# Spike = Spike Lee?????

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [June 21, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337 "2003-06-21T02:13:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 19\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/1 "2003-06-21T02:13:40Z")

</div>

TNN (formerly the National Network [formerly the Nashville Network]) wants to become the FIRST NETWORK FOR MEN.

They want to change the name to SpikeTV. Spike Lee says when people think of Spike they think of him.

Do THEY???

Quoted  
"TNN loses Spike appeal  
Allison Romano  
Broadcasting & Cable  
6/20/2003 12:00:00 PM  
\_  
Viacom-owned TNN lost a second attempt in court Thursday to proceed with plans to change the channel’s name to Spike TV.

A panel of Appellate Division judges in New York City upheld an injunction granted to filmmaker Spike Lee last week to keep the channel from being renamed Spike TV.  
TNN had been seeking to freeze the injunction.

The network, part of the MTV Networks group, plans to appeal the decision.  
“We intend to appeal vigorously and still expect to be vindicated ultimately,” TNN said in a statement. “We firmly believe we have an absolute right to use the common word ‘spike’ as the name of our network.”

In the meantime, TNN is still morphing into “the first network for men” as planned.  
A new block of adult animation, including Gary the Rat with Kelsey Grammar and Stripperella with Pamela Anderson, was slated to debut on schedule Thursday. For now, the shows are airing on The New TNN for men.

Lee alleges TNN is trying to profit off his name and likeness and does not want to be associated with the channel.

© 2002 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Diff\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@Diff\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diff_T)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/2 "2003-06-22T22:06:59Z")

</div>

Spike Lee is complete moron.

I’ll never entertain the idea of seeing any of his movies ever, ever, EVER again.

What a wad.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FairyDust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ccd318/32.png) [@FairyDust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyDust)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/3 "2003-06-22T22:10:51Z")

</div>

When I heard of the new “Spike TV” I thought of Spike, a.k.a. William the Bloody. Oooh, peroxide-head sexy vamp! Kewl!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/4 "2003-06-22T22:20:40Z")

</div>

Since when does Spike Lee have exclusive ownership of the name Spike?

How about Spike Jonz, or Spike Spiegel from **Cowboy Bebop** , or the aforementioned Spike from BtVS?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/5 "2003-06-22T22:24:59Z")

</div>

Could it be that Spike Lee is between projects at the moment and is looking at some free publicity? I’m not being too cynical, am I?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FairyDust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ccd318/32.png) [@FairyDust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyDust)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/6 "2003-06-22T22:29:10Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by HPL \*  
> \*\*Since when does Spike Lee have exclusive ownership of the name Spike?
> 
> How about Spike Jonz, or Spike Spiegel from **Cowboy Bebop** , or the aforementioned Spike from BtVS? \*\*

Spike Lee needs to get over himself. I had no opinion of him before, but now I think he’s a total putz.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/7 "2003-06-22T22:58:57Z")

</div>

Win or lose, the network should run a Spike Lee movie marathon when the case is settled.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![raisinbread](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8491ac/32.png) [@raisinbread](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raisinbread)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/8 "2003-06-22T23:06:50Z")

</div>

I always thought of Mr. Lee as being a putz, especially one sorely lacking in any talent beyond garnering publicity.  
TNN should forge ahead and rename their network.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/9 "2003-06-22T23:31:52Z")

</div>

What I’m puzzled by… is how come two separate courts have NOT laughed his ass out of the room? Any hints, lawyer Dopers?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TeaRoses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@TeaRoses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaRoses)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2003, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/10 "2003-06-22T23:51:36Z")

</div>

A whole network dedicated to Spike Spiegel? Actually, I’d watch that.

But, no, I didn’t think of Spike Lee at all when I heard the name. (still think it’s a stupid name, but that’s beside the point)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/11 "2003-06-23T03:44:16Z")

</div>

I’m not a lawyer, but one would suspect that the fact that he hasn’t been laughed out of court might suggest _he has a case_, as opposed to people who keep asking “why does he think he owns the name Spike,” which isn’t the issue.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/12 "2003-06-23T03:59:47Z")

</div>

How about Spike from Buffy - 24 hours of him - now that’s good programming.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/13 "2003-06-23T04:19:18Z")

</div>

I mentioned this in another thread, but at least they got rid of the black bar across the bottom for now. But considering some of the programming they have in mind and the intentionally smarmy way they’ve been promoting the change, maybe “The First Network For Cretins” would be more fitting.

But how cynical and paranoid am I that at first I thought the “Spike vs. Spike” injuction thing was a deliberate attempt to generate publicity? I saw a figure on several news and business shows as well as the NY Times that TNN was claiming they had lost $17 million in wasted promotions and advertising. But I still can’t feel sorry for them.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/14 "2003-06-23T04:45:11Z")

</div>

In a late breaking development, TNN has announced its new name will be SheldonTV with the format “The Network for Poseurs”.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/15 "2003-06-23T05:24:03Z")

</div>

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Little Nemo \*  
> \*\*In a late breaking development, TNN has announced its new name will be SheldonTV with the format “The Network for Poseurs”. \*\*

Ha! My editor at the newspaper I worked at was Sheldon. He was not a particularly charasmatic man, and I doubt he’d make a good 24-hour cable network.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/16 "2003-06-23T15:43:26Z")

</div>

I don’t see the arguments here though. Spike Lee is not the first thing you think of when you think spike.

I would be more apt to give Madonna the rights to Madonna as some non Christians etc…may think of her.

Wasn’t Spike Fonzie’s nephew as well?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/17 "2003-07-08T13:21:38Z")

</div>

All over.

[http://dnj.midsouthnews.com/news.ez?viewStory=59869&Form.sess\_id=332008&Form.sess\_key=1057669955](http://dnj.midsouthnews.com/news.ez?viewStory=59869&Form.sess_id=332008&Form.sess_key=1057669955)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/18 "2003-07-08T14:05:55Z")

</div>

Our worried nation can now rest easy.

“Hey you! Keep those hairy palms away from that remote, _Stripperella_ is up next on Spike TV!”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spike-spike-lee/183337/19 "2003-07-08T15:06:36Z")

</div>

According to that article they settled. I really hope Lee didn’t get any significant amount of money.

Maybe a dollar.
