Jeremy Piven Sends Cease & Desist To Stop Play From Mocking Him
from the is-your-ego-that-fragile? dept
I've been a fan of the actor Jeremy Piven for years, but apparently he's a bit quick on the legal trigger. His lawyers have sent a cease-and-desist letter to a playhouse that has been showing a mocking play called "The Piven Monologues." Apparently, Piven had pulled out of a planned gig on Broadway in a revival of David Mamet's excellent play "Speed the Plow" (a role that Piven would be great in, actually). Piven claimed he couldn't do it because of "mercury poisoning" from eating too much sushi -- an odd excuse to be sure. Mamet supposedly was heard to comment: "My understanding is that he is leaving show business to pursue a career as a thermometer," leading some playwrights to put together a quick play more or less mocking and parodying the whole situation. Piven's lawyers are claiming that it's defamatory, but it's difficult to see how anyone would take anything in such a play seriously, as it's obviously a spoof. But, in these days of aggressive litigation and people thinking they get to control every use of their own brand or name, is it any surprise that Piven would lawyer up?
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Filed Under: defamation, jeremy piven, mocking, parody, plays, spoof
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Analyzing comment stream:
HAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!
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Re: Analyzing comment stream:
David Mamet is good with a quip, it would seem.
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Seems reasonable to me
My guess is that Piven's lawyers were just being cautious, to let people know they were watching the production and it would not fly under the radar. For better or worse, people often do horrible things when they think no one is looking.
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Re: Seems reasonable to me
It seems to me that you are saying that the use of the legal system is a valid to to simply say "We're watching you"?
That is a complete waste of the courts time and money (our money). If they want to say "we're watching you", they shouldn't use a lawsuit as the communications medium.
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Re: Re: Seems reasonable to me
Hit Submit by accident instead of Preview.
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Re: Re: Seems reasonable to me
> use of the legal system is a valid to to
> simply say "We're watching you"?
A cease-and-desist letter is not a use of the legal system. No court is involved. It's merely a letter from one individual or firm to another.
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The story received wide press at the time, he was the subject of a great deal of snarky comment. Eventually it went before (first) the League of NY Producers, and then to an arbitration hearing with Actor's Equity. I believe ultimately (I could be wrong)he was reprimanded but unpunished.
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Re:
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mercury poisoning is real
The fact that nobody has heard of this medical problem is a bit scary. Women SHOULD be very aware of it since even small amounts of mercury can cause mental retardation in a fetus. I used to see posters up at doctor's offices all the time warning pregnant women against eating fish.
And um... did anybody take basic chem in highschool? There was a reason the teacher didn't allow you to handle mercury and play with it, as fun as the terminator-like substance is. You can be poisoned just by holding it, and it does some serious damage.
As for Piven, maybe he's just trying to save his career since no one will take him seriously. I mean, just because you all eat your saturated fat Mc-Fish burgers aaalll the time, and don't pass out doesn't mean that eating real fish isn't a risk.
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Re: mercury poisoning is real
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Re: mercury poisoning is real
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Re: mercury poisoning is real
i totally agree. mercury poisoning isn't funny.
unless it happens to jeremy piven. then it's hilarious.
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Can they pick who's fetus?
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Re:
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Best Advise, ever...
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Jeremy Piven Sends Cease & Desist To Stop Play From Mocking Him
The other thing people need to remember he has been through a year of people bashing him and did not say 1 word. Although he did like David Mamet's line cause it was good. I think he has been through enough. It wouldn't shock me if the producers of Speed the Plow are behind this new play because they are sore losers.
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be a codonologist
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