GOP Candidate Christie in Trouble With the Knights That Say 'Ni!'

No longer does the political madness stop at Right vs. Left.

It's now Monty Python vs. the GOP!

(As if partisan American Politics couldn't get any stranger without that British Comedy Troupe jumping into the fray!)

GOP Candidate Christie in Trouble With the Knights That Say 'Ni!'

And now for something completely different.

Chris Christie, the former Bush-appointed US attorney challenging New Jersey Democratic Governor John Corzine in today's election, doesn't seem to know much about copyright law, say members of the British comedy troupe Monty Python.

Two former Pythons say Christie blatantly violated copyright law when he used clips from a Monty Python sketch in one of his recent campaign ads. The ad features a TV presenter talking about deja vu.

The article is full of great quotes and worth the read. Such as:

"He's clearly made a terrible mistake," said Michael Palin. "It was the endorsement of Sarah Palin he was after -- not that of Michael Palin."

and...

Monty Python captured the video before it was removed. The Christie campaign should now be expecting the Spanish Inquisition...

A Presidential-appointed Attorney should know better about violating the draconian Copyright Laws that they helped draft and enact.

Is it a simple mistake of not properly licensing material prior to broadcast, or is it a devil-may-care attitude on part of Christie in the belief that those who make the laws are somehow exempt from the laws they write and help pass?

Of course, this isn't Monty Python's first attempt to chastise American Politics either. When the FCC enacted stricter rules after the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction at the Superbowl XXVIII which resulted in heavy financial fines for use of profanity in a broadcast, Eric Idle (now an American citizen) published the the FCC Song in protest.

When things seem like they couldn't get any more bizarre in partisan American Politics a curve ball always seems to come out of nowhere to show us just how deep the political madness goes.

As I write this post it looks as though Christie may have won the race in New Jersey.

So a Bush-era lawyer who doesn't know (or care) about copyright law is maybe getting rewarded for it. And seeing as it's New Jersey, that's probably not the only law he's disregarding.

IMO almost everyone can recognize Monty Python, so I doubt if he was trying to hide his source or get away with anything. It was either carelessness or just stupidity.

reply to post by Sestias


Well, look at what he's running against. Corzine has an approval rating in the 30s in New Jersey and the Democratic party has had a number of major scandals in the state lately. Its a testament to the mediocre campaign that Christie has run that its still this close.

The GOP could've run a pair of used socks in this race and been competitive, given the public dislike of Corzine.