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Talented author gets thrown in The Tower for lampooning cherished national institution

pbwpbw
edited March 2011 in - Writing Problems
Well, okay maybe they don't use The Tower any more but I'd like to think the 'talented' bit was accurate. Whatever, to the point...

If I write a sarcastic piece (not you pbw, surely) about the meandering logic of the '2012 ticketing application procedure', can they sue me for libel or defamation etc?

I'm not worried about the context. It was Badger from Wind in the Willows (WITW) who wants to go, with his pals, but I think the booking system is unbelievably complicated and I would love to send it up.

Why do we make everything SO complicated in this country? Does it give opportunities for profiteering? Is that why they do it?

This piece is just begging me to get written and posted up on Parodies Lost but I don't want a hefty bill for defamation or anything. I don't have deep pockets like Private Eye.

Anyway, could they sue me?

Comments

  • SilentTonySilentTony
    You could claim it is in keeping with the 2012's support of the TV show Twenty Twelve. Something Seb Coe is actually appearing in to show that the British Olympic committee and Team GB have a sense of fun.
  • pbwpbw
    Hmmm. I don't think they'll laugh at this one.
  • JennyJenny
    PBW - Have you read this .. ?

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/8383350/Olympic-tickets-Visa-issue-delays-London-2012-bookings.html
  • SilentTonySilentTony
    edited March 2011
    I still maintain that all tickets should be free. I mean taxes and Lotto money paid for the thing so you are possibly paying for your ticket 3 times over. I also love the fact ticket agencies have been hammering at the government for years about touting and reselling of tickets asking for sterner punishments. All they have been told is they have the harshest penalties and can't do any more about it. Yet suddenly they manage to quadruple the fines for touting overnight if it's Olympic tickets.
  • VericaVerica
    I wonder why Seb Coe didn't actually properly answer any of the questions put to him on 'This Morning', although he eloquently spoke about the ticketing procedure and the webvsite?
  • JennyJenny
    Did you hear that the Olympic clock has stopped?
  • pbwpbw
    Government cuts probably.
  • pbwpbw
    [quote=Jenny]PBW - Have you read this .. ?[/quote]
    Oh priceless. PBW is going to have to publish and be damned...
  • CarolCarol
    Just don't use the word Olympics- they've got a trademark or something on it- remember the book incident....
  • SilentTonySilentTony
    Surely if it was giving an alternative view it would be fine under fair use.
  • pbwpbw
    I don't think I'll mention the 'O' word at all. I think I'll invent 'Riverbank Water Sports' and parody it.
  • CarolCarol
    Great idea. :)
  • JennyJenny
    PBW - you could use Riparian (Hyacinth Bucket's word for riverside).
  • doradora
    Wasn't there something about people who live on boats not being able to live there anymore because of the Olympic Stadium, something about the price to moor there used to be £600 and is now £7,000?
  • pbwpbw
    [quote=Jenny]Riparian [/quote]
    nice
  • NutmegNutmeg
    [quote=paperbackwriter]Why do we make everything SO complicated in this country?[/quote]

    I've been asking that same question since I arrived 4 and a bit years ago!! This ticket thing just sounds so stupid.. why can't eyh just say here are the tickets...first come, first serve... It makes way more sense... oh wait...this is the british government...they don't know what "sense" is...
  • JennyJenny
    Nutmeg - Our government works on the principle "Mind over matter" where the electorate is concerned.

    They don't mind and - in their opinion - we don't matter.
  • pbwpbw
    OK folks, here it is. I think it is factual rather than libellous and it doesn't mention the 'O' thing at all.

    http://parodieslost.blogspot.com/2011/03/badger-tries-to-plan-outing.html

    [quote=Jenny]They don't mind and - in their opinion - we don't matter. [/quote] Right on, bruv.
  • CarolCarol
    Brilliant PBW.
  • Lou TreleavenLou Treleaven
    That was great! Have left comment.
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    Gay badger, eh? :)
  • pbwpbw
    If you like, although bearing in mind when WITW was written, I think Arthur Rackham would turn in his grave at the thought, when it was not perfectly normal and acceptable as it is now. In fact, the friends always spent time in and out of each other's houses but if they have got a threesome going, I shan't write about it. I shall spare their blushes.
  • dorothyddorothyd
    Kenneth Grahame wrote WITW, did he not? Or am I thinking of something else?
    Arthur Rackham is Swallows and Amazons, methinks.
    Could be I am off beam this evening, though, judging by the reaction to an earlier post of mine this evening.
    What TBers don't know is, I am writing a story set at the battle of Towton being dictated by someone who fought there and of necessity the English is somewhat stilted, old fashioned and not following current (stringent and often unnecessary) grammatical rules. The Earl is the author of the very first book published in England, I bow to his superior knowledge on such things...
  • pbwpbw
    edited March 2011
    [quote=dorothyd]Kenneth Grahame wrote WITW, did he not? Or am I thinking of something else?[/quote]
    You're quite right. Freudian slip by pbw. Arthur Rackham did the pen and ink illustrations for the edition which I have.

    Your WIP sounds quite difficult.
  • dorothyddorothyd
    oh lucky you, he did some wonderful drawings!
    I wonder how many editions of WITW there are? And if the author had any idea how popular his little tale would be?
  • pbwpbw
    It's not an antique. It's a 1986 edition of the original by Methuen. I bought it new. Actually, looking at it, it has the colour plates by AR as well as the b&w. It is a very nicely produced book. I suppose it might be worth a modest sum now.
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    I did wonder about the author. Then I thought I was getting muddled up with Winnie-the-Pooh as usual.
  • Jay MandalJay Mandal
    edited March 2011
    Like the story. I tried to buy a ticket for a couple of events. I thought the rowing was in Windsor (Liz and Phil having a right old ding-dong) or thereabouts (did I mean Henley?), but couldn't see any likely place. Then I selected the men's semi finals at Wimbledon and pressed 'submit'. They were sorry, but my application could not be processed. No idea if I did anything wrong or if it was simply a case of the site being overloaded. Mind you, I don't remember giving them my Visa details.
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