# CNN claims it has the Straight Dope - Sic 'em, Ed **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 23, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597 "2005-02-23T22:33:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/1 "2005-02-23T22:33:42Z")
Their [home page](http://www.cnn.com/) has\* a link titled [Straight dope on reform](http://money.cnn.com/2005/01/13/retirement/straight_dope/index.htm), which naturally caught my eye. At that site they have a javascipt link title “GET THE STRAIGHT DOPE”. I half-expected a column by Cecil, or an offer to register for the SDMB (OK, not really). Just thought you guys might want to know. \*_had_ a link. You guys are quick. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/2 "2005-02-23T22:40:39Z")
IAAI (I am an Idiot), but I’m pretty sure you can’t copyright a short phrase, such as “straight dope,” so CNN should be in the clear. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/3 "2005-02-23T22:45:50Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > Their [home page](http://www.cnn.com/) has\* a link titled [Straight dope on reform](http://money.cnn.com/2005/01/13/retirement/straight_dope/index.htm), which naturally caught my eye. At that site they have a javascipt link title “GET THE STRAIGHT DOPE”. I half-expected a column by Cecil, or an offer to register for the SDMB (OK, not really). > > Just thought you guys might want to know. > > \*_had_ a link. You guys are quick. 😉 Much as I worship Cecil, surely he has no sole rights to the phrase ‘straight dope’? I thought it had been around long before the column started. ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/4 "2005-02-23T23:05:02Z")
You’ll note that the top of your browser window bears a blue and orange logo proclaiming: **THE STRAIGHT DOPE®** ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/5 "2005-02-23T23:08:32Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Much as I worship Cecil, surely he has no sole rights to the phrase ‘straight dope’? I thought it had been around long before the column started. You probably cannot copyright the phrase “The Straight Dope,” but you can trademark it. (If you look at the logo on the top of the page, you will see the small (R) indicating that it is indeed a registered trademark). It appears that the Chicago Reader has [trademarked](http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=dvk50g.2.2) “The Straight Dope” for: > [@](#): > > providing, by means of a global computer information network, interactive and non-interactive computer databases containing information in a wide variety of fields; retail store services, available through a global computer information network, featuring a wide variety of consumer goods; providing information in a wide variety of fields by means of a global computer information network Although this is not my field of practice, and I am not the Reader’s lawyer, if CNN has a web feature purporting to offer “the straight dope” on a subject, there may be grounds to send it a cease and desist letter or take other action. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/6 "2005-02-23T23:11:43Z")
> [@Ilsa\_Lund](#): > > You’ll note that the top of your browser window bears a blue and orange logo proclaiming: > > **THE STRAIGHT DOPE(R)** Time for a nitpick - it actually says: > [@Ilsa\_Lund](#): > > **THE STRAIGHT DOP(R)E** ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/7 "2005-02-23T23:28:53Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Time for a nitpick - it actually says: You’re both wrong. It’s actually: THE STRAIGHT DOP®E ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/8 "2005-02-23T23:31:06Z")
Well, nobody’s turned it ORANGE yet, so we’re all wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/9 "2005-02-23T23:32:44Z")
> [@Ilsa\_Lund](#): > > Well, nobody’s turned it ORANGE yet, so we’re all wrong. We may be attentive, but we’re not anal 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2005, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/10 "2005-02-23T23:33:47Z")
What the world needs now is The Straight Dope on The Straight Dope. _Pleeze._ ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/11 "2005-02-24T11:53:48Z")
“The Cincinnati Harold” has the tagline, “The Straight Dope from a Straight Dope.” I always wonder if the author is One Of Us. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/12 "2005-02-24T14:04:49Z")
> [@FisherQueen](#): > > “The Cincinnati Harold” has the tagline, “The Straight Dope from a Straight Dope.” I always wonder if the author is One Of Us. Yes, but can he spell “Herald”? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Merhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/13 "2005-02-24T14:32:29Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Yes, but can he spell “Herald”? 😃 Well, yes, but the **Herald** sent **Harold** a cease and desist letter 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/14 "2005-02-24T14:50:45Z")
> [@Merhouse](#): > > Well, yes, but the **Herald** sent **Harold** a cease and desist letter 😉 :smack: I shoulda googled first… ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/15 "2005-02-24T15:52:02Z")
Mmmmm… SD on SD action. That is so hot. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/16 "2005-02-24T16:12:24Z")
> [@Duderdude2](#): > > IAAI (I am an Idiot), but I’m pretty sure you can’t copyright a short phrase, such as “straight dope,” so CNN should be in the clear. Super Bowl? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/17 "2005-02-24T16:23:42Z")
Yeah, I think the point is _familiar_ short phrase. As explained above though, these can be trademarked for use in specific areas, as Chicago Reader has done with SD both for internet and print arenas. (I note, however, that their television trademark for the phrase is now marked as dead in the official register.) Trump tried to trademark “You’re fired” recently but I think a bunch of potteries were there first. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2005, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/18 "2005-02-24T18:49:10Z")
> [@Duderdude2](#): > > You’re both wrong. It’s actually: > THE STRAIGHT DOP®E This post has been oranged by **The Orangist**! _Please_ don’t shoot me. Somebody hadda do it. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2005, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/19 "2005-02-26T10:04:00Z")
E.E. Smith’s _Lensman_ series - written primarily in the 1940s if I’m not mistaken - was full of mentions of getting “the dope” and I believe even a few mentions of “the straight dope”. The phrase is older than the newspaper column. ---
**Author:** ![Iceland\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Iceland\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iceland_Blue)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2005, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597/20 "2005-02-26T10:33:42Z")
But not as old as some Dopers 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-claims-it-has-the-straight-dope-sic-em-ed/291597.md?page=2)