Colbert Takes On Ridiculous Restrictions Over Talking About The Olympics

from the I'd-sue-you dept

Tue, Feb 23rd 2010 4:16pm — Mike Masnick

On last night's Colbert Report, Stephen brought on his brother, Ed Colbert, an international copyright lawyer to discuss the totally ridiculous restrictions on what he can and cannot say concerning his Olympics coverage, to avoid getting sued by either NBC or the Olympics, leading Colbert to dub his reports the "Vancouverage of the quadrennial cold weather competition" to avoid saying things like Vancouver, Olympics or even winter games, as those are all on the forbidden list. Watch here (probably US only, tragically):

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Vancouverage 2010 - Ed Colbert

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor

Skate Expectations

Separately, if you watch the following segment on TV or online, I noticed that Comedy Central had to change the online coverage as compared to what was shown on TV last night. Last night, there were video clips from NBC's coverage of the opening ceremonies. I don't know if this was licensed or if Viacom/Comedy Central realized that those clips were fair use. But if you watch the online version, everywhere that Colbert showed a clip on the live version, there was, instead, a still photo -- such as when he discusses the dancers from the opening ceremony and the lighting of the torch. I'm guessing that there's some sort of licensing issue that explains why the online version of Colbert left those clips out, even though that seems ridiculous. Separately, if you look carefully in that same clip, you might catch a glimpse of occasional Techdirt contributor Blaise Alleyne who is seen laughing in the audience at one of Colbert's jokes...

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Filed Under: copyright, ed colbert, olympics, stephen colbert, trademark

23 Comments

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Lawrence D'Oliveiro, 23 Feb 2010 @ 4:47pm

Clip OK Here in NZ
I was able to see it. And NZ certainly isn’t part of the US. Not since the demise of ANZUS, anyway...
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nelsoncruz (profile), 23 Feb 2010 @ 5:09pm

Short clips are not US only
Full episodes are unfortunatly US only, but short clips are viewable worldwide.
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Feb 2010 @ 5:19pm

Did anyone else see a pirate flag flying in that collection of flags?

Colbert would be an awesome pirate. He could dress up in an American flag themed pirate outfit. He could figuratively cut open a RIAA exec too. And his show is a news show, there's no syndication for that right?
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Modplan (profile), 23 Feb 2010 @ 5:19pm

Re: Short clips are not US only
Not in the UK, apparently.
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nelsoncruz (profile), 23 Feb 2010 @ 5:27pm

Re: Re: Short clips are not US only
I'm in Portugal and it works. And according to Lawrence so does New Zealand. I doubt they singled out UK...
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Mike Masnick (profile), 23 Feb 2010 @ 5:40pm

Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only
I'm in Portugal and it works. And according to Lawrence so does New Zealand. I doubt they singled out UK...

Actually, I can confirm that it doesn't work in the UK. I was using my VPN when I first went to write up this post, and was logged into a UK server, and couldn't see the video until I logged out.
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inc, 23 Feb 2010 @ 5:42pm

Re:
ya i noticed that... I still love how they got to use all the words.. just educating the public on what they can't say... I guess little line of the United States Constitution doesn't apply to copyright. Does being in Canada mean they can tell people in the US what they can't say since our laws don't apply there?

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
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Oroboros (profile), 23 Feb 2010 @ 6:15pm

Gay Olympics vs Special Olympics
Fuck the "> litigious and homophobic IOC.

If I ever find out my home city is in the running to host the games, it will be my mission to derail it.
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Annoyed, 23 Feb 2010 @ 6:25pm

Seven dirty words
" those are all on the forbidden list." Mike, If you are going to link the term "forbidden list" let's have it point to, well maybe a list of forbidden words... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_dirty_words
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nelsoncruz (profile), 23 Feb 2010 @ 6:32pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only
Mike, that's really weird. Maybe some UK TV channel has exclusive rights to Colbert.

Mike, where you using that UK VPN to watch Olympics? Naughty, naughty boy! :)
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Modplan (profile), 23 Feb 2010 @ 6:55pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only
FX has the rights to air Colbert Report here. A shame, as being the offspring of The Daily Show you'd expect (hope) they'd be on the same channel (Daily Show is shown on More4).

FX doesn't allow streaming of its shows either, whereas More4/Channel 4 does.
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NAMELESS.ONE, 23 Feb 2010 @ 6:59pm

IN CANADA COMEDY CENTRAL VIDEOS....
its ok i used bit torrent anyways.
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Marcus Carab (profile), 23 Feb 2010 @ 7:37pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only
In Canada, we get a link to The Comedy Network. Naturally nobody bothered to make it a proper contextual link that would take me straight to the relevant clip - it brought me to a home page, from where I had to find the menu of shows and then The Colbert Report, at which point I was presented with four untitled clips from last night's show and no way to find the one I wanted, or even know if it was there.

So I ended up finding an unauthorized source for the whole episode (which took all of ten seconds). It's funny that somehow I'm supposed to feel guilty about that.
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Joe, 23 Feb 2010 @ 8:25pm

Canadian Mirror
http://watch.ctv.ca/
or
http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/shows/videolist.aspx?sid=3351
or
thepiratebay.org

sigh.......
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The Groove Tiger (profile), 24 Feb 2010 @ 12:06am

Re: Short clips are not US only
I'm in Peru and have no problem whatsoever watching the full episodes at colbertnation.com
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The Groove Tiger (profile), 24 Feb 2010 @ 12:07am

Re: Short clips are not US only
I'm in Peru and have no problem whatsoever watching the full episodes at colbertnation.com
[ link to this | view in thread ]
ferridder (profile), 24 Feb 2010 @ 12:23am

Only the UK blocked?
It would make a lot of sense for the Colbert report (& maybe the daily show) to explicitly exclude webcasting to the UK, in order to avoid libel tourism.

Is anyone reading this outside the UK blocked?
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Ingeborg, 24 Feb 2010 @ 3:37am

I can see the short clip in the Netherlands, but haven't tried the full episode.
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Xyro TR1 (profile), 24 Feb 2010 @ 6:28am

Great clip. :D
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myrna minkoff, the minx, 24 Feb 2010 @ 6:35am

we tv stations sign deals that allow us to show olympic coverage on the air EXCLUSIVELY & we are FORBIDDEN from using any of the same footage online. that's how the deal's written...
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Ron, 24 Feb 2010 @ 6:41am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only
He was uploading torrents!!
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Feb 2010 @ 12:11pm

Re: Re: Re: Re: Short clips are not US only
I was using my VPN when I first went to write up this post

What, you use a VPN? What are you hiding? You must be one of them "pirates" I keep hearin so much about.
/s
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Captain Canuck (profile), 24 Feb 2010 @ 2:50pm

To Watch it in Canada, you have to modify your browser's Headers.

Firefox Addon: 'Modify Headers'

Action: Add
Name: X-Forwarded-For
Value: 12.13.14.15
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