Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2009 October 15

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October 15

Two guys and a pizza place episode

My question is about two guys and a pizza place.

In one episode there is a rat or a mouse in the guys apartment that they set a trap for. I think in the end berg sets off the trap by moving the sandwich. Can anyone tell me the name of that episode please?

Thanx —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.19.101.154 (talk) 09:16, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

Added header. I assume you're talking about the show "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" (later renamed "Two Guys and a Girl"). I've never seen the program, but we have a list of episodes with plot summaries - perhaps you'll find it listed there. -- 128.104.112.179 (talk) 14:47, 16 October 2009 (UTC)

Sci-fi movies

How many science-fiction movies are released in a typical week, including anime, and during the low season if there is one? NeonMerlin[1] 11:23, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

If we're talking fairly major movies shown in a large number of cinemas internationally, then less than one a week (maybe 20 a year or so, going by List of science fiction films: 2000s). If you include much smaller films, particularly direct-to-DVD, then it is going to be much higher. I don't know where we would get the data for that, though. --Tango (talk) 11:51, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

If you go to the search page at http://www.imdb.com/list, you can search for all science fiction films released in a particular year. Put "sci-fi" in the genre box, and the year you're looking for in the year box, then click on SEARCH. 99.166.95.142 (talk) 15:54, 16 October 2009 (UTC)

TMZ

What does that shows acronym stand for?Accdude92 (talk) (sign) 13:15, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

See the article on TMZ.com. →Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 13:18, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

^{i've not looked at the site, nor have I heard of this but my guess would be...the music zone. correct? Teach me for being a smart-ass. 'Thirty Mile Zone' apparently.} 194.221.133.226 (talk) 08:24, 16 October 2009 (UTC)

Pokémon girls fanart

Very often on art sites such as DeviantArt, I see fanart of Pokémon girls like Misty dressed up in specific costumes, such as a "Goldeen suit" or a "Snake suit". (I especially like the "Snake suit" because it immobilises the girl's arms.) Why are these specific costumes so popular? Where do they come from? Were they prominently featured on the show? JIP | Talk 17:17, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

um.... well for one why do you like the arms not being able to move eh? nah im kidding. and as for the goldeen suit, im sure its because she has one right? --Talk Shugoːː 17:37, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

I'm fairly sure that, in one episode, the people dressed up as pokemon and battled with each other, but don't hold me to that.  Buffered Input Output 18:16, 20 October 2009 (UTC)

Licensing TV shows (e.g. Survivor, Idol)

On shows like Survivor, Idol, someone/a company in one country comes up with an idea, and then often other TV companies around the world will license that idea in order to make a local version. What I'm wondering - and not looking for legal advise, this isn't something I'm planning on doing (disclaimers seem necessary on these boards ;-)) - is how different does an idea need to be before you no longer need to license, but can just do it? e.g. Pop Idol seems (to my rarely watching eye at least) to differ from X-factor in no appreciable way. Similarly, when watching Survivor, Castaway put a group of strangers together on an island, Shipwrecked does likewise, just about every reality show going involves people being voted off, by either themselves or the public - I suppose, the format seems, to my mind at least, to be essentially unprotectable, to the extent that everyone's doing almost exactly the same things. So how different does one show need to be from another before it's no longer considered a franchise, but instead a different show? --Saalstin (talk) 17:42, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

There is licensing related to the actual naming of the shows, so any show called "Survivor" in any country would have to get the license to use that name and logo. I am not sure about the content of the shows, and how much of that is copyrighted or trademarked so that a similar show would be plagiarizing. —Akrabbim^talk 18:07, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

I could be wrong, but I don't see why someone couldn't start another Next Top Model or Survivor. After all, there are plenty of trashy talk shows on the air and I haven't heard of Jerry Springer suing anyone. And since I doubt that he was the first to be really trashy, I haven't heard of anyone suing him either. Dismas|^(talk) 18:32, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

One side-note - X Factor was sufficiently close to Pop Idol for the creator of Pop Idol (Simon Fuller) to sue Simon Cowell over it - [2]. Tevildo (talk) 22:15, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

IANAIPL (I am not an intellectual property lawyer), but my understanding is that while logos can be trademarked, and content may be copyright, and specific formats of shows may be under some sort of protection, in general one cannot claim intellectual control over a general class of shows. Thus, while one cannot do a show that is substantially identical to another, for example do a show identical to Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, but call it something else, WWTBAM could not claim jurisdiction over all "Multiple choice quiz shows where someone stands to win a shitload of money." I believe that, as long as you establish something novel which sets your show apart from a similar show, you can claim originality. Thus, I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! is very similar to Survivor, but by introducing the novel concept of putting celebrities into the mix, it gets away with being a different show. Likewise, The Next Great American Band ran almost identical to American Idol/Pop Idol, except that TNGAB used bands instead of individual singers. So, as long as you can claim something original about how your show works, you can pretty much be immune from such violations; even if the show is mostly like the prior show. The principle usually quoted is "you cannot copyright an idea." --Jayron32 02:12, 16 October 2009 (UTC)

Yes you can. But the rest of what you say is pretty accurate Jayron. —Akrabbim^talk 03:16, 16 October 2009 (UTC)

No you can't. Copyright law protects the expression of an idea, but not the idea itself. "Intellectual property" is a nebulous term used by special-interest groups to blur the distintions between various discrete laws. It has no legal standing. Malcolm XIV (talk) 09:02, 16 October 2009 (UTC)

Clearly to some extent an idea can be protected, otherwise the lawsuit above would never have occurred and the world would be awash with books about "Harry Porter" and his adventures at "Pigwarts" school. How close can you get? That's something you're lawyer would have to advise on, and I'll bet even she can't be sure until after the trial. DJ Clayworth (talk) 00:24, 17 October 2009 (UTC)

Yes, thank god there aren't loads of Harry Potter ripoffs.

Once again, it is the expression of an idea that is subject to copyright, not the idea itself. The way in which a gameshow is presented – its format, visual style, etc – is the expression of an idea. Note, also, that anyone can bring a lawsuit if they can afford to do so and they can find a lawyer to represent the case; Simon Fuller's lawsuit never got as far as going to court, so we have no way of knowing whether or not his case was in tune with current copyright legislation. Settling out of court (as Simon Cowell did) is not the same thing as admitting liability. Malcolm XIV (talk) 11:56, 17 October 2009 (UTC)

The leading UK case is Celador v Melville (involving Millionaire) which only went as far as a preliminary determination that a gameshow _could_ be the subject of copyright legislation. The leading decided case on originality in this sort of situation is Norowzian v Arks (the Guinness Anticipation commercial) which laid down the definitive guidelines for what constitutes "substantial" copying. Beyond that is the territory of the (well-remunerated) copyright lawyer... Tevildo (talk) 12:35, 17 October 2009 (UTC)

Can anybody tell me the actual name of this video?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7xNWGXi_gY

It is referred to as 'Piano Man' but that's clearly not the title or Wikipedia's disambig page for Piano Man would have referred to it. Thanks.--Editor510 ^{drop us a line, mate} 21:14, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

Well the title is very clearly given as "'Piano Man' Disturbing Animation". Anyone can call their video Piano Man. There is no reason why Wikipedia's disambiguation page would point to every video with that name uploaded to YouTube.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 07:39, 16 October 2009 (UTC)

Yes, but still, I can't find it on IMDb. Can I please get an answer as this video really quite puzzles me.--Editor510 ^{drop us a line, mate} 16:55, 16 October 2009 (UTC)

"Tony de Peltrie". [3] on IMDb. Tevildo (talk) 11:29, 17 October 2009 (UTC)

There's this video that I can't find...

Awhile back, there was this video that I had watched several different times in a row. The upsetting thing is, is that I can't find it now. I can't even remember the name. The video consisted of a couple who were both British and they were on top of a rooftop. For some reason when I think of this video, I think "Skyline" is somewhere in the name. Every time I try to search it though, videos and pictures of a Nissan Skyline pop up. Anyway, the couple are talking about things that they loved about each other and hated. It's very emotional and it's obviously a skit-type thing even though skits have the tendency to be funny. I don't know, I can't find it and I've been wanting to see it for like two months now. I'm tired of searching, I need help. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.255.150.146 (talk) 23:48, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

Have you tried putting a minus sign in front of the word Nissan, as in "skyline -nissan"? That should weed out any results that contain the word Nissan. Dismas|^(talk) 00:30, 16 October 2009 (UTC)