Song parodies given the legal OK

A judge has thrown out a lawsuit that claimed Family Guy infringed the copyright of the song When You Wish Upon A Star when they parodied it on the show.

Music publisher Bourne sued Fox Broadcasting, the comedy’s creator Seth MacFarlane and its producers over their track When You Wish Upon a Weinstein.

The copyright holders had claimed the new lyrics to the spoof, which aired in a controversial 2003 episode, were ‘anti-Semitic’.

But US District Judge Deborah Batts dismissed the case, saying copyright didn't protect songs from parody.

She added that the song’s ‘lofty, magical, or pure’ reputation was exactly why it was at risk of being ridiculed.

Published: 17 Mar 2009