"Scud Stud" Arthur Kent Sues Over "Charlie Wilson's War" Footage

LOS ANGELES — The Canadian reporter known as the "Scud Stud" during the 1991 Gulf War has sued the makers of "Charlie Wilson's War" over footage used in the Tom Hanks-Julia Roberts movie.

Arthur Kent, whose live NBC reports on Iraq's Scud missile attacks on Saudia Arabia made him a celebrity, claims in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday that filmmakers violated his intellectual property rights.

The lawsuit claims Universal Studios and other companies used segments of a 1986 news program Kent made about the Soviet Union's war in Afghanistan without his consent.

It seeks an injunction against distributing the movie, among other provisions, in addition to unspecified damages.

Universal spokesman Michael Moses didn't immediately return a phone call early Friday seeking comment.

The 2007 film, directed by Mike Nichols, also starred Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams.

Comments

[AMERIKA]

What a dillweed. This movie gets his reporting from that era out again in a way that it never would have otherwise seen the light of day.

[jubo]

Stud? I grin while recalling his shaking microphone... hey, where's Arnett?

[totalliberal]

He is probably talking about the footage he shot on his own in Afghanistan before 9/11 and after the Gulf War. You know around the time the movie takes place. By the way ace, Afghanistan is not Iraq or Saudi Arabia. You see they are different countries. Get it Ace?

[David423]

Arthur Kent is alive and well and lost an election
in Alberta just recently.

Arthur and his brother, Peter, are conservative
crybabies. Peter also lost an election several
years back.

They're both back in Canada and neither is
working on TV. Nobody seems to want them.

Conservatives . . .hmmmm ...I wonder why.

[totalliberal]

I knew and worked with Peter at Global News. He was always a bit of a self-involved war-junkie, nut. Believe it or not he wanted the film crew to stay behind with him in Cambodia after the Rouge took over. We all told him too piss-off. His brother was about 14 at the time. I guess the fruit stays pretty close to the tree.

[jmparks]

He's still alive? If so, where? And what's he do to pay the bills? Auctioning that sweet leather jacket on eBay could probably bring in a few bucks.

[seamunky]

What? He owns the news???

[jungpatawan]

'Samatter, Kent, did you only get 14 and a half minutes? Admit it, the guy you really want to sue is Wolf Blitzer. Listen, it's not his fault he has a cool name, while people continue to ask to see your Hitchhiker's Guide. Not their fault either: Kent, Dent, who can tell the difference?

Now WOLF, that stands out!

Don't Panic!

JP

[xcrunner77]

Too late! I already saw the movie!!

Oh, and sorry, Scud Stud, but even though I watched the movie 2 days ago on DVD, I don't remember you at all. Get over yourself.

[oceanlover]

Ahem,

If YOUR intellectual property (not that you have any,) were being used without YOUR permission, you'd want to sue the thieves as well moron. It's not about face time for Mr. Kent and never has been. Past is prologue. He comes from a family of journalists. He walked away from the American media scene, (smart, classy man that he is,) years ago and never looked back other than to be sure the corporate creeps that be, weren't trying to get away with something at his expense. More power to him - always.

[mistlesuede]

We're watching it tonight! Too late!

[DrHemlock]

These Canucks sure have thin skin.

Well, at least they've got something. Helps 'em distract attention from their Government's long and cozy relationship with their religious institutions' concentration camps ("boarding schools" -- nice touch) for indigenous people and the mass graves that are starting to show up full of children on government land.

http://profbw.wordpress.com/2008/04/21/the-boarding-school-genocide/

BTW, has it occurred to any of you that Kent is doing this so that he gets attention? "Hey, look everyone -- Arthur Kent is back!" Or is it outside the realm of possibility that a Canadian can be a media whore?

Howie Mandel, anyone?

[Nutcase]

"The 2007 film, directed by Mike Nichols, also starred Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams."

Amy Adams? I thought it starred Julia Roberts. Perhaps it is just my senility.

[ControlledBurn]

The 'Blame the Victim Squad' is out in force, as usual.

[ptarantino]

Everybody should be required to read Charlie Wilson's war, by George Crile. It's 10X better than the movie & explains the details & how many different Countries were in bed together arming the Muslim "Holy Warrior's."

[jubo]

A '1986 news program'... For what outlet? An independent documentary?

The stud who refused any subsequent military assignment.

[totalliberal]

Read his bio, then get back to us with some real facts, jubo nobody.

[jubo]

Still think a simple clause between commas could have included the info. One does not need sift through an entire bio. As a journalist you should know this. It is ironic you label Peter Kent 'self-involved'.

[jubo]

relax...

[escapee]

Mmmm, Authur Kent.... where have you been? You still turn up in my scud dreams!

[maschwab]

http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html Fair use in a For Profit film would not seem to be permitted, but as historical events / statements would certainly be valid to recreate.

[Sumocat]

The question is: who owns the footage, Kent or NBC? Since NBC published the footage, they hold the copyright and should be able to use it freely. Universal Studios is part of NBC Universal so they too can use NBC-owned material freely. Kent's claim to the footage is contingent on the terms of his contract with NBC and whether he retains any ownership of the footage.

[arturobandini]

Arthur Kent is awesome! The book he wrote about his nightmare job at NBC (stands for "Nothing But C*nts" btw) was a brave nailbiter and an urgent warning about what was happening to network news in the '90s. NBC tried to smear him for refusing to do "light news" by saying he was crazy. Crazy as Cassandra, Kent sued them and won enough money to hire back his crew (which NBC had laid off) and start his own documentary company. The man is a great role model in journalism, and if I were Canadian, I'd proudly campaign for him.

[MaracaKabob]

Before you go trash talking someone you don't even know, take the time to learn a little more. Maybe that goes against the idiot code or something.

Arthur Kent is a good man and you punks should be embarrassed by your rush to judgement.
http://www.salon.com/media/1998/02/06media.html

I guess any familiar name that get posted up gets spit at automatically, no matter the issue.

[MaracaKabob]

Copyright is the law, they should pay up. How was he supposed to know they were using HIS footage until the movie already came out if they didn't get his permission beforehand. This kind of lawsuit is what protects you from corporations that would otherwise take your properties and use them without any compensation.

FYI, Arthur Kent is running for public office in Canada.

Some of you numbskulls think that once someone's US tv career slows down, that somehow that person is dead or living on skid row. Gee, Arthur Kent could have been a Wolfe Blitzer, as if being a corporate new punk is somehow the zenith of living.

Some of you are so stupid. You read a headline and without any knowledge of the story, you just start spewing negativity. You all would have made a great witch burning mob. Morons!

[Blurgle]

He isn't "running" - he ran on the Conservative ticket in Calgary Currie and lost to Liberal MLA Dave Taylor.

If there is a better definition of the phrase 'abject failure' than to lose to a Liberal while running as a Conservative IN CALGARY, I do not know it.

[BrettnCalgary]

This would be true, lol

[Podewumun]

RIGHT ON, Maraca. Apparently none of the monkeys posting here know the first thing about filing a civil complaint with a federal court. It's not like you can run down to Office Depot and pick up a couple of pre-printed forms.
Americans are woefully ignorant when it comes to the workings of our legal system.
Maybe it's the flouride in our water. lol

[DrHemlock]

Um, Arthur, I know that, um, as a "news person," you, um, "get" the, um, concept of, uh-ah-um, "news."

This movie? Ah, old news. Do the words, "day late" and "dollar short" mean anything to you?

[geobushono]

so 15 minutes just wasn't enough, huh?...........embarassing.

[JohnnyCanuck99]

Come on, Arthur Kent. Couldn't you have just asked for $25k or something without damaging your credibility even more?

A journalist/censor isn't going to be a popular combo. Especially after the movie's essentially finished its main lifecycle. Makes it kinda look even more like you're out to lunch. Oh well.

[herronsmith]

Perhaps a scud hit the stud over in Saudi rendering him incapable of making sound decisions. If that's not the case then he is just a pathetic money-grubber.

[Killer]

Which may bring on tomorrow's headline: "Scud Stud a Dud."