Sony's 'Balls' Ad 'Borrowed' From 'Late Show' Skit
Perhaps everyone has seen this already but in yet another confirmation the new idea bucket is empty, Scamp unearths this ten year old clip from Dave Letterman which shows colored balls being unleashed down a steep hill. Oh, and there's watermelons too. As Scamp correctly points out, using a previous idea is not necessarily stealing. After all, all sorts of things have been "re-gifted" and passed off as new. It doesn't make the creation bad or the creators stealers. If each successive reincarnation serves its own purpose then it's more a good thing than bad. And the 'Balls' ad was a very good thing. Creativity comes, in part, through inspiration. Inspiration comes from the appreciation of something that profoundly influences. Influential work comes from...well, you get the point. It's a cycle. Hopefully as the cycle continues, value and relevance are a part of the deal.
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I recall the immortal testimony of "Itchy and Scratchy' creator Roy Meyers Jr: "Your honor, you take away our right to steal ideas, where are they gonna come from?
If it weren't for someone plagiarizing the Honeymooners, we wouldn't have the Flintstones. If someone hadn't ripped off Sgt.Bilko, they'd be no Top Cat. Huckleberry Hound, Chief Wiggum,Yogi Bear? Hah! Andy Griffith, Edward G. Robinson, Art Carney."
Just so long as the "creators" are willing to openly admit they repurposed the ideas. For the most part, unfortunately, they won't and don't.