Teke Porno scandal
 

Hey I just read about this in the Chronicle of Higher Education, June 15, 2001 edition (page A35).

Apparently there is a porno tape that was just released - "Kelley the Coed Part Six - Double Secret Probation" -- that heavily features the letters, crest and other trademarked names of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. The movie was filmed in the Teke house at USC.
Teke is suing the California company that produced the video - United Video - for unauthorized use of their trademarks. According to the article, the lawsuit says the video depicts sexual acts, hazing, excessive alcohol consumption, and irresponsible and destructive behavior.

The cover of the video box reads: "Kelly's favorite fraternity is in big trouble when they get placed on double secret probation -- that means no girls, no alcohol and no sex. What's Kelly and her horny over-sexed sorority sisters to do? Where there's a will there's a way." And above that text is a picture of several individuals engaging in sexual activity in front of a banner prominently displaying the TKE letters.

United Video claims the USC Teke chapter was paid a fee for permission to film at its fraternity house, but the Teke lawyers say they haven't seen any evidence to back that up. Plus an individual chapter does not control or authorize the use of the trademarks.

CRAZY STUFF!!! I can't believe that a chapter would even think that was a good idea! I would understand letting a film crew work in the house, but I would definately take down any and all letters or fraternity-related stuff. I mean even 90120 used made-up and fake fraternity stuff!

What is the world coming too?

Double secret probation...........LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL


Thank you for this post pike I have officially laughed my butt off and have further given evidence to my co workers that I am 1 sandwich short of a picnic

Well actually, TKE was on probabtion on our campus for a Rush Video that they made in the fall of '99 which made numerous mention of all the (five letter word) that they "get." Since then they've really cleaned up their chapter though.

I'm an alumna from USC and USC's greek system and the oNLY way I can see something like this happening would be over the summer. Over the summer the fraternity houses rent out their rooms to whomever wants them (students generally) for super cheap. I lived in the LXA house one summer for $300 for the whole summer. Couldn't beat it. At a time when there are few brothers around and full access to the house by random students, something like this COULD happen. I can't believe other greeks in residence wouldn't have stopped it, unless they weren't fully aware of what was going on.

Your chapter houses get rented out to just random people over the summer? Strange, never heard of such a thing here at Miami.

At least 2 frat houses rent rooms over the summer at Cincinnati.
Heidi

Most of the fraternity houses here at Iowa State rent their rooms to girls. Sorority houses are closed for summer, and they love to stay in our place.

Some fraternities at PSU also rent rooms out during the summer.

That's interesting. We either have brothers live in who are taking summer classes, or it is just locked up and closed for the summer.

Yeah, our sorority house is closed for the summer if nobody's living there. And we don't even own it. We have a great landlord now that we moved out of the first hole in the wall we had. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

If you can't go greek....haha sorry but when I hear TKE thats what I think of. I too think its pretty odd that you let random people live in YOUR house for the summer. Arent' you worried that the residents there might find stuff they aren't supposed to or destroy the house...plus if they get hurt..man i don't wanna think of the suits. So they let girls live in the house with guys....aren't you worried one of the girls might get raped or claim rape??????

I see nothing wrong with houses renting out rooms to non brothers during the summer. In fact I know the U of M sigs rent out rooms of their house during the summer, as does my chapter occasionaly. It can benefit the chapter (finance wise) and also help non greeks become interested in the fraternity. I think the key is that there still has to be control, or at least the majority of the summer renters should be brothers.

Same could be said for co-ed dorms. I mean, you're all adults and can control yourselves. The people sticking around are generally in summer school--which is a hard and intense condensed semster anyway. Never had any problems when I lived at LXA, never heard of anyone having any problems anywhere on campus. I don't remember, but I am sure a lease was involved that dealt with the fraternity's property and symbols, etc. Plus most of the live ins were either members of that house, of sororities (all sorority houses closed for summer), and of the few fraternities that may be closed for the summer. Rarely if ever were there people who were not greek friendly in residence for summer. All the apartment buildings were avaiable at super cheap summer rates, they could live there if so.


[This message has been edited by amycat412 (edited June 14, 2001).]

Renting rooms in Fraternity Houses is common but no absolute. Housing Corporations love ways to offset costs, after all bills and repairs have to be paid, and often summer doesn't see a full complement of brothers.

As far as fliming part of a movie there . . . There are certain releases that have to be signed by the landlord or else the film can't be filmed there or you can sue for compensation before release.

Notice that in this case the National is suing for use of trademarked items . . . which should be interesting because I don't believe TKE letters can't be copyrighted by themselves because they are standard english alphabet and the producers can say they mean anything they want. They will have to empahsize the crest etc . . .

Otherwise I am inclined to get excited about the whole thing, its just a movie

Same here. There's like 10 guys living in the house this summer. they keep it cleaned up, mow the lawn, and make sure nothing happens, and they pay like $100 for the entire summer or something like that, if anything.


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Steve Corbin
Lambda Chi Alpha
Theta Kappa Chapter
Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech.

Teke CAN sue for use of the TKE letters if they are used in the copyrighted FORMAT or method that represents the organization. The national office holds copyrights and trademark rights on the NAME and SYMBOLS of the fraternity, which include the LOGO of "TKE", the NAME "Tau Kappa Epsilon", the crest and other such things that represent or signify the organization.

And from what this article says, the movie prominently showed the logo-style letters, fraternity name and crest...which are intellectual property of the national office, and therefore must be cleared for by that office for use.

It's basically like Coca-Cola...they can't copyright the WORD "cola", but in the font and text of their company name and logo, they do have ownership and could sue for misuse or misrepresentation...it's the same for a fraternity or any other corporation.

The article doesn't say whether or not the chapter is being sanctioned or even investigated by the Headquarters in this case. All it really says about the chapter is that the United Video lawyer says the company paid a fee to the USC Teke chapter for permission to film at its fraternity house; while the Teke Headquarters lawyer says they have not been shown anything that backs up that claim, and goes on to say that even if that is true, it is the Headquarters that controls and authorizes the trademarks and not a single chapter.

I wonder if any GCers that go to USC know anything about any sanctions?

Does anyone know if the USC chapter is being sanctioned for this?

I hate to see it--they struggled in the late 80's-early 90's and have gotten much much stronger in recent years. Hate to see all that hard work go to waster for something like this--that a brother wasn't even involved in...

If they did get sanctioned then it probably was a year probabtion maybe. All they did was not ask nationals permission and probably thought it was ok to film there. I bet ten bucks they thought it would be a good rush tool to get guys to join. Because it stands true if you have girls and alcohol you will get rushees. You can say your frat doesn't do that but you know you would be lieng. Its ok to protect yourself and make yourselves look good. I would call this situation with USC hardly a scandal.
Thats just an opinion from a TKE alumn

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Tekes raise hell!

I would probably disagree about the scandal part...it might not seem to be a big deal to the USC chapter itself, but I guarantee that the Headquarters considers this a VERY BIG deal. With all the media fire and negative publicity Greeks have received lately, I think the last thing ANY fraternity or sorority would want was to be affiliated with the very types of behavior that the general public stereotypes Greeks with.

How do you think a company like NIKE would like someone distributing a pornographic movie that showed people in a sweat shop having sex and performing other types of "deviant" behavior in front of a big NIKE sign. OR how about a porno movie about Coca Cola showing the "powerful white boss" making his minority workers submit to his sexual whims.

The basic idea is that NO company or corporation out there wants to be affiliated with the "dirty" business of porn, ESPECIALLY if any particular film is exploiting a stereotype or reputation that is trying to be lived down.

Sure, guys will joke and laugh about their fraternity being in a porn movie, but tell me what could there possibly be that would be a POSITIVE outcome from this case for the fraternity.

YIKES

I checked a copy of the Chronicle and was shocked to find it right there. But yeah, stuff like this really hurts an already struggling reputation(hey, I'll admit our rep isnt perfect). But if we have to get in a scandal over having sex or hearing about a hazing scandal of a new member, I'd take this one any day. Of course, I'd rather see no scandal at all.

I personally think its not a big deal. Most people on the street will never even know about the porno. And if they won't join Teke because a porno was film at a Teke house then oh well. If they are that picky I bet you $10 bucks they would have found some other reason like 2 years later to quit. The TEKE porno isn't on tv or any major magazine. Its not hazing so the public really doesn't care.

I hope every TKE chapter closes!

Boy dude, you must come from some crappy chapter, or feel insecure about the fraternity you chose, to have to run down other groups all the time. There's a blue-light special at K Mart on lives - please go and get one.

Oh 33,

That's really good. I like that a lot.

DeltAlum

33 - why bother even responding to sigchirocks?? He's the one that said "all greeks except EX and tri-delts suck.."
Obviously, he's a WINNER
I liked the Kmart reference though... but I think he already went there when he got his letters......

What is it with these guys? But you girls are the shit, and of course yall know it....Keep backin us up....TKEmz

Dear UNF, It has been fun.....Tears where shed, laughs where had, I accused you of Inbreeding, people made fun of my Grammar(Im in Culinary not English), I asked some girl why she thought she had an golden egg in her rectum..........But as all good things must come to an end......So farewell fellow homophobic, ignorant, sexist, beer guzzling, Fraternity Man.......
PS, I had fun represnting my Fraternity without class nor dignity, and Furthering Louisiana's misrepresentation as a bunch of backward rednecks.............

hahaha keep it real dude...it was fun. Maybe we can start it up in the distant future again. Have a good summer

maybe................................

dude...tekes have a bad reputation anywherre you go..i go to SWT in texas and i am currently dating a teke and it has been rough..but they are good guys deep down..most of em..they jsut like to have a good time and kick back, i have made soo many good friends in that organization...in fact we are in the process of kicking a couple sigma chis out of school for assaulting a good friend of mine..so watch what you say sigmachirules!!

Hey deezee,
I go to SWT, too. I would have to agree with what you say about the Tekes. They have had it rough over the last couple of years. But the majority of them, or at least the ones I have known are pretty cool.

Hey Do yall know any TKEs that go to school at SWT and are from Colorado? I think his anme was Brian or something but a guy I knew in highschool is apparently a TKE there....His last name might have been Kowalski.......Not sure

I think I got it Adam Kowalski.........

I go to USC and heard a few rumors about the porno filmed at the TKE house that summer.
TKE is a pretty strong chapter on our campus and I doubt that they were using this as a Rush technique. USC has a very strong and reputable Greek system upholding traditional values. Hundreds of alums donate millions of dollars every year so we have that pressure and incentive to maintain respect and dignity.
Fraternity houses do rent rooms, not to random people, but usually to people who are friends of members of the house. During the summer, things are very quiet near campus so many things can go on at the Row without anyone knowing. Obviously the person who arranged this to occur does not respect the USC Greek system or USC itself.
This happened 2 years ago and when I was a Freshman and as far as I know TKE still has both of their properties and the biggest pledge class every semester at SC.

TKE would have to use porn to rush because they are LOSERS!

I'm surprised I didn't happen upon this thread earlier, my freshman year at UCSD, Teke also filmed a porn at their unofficial fraternity house, I say unofficial because La Jolla doesn't allow Greeks to have houses. Anyways, everyone that went into the house had to sign a paper stating that they would allow themselves to be on tape if the camera did by chance film them. There was one main girl roaming around the house, it was really weird and I'm pretty sure the Tekes got paid for the fim crew, actress if you will, to use their house....but on a lighter note, I love Tekes, they know how to have a good time and really do have hearts of gold at least the ones I've gotten close to.......they're not doing so well here, they used to be really big and had some of the hottest guys around!!!!!! It happens though....

Wow....I'm sure that I'm echoing a lot of people on the board when I say that you can't judge an entire National fraternity and its members by some chapters and brothers.

My friend was a Teke somewhere in WV before coming to Bethany. He had loads of hazing horror stories for us, but he was a terrific guy. His behavior at Bethany was nothing scandelous.


And I am ashamed to say that I have seen Kelly Coed Part 6. It was the first porn that I have watched that the girls have no boobs and the guys are hot.

i don't know about everyone else, but a tke porn could be a oretty good rush tool. maybe we can get ron jeremy to wear letters in his next production. i heard he is going mainstrem.