# South Park & John Edward **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 28, 2002, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-john-edward/139412 "2002-11-28T23:07:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Daniel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Daniel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daniel)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-john-edward/139412/41 "2002-12-01T03:20:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BlueMit11 \* > **To be able to sue for fraud you have to have suffered some financial loss (which could be loosely related to emotional suffering) and the statement must be either untrue or invasion of privacy (such as revealing that someone had an abortion). But, since the case between Larry Flynt and Jerry Falwell set a precedent…** slight nitpick: it wasn’t Hustler v. Falwell that set the public figure precedent; it was New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) initially, and later Gertz v. Welch (1974?) that drew the distinction between public and private figures. Hustler v. Falwell was primarily an emotional distress case (Falwell’s problem was the use of his mother in the Hustler ad) that was decided as if it were a libel case. Which is significant. Even if Edwards avoided saying South Park libeled him, and wanted to say it caused emotional distress, thanks to Falwell we know he’d be held to the same test as if he were suing for libel. Meaning, he’s a public figure, so tough luck. ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2002, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-john-edward/139412/42 "2002-12-01T03:35:31Z")
I just opened this thread as the episode came on. I would love to see JE try to defend him reputation. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/south-park-john-edward/139412.md?page=2)