The Mighty Clown Has Spoken!
(AKA: Roger's New Rant)
Well folks it's sad to say but the big red clown shoe has squashed these cherished pages of Roger's Basement.
This Basement, which has been re-opened back in August of 98', has received numerous responses praising these two sections of the 'Remember When' area.
The two pages in question are the Ray Rayner page, and the Garfield Goose page.
These pages contained pictures and a short accompanying text. A small shrine of these two great children television shows from Chicago that we watched while growing up.
Unfortunately I was notified by the Mighty Clown to cease and desist and immediately remove the photos from these two shows.
At first they originally had a problem with the one and only Bozo Circus photo I had displayed on the main 'Remember When' page.
Ahh.....What the hell.
Here's the letter.
Dear Mr. Domian,
I'm writing in regards to our copyrighted images that have been copied and pasted onto
your copyrighted website. While we don't usually complain if someone temporarily copies
and pastes a copyrighted image from the WGN-TV website, many copyrighted images have been
copied and pasted in this case. If you wish to do so, simply add a link to the WGN-TV
website page that contains the copyrighted images you wish to share on your copyrighted
website.
Thus far, we've chosen not to add copyright text within each image because we can only do
so with GIF images, which are not as clear as JPEG images. We wish to continue this
policy.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Respectfully,
Mr. XXXXXX
WGN Television
Programming Dept.
Well that was that. I was a little shocked but figured, hey, no problem. If they want me to add a link, I'll add a link.
My response letter was.....
Mr. XXXXXX,
I apologize if there was a problem. I would like to keep the pictures up on my site in my
'Remember When' area. I will also be glad to put a link to your site as you requested. If
you have a banner or picture you would like me to use as the link please send one my way
and it will be used.
They're aren't many places to find the old
pictures from those old classic shows. I felt that the more sites like this out there the
better. Anyway I will comply with your wishes.
Rog
I thought I handled that quite civilized. Cool. Nothing like making new friends and working out life's little differences.
Nuff said.
I then received this response back in less that 5 minutes...
Roger,
I suggest that you limit the "Garfield Goose and Friends" page to one image that
is linked to (Website Removed) and the "Ray Rayner and His Friends" page to one
image linked to (Website Removed). If you wish, you may link the "Bozo's Circus"
image to (Website Removed). Also, please add "Copyright WGN Television" to each
image.
Thanks again for your cooperation.
Mr. XXXX
Well in my eyes they drew first blood. I was pretty upset. All they wanted was for anyone who wanted to see these pictures, they would have to go to only their site.
That's Dogie Dodo in my eyes.
Now before you jump in here with that 'but they are copyrighted', screw that!
Example : A few of the photos I had up were of postcards that these shows sent out to their fans. Well, what if I had received one or all of these photos when I was a little tyke, and now with my website wanted to show them off.
Well gee, I guess I can't now!
People! When are we going to stop these giant conglomerates from taking away our rights!
It's the point people!
Here are three shows that happen to be on the same network that haven't been broadcast on television for over twenty years!
(Well 'Bozo Circus' is the exception. But then in my opinion, that show went wayyyyy down hill after the great Bob Bell left it. No offense to Cookie or Wizzo, they're still my fav's too, but they're not on the show anymore either)
What I'm trying to say here is kind of what I mentioned in that letter I sent to them. There aren't many places where we can see these pictures out there on the web. And no wonder! Because they're being held hostage by the 'W'ere 'G'oing 'N'owhere network!
Really! What's the last good thing you've seen on that station lately? Sports events are one thing, but what about the quality of shows!?! The Morning shows suck! Geraldo even left! There's nothing in the afternoons except some really bad talk shows! I'd rather watch Jerry Springer before I look at Jenny or Sally! (Lets leave my taste out of this for now) And during the evenings? Well that crap by the WB network really sucks intelligence, but I guess if your under the age of 14 you'll like that Fluffy or Dawson's Crack show. But that's it!
There's nothing on that station that I ever watch anymore.
So here I am trying to make visitors to my Basement happy by reliving they're childhood's by seeing these (in total) 15 pictures, and there pulled away from me..."Oh no, you can't put those pictures up. Those are ours."
Geeezzzzz!
You want to hear the weird thing about it? The Ray Rayner shows and the Garfield Goose shows were destroyed (erased) back after they went off the air.
Now I believe there are only two full episodes of Garfield Goose and I think only three episodes of Ray Rayner left in existence.
Alright who's the idiot there!?!
I'm sure there are plenty of Cuckoo Fran & Ollie laying around.
But the fact is nobody wants to see any of that!!!!
We who grew up in Chicago want to see Ray & Gar!
They were the best.
But no...Let's put them to rest.
Let the Big Mighty Clown of Broadcasting have their silly way and let life go on.
Just one more thing...
I will keep the Ray Rayner & Garfield Goose pages up. With a few changes of coarse. I don't want to get in a legal fight here.
It will just be a small reminder.
A small reminder of what was once great, and now no more.
Please Email me with comments or photo requests which are available from me.
Oh, and I will post your responses on this situation if you wish, so make them good.
_______
Dear Rog:===
SAY IT AIN'T SO!
What braindead at We Got Nothing
erased those classic shows? The other night at dinner I was telling my 7 year old son
about Garfield Goose. I used my hand to try and imitate Gars moves. My son thought it was
funny and wanted to see pictures of Gar and friends. So naturally I was disappointed that
you were forced to remove the pictures. When I visited the WGN website I could not find
any Garfield Goose pictures. If you could give some links or possibly e mail me some
images you would make a 7 year old boy and a 36 year old kid very happy.
THANX STEVE
===
Roger's Basement
I understand more and more companies are getting touchy about their
"property." In fact, I read in one of the trades that there is a consulting firm
that just surfs the net and finds copyright violations. I always thought it fell under the
"fair use" clause of the copyright laws.
It's too bad that WGN came down on you. As a fellow fan (of those
childhood shows), I hope that you redesign your page without the pictures in question to
keep the spirit alive. If you have to link to them, you have to link to them, but don't
give up the page. It's guys like us that keep these things alive, not WGN. WGN's got some
great things, but they don't have the passion *WE* have to preserve the memories of better
times. Don't let them take that from you..."C.M. from Minnesota"
Click on the clown to see the results of this little battle.
Copyright ©1999 Roger B. Domian