As one might have expected following the opening-weekend success of his anti-Darwinism documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Required, everybody in town wants a piece of Ben Stein. Among them: Yoko Ono, a huuuuuge Stein fan from back in his Nixon speechwriting days who nevertheless bristled at the part of the film that featured "Imagine" without the John Lennon estate's permission:

In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Manhattan, Ono accuses the producers of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed of suggesting to viewers that those who guard John Lennon's legacy somehow authorized or sponsored the film.

The producers of the film ... said they used only "a very small portion of the song." "Based on the fair use doctrine, news commentators and film documentarians regularly use material in the same way we do," Premise Media said in a statement. "Unbiased viewers of the film will see that the 'Imagine' clip was used as part of a social commentary in the exercise of free speech and freedom of inquiry."

Worse yet, the complaint alleges that "Internet 'bloggers' immediately began accusing Mrs. Lennon of 'selling out' by licensing the song to defendants." Having also been on the receiving end of such "bloggers"' wrath in the past, we deeply sympathize with Ono and hope her .029% share of Expelled's staggering $3 million opening gross covers the indignity of anyone thinking she would exploit her husband's legacy. To that end, we hear Stein's defense will consist of him playing the Original Broadway Cast Album of Ono's bomb Lennon in its entirety at full blast.

Yoko Ono sues in NY [AP]

12:25 PM on Thu Apr 24 2008
By STV
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12 comments

Comments

raincoaster at 01:40 PM on 04/24/08
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I never thought I would say this, but GO YOKO!
pureblarney at 01:42 PM on 04/24/08
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I never thought I'd say it, but way to go, Yoko.
pureblarney at 01:43 PM on 04/24/08
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@raincoaster: Jinx.
Sweet Panda Love at 01:49 PM on 04/24/08
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I never thought both of you would say that.

And yes - to echo - go Yoko! Ben Stein was probably part of the crew trying to deport Lennon back in the day, and now he wants to co-opt his cool.

And there's free speech and free thought, and then there's idiotic speech and no thought. Guess which one Expelled falls into?
Evanessence at 02:02 PM on 04/24/08
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Yoko should be encouraged to team up with Ben. That way - the production (and "the monotoned one") will fall apart and spin into oblivion-encrusted chaos. And all this time we thought Jimmy Kimmel was Ben Stein's Yoko. Who knew?
gwendemarco at 05:22 PM on 04/24/08
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Team Stein. It's fair use and if the messenger was someone she liked, she'd be OK with it.
raincoaster at 05:36 PM on 04/24/08
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@gwendemarco: No, that's just what you don't understand. Yoko hates even her FRIENDS. She's an equal-opportunity harridan.
Xylo at 05:50 PM on 04/24/08
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@Sweet Panda Love: Exactly. Stein probably helped Nixon draw up his infamous enemies list, and put John Lennon on it; Ben Stein deserves every bit of legal trouble Yoko can throw at him.
kylo4 at 06:59 PM on 04/24/08
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Good point, Yoko should go after him. Ben Stein is too cheap to pay for stuff, which is why he gives only $200 away on his game show (usually).
Cacafuego at 02:19 PM on 04/25/08
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I think y'all are giving Ben Stein way too much leverage for a junior speech writer. J. Edgar Hoover & Nicxon came up with the enemies list--aas if Nixon needed "help".
AgitpropVT at 03:52 PM on 04/25/08
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This seems like that whole Giant Douche vs. Turd Sandwich scenario from South Park come to life.
cinerama at 01:38 AM on 04/26/08
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Let's see, what is Yoko suing for:

"Imagine there's no Heaven. It's easy if you try."

Uh oh, Defamer's lawyers better prepare for a letter from Yoko's now.

But that's right, the wacko lefty crowd has no problem with Defamer.