Using real GLO names in TV/movies?

AChiOhSnap · #1 02-09-2007, 04:25 PM

Hi everyone,

On the O.C. last night (I know you were all watching Grey's instead), there was a little guest role of a rich, young obnoxious trophy wife. The character talked about how she loved to party, described herself as a "total alcoholic" and that she loved to go back to her college sorority to "party" and do shooters with her sorority sisters. One of the other characters expressed surprise that she would still go back to party with her sorority after graduating. The trophy wife character then named a real NPC sorority and said "A member in college, a member for life."

What is the legality of having a ficitious character belong to a real GLO? Are GLO names copyrighted? I know Charlotte on SATC was a Kappa but nothing about her characterization would really be defamatory to Kappa. The OC character was portrayed as an irresponsible mother, a bimbo, just an all around obnoxious rich sorority girl type. It's not like the character used some nickname like "Sigma" which could represent any GLO with "Sigma" in the name. Could the writers of a TV show or movie get sued for using the name of a real GLO in a defamatory way? What do you all know about this sort of thing?

Sorry if this has been discussed before but I didn't find anything when I searched.

sherbertlemons · #2 02-09-2007, 04:41 PM

Well, I have no idea of the legality of it, but I know that the book version of Legally Blonde uses real sorority names. Elle is a DG, the finess instructor accused of the murder is a Theta, and the real murdurer is a KKG. :-D

It was changed for the movie, so I wonder if there are different issues affecting the book versus the movie? Or maybe it was essentially a courtesy issue? Movies are much more widely circulated, and I know some Kappas who would not be amused by the murderer being identified as a Kappa. (I personally think it's very amusing.)

I know some USC sororities cooperated by letting Reese Witherspoon observe their houses for the movie, so maybe the change was also tied into that.

Tom Earp · #3 02-09-2007, 05:03 PM

I think Greeks will find that their Names, Badges, and Coat of Arms are all copy righted.

There was a Band from somewhere land who used a very nearly like C of A of LXA and a member found it. They were contacted and the Brother was told to F Off. "They Designed it". LOL! Remember, LXA C of A is very significant to many others.

They were contacted and there is no longer a C of A, that was a total take off of ours!

Most GLOs do not like to see their names or letters attached to any media unless it is approved.

Drolefille · #4 02-09-2007, 05:14 PM

Is it any different than having a fictional character attend a specific university? Those names are just as copyrighted as our GLOs. Are people are less likely to say, "oh all Yale graduates are like Rory Gilmore" than they are to say "all XYZs are like this O.C. character"?

MSKKG · #5 02-09-2007, 05:47 PM

I think there is a difference in using the whole name of the real GLO and the nickname. Take Kappa for example: There are other GLOs which are known as "Kappa" even though KKG was founded 1st and was referred to as "Kappa" before the others. I was watching "Something to Talk About" last night, and Julia Roberts' character had invited Dennis Quaid's character to a "Chi O Sadie Hawkins" dance for their 1st date. Even something so obvious can be explained by saying the "O" could mean omicron and not omega. Don't know about using the official name of a real GLO though. The characters in the play "Vanities" were KKGs, but I don't know if it caused any legal problems (this was many years ago though).

IMO, I think the storyline for "Legally Blonde" worked better having the fitness instructor being a Delta Nu instead of something different. I haven't read the book, but I think the movie emphasized the depths of sisterhood with both Elle and Brooke being DNs.

sherbertlemons · #6 02-09-2007, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSKKG

IMO, I think the storyline for "Legally Blonde" worked better having the fitness instructor being a Delta Nu instead of something different. I haven't read the book, but I think the movie emphasized the depths of sisterhood with both Elle and Brooke being DNs.

I agree. Honestly, the movie is just much better in general.

#7 02-09-2007, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AChiOhSnap

I know Charlotte on SATC was a Kappa but nothing about her characterization would really be defamatory to Kappa.

I know this is a little off topic, but I have seen/heard this before, and I need some clarification. Do you mean that Charlotte the character was a Kappa or was Kristin Davis, the actor who plays Charlotte a KKG?

If it is Kristin Davis...she is a Rutgers University alumna, which has never had a Kappa chapter before. Maybe she transferred?

Sorry for the confusion..

Bob Dole · #8 02-09-2007, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AChiOhSnap

Hi everyone,

On the O.C. last night (I know you were all watching Grey's instead), there was a little guest role of a rich, young obnoxious trophy wife. The character talked about how she loved to party, described herself as a "total alcoholic" and that she loved to go back to her college sorority to "party" and do shooters with her sorority sisters. One of the other characters expressed surprise that she would still go back to party with her sorority after graduating. The trophy wife character then named a real NPC sorority and said "A member in college, a member for life."

What is the legality of having a ficitious character belong to a real GLO? Are GLO names copyrighted? I know Charlotte on SATC was a Kappa but nothing about her characterization would really be defamatory to Kappa. The OC character was portrayed as an irresponsible mother, a bimbo, just an all around obnoxious rich sorority girl type. It's not like the character used some nickname like "Sigma" which could represent any GLO with "Sigma" in the name. Could the writers of a TV show or movie get sued for using the name of a real GLO in a defamatory way? What do you all know about this sort of thing?

Sorry if this has been discussed before but I didn't find anything when I searched.

If that stereotype is true, which I assume you believe so, because you used it to describe her. Did they not accurately portray her character? It's social commentary, I don't think a sorority will go head to head with a major media corporation.

ISUKappa · #9 02-09-2007, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErinKathleenNJ

I know this is a little off topic, but I have seen/heard this before, and I need some clarification. Do you mean that Charlotte the character was a Kappa or was Kristin Davis, the actor who plays Charlotte a KKG?

If it is Kristin Davis...she is a Rutgers University alumna, which has never had a Kappa chapter before. Maybe she transferred?

Sorry for the confusion..

Charlotte the character. There's an episode where Charlotte meets some Kappa sisters for a lunch and they're stereotypical pearl-wearing, WASPy Stepford Wives. Charlotte realizes that's not for her anymore blah blah blah...

Sailboat Sis · #10 02-09-2007, 10:04 PM

What was the GLO mentioned in the OC?

alum · #11 02-09-2007, 11:23 PM

Lisa Alther and Anne River Siddons both used real names of GLOs in their books.

JonInKC · #12 02-10-2007, 12:20 AM

Don't forget the famous "Delta Delta Delta" skits from Saturday Night Live.

DSTCHAOS · #13 02-10-2007, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sherbertlemons

Elle is a DG, the finess instructor accused of the murder is a Theta, and the real murdurer is a KKG. :-D

Aren't Elle and the fitness instructor sorority sisters in the movie?

Elephant Walk · #14 02-10-2007, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ISUKappa

Charlotte the character. There's an episode where Charlotte meets some Kappa sisters for a lunch and they're stereotypical pearl-wearing, WASPy Stepford Wives. Charlotte realizes that's not for her anymore blah blah blah...

My type of woman.

Especially being Kappas.

PKTKKG · #15 02-10-2007, 07:24 AM

I have heard the names used in some cases on TV. There was an episode of Newhart where the Julia Duffy girl was talking one day and said something about being a Kappa Kappa Gamma. There was also an episode of The Young and the Restless, and a new character was wearing this gold bar on a chain with the letters K K G, and the other girl noticed it and said something like 'oh, you're a Kappa too'.

I'm sure there are a couple of others too that I just can't think of off hand, but these I remember specifically.