Ok, just a reminder for you lawyers out there: I DID NOT WRITE THESE COMMENTS.
Really. Honest. These are all official bonafide emails sent
to this web site. No changes have been made to the comments (even those that have
dirty, dirty words in them). Only the name of the sender has been removed.
Read on!
COMMENT: no playboy has no sense of humor. What a bunch of stuffed shirts,overpriced, prima donas, you know the kind of people that are a legend in thier own minds. Short sighted morons some lawyers are the bottom of the food chain with good reason. people like that give the entire legal profession a bad name. Kinda like putting a hot cup of coffee between your legs and when it spills sueing the company that sold it to you. what is America coming to when they can dish it out but they can't take.
COMMENT: The Might have, but Lawyers? So seriously boaring that they are very easy to fool. Law Schools spend years training them to loose their sence of humour.
COMMENT: NO playboy most certainly does not have a sense of
humor at all they are just stupid to the brain IT
is not right of them to be so serious about
everything I mean come on I coul even take a joke
like that IF playboy cant take a joke like that
then THEY suck ass.
COMMENT: Get real. Look at the "Received:" headers; that letter didn't come from Playboy any more than the original did. Besides, no lawyer would send a "cease and desist" notice via email (as I recall, registered mail, with return receipt, requiring a signature, is the way to go).
Webmaster Note: Yea, we looked at the headers and thought it was a joke, too.
The web logs showing hits from playboy.com
just before the time the letter was sent, among other things, made us
very much think it was NOT a joke.
COMMENT: Perhaps the editors/lawyers of Playboy are from the planet Zenon and so don't know what the term "April Fools" means.
I suggest that one week from today, (4/1/99), everyone who DOES know what it means should email Playboy Magazine
and cancel their subscription. This, of course, includes the millions of us who DON'T subscribe, as well as the 150 who actually do.
COMMENT: Yes, I think Playboy over-reacted. But, on the
other hand, the original Fool just isn't funny!
April Fool jokes need to be apt, subversive and
creative: posting fake report about some
company's financial dealings is plain dull, and
I'm not surprised they took offence.
COMMENT: Sounds to me like somebody needs to get laid. Maybe it'll help release all of that built-up tension...
COMMENT: When a Knee-Jerk liberal like everyone at Playboy, and that includes the janitor, talks about personal freedom, you should always understand that he means his personal freedom AND not yours. He could not care less about yours unless your are a member of their elite social circle. This means that you do, say, and believe EXACTLY as he does.
COMMENT: Yes, Playboy has a sense of humor.
However, their legal eagle department has a
serious case of cranial-rectal inversion.
COMMENT: Americans have no humour. How can you publish this brain-dead, senseless, trash? Don't you get it? It is just NOT funny!
COMMENT: Can't anyone take a joke these days. I know playboy has some sense of humor (have you seen some of their modles, some are ok, but my butt is better looking than others.)
COMMENT: To be honest with you, Playboy really did have reason to be angry...your parody wasn't funny. Maybe if you had written that due to cutbacks and a "small print" clause in their contracts, playmates from the fifties and sixties would have to pose again (at their present age). Or that the women in Playboy would have to be partially clothed, to keep costs down. But the phoney "april's fool" e-mail about not printing the magazine and the layoffs (The previous word alone could be played upon for humor!) doesn't contain enough hyperbole to be humorous. Just one guy's opinion. Have a nice day.
COMMENT: I have taken the time to read the responses from your readers and have determined that most are just pure stupid. First, Playboy has the right to protect it's economic interest. When you posted your joke, it could effect their sales. Is it too much to ask you to remove it? I think the attorney's response was appropriate. Just because you have the ability to post false information does not mean you have the legal right to do so. When you publish false information, you become liable for libel, interference with a business relationship and several other torts. I would actually like to see Playboy attempt to enforce this right. Although it would be absurd, it would interesting to see how a Federal District Court would rule on such injunctive relief.....
COMMENT: the message you posted does appear to be relatively authentic
so i can understand their concern.
COMMENT: isnt this just a typical example of yet another heavyhanded response from business? blah. personally i like your disclaimer you've had to add... 8-)
COMMENT: IGNORANCE...
As the internet becomes more pervasive in the way we communicate, there will be a major "quality control" dilema associated with the data or information we receive. This little "April Fools" may be somewhat humorous now, but it really is a micro-example of the kind of problems we're going to deal with as we all experience informatoin overload. Who do you trust? How am I suppose to know if you're credible or not. Thanks.
COMMENT: They are just a bunch 'a' twats
COMMENT: Well, you could always apply to the Playboy
Foundation for a grant to help you fight the
suppression of your First Amendment rights.
COMMENT: I think that Playboy's Lawyers, like ALL the
scumbags out there, are trying to prove they
are worth the money they're paid.
I'm almost positive that Mr. Hefner, or his
daughter Christie, would never have become
involved in this.
They DO have a vital interest in "shenannigans"
going on on the internet, however. Their
photos are showing up everywhere.
This group of lawyers, harking to the
"watch the internet" for anything that's
"ours" directive, just tried to prove
they are worth what they are getting paid.
Much like the Proctor & Gamble Lawyers
(Darby & Darby) who threatened the "ajax.org"
site.
They have no balls of their own, so they get off
on squeezing others by the balls.
Send a letter to "Hef", I'll bet he'll laugh.
COMMENT: Obviously they do not have a sense of humor. People need to stop always being so serious all the time and enjoy a laugh or two. Without humor where would we be today? A bunch of washed up, mean old farts. That is not where I want to be.
COMMENT: I don't think your "we're shutting down" article was very funny. Actually it was not funny at all. It was just the kind of article with a misleading headline that tabloid papers live for - and some obfuscated legababble in the text. The bottom line seems to be that Penthouse somehow is in economical trouble, and I can understand their harsh email.
Having said that, you have a lot of other good and funny articles on your website.
COMMENT: Business is business, and lawyers don't get paid
to have a sense of humor. However, I do think the
legal department at Playboy needs to get over
themselves. Since I am reading this seven months
later, I don't know if they have or not yet. The
part I found really funny was how few of the
people who posted earlier had a sense of humor
about the absolute irony of this whole thing.
All those people who said F*** Playboy need to
get over themselves, too! Certainly Playboy over-
reacted, but considering the way a lot of the
sheep using the internet seem to think everything
they read on-line is the absolute unquestionable
truth, I can see why Legal would be concerned.
COMMENT: I just sent Cindy Johnson an Email stating how
ironic it was that Playboy is now in the irony
of trying to ask for more censorship, but when
it was their day--they were totally against it!
I also said it was proof to me that there are
just too many lawyers around looking for hourly
billings to post.
COMMENT: Playboy is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. They need to get a sense of humor!
COMMENT: It seems to me as though Playboy are just a bunch of boob's
COMMENT: I like Playboy. I also like what you had to say about Playboy's threatening letter to you.
Free speech fanatics often forget that the same first amendment that gives them the right to say what
they say also gives their opponents the right to say they are full of shit.
COMMENT: apparently not! They appear to be a bunch of hyporcrites.
COMMENT: I think you people should stop messing with playboy because it is the only magazine that
keeps me company on those lonely friday nights
COMMENT: They sure know how to put their foot in it !
Maybe next time they should consider the effect of using heavy handed tactics. I'm sure a more informal
notice (e-mail,letter), recognising the intention of the article, would have been received alot better.
COMMENT: Just like Corporate America....stand for one thing in public because it is politically correct
and then run from it in private.
COMMENT: Maybe the e-mail was just a prank from Playboy, which just goes to show that they DO
have a sense of humor! (As if anybody with half a brain cell would believe this)
COMMENT: Send this to Playboy...
Nice chicks and articles, but
FUCK YOU!!
Ok, bye
COMMENT: No, I do not think so. Perhaps some of their writers have a sense of humor but a large ($$$) company never does. It's all for the image, like the Ronald Mc Donald houses.
COMMENT: They are almost as laughable as the Disney attorneys who "go after" people who want to use pictures and cartoons. Permission to use is not an option.
COMMENT: Obviously, Playboy has no sense of humor. Equally obviously, they Do Not Practice what they they preach. :-)
COMMENT: I think your a bunch crybabies who started bitching because Playboy made you do something you didn't like, so this is your only way to get back because your so weak.
COMMENT: With a name like Cindy JOHNSTON how
can they be taken seriously !?!!
Keep the damn message on your site,
never back down!! its not like
your trying to spead lyes about
there company !
COMMENT: You know, this is not the first time a big time magazine has
tried to push around the general public. I recall that
Penthouse was expanding it's corporate HQ and they tried
to pressure an old woman to move out of her house so that
the new building could go in its place. She refused to
move, of course, and Penthouse could do nothing about it.
COMMENT: Uh, oh -- I posted to rec.arts.disney.animation
and alt.disney yesterday about the upcoming
adaptation of Orwell's _Animal Farm_... should I
call a lawyer?
Great Maker, what a bunch of idiots!
COMMENT: What a bunch of tossers !! :)
COMMENT: It is sad that a company that for so long has billed
itself as the defender of "truth, justice and the
American right to view smut!" should have stooped
to this. Perhaps the appropriate response is to
post this letter, followed immediately by a "news
story" indicating that Playboy has sued you, that
you countersued Playboy for infringement of your
constitutional rights, and that, in an
out-of-court settlement, Playboy has agreed to
turned over controlling interest in Playboy
Enterprises to you.
COMMENT: Unlike the Microsoft/Catholic Church articles, the letter from Hugh Hefner sounded more realistic; in other words, believable. The fact that the reader would have to have a less than average amount of common sense to believe it does not change the fact that it appears factual.
As for Playboy's legal department's sense of humor: It seems that they are not as secure with themselves as their own Playmates are. The most likely motivation for making April-fools' life difficult is that a lawyer was looking for some billable hours and was able to present the article to his boss in such a way as to make it appear worth paying $150/hr to deal with.
COMMENT: I think it's hilarious how Playboy couldn't take a joke (as well as somewhat hypocritical); at least now your Disclaimer should unruffle some feathers.
Glad my ISP linked to your site today: glad I found it... keep up the good work!
COMMENT: I sent Playboy an email saying I found it insulting they think people would take such an obvious joke seriously. I told Ms. Johnston that her strongly worded threat to take legal action reflects poorly on their company, which is no joke.
COMMENT: It is only typical that a "liberal" media
like Playboy is not really "liberal" at
all. They are interested in the bottom line,
no matter who it hurts.
Their aggresive campaign to rid the Internet
of "copyrighted" Playboy images is well
documented. Obviously their legal department
is paid on commission.
Hang in there. You might even cc then a
letter to your congressman asking them to
take a look at *Playboy's* content!. Too bad
Playboy is only interested in *their* freedom
of speech.
Such shortsightedness and greed only leads to
legislation like the CDA.
Hang tough,
COMMENT: Just as our legislators (almost all of whom are lawyers) write laws that could be called, collectively, "The Perennial Jobs-for-Lawyers Act," corporate attorneys must do something to justify their existence and their salaries.
Remember the story about the lawyer who moved into a small town where there was no other lawyer. The first year he was there, he nearly starved to death.
Then another lawyer moved to town and they both got rich.
COMMENT: Boooo. Cindy is overly impressed with herself
COMMENT: Um... I think you've been fooled.. looks and sounds like an April Fools joke to me..
COMMENT: lets look into some irony ... PEOPLE vs LARRY FLINT (particularly the Falwell incident) and the fact that CANDID CAMERA is back on air (obviously by demand for this kind of humor). The public is not as anal as PLAYBOY, who publishes lots of crotch shots (doesn't seem to be to anal retentive to me) P.S. Playboy!...I don't get upset about the gay jokes you tell...I usually laugh...take a pill! Oh...don"t' forget..."You're on CANDID CAMERA!"
COMMENT: I can see why they would be upset. Americans have very little sense of humour about money, and what sense of humour they do have is usually so broad that very few people would even question whether or not the letter in question was a joke. Is their response just a tad overboard? I tend to think so. If it's against the law to spread false information, even deliberately, over the Internet, then we're really in for a long, dark ride. The bad thing about the "information age" is that it requires people to have the critical capabilities to decide what is accurate and what is not. Unfortunately, information is not thought. We have an overload of the former and a dearth of the latter. Do they have a sense of humour? Apparently not when the joke is on them. Do they have a sense of irony? Time will tell.
COMMENT: Just e-mailed your Playboy post to the offending party with a
recomendation to get a life.
Nice site. Keep up the humor ;-}
COMMENT: Playboy seems to be getting more and more uptight!
"Fool" certainly applies to "CindyJ"!!!!!
Enough to convert a 1st amendment activist to HUSTLER!
COMMENT: Well, when you look at the way they airbrush some of their models, you have to admit the end result looks pretty funny!
COMMENT: If a company that started on a g-string, and became a corporate giant and changed a generation of men and women can't take a little "ribbing",
perhaps they should go back to thier kitchen roots and bathrobes,instead of corporate boardrooms and stuffed shirts.
Hef, lighten up!
COMMENT: you probably sent playboy stock holders rushing to sell... ;o)
COMMENT: I think some legal guy had his head up his butt!
Kinda reminds me of the kid who wore the Pepsi shirt to the Coke day at his school, and was suspended for doing so. What a joke!!
COMMENT: Does Cindy have big boobs or what?
Maybe she thinks someone will take her seriously because she's in the legal department.
I'm sorry any woman who works for an organization which explots nudity (especially female nudity) in any form can never expect to be taken seriously.
COMMENT: simple F_ _K Playboy
COMMENT: I personally enjoyed viewing your site and plan to revisit. The people at Playboy obviously need to get a grip and sense of humor. Fortunately Cindy proved what asses they are in her e-mail.
Keep up the good work.
COMMENT: Your letter posted false information.
They asked you to remove it since it was false.
Sounds pretty straightforward to me.
Not much of a funny joke anyway, just a lie.
Nope. Gotta side with them.
COMMENT: I don't find any humor in this prank. Why would you say Playboy is no longer printing it's magazine? This "prank" could hurt their business.
I like lookin' at naked lady's man, don't even joke about them takin' that away!
COMMENT: Dear Sir/Madame,
It has come to our attention that PLAYBOY MAGAZINE publishes works of fiction.
These works of fiction have been published even though PLAYBOY INC. knows their content to be false, or pure fantasy at best. PLAYBOY INC. must remove all works of fiction from its magazine, advertising, and published presence by the July 1998 issue or face future action. NOTE: The term "Works of Fiction" is to include any pictorial in which the subjects are not engaged in true lust, open willingness to the viewers of the pictorial, or otherwise false and misleading sexual availibility.
Your co-operation in this matter is expected. Please respond within one week that the above actions are being taken.
COMMENT: ROTFLMAO!
B^D
IMHO, you should flood the Playboy Foundation e-mail addy with copies of the original (dimwitted) post and the (equally dimwitted) Playboy response...
COMMENT: Seems like the staff at Playboy doesn't have a sense of
humor, although it is a requirement to read their "magazine".
Of course, I only read it for the articles. :)
COMMENT: Hey guys, just heard about your full court
press against Playboy. Hang in there!
COMMENT: Did you know that the Mattel company lost their case in
having an injunction to prevent the music group Aqua
from selling their song "Barbie Doll". The judge said
that this was clearly a parody case, hence not protected
by their copyrights.
COMMENT: No, I think Playboy has basically lost touch with their own agenda, ie, roots-
Do you think Playboy's amassed millions have placed a shrouded veil over their own common sense, and/or humor, or have they truly become just another Capitalistic, Corporate sellout?
COMMENT: This is by far one of the stupidest things I have ever
witnessed. Not only is the posting obviously bogus
but one would think playboy had better things to do.
COMMENT: Re: Playboy joke.
It may be a joke to you, but for a public company, this is serious.
Just like yelling "FIRE!" in a theatre is not too swift, neither was your post.
COMMENT: Are you sure that the email was not an early april fools joke? =)
COMMENT: Regarding the Playboy thing:
Tell them to go fuck themselves. Like their
readers.
COMMENT: Tell playboy to get a grip, April fool's baby '59.
Now that you've wasted so much time reading everyone else's comments, why
not submit your own...
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