"We Don't Roll That Way"

I swear this isn't the Ellen blog; I really just wanted an excuse to use this picture.

Representatives from 17 record companies are suing the Ellen DeGeneres Show claiming copyright infringement for more than 1000 songs producers play during Ellen's opening dance segment on the show. For those of you who haven't seen Ellen's daytime talk show (lucky you!), Ellen has a short segment where her black DJ Tommy (?) spins dance, R & B, and hip hop records while the audience dances. Ellen, herself, dances off the stage, through the aisles, and back up to her set. A lot of the songs he plays are pretty good, by the way. Some of the songs cited include "Stronger" by Kanye West and "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder.

Anyway, the record companies gave the show a chance to explain themselves before they filed suit, but the producers just told them, "we don't roll that way." Say what? "We don't roll that way?" I think that's going to be my new anthem.

Client: 'Safari, I know this is 2pm on the Friday before a three day weekend, but I'm going to need you to get this project to me within 72 hours."
Wild Safari: 'I'm sorry. I don't roll that way.'
Client: 'Safari, you know we bring you a lot of business. We'll pay you double. Just submit an invoice after you turn in the project and I'll personally make sure you get the bonus.'
Wild Safari: 'You lie!'

Representative Wilson's career-ending outburst during Obama's Congressional address the other night is my other new anthem. I've been going around all week just yelling out "you lie!" as a non sequitur. It's a good way to get out of awkward conversations. Try it.

The record companies filed suit yesterday in the U.S. District Court in Music City, USA (Nashville, Tennessee). In part, the filing states, "As sophisticated consumers of music, Defendants knew full well that, regardless of the way they rolled, under the Copyright Act, and under state law for the pre-1972 recordings, they needed a license to use the sound recordings lawfully." Can you imagine the clerk that received that filing? Oh-em-gee!

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