Court Rules Nude Barbie Photos Are Free Speech

[kskiska]

By the same token, then, anyone can do the same with Ann Coulter dolls.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Monday upheld a Utah artist's right to make nude photos of Barbie dolls being menaced by kitchen appliances.

Noting the image of Barbie dolls is "ripe for social comment," a three judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected toymaker Mattel Inc.'s appeal of a lower court ruling in favor of lampooning the popular doll.

The San Francisco-based appeals court ruled that naked photos of Barbie made by Kanab, Utah, artist Thomas Forsythe were meant to be a parody and could not affect demand for Mattel products.

Holding that social criticism was protected by the First Amendment, the court affirmed a 2001 federal court ruling for Forsythe, who had produced photos of nude Barbies in danger of being attacked by vintage household appliances.

more…
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=599&ncid=762&e=9&u=/nm/20031229/media_nm/life_barbie_dc

[davidinalameda]

1. love it

but doubt it will stand

Barbie is more than a toy--it is a cultural icon

now if we can just get Ken and GI Joe together :bounce:

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. Didn't G I Joe steal Barbie from Ken?

[Chovexani]

10. Add Billy and make it a threesome

:evilgrin:

[TeeYiYi]

2. It appears this fight has been going on for some time . . .

February 25, 2001

Court Allows Artist to Sell Barbie Art

A Utah artist can continue selling photographs of nude Barbies in sexual poses, a federal court has ruled. In a decision announced Thursday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied without comment a temporary injunction toymaker Mattel Inc. had sought to stop Tom Forsythe from selling his Barbie photographs. The toymaker also wanted the court to order him to hand over all negatives of his work so they could be destroyed. Forsythe said he was inspired to put Barbie in compromising positions because he sees the doll as symbolic of what is wrong with a consumer culture that foments materialism and "gender-oppressive values." "I did this work always knowing that this was fair use," said Forsythe from his home in Kanab, Utah. "The way I see it, in a world increasingly infused with brand names, if we can't criticize brand names, then we don't have free speech."

http://www.punkasspunk.com/naked/

TYY

[tabasco]

3. What kind of stupid lawsuit was this?

Damn if I'm buying anymore Mattel products! (Not that I ever did)

[Occulus]

7. It's the kind of suit corporate personhood enables.

[NashVegas]

4. Te Quiero (sp?) Taco Barbie

The artist had argued that the photo series, which also included a photo of Barbie dolls wrapped in tortillas and covered in salsa in a casserole dish in a lit oven, was meant to critique the "objectification of women" and "beauty myth" associated with the popular doll.

[ThoughtCriminal]

5. You can Tell - It's Mattel - It's Swell

Actually, Mattel must have one of the most inept, but litigeous legal staffs of the corporate world. They initiate these lawsuits knowing that they will almost certainly lose, but count on the fact that most people are too intmidated or cannot afford to defend themselves against their frivolous C & D letters.

[buycitgo]

9. at his next press conference......Oct., 04?, will someone axe him this?

Mr. pResident: since you are in favor of tort reform, parTICularly as it regards frivolous lawsuits, what's your opinion of the lawsuit involving Mattel and an artist who, employing the legally recognized device of called satire (you ARE familiar with that term, sir, being perhaps the subject of more satirical references in the history of the UNIverse), took embarrassing pictures of Barbie Dolls, for artistic purposes?

Do you think he should have the rigth to express himself artistically, or does this fall under your own "limits to freedom" rubric, under which you SUED Zac Ehrlich (?), for daring to make fun of YOU?

Please, sir. Enquiring minds want to know!

[101 Proof]

8. Jesus Christ...

talk about a frivilous lawsuit. Sheesh. :eyes:

[Chovexani]

11. Heh. Gotta love corporate personhood.

This one's a no-brainer, but it's still good to see. Whenever I go into a toy store I love to do this subversive little thing with the Barbies. If I see one of those Ken dolls pushing a baby stroller I put him next to the black Ken. :)

Ditto with Barbie and her ethnic counterpart. :)

[arwalden]

12. Great News... But I Want To SEE SOME OF HIS WORK

This sounds funny as hell.

-- Allen

[Melinda]

13. How about some of mine? My fav Barbie look:

:evilgrin: