The Simpsons......and Sigma Chi
 

The other night I was watching the Simpsons, and the doctors had a flashback to his days in college and his fraternity. In the scene he was shown drinking a beer, and Sigma Chi in greek letters was drawn on a paddle behind him. Now, I know in order to have known it was a Sigma Chi you would have to know the greek alphabet, But I was under the belief that a TV show can not use the names of established organizations, unless documenting something (as in the news). Or is it just a general practice to assign false names when in a TV show (ie. Mu Pi on Sabrina the Teenage Witch)

I was actually under the impression that you could not use letters of GLO's in existence, unless the person in question is actually a member, or the show paid for its use. Since I do not believe that Homer is a Sigma Chi http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif, maybe it was either paid for, or the paddle said something else. I saw that episode a while ago, and I thought it said either Alpha Sigma Chi or Sigma Sigma Chi. Do you think maybe you just did not see the top of the paddle? I could be the one that is incorrect, because I haven't seen that episode in a while.
Let me know http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif

I was actually wondering the same thing. I don't think that there's anything wrong with using an already established greek organization's letters. Just look at a few of the sketches on Saturday Night Live (in the early 90's) where they had a Tri-Delta (she was actually wearing the letters on a shirt). And, on Sex in the City, there was a scene where one of the girls was meeting her old sorority sisters from Kappa Kappa Gamma.

[This message has been edited by ZTAngel (edited December 13, 2000).]

someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but to my knowledge most greek letter orgs have had their greek letters and/or their crest (or shield - whatever you may call it!) copyrighted so that it cannot be used without permission.....

Does anyone remember the extras on A Different World? Did the show get approval from our nationals to have extras wearing our letters in the background?

As soon as I read that I had a flashback of Ron Johnson sitting there in the student center and a heck of a lot of familiar looking letter sweatshirts behind him...

Speaking of Sigma Chi, the next time you watch Animal House check out the Omegas'(aka the snobby guys) crest on the wall at the rush party. It is shaped EXACTLY like a Sigma Chi crest!!

if you go to blockbuster you can find a "sorority" animal house--it has KD, Theta, and Pi Phi in the movie

Ya the simpsons thing is actually cause one of the writers is a sig so thats why he used the letters. We have that scene on our rush video and its a banner not a paddle. Ya i saw that sorority movie...its called sorority house party and its pretty lame...definatly wasted my $3.50 at blockbuster on that one! They couldn't even get the stereotypes right...they were saying that the pledges were going to have sex with a cow.....i mean comon, every person knows fraternities make the pledges have sex with goats! LOL.

If you watch reruns of "Coach" you'll often notice a Beta Theta Pi Paddle in the background. Craig Nelson isnt a Beta but I think the producer might be.

As a Broadcaster I guess I never gave this much thought. Obviously, if the organization has a copyright or service mark registration on it's letters (as well as its' crest or coat of arms) then they could most likely enforce non-use of the letters on the air.

The exception would be in newscasts where the story is about the GLO, or the showing of the letters is incidental -- that is that they just happen to be in the shot. I think that would fall under what is called "fair use."

I kind of suspect that in some (certainly not all) of the cases noted above, the GLO probably enjoys the publicity and overlooks the use.

As an aside, one of the funnier uses of alleged letters is in one of those insipid Geek vs. Greek spring break movies. There is a big crowd scene and some guy in the background has a sweat shirt with "PPP" on it. Think about it.

DeltAlum

prettypoodle6--I noticed all the sweatshirts on A Different World while watching re-runs this summer. I just figured that the extras wearing them are members. I somehow don't think that a show with so many successful African Americans behind and in front of the camera would risk upsetting such prominent organizations of the community.

prettypoodle6, I remember that show "A Different World", but I believe they were using fictious names. I remember in the opening credits, men were wearing sweatshirts that were from "Lambda Something Something" (I don't remember all 3 letters, but there was definitely a Lambda as the first letter). I'm not sure if there was a women's sorority in the show (don't remember).

prettypoodle, I don't know if they got approval from the national offices of the NPHC organizations, but if you recall, the members of 'real organizations' were never the main characters, only extras, so there was no real fear of the people doing harm to the rep of the organization. This does remind me of a story...A college friend's cousin was a producer for that show. He told her of a story where they were using the extras to protray greek members and one guy who was in one frat did not want to wear the shirt/letters of the other frat. Thad (the producer) was like "wear it or leave" so the guy put on the shirt! So, the extras could have been greek members, but not necessarily members of the organizations that they portrayed.

on designing women, they talk about pi phi a lot

The fraternity on "A Different World" that you are referring to was called Kappa Lambda Nu and their colors were purple & gold. Interestingly enough, actor Darryl Bell was a KLN on that show and a Gamma Phi Gamma in the movie "School Daze". Do I sense a perp in the midst? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

If you watch "Revenge of the Nerds II", in the scenes which involve the room where the fraternity delegates met, you will see modified coats of arms for various NIC and NPHC organizations (different colors and/or letters). Of which I have seen modified Sigma Chi, Alpha Tau Omega, Kappa Delta Rho, Alpha Phi Alpha (which is in the foreground behind the speaker podium and displayed as Delta Pi Fraternity), and Omega Psi Phi modified as Orange and Blue? and displayed as Alpha Nu Fraternity.

So this is nothing new.

Rain Man

Yes! Thanks for letting me know.

Just look at a few of the sketches on Saturday Night Live (in the early 90's) where they had a Tri-Delta (she was actually wearing the letters on a shirt).
I never saw the Saturday Night Live sketches parodying Tri Delta but I wish I did! Were they really funny (but still in good humour?)

And, on Sex in the City, there was a scene where one of the girls was meeting her old sorority sisters from Kappa Kappa Gamma. Yes, I remember that episode. It is Charlotte who is the KKG, meeting her old KKG sorority sisters.

CutiePie2000-
I only saw one of the SNL episodes that had the Tri-Delta in it. (I know there were a lot more though) She was featured with the "Gap Girls". Unfortunately, they did not portray the Tri-Delta as being the most brightest person. They made her to seem like the stereotypical sorority girl. I still thought it was really funny though. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

Not only did SNL do the Tri-Delta skits (which were pretty funny), but in several other random skits, I remember Chris Farley wearing a SAE shirt, and Rob Schnider wearing a TKE shirt. I'm not sure if Farley or Schnider were a SAE or a Teke...anyone know?

[This message has been edited by Pike4Life (edited December 14, 2000).]

David Spade is an SAE.

...

I saw an epsisode of SNL where Mike Meyers was wearing an A Phi A hockey jersey..... the alpha's that saw that episode with me were HEATED!!!! I would have been upset to though cause he was drunk, waving a beer in his hands, and yelling... not a good impression.

1922

How could people leave out the Steve Harvey Show. The coat of arms for Omega Psi Phi is on the wall in the apartment. But, Steve Harvey is a Que...and not a lot of people around my way know that Cedric the Entertainer is a Kappa.

On Sex and the City, afew weeks back, there was a scene where Charlotte was meeting her sorority sisters from Kappa Kappa Gamma.

Does anyone know if Candace Bushnell (she wrote the book "Sex and The City" on which the show is based) is in a sorority, and if so, is she a Kappa Kappa Gamma, and so, the reason for portrayal of Kappas in that episodes? Just wondering. Thank you! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

This is an interesting subject. Does anybody know about the cast and crew of Animal House? I have been told that Delta Chis and Delta Tau Deltas were amoung the writers and directors of the film. According to Playboy, Faber College (in the movie) was modeled after Dartmouth. In one scene, the letters are being taken down, and it shows just a delta and chi, plus the song in the ending credits has the line "...and at Delta Chi ya can't go wrong."

Did anyone see Friends a couple of weeks ago when Winona Ryder guest starred? She played Rachel's sorority sister (they were in Kappa Kappa Delta--obviously a combo of Kappa and KD). Anyways, Rachel was trying to get Winona to remember a drunken kiss that they had shared after a Sigma Chi party. I was suprised that she actually said Sigma Chi since they usually make up letters on TV. It was a kinda funny episode.

Jennifer Aniston(rachael) husband brad pitt is a sigma chi from Missouri. So since she's his wife im guessing thats why she used Sigma Chi.

hey all,
I was just watching an old re run of saturday nite live on tv, and I was under the impression that they couldn't use the letters of a real greek org, anyway it was a skit about tridelt sisters and a TKE guy came in, dumb sketch though, but can tv shows really use orgs letters?
DGPhoney

Letters can't be copyrighted, there's no law prohibiting the sale or use of a GLO's letters.

oh ok, thanks Lil_G
DGPhoney

I've heard from some of my sisters, as well as some of my DTD friends, that one of the guys that wrote Animal house was indeed a DTD at Dartmouth. Just thought I'd let you know. Also, Al Fozzie the bear, from Jim Henson's Muppetts, was created by his wife who happened to be an Alpha Xi Delta. One of our nicknames is "fuzzies". It took me a minute to put it together, but it makes sense. Alpha Xi....Al Fozzie...coincidence???

np,
I found this out because there was a dollar store selling hats of all the fraternities here last year for only $2.50. We wanted the store to take them down but there was nothing we could do about it.

The Answer
 

I'm a Sigma Chi from the University of Tennessee at Martin, one of the newest Sigma Chi chapters around. We got initiated in January 27, 2007. I'm kind of a junkie for Sigma Chi knowledge and reading this thread bothered me so I made an account so I could clear everyone up. I am not sure of any of the legalities regarding the usage of an organization's letters but I know that Matt Groening (creator of The Simpsons and Futurama) is my brother in Sigma Chi, so that would make sense for him to put Dr. Nick Riviera's med school flashback (Season 4: Homer's Triple Bypass) in the setting of a Sigma Chi Fraternity party.

Also, for more useless trivial fraternity related knowledge, Matt Groening himself has been quoted saying that Mr. Burn's character was created in homage to past Grand Consul of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, Dick Hester (yea, Sigs Dick Hester lol). Groening says that after a speech of Hester's he made the decision to create Burns' character in Hester's likeness. Hope this was helpful to everyone.

To my brothers: In Hoc Signo Vinces; Guard well the Honor:)

6 year bump. Impressive.

ya Matt Groening, the creater, is a Sig...he probably just wanted a quick shout out to fellow Sigs

I can not beleive that nobody brought up Happy Days. I have seen episodes on Nick at Night (maybe TVLand) that, I beleive, were in the later years of the show when Richie was in college. The dinner where the gang hung out had paddles and such on the walls of various Real fraternaties and Sororities. AT this moment I don't remember which ones.

The greek Happy Days connections were discussed in this thread.

Awww look at you referencing old threads. You make me so proud. :D

I know, I'm kicking a$$ tonight, aren't I? :D

Good Job bro. Just wanted to know where you got the Hester/Burns info cause I havent heard that one yet.