Teke Porno scandal

[James]

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

[Pike4Life]

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.

[amycat412]

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...

[Pike4Life]

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?

[The1calledTKE]

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

------------------
Tekes raise hell!

[Pike4Life]

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.

[GmuTeke]

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.

[The1calledTKE]

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.

[sigmachirocks]

I hope every TKE chapter closes!

[33girl]

Originally posted by sigmachirocks:
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.

[DeltAlum]

Oh 33,

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

DeltAlum

[finest_alum]

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......

[TKEmz894]

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

[TKEmz894]

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.............

[UNFSigmaChi]

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