Gingrich: SNL’s Palin skits are ’slander’ ‘worthy of a lawsuit.’
By on Oct 23rd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Gingrich: SNL’s Palin skits are ’slander’ ‘worthy of a lawsuit.’
Bashing the “elite” media as usual on Fox News last night, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich claimed that Saturday Night Live’s skits mocking Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin were “vicious” and a “total distortion of who Governor Palin is.” Gingrich said that some of the sketches, particularly one mocking reporters for pursuing unsubstantiated claims about the Palins, “were slander and were worthy of a lawsuit.” Watch it:
Later in the segment, Gingrich proved that some of his complaints about the media are unfounded by claiming that the New York Times “hasn’t looked into” Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) time at Columbia University. In fact, a year ago, the Times ran an investigative article examining Obama during that time.
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That really means a lot, coming from a washed up loser like Newt, who is himself slander personified.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:52 pmGold almighty, why won't he go away? Intellectual dishonesty? The man is an embodiment of intellectual dishonesty.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:53 pmGingrich: SNL’s Palin skits are ’slander’ ‘worthy of a lawsuit.’»
- - Newtz nutz.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:54 pmNOBODY can slander Palin.
Newt-NO sense of humor, unless SNL was lampooning Obama.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:54 pmHow the heck did someone this stupid become Speaker of the House?
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:55 pm“But we must understand what actually took place and not let this arrogant buffoon get away with his attempt to rewrite history.”
Bill Fleckenstein
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:56 pmUncle Ho Says:
NOBODY can slander Palin.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:54 pm
_______
Not in a satirical context, anyhow. And it's very difficult for a public figure like Palin to win a slander or libel lawsuit. So for all intents and purposes, you're absolutely right - nobody can slander Palin.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:57 pmYou mean the guy who was drummed out of dc in disgrace, that guy?
No wonder the gop is in such dissarray. Why do they keep dragging their failed leaders back out to talk like they have credibility......see ollie north.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:57 pmHumorless Newt to be nominated as Censor General in the Palin-Giuliani administration of 2016. God help us all.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:58 pmHave to give them credit... they're using Palin's struggles as a way of bringing up long discredited Obama stories just to put them into the circulation.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:58 pmWho is this Gingrich hack? Hopefully he's never held high public office - his ingorance is scary...
/Sarcasm
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:58 pmHonestly, the only thing I can agree with Newt on is his like for NPR news. I seem to remember several SNL (or someone else's) skits about him, back in the day.
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:59 pmLet us all not forget that Newt may be gearing up for a run at the Prez in 4 years! Amazing, isn't it, the selective protection the right wing nuts give to the 1st Ammendment when it benefits them (aka faux outrage over large campaign contribution as -wink wink- free speach) yet defend the 2nd Ammendment no MATTER WHAT happens.
Gee, I wonder if that would change if there was a multi million dollar lobbying group for the 1st ammendment like the 2nd ammendment. The GOP can slop up from the NRA trough whenever they need to fund more sleaze.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:01 pmChuck Feney Says:
"... in the Palin-Giuliani administration of 2016."
__________
Whoa... if the GOOP just spent $150K on Sarah's clothes, what will they have to pony up to keep Rudi happy? And who will get to wear the pearls on stage?
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:02 pmNewt said nothing about the attacks on Hillary. Now Newt is upset with SNL while Sarah not only went there but said she had a great time. If they were making a fool of her you would think she would have enough sence to walk out. All the candidate were made fun of because it's a comedy show. Nothing any Republican can so or do will help Sarah now, as every time she opens her mouth something stupid comes out.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:03 pmSarah's new campaign cry is SPEND BABY SPEND taxpayers money.
If Newt hadn't made his career by slandering the Clintons (not in a late-night comedy routine, but on the floor of the US Congress, mind you), this comment might be amusing. As it stands its puke-inducing. The last throes ! Goodbye , Newt !
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:04 pmUm, Newtie...? SNL is a comedy show - nothing and no one is sacred. Ya know, satire? Lampoon?
And wasn't Gov. Sprawlin's appearance on the show an endorsement of that alleged slander?
Just askin', doggone it.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:04 pmNewt, you ignorant slut ...
Most of Tina Fey's lines are taken verbatim from Palin quotes and delivered with the same mannerisms.
And remember that Palin, along with Todd, willingly and smilingly went on SNL and gleefully danced to the rap parody, later asking to take the cue cards home as souvenirs.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:05 pmSNL is incapable of slandering Sarah Palin.
Why?
Because there is literally almost no difference between the humor in an SNL skit about Sarah Palin and in the humor in Palin speaking.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:06 pmWhen was Gingie sued for back child support?
The GOOPERS hate lawsuits "TURD REFORM! TURD REFORM!" except for the times they personally feel inconvenienced.
I felt the Tina Fey skits were more of a replay than a parody.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:06 pmI would have to say that Sarah Palin's appearance on the show eliminates the Republicans' ability to express outrage about it. She sat at the Weekend Update desk, raising the roof, while Amy Poehler rapped about shooting a moose.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:09 pmDoes anybody really care what Newt thinks?????
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:09 pmWhy does TP, or other pundits, even debate clowns like Newt? For Right Wingers truth has no value, so by definition debate is meaningless. It's time to simply shame these idiots back into their holes.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:10 pmYeah, sure Newt -- Sarah Palin and Lech Walensa -- yeah, practically the same thing.
Dip.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:10 pmThe funniest part is that a great majority of the time, Tina actually uses Caribou Barbie's own words.
It's the truly funny ones "We don't know if global warming is man-made, or just the natural result of the end of days." that have breathed new life into the SNL franchise that has been anything but funny for quite some time.
Laughing at her is the best course of action, as evidenced by Newtie's reaction.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:11 pmAnd while we're at it lets start filing lawsuits against those that are inciting people to violence. Like those calling liberals anti-American. And candidate who lie and say Obama is close personal friends with terrorists. And how about people like Limbaugh and O'Reilly and Hannity, let's start making list of their fabrications.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:16 pmI agree robbez_92107
How can it be slander when she uses almost her exact words and gestures...ok Tina Fey entertained us with "fancy pageant walking" but that wasn't slanderous...
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:17 pmSounds like he's sticking up for a schoolboy crush.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:18 pmdon't sleep on the “hasn’t looked into” line. it'll be repeated over and over again if the there's a dem. president. newt's just previewing a new version of "the arkansas project".
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:19 pmDid he attend the Alberto Gonzalas School of Law?
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:19 pmHustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell, 485 U.S. 46 (1988)
The United States Supreme Court held, in a unanimous 8-0 decision that the First Amendment's free-speech guarantee prohibits awarding damages to public figures to compensate for emotional distress intentionally inflicted upon them
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:19 pmOh sure, Newt -- let's sue SNL for slander for their parody skits of Palin. But then to be fair, we should sue EVERYBODY who has parodied Palin (as well as other candidates) for humor purposes. That list would include Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O'Brien, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colber, Bill Maher -- the list kind of goes on and on.
Next, let's sue for slander everybody who has knowingly told lies about a candidate. That would include both McCain and Palin ("Obama will raise your taxes" -- among other whoppers), G. Gordon Liddy (repeatedly makes false claim that Obama was born in Kenya), everybody who has accused Obama of being a terrorist, everybody who has accused Obama of being a Muslim (not that that should be considered slander, but in today's world, it is), etc. etc.
It would be -- as McCain once said -- "a trial lawyer's dream".
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:21 pmHopefully after Obama wins the election we'll have time to focus on all these lying talking heads who think normal people are anti-American and threaten to sue them on all crap they'll be spewing about Obama and Biden.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:21 pmSince Tina Fey used Palin's own words, I guess Newt is suggesting that Palin slandered herself. Next up, slander suits against The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Until such time Newt appears on them again.
Go figure.
PEACE
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:22 pmNewt/n. any of various small amphibians, esp. of the genus Trituris, having a well developed tale.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:24 pmThat settles it . . I'm being newt on Halloween.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:26 pmYes.
And the last 8 years and the entire present and past members of the Bush Adminstration should all be be tried for War Crimes and be found guilty for Crimes Against Humanity and Treason.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:26 pmsorry Newt, parody is a constitutionally protected form of free speech..if you understood the constiution any better than Palin you would know that..
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:26 pmwell newt, you should sue her then.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:30 pmThat skit reflects worse on how the Times reports "news" than it does on the Palins. Seems they were doing more of a take off on the fact that the NYT is an equal opportunity libeler -(remember Whitwater, Saddam's WMDs, etc?). They start with a premise about, knowing it's impossible to prove a negative, and then proceed to smear. The Wingers should be praising SNL for this skit, not slamming them.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:30 pmRighhht.
And for the last 8 years:
The entire present and past members of the Bush Adminstration should all be be tried for War Crimes and be found guilty for Crimes Against Humanity and Treason.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:30 pmLech Walensa bought $150,000 worth of clothes at Sachs and Neiman Marcus?
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:32 pmQuick! Someone pass Newt a hankie! He's crying again!
Call the Waaaahmbulance!!
Really, whining is all Republicans have left!
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:33 pmMy god, why is this nutcase stil getting interviews?
First of all, has Gingrich never heard of the First Amendment? Has he ever seen an episode of SNL before? They have skewered every major public figure in American politics since they went on the air in the 1970's.
Parody is not slander. Gingrich is just playing to the base, many of which clearly aren't SNL fans. This won't fly for long.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:35 pmActually we should all be respectful of Ms. Palin, as she is a True Maverick! Why? She's a Beauty Queen who doesn't want World Peace! Bless her heart.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:35 pmImpeach....While there's Still Time!
Remember, according to the MSM, Newt is the GOP's "man of ideas", the intellectual of the Republican party.
No wonder they're in deep s***.
And if Newt wants to sue GE/NBC over this, go ahead. Let's see how much of his own money he wants to put into it.
This guy's a joke anyway. He went from being House Speaker to having to resign in a mere 3 years. Talk about a disaster.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:36 pmBushHater Says:
"Newt/n. any of various small amphibians, esp. of the genus Trituris, having a well developed tale."
Often found under old, rotting logs or lichen covered rocks. Prefers dark, moist habitat.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:36 pm"The Borgen Project has some good info on the cost of addressing global poverty.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:40 pm$30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.
$540 billion: Annual U.S. Defense Budget."
Hey Newton! How's that Contract For America thing coming along? Gee it seems like it was just yesterday that you were up on EIGHTY FOUR charges of ethics violations, being sanctioned for what was it...$300,000 and strutting around DC hammering Bill Clinton and demanding impeachment while at the same time you yourself were having an affair on your THIRD wife! My how time flies, Newton. It's comforting to see that you have formed your own little cabal of fresh young GOP brownshirts to carry on your legacy in your absence. Anywho, best of luck on your prospective run in 2012 you fascist, two-timing, hypocritical neocon you! Don't ever change, Newty!
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:41 pmGood Ole boy Newt.
The guy who gave a speech not long ago that he basically made his case to suspend freedom of speech in America until the War on Terror is over.
Just citing one of his many emblazzened character traits.
Why do they drag him out?
Does he need the money from political hackery? Does he think he could run as president in 2012?
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:44 pmCue SNL for a Newt mewling and whining skit!
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:50 pmHey! Newt! Don't you have a cancer ridden spouse to cheat on and divorce from her hospital bed, you toad!
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:50 pmWho listens to this "Slimy Little Lizard" (Newt) anyway?
Yeah, those mean SNL guys using "Palin's Exact Words" to do comedy with, why that's "Anti-American".
Go slip into a creek somewhere, you "Slimy Little Lizard".
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:55 pmI love all the anti-american bullshit flying around right now. If it wasn't for people like us, we never would have separated from England.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:58 pmMr. Gingrich's conservative constituents must be pleased to hear him threatening to clog up our court system with frivolous lawsuits.
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:00 pmOkay, let's play. You know what else the media hasn't "looked into?" John McCain's Hanoi Hilton tapes. They played them for the rest of his fellow prisoners on loudspeakers for days on end. They played them on Havana radio. McCain not only called American soldiers "war criminals," but explained that Americans were actually TRYING to bomb civilian targets like hospitals. And, sometime after McCain's own father heard the tapes, he ordered the bombing of Hanoi.
You know what else the media hasn't "looked into?" The Forrestal Disaster and the possibility that McCain made it much worse by panicking and mistakenly releasing his live rockets onto the deck of the carrier.
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:23 pmLech Walesa? Socialist! Newt is supporting Socialism!
It is amazing...next he'll be claiming that MLK and Malcolm X would be disgusted at how we're treating Palin.
I think I want to be a Republican now. It means you can say anything you want and not have to worry about conscience or fact-checking.
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:23 pmI mean...Solidarity! Unions now! Workers unite! We all know how much the GOP loves labor unions!
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:26 pmIf Newt wants to sue SNL, bring it on!
It will be as fun as Dan Quayle taking on a fictional character (Murphy Brown) and losing.
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:36 pmGingrich: SNL’s Palin skits are ’slander’ ‘worthy of a lawsuit.’
Civil law isn't his forte' - neither are economics, history, foreign policy, or anything else of merit, but he knows how to play wedge politics.
The ghit still thinks he has a shot at 2012.
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:36 pmI am sure the court will want a 1st amendment case that has long standing precedence. They will have nice things to say about the lizard as they throw it and him out of court. But since he knows this, the bluster is even more amusing.
October 23rd, 2008 at 2:58 pmGingrich (R-Fascist) He wants to take rights away from you. You should be very scared that he is not in prison or being watched by public safety officials.
Satire isn't slander, that was settled by the supreme court long ago and repeatedly. So much for Gingrich's BIG INTELLECT!!! ROTFL, what a TARD!
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:03 pmAs always, Gingrich is simply pulling an argument out of his ass.
Satire is protected speech. Furthermore, political speech is granted the highest level of protection by the First Amendment.
Gingrich has no shame, but we've known that for a very long time.
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:09 pmExcuse me, but didn't the GOP just host a dinner featuring Rich Little, who is well known for his impression of Ronald Reagan?
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:17 pmcoming from an ideology that gave us rush limballs, o'lielly, sean insanity, mikey weiner, tranny coulter and tokyo rose malkin? that's rich.
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:24 pmNewt must be worn out. He keeps so busy having an opinion about everything, and searching for someone to hear him out.
The SNL bits distorting the image of the Alaskan Governor are more a parody of Palin than they are and example of anything else. And parody is a protected form of speech under the First Amendment (damn, there's that Constitution thing coming up again, something it appears no Republican leader has ever read). And, the courts have confirmed this several times in multiple cases (damn, and now the liberal courts and judges come up!).
Cases have established that the First Amendment protects forms of parody and satire involving public figures or public officials against a variety of claims, including libel, slander, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
But nice try, anyway, Newt - now just go crawl back under whatever rock you came out from.
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:51 pmDoesn't Newt have a wife to cheat on today.
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:53 pmI remember Newt rising to attack the media during the continual character assassination attempts on the Clintons>
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:55 pmRickD Says:
You are of course exactly right Rick. There are few things clearer than that satire is protected speech. The thing is Newt KNOWS THIS very well. He is doing theater and tossing red meat to his neandrathal base. The moronic twits like Rapture Ready who will believe anything and march mindlessly to whatever drum the rightwing is beating today
October 23rd, 2008 at 3:55 pmOh Newt,
If by "slander" you mean "satire", and "worthy of a lawsuit" means "worthy of an Emmy", then you are correct, sir!!!
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:18 pmi do not agree with newt on this, although i am a conservative. palin is a public figure and may be satirized in any way SNL can make humorous. i wonder if they will do joe biden, who has been stupid for a long time, the same as palin. all you libs out there, if the 'fairness doctrine' passes, they will have to. i will wait to see if you like it when biden gets his due.
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:02 pmmy previous post was not posted. but the skit w/ baldwin was horrific.
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:09 pmnot only that, but the humor was in very bad taste. i can't think of the word for it, but insipid comes to mind. or maybe ribald. i'm not sure.
she's an easy target, and insulting here does not reflect well on one's intelligence. unless of course you're in 3rd grade.
it's easy to mock stupid people.
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:09 pmNewt should do something more constructive with his time, like figure out who destroyed the sanctity of his marriages.
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:26 pmReich-wingers are losing and are desperate. This is priceless.
October 23rd, 2008 at 5:29 pmthinking Says:
i do not agree with newt on this, although i am a conservative. palin is a public figure and may be satirized in any way SNL can make humorous. i wonder if they will do joe biden, who has been stupid for a long time, the same as palin. all you libs out there, if the ‘fairness doctrine’ passes, they will have to. i will wait to see if you like it when biden gets his due.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You dont know what you are talking about. No one in their rightmind would call Biden stupid. He is a very smart man. That is clear even his enemies in the Senate wouldnt be so ignorant or delusional as to call him stupid. Also NO the fairness doctrine would NOT require SNL to satirize Biden as well as Palin. Satire was never under its mandate. Do you guys just repeat what you are told to think or babble mindlessly about whatever conforms to your delusional fantasies? Its clear you pretty much NEVER know what you are talking about
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:27 pmHasn't anyone told Newtered how irrelevant he is?
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:50 pmGingrich is a toad (my apologies to toads)who doesn't have any understanding of the facts that 1) Palin asked to do this; 2) SNL is a satire/comedy show- enter at your own risk!; and 3) Palin has said & done so many ignorant, hateful, racist things, that she is a natural target. Don't blame SNL-- blame Palin for her stupidity, her blind ambition, her vengeful streak, and her lying, lying, lying. Anyone could show Palin up for the bigoted, narrow-minded, uneducated, anti-woman person she is.
October 23rd, 2008 at 6:56 pmHey, Newt, you consummate bonehead! It's a frickin COMEDY SHOW. They do PARODIES of POLITICAL FIGURES sometimes. That's what the Palin skits ARE.
First off, Newt, it was done on an electronic broadcast, which is considered a "fixed medium" in legal questions of defamation. That makes it a question of libel, not slander.
Despite that your PhD. is in European History, surely you have been exposed to enough knowledge about the law to realize that since it was clearly parody, and therefore clearly not presented as fact... there is no possible libel?
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:23 pmWow, do I not miss Newt Gingrich in American politics.
October 23rd, 2008 at 7:29 pmOh come on Newt; you are have no problem with the Iraq war but you have a problem with a confessed comedy program.
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:17 pmYet ANOTHER ethics lecture from Newt Gingrich?
October 23rd, 2008 at 9:45 pmGingrich is an imbecile worthy of unemployment.
Boycott Wingnut Media.
October 23rd, 2008 at 11:00 pmA newt is a lizard.
October 24th, 2008 at 10:26 amOf course, we knew this all along.
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