This is the paperback printing of the casebook published in 2010. This casebook deals with a burgeoning field of intellectual property law: the rights of individuals to control the use of their names, likenesses, and personas. This book allows for an in-depth course in Rights of Publicity, with far more extensive coverage than can be achieved within the confines of traditional courses, such as Trademarks or Copyright. In addition, unique among materials in this area, this book includes comparative materials from around the globe, enabling students and teachers to compare the similarities and differences in approaches to this issue among a variety of jurisdictions and courts (including such institutions as the European Court of Human Rights). The book covers a wide range of topics relevant to the subject, including common-law rights, rights under state and federal statutes, inheritability, domain name disputes, choice of law, preemption, remedies, and, of course, extensive coverage of free speech and free expression issues, both in the United States and abroad. The book is also structured to allow great flexibility in coverage--each chapter covers a manageable topic in the subject, and the comparative materials are in stand-alone sections within each chapter. The authors of this casebook have set forth a lengthy rationale for a course in Rights of Publicity in an article--Teaching Rights of Publicity, 52 St. Louis Univ. L.J. 905 (2008).

From Oprah Winfrey to Angelina Jolie, George Clooney to Leonardo DiCaprio, Americans have come to expect that Hollywood celebrities will be outspoken advocates for social and political causes. However, that wasn’t always the case. As Emilie Raymond shows, during the civil rights movement the Stars for Freedom - a handful of celebrities both black and white - risked their careers by crusading for racial equality, and forged the role of celebrity in American political culture. Focusing on the “Leading Six” trailblazers - Harry Belafonte, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dick Gregory, and Sidney Poitier - Raymond reveals how they not only advanced the civil rights movement in front of the cameras, but also worked tirelessly behind the scenes, raising money for Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legal defense, leading membership drives for the NAACP, and personally engaging with workaday activists to boost morale. Through meticulous research, engaging writing, and new interviews with key players, Raymond traces the careers of the Leading Six against the backdrop of the movement. Perhaps most revealing is the new light she sheds on Sammy Davis, Jr., exploring how his controversial public image allowed him to raise more money for the movement than any other celebrity. The result is an entertaining and informative book that will appeal to film buffs and civil rights historians alike, as well as to anyone interested in the rise of celebrity power in American society. A Capell Family Book A V Ethel Willis White Book

In this new book, Mark Wheeler offers the first in-depth analysis of the history, nature and global reach of celebrity politics today. Celebrity politicians and politicized celebrities have had a profound impact upon the practice of politics and the way in which it is now communicated. New forms of political participation have emerged as a result and the political classes have increasingly absorbed the values of celebrity into their own PR strategies. Celebrity activists, endorsers, humanitarians and diplomats also play a part in reconfiguring politics for a more fragmented and image-conscious public arena. In academic circles, celebrity may be viewed as a ‘manufactured product’; one fabricated by media exposure so that celebrity activists are no more than ‘bards of the powerful.’ Mark Wheeler, however, provides a more nuanced critique contending that both celebrity politicians and politicized stars should be defined by their ‘affective capacity’ to operate within the public sphere. This timely book will be a valuable resource for students of media and communication studies and political science as well as general readers keen to understand the nature and reach of contemporary celebrity culture.

Why should we listen to celebrities like Bono or Angelina Jolie when they endorse a politician or take a position on an issue? Do we listen to them? Despite their lack of public policy experience, celebrities are certainly everywhere in the media, appealing on behalf of the oppressed, advocating policy change—even, in one spectacular case, leading the birther movement all the way to the White House. In this book Mark Harvey takes a close look into the phenomenon of celebrity advocacy in an attempt to determine the nature of celebrity influence, and the source and extent of its power. Focusing on two specific kinds of power—the ability to "spotlight" issues in the media and to persuade audiences—Harvey searches out the sources of celebrity influence and compares them directly to the sources of politicians' influence. In a number of case studies—such as Jolie and Ben Affleck drawing media attention to the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo; Bob Marley uniting warring factions in Jamaica; John Lennon networking with the new left to oppose Richard Nixon's re-election; Elvis Presley working with Nixon to counter anti-war activism—he details the role of celebrities working with advocacy groups and lobbying politicians to affect public opinion and influence policy. A series of psychological experiments demonstrate that celebrities can persuade people to accept their policy positions, even on national security issues. Harvey's analysis of news sources reveals that when celebrities speak about issues of public importance, they get disproportionately more coverage than politicians. Further, his reading of surveys tells us that people find politicians no more or less credible than celebrities—except politicians from the opposing party, who are judged less credible. At a time when the distinctions between politicians and celebrities are increasingly blurred, the insights into celebrity influence presented in this volume are as relevant as they are compelling.

In Outrageous Invasions: Celebrities' Private Lives, Media, and the Law, Professor Robin D. Barnes examines the role and nature of privacy in Western democracies. Celebrities are routinely subjected to stalking, harassment, invasion of privacy, and defamation. These occurrences are often violations of their constitutional rights. Professor Barnes addresses growing concerns about the widespread immunity from liability enjoyed by United States tabloid publishers. Outrageous Invasions chronicles these experiences and the legal battles waged by celebrities in both the United States and European Union against a press corps that continuously invades their private lives. Professor Barnes analyzes doctrinal developments in cases from the United States Supreme Court and the High Courts of Europe. These cases demonstrate that American celebrities are entitled to, but not receiving, the same protections as their European counterparts. In Outrageous Invasions, Professor Barnes explains the value of the rights of the individual to democratic nations. She notes the importance of insuring appropriate protection for freedom of expression and associational freedom through meaningful regulation in the instances when speech rights collide with equally important values such as privacy and equality.

Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this text provides media students with a clear understanding of how intellectual property laws shape and are shaped by the needs of the media industry.

Why do so many people care so much about celebrities? Who decides who gets to be a star? What are the privileges and pleasures of fandom? Do celebrities ever deserve the outsized attention they receive? In this fascinating and deeply researched book, Sharon Marcus challenges everything you thought you knew about our obsession with fame. Icons are not merely famous for being famous; the media alone cannot make or break stars; fans are not simply passive dupes. Instead, journalists, the public, and celebrities themselves all compete, passionately and expertly, to shape the stories we tell about celebrities and fans. The result: a high-stakes drama as endless as it is unpredictable. Drawing on scrapbooks, personal diaries, and vintage fan mail, Marcus traces celebrity culture back to its nineteenth-century roots, when people the world over found themselves captivated by celebrity chefs, bad-boy poets, and actors such as the "divine" Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923), as famous in her day as the Beatles in theirs. Known in her youth for sleeping in a coffin, hailed in maturity as a woman of genius, Bernhardt became a global superstar thanks to savvy engagement with her era's most innovative media and technologies: the popular press, commercial photography, and speedy new forms of travel. Whether you love celebrity culture or hate it, The Drama of Celebrity will change how you think about one of the most important phenomena of modern times.