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Canadian journalist sues over "Knocked Up"

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by Perry White, Jun 4, 2007.

  1. Perry White

    Perry White Active Member

    Have any of our friends north of the border heard of her? According to one site (http://www.randomhouse.ca/author/results.pperl?authorid=58038) she is "is one of Canada's most well-known journalists."

    http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2007/06/04/eckler-sues.html

    Calgary-based journalist Rebecca Eckler says she is suing the makers of the comedy Knocked Up for stealing her story.

    Eckler, author of a memoir about her accidental pregnancy, also called Knocked Up, claims her 2004 book is the unacknowledged inspiration for the film, which had strong box office at its opening this weekend.

    Writing in Macleans magazine, Eckler said she is suing Judd Apatow, director of Knocked Up, and Universal Studios, the producer.

    The movie, like Eckler's book, is the story of a one-night stand, by a young woman under the influence of alcohol, that results in a pregnancy.

    Eckler said if the similarities ended there, she could let the matter go — but they continue, right down to the religion of the father (Jewish) and the career choice of the film's main character, Alison.

    "Both my book and the movie feature one night of passion and the nine months that follow. Fine. Whatever," she wrote.

    "But what got me was the fact that 'Alison' was an up-and-coming television reporter; in my book, I was an up-and-coming newspaper reporter."
     
  2. Double J

    Double J Active Member

    She might be well known, but she isn't particularly well respected.

    She used to work for the National Post and, along with Leah McLaren at the Globe and Mail, specializes in an astonishly vapid brand of bimbo journalism. The two of them are collectively known as "McEckler," because they're pretty much interchangeable.
     
  3. indiansnetwork

    indiansnetwork Active Member

    Similar but does she really think they took her idea. I don't think so.
     
  4. Jake_Taylor

    Jake_Taylor Well-Known Member

    If he would have just cast Romany Malco as the lead he wouldn't have anything to worry about.
     
  5. HejiraHenry

    HejiraHenry Well-Known Member

    That's what Eddie Murphy said, but he eventually had to write Art Buchwald a check.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchwald_v._Paramount
     
  6. indiansnetwork

    indiansnetwork Active Member

    Excellent find on that one, it is rather interesting that is for sure.
     
  7. HejiraHenry

    HejiraHenry Well-Known Member

    And there's Harlan Ellison's suit against the makers of Terminator and the whole "He's So Fine/My Sweet Lord" thing.

    But every time a movie or book makes a buttload of money, there's some crank comes out of the woodwork looking for a slice.
     
  8. Simon_Cowbell

    Simon_Cowbell Active Member

    Yeah......THAT'S similar.
     
  9. Perry White

    Perry White Active Member

    You're right, though I thought this woman might be a bit more credible than normal.
     
  10. Double J

    Double J Active Member

    Um, no.
     
  11. ifilus

    ifilus Well-Known Member

    Sounds like a slam dunk.
    They didn't even bother to change the title.
     
  12. HejiraHenry

    HejiraHenry Well-Known Member

    Based on the way the story is written, I agree.
     
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