I’m not altogether certain what’s funnier about the Associated Press going after Shepard Fairey for using one of their photos without permission for his pop culture iconic Obama “Hope” poster. Take your pick:
- Fairey’s first line of defense: “I didn’t make any money off of it.” R-i-g-h-t. We are to believe that even if Fairey didn’t make a nickel off of selling the poster and numerous variations thereof he has not so much as once traded the fame garnered by being its creator for financial gain in selling any of his other works.
- Fairey’s second line of defense: “It’s okay; I found it online.” I’ll recommend that tack to a lawyer defending a client accused of copyright violations for downloading CDs and DVDs that have been ripped (off) and put on a server somewhere. What jury could possibly deny such clear validation?
- The AP only now after the election noticing the (ahem) “resemblance” between their photo and Fairey’s poster; this coming from the news organization which routinely rigorously monitors blogs to make sure its content isn’t used without permission. Funny how it was never brought up during the campaign when the poster was helping Obama. Must be one of those coincidental timing deals. Or no one at AP saw the poster until the other day.
‘Tis to laugh.
