ 2:50pm

    To Watch it in Canada, you have to modify your browser's Headers.

    Firefox Addon: 'Modify Headers'

    Action: Add
    Name: X-Forwarded-For
    Value: 12.13.14.15

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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