Defamer
It's practically a new American tradition: a reality show hits the air, in this case Project Runway, the Heidi Klum-hosted fashion designer competition that managed to surpress every groan and eyeroll by actually being good, and suddenly every couchbound Mark Burnett-wannabe who ever uttered the words, "I have an idea for a show like The Apprentice, but with [fill in occupation]!" is convinced the fifty word 'concept overview' they scrawled on their IHOP placemat has been pilfered by evil network executives. Then they sue:
Walt Disney Co. is being sued by two women who claim that the company's Miramax Film Corp. stole their idea for Project Runway, a show hosted by model Heidi Klum where aspiring fashion designers compete for prizes.
Cynthia Rodriguez, a designer, and Elizabeth Zwiebach, a fashion buyer, say they pitched the idea for American Runway to Klum's agents in July 2003, only to see Klum and Miramax announce their own "slavish copy" of the idea in November. Klum is also named in the suit.
This is not the first suit brought against the Bravo series, which premieres its second season tonight, though it does have the bombshell title factor; if nothing else, the ingenious and unique use of the word "runway" for a show about models walking down a long, narrow stage while sporting various fashions could really be the telling detail that the Miramax TV execs have sticky fingers when it comes to series ideas.
- Women sue Disney over idea for TV show [Bloomberg]
- 'Runway' rip-off? [Florida Today]
Comments
I once had a nifty idea about a reality series where a controlling and emotionally unavailable mother showed her obvious disdain for her under-achieving and awkwardly uncomfortable daughter on a weekly basis. But then "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart" came along. It sucks...
Actually, the producers of The Mommie Dearest are seeing red over the clear violation of their intellectual property. (Come to think of it, I would totally watch The Mommie Dearest.)
Faye (totally channeling Joan again, but without any facial movements this time), Mia and Angelina could go head to head on The Mommie Dearest show, competing for whom could adopt more career-enhancing exotic orphans in the least amount of time. Non-orphaned children could still be counted, as long as the contestant managed to beat the natural parents to death using wire hangers. The contestant also gets extra points if she remembers the name of the adopted orphan. For the sake of (instant) family values, points would be deducted if the said orphans had intercourse with the competitor's significant other. [What a bummer for you, Mia, but these are the rules.]
Of course, there are roughly 800 possible kiss-off catchphrases, but I'm partial to "You are a lousy substitute for someone who really cares."
Personally, I think that the loser should be thrown to a horde of starving non-adoptable children, who would hack the poor soul to bits, a la "Suddenly Last Summer", as the host exclaims, "YOU BE QUIET". But that's just the dreamer in me.
You just had to throw in the Tennessee Williams reference. This thread has been shut down for excessive and gratuitous gayness.
Wait, wait, wait, I forgot to mention that the climatic orphan-fueled hacking would happen to the hypnotic sounds of Cher's "Half Breed". Oh, shit, you are right - this is getting WAY TOO FUCKING GAY! On the other hand, the major audience of "Mommie Dearest" reruns is...
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