Losanjealous has just received word of a major development related to the copyright infringement lawsuit Associated Press has threatened against artist Shepard Fairey. The AP has claimed that Fairey wrongfully appropriated their photograph of President Obama in creating his iconic “Hope” poster. A recent court filing, however, reveals that the AP in turn violated copyrights owned by Losanjealous author, Derby Doll hanger-on, and man-about-town DF. Excerpts from the 1,257-page complaint illustrate the overwhelming force of these shattering accusations:
“Whereas, heretofore, nevertheless, etc., DF herein alleges that the following is true and correct:*
“¶ 15. Extensive photographic evidence reveals that DF had, as early as 1993, and possibly though not necessarily earlier, looked pensively up and to the left—in precisely the same manner captured by the AP’s photograph of Barack Obama.
“¶ 17. Witnesses will amply and voluminously support DF’s claim of rightful ownership by testifying that they stated, upon seeing conduct specified in aforementioned ¶ 15, ‘Hey, DF, what is located up and to your left that is making you pensive?’
“¶ 78. Extensive documentary evidence reveals that DF had, as early as 1990, and possibly though not necessarily earlier, used the word ‘Hope’—the very same word used in the popular posters of Barack Obama.
“¶ 82. Among the many convincing examples of the phenomenon articulated in aforementioned ¶ 79 include DF utterances such as, ‘I hope that prostitute is not a cop’, ‘I hope that prostitute was joking about having the clap’, and ‘I hope this sensation that my urethra is on fire is not a symptom of the clap.’
