# If you created a funny meme here, could SNL ever use it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 7, 2016, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372 "2016-02-07T01:00:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/1 "2016-02-07T01:00:02Z")
Let say that you think up something that pretty funny, topical, and SNL sketch worthy. You then post it here. Q: Could they ever use it? I’m not asking for me. SNL people would never deign to stoop so low as to ever speak to me; I’d be lucky if I got a silent dirty look or a creepy stare. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/2 "2016-02-07T01:08:51Z")
Lets throw this down into the quarry and see what the legal department says. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/3 "2016-02-07T01:27:02Z")
Last time this came up, everything posted here is property of the Chicago Reader. That might have changed; check the user agreement. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/4 "2016-02-07T01:37:58Z")
I think this would cover it… > [@](#): > > All postings and other material on the SDMB are copyrighted by STM. Republication of material appearing on the SDMB without express written permission of STM is prohibited, except that users retain the right to republish their own work. So, you could sell your meme to SNL. You might have to get TPTB’s permission to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/regallag_the_axe/32/445_2.png) [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/5 "2016-02-07T03:49:34Z")
WARNING: much swearing follows Fuck, no. The shit I post here is too goddamn cussy for those cock suckers to put on a mother fucking TV show. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/6 "2016-02-07T05:29:48Z")
Just want to point out that your title says something different than your actual post. A meme would already be repeated everywhere. It will have mutated, and the Internet will claim it as its own. And SNL would not make something copying the meme but would instead comment on it. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/7 "2016-02-07T21:29:58Z")
Good point: meme - something they might comment on. Funny take on something - We have Bernie Sanders sketches for 2 full years; don’t call us, we’ll ignore you. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/8 "2016-02-07T22:18:14Z")
> [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](#): > > WARNING: much swearing follows > > Fuck, no. The shit I post here is too goddamn cussy for those cock suckers to put on a mother fucking TV show. I always wanted to meet a Deadwood star 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2016, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/9 "2016-02-07T22:42:23Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Just want to point out that your title says something different than your actual post. A meme would already be repeated everywhere. It will have mutated, and the Internet will claim it as its own. And SNL would not make something copying the meme but would instead comment on it. Yes, this. As for posting something here like a funny line, joke, or idea for a sketch: unless it was really elaborate or specific, other people (including SNL’s writers) could easily have come up with the same idea independently. How would you know whether they got it from you? ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/10 "2016-02-08T03:56:55Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Just want to point out that your title says something different than your actual post. A meme would already be repeated everywhere. It will have mutated, and the Internet will claim it as its own. And SNL would not make something copying the meme but would instead comment on it. A lot of people seem to think a meme is a ripped off image with a lame caption superimposed on it. The _concept_ of ripping off images and putting lame captions on them may be a meme, but not the individual ripped off images with lame captions. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/11 "2016-02-08T04:10:34Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I think this would cover it… > > So, you could sell your meme to SNL. You might have to get TPTB’s permission to do so. It’s a non-exclusive license. You retain the rights to anything you post here. You would not need to get permission. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/12 "2016-02-08T04:20:49Z")
Is a meme ever random text on a message board? I think of visuals when I think of memes, and this is the least visual place on the internet. Also, I don’t think of people creating something here, maybe creating something and then sharing it here. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/13 "2016-02-08T04:22:04Z")
Wouldn’t SNL likely have a fair use claim, seeing as how they would probably be using the idea for parody, as opposed to just repeating the idea with no further context or content added? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/14 "2016-02-08T17:51:20Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Wouldn’t SNL likely have a fair use claim, seeing as how they would probably be using the idea for parody, as opposed to just repeating the idea with no further context or content added? The parody exemption is _vastly_ overrated by most people. It really isn’t all that broad. For something like _SNL_ to get away based on parody it has to be clear that they are making fun of something and no rational person would mistake the original for the parody. If they were to use a joke that a Doper created and posted here, that’s not parody and it could be an issue. The key points are theft of ideas and theft of the written word here. If they were to repeat something of non-trivial\* length posted here without permission or credit, it’s a problem. If they decided to make a skit based on the idea of “What if _Lord of The Rings_ were written by someone else?” then there could be a lawsuit but it wouldn’t be so easy to win. - What constitutes the minimal length of something to re-use before copyright law kicks in is not exactly specified. It would have to hashed out in court for each case. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/15 "2016-02-08T18:08:35Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > Is a meme ever random text on a message board? I think of visuals when I think of memes, and this is the least visual place on the internet. Also, I don’t think of people creating something here, maybe creating something and then sharing it here. Yes, a meme can be any information or idea that is repeated by different people. Many of the SDMB running gags count as memes; Og, 1920s death ray, Hey opal, just once for 20 minutes, and so on. Whether any of these memes are capable of spreading out of our message board culture is more debatable. But somebody figured out that internet memes can become more virulent when you add visuals, and so those visual memes have become what a lot of people think of when they see or hear the word “meme.” ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-created-a-funny-meme-here-could-snl-ever-use-it/745372/16 "2016-02-08T18:47:46Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > Yes, a meme can be any information or idea that is repeated by different people. Many of the SDMB running gags count as memes; Og, 1920s death ray, Hey opal, just once for 20 minutes, and so on. Whether any of these memes are capable of spreading out of our message board culture is more debatable. “I burning your dog” has some presence on Uncyclopedia.