Althouse: "Heirs of the late movie legend John Wayne are suing Duke University for the right to use the actor's iconic nickname to promote their alcoholic beverages."

July 9, 2014

"Heirs of the late movie legend John Wayne are suing Duke University for the right to use the actor's iconic nickname to promote their alcoholic beverages."

"Wayne's family wants to sell products featuring the Hollywood star's nickname and image, but the North Carolina university says it doesn't want anyone to think it sponsors the booze."

Who would get confused into thinking that a university was marketing its own brand of alcohol? If that were at all something that could be happening, there would already be Motion W Beer.

ADDED: Clearly, Duke the movie star is much more likely to come to mind when you see a bottle of booze. In fact, if you drink enough booze, you may find it particularly easy to pull off your John Wayne imitation:

"It's gettin' t' be ri-goddamn-diculous. If you guys don't start thinking as men, we're gonna have a lousy country."

22 comments:

Mark O said...: That's rich for a university whose endowment is based on tobacco.; 7/9/14, 10:03 AM
Fernandinande said...: Every time I hear of Duke University, I think of the Duke Rape Hoax (very much allowed, but funny - or not?), so they might be better off expanding their associations as a distraction.; 7/9/14, 10:13 AM
lemondog said...: Is the intent is to target boomers?

How relevant is John Wayne to 20 and 30 year olds?; 7/9/14, 10:15 AM
Anonymous said...: I believe we have a "talk low, talk slow, and don't say too much" fail on this here video, pardner.; 7/9/14, 10:39 AM
Gahrie said...: The fact that John Wayne has gone from popular hero, to clownish buffon among the elite, illustrates the decay of the last fifty years.

It would be like the english rejecting Robin Hood or Arthur.

But at least we are smuly superior.; 7/9/14, 10:39 AM
mccullough said...: Duke Snyder's heirs should join in, along with Duke Ellington's heirs.; 7/9/14, 10:40 AM
Anonymous said...: "Duke the movie star is much more likely to come to mind when you see a bottle of booze."

Duke the university comes to mind when you see young men railroaded in crimes that never occurred.; 7/9/14, 10:40 AM
tim maguire said...: What makes either one of them think they could have rights to the word "DUKE"?; 7/9/14, 10:41 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: "Elvis was a hero to most
But he never meant shit to me you see
Straight up racist that sucker was
Simple and plain
Mother fuck him and John Wayne
Cause I'm Black and I'm proud
I'm ready and hyped plus I'm amped
Most of my heroes don't appear on no stamps
Sample a look back you look and find
Nothing but rednecks for 400 years if you check
Don't worry be happy
Was a number one jam
Damn if I say it you can slap me right here,…"

- Public Enemy; 7/9/14, 10:45 AM
Sam L. said...: And yet Duke hasn't come to grips with the Lacrosse Three fiasco.; 7/9/14, 11:05 AM
Brando said...: I would think Wayne's heirs would be more concerned about the association with Duke University, as otherwise people may associate the beer with choking.; 7/9/14, 11:05 AM
traditionalguy said...: A Duke is the office holder of a Duchy. A Duchy is a King's certain geographic taxation collection region on map sold and assigned to a Duke.

Duke University was founded on the Duke fortune. That fortune comes from Duke Power Company stock, which was Yankee investments into reconstruction era North Carolina that payed for certain monopoly territory to serve and collect a utility fortune from.

So Duke University maybe seen as from a real Duchy. The estates of dead actors in Hollywood may get to buy some Utility stock, but that's about it.; 7/9/14, 11:12 AM
Crimso said...: "That's rich for a university whose endowment is based on tobacco."

It's really worse than that. Using a certain line of argument deployed by others elsewhere, they have Wayne's blood on their hands. Duke should have the common decency and sensitivity to STFU.; 7/9/14, 11:27 AM
John henry said...: Sam L,

What did John Wayne have to do with the LaCrosse railroading?

He'd been dead more than 30 years when that happened.

John Henry; 7/9/14, 11:30 AM
John henry said...: I don't understand what is going on with you, Crack.

I've been reading and posting here since the beginning and I remember your notes all along. Agreed with some, disagreed with others but you seemed like a fairly rational person.

In the past 6 months or so your trolly seems to have run completely off the rails.; 7/9/14, 11:32 AM
Levi Starks said...: How many "heirs" does "the Duke" have. And how poorly must they have managed their inheritance to now find themselves at the mercy of copyright lawyer trolls?
Is there not a continuing revenue stream of royalties from the work of his long career?
It rather seems that some of his heirs are in danger of having to go out and get real jobs to maintain their lifestyles. Heaven forbid.
If their case was based on the use of the 2 word term "the Duke" then they might have a case. But just duke by itself I don't think so.; 7/9/14, 12:45 PM
David said...: So Duke would rather have its name associated with stupid and petulant, which is the best way to characterize this lawsuit I can come up with.; 7/9/14, 12:47 PM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: I'm sure both sides could compromise and agree to call it "John Wayne (the Hollywood-Actor-Who-Frequently-Pretended-to-be-a-Cowboy) Bourbon."; 7/9/14, 12:51 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: John,

"In the past 6 months or so your trolly seems to have run completely off the rails."

Considering, that's what happened, what's your point?

Should I try to paint a cheery facade for you? Why? Are you one of those guys who tell women to "smile" all the time also? Why you? And what message do you choose for me, instead, and - more importantly - under what authority?

There were 9 speakers before me - all white - attacking Duke, tobacco, the competency of 20 and 30 year olds, Wayne himself (when drunk) and the intelligence and justice system of our current populace, but I stood out, for you, bu quoting an almost 30-year old Rap song. You SURE you don't have a problem?

Can't handle anything but a relentlessly sunny disposition, maybe? How's that my problem? I think that impossible demand led to the rise of Alzheimer's in whites, how about you?

Why try to spread Alzheimer's to me? I'm not a NewAger, sitting in shit and calling it gold, so why would you demand it? You do understand prejudice, discrimination, and that people on the bottom get depressed, right? You do understand that's been going on here, pretty ruthlessly, up until the 1970s, correct? 400 years? Putting blacks at a distinct disadvantage? And I'm black? Then why are you questioning me? What's wrong with you?

If I was "rational" before, by your own estimation, isn't it possible that YOU'VE lost it since? I think the white expectation - that a formally-ignorant-and-enslaved, and since enfeebled, black population is able to fully compete with their centuries-old white oppressors in less than a single generation - is insane, and a continuation of the historic cruelty this country's always demonstrated, but you think differently. That difference of opinion, to you, makes me crazy - even with the facts AND the Constitution on my side?

Fine - my "trolly" has left the track.

How that, somehow, has invalidated the slavery narrative I've been going on about, in any way, you'll have to let me know, Massa, because it sure 'nuff escapes my poor imagination's capabilities,...; 7/9/14, 1:21 PM
Anonymous said...: A lot of misconceptions flying around--

1.It should be noted that the Duke has remained high on the list of most popular movie stars every year since his death, the only deceased star to do so. His popularity has not waned--in a given year, there are more John Wayne films broadcast on standard cable than any other star.

2. The Wayne estate does just fine, thanks, and he is right there with Elvis and Marilyn Monroe as among the top earning dead icons. And that's because Michael Wayne is aggressive and opportunistic in marketing his Dad's image.; 7/9/14, 2:04 PM
Anonymous said...: In vino veritas. That those who break the rules might receive consequences from others who think rule-breaking should receive consequences is essentially honest, and as American as ... John Wayne.; 7/9/14, 2:30 PM
The Godfather said...: Will Duke University go after the Duke of Cambridge next?

Or maybe the Duke of Cambridge will go after Duke University . . . .; 7/9/14, 5:12 PM