Subject: Parody or not? (was Re: [FFML] [spam] Rule broken?)
From: Lizsue
Date: 2/27/1998, 3:27 PM
To: KLEPPE@execpc.com (Gary Kleppe), "Fanfic Mailing List" <ffml@fanfic.com>

At 13:09 2/27/1998 GMT, Gary Kleppe wrote:
"Florencio B. de la Merced, Jr." <fmerced@pworld.net.ph> wrote:

Is it just me or, aren't we *not* supposed to use a real life person as a
character, let alone characterize him or her without permission.  Most of
all, if this person is the one that created an anime that's makes up most of
the fics on this list.  I'm sure we can indirectly mention him/her, thus not
really saying she or he was in the post,  [especially those spam ones that
he or she is used to critique a fic/spam, whatever]  Get the point?

If you're talking about Numbski's Quest For The Silly Spamfic 2K, I
guess I should take responsibility, since I was the one who originally
introduced the Takahashi-kami figure in the original QFTSS.

Is using this character out of bounds? Dunno. I'd hope that anyone
reading either the old Quest or Numbski's new version would be able to
tell that the reference here is (1) done in fun, (2) done with respect,
and (5) not meant to characterize the real Takahashi Rumiko. But I'd
welcome any opinions on the matter.

Well, with a major public figure it's accepted as parody.  With your
friends, it's more personal and can hurt a lot more.  I'm not sure about
Takahashi - if this was a Japanese forum it would be more obviously a parody
but since she's not as famous here it somehow doesn't have the same effect.

As for me, Numbski, I enjoyed it, and am waiting for my cameo! :-)


Gary Kleppe
http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics