So, we were discussing defamation in my communications law class today, and the professor taught us about the "libel pinball game." Essentially, there are eight conditions ("holes") that must be met for a statement to be considered libelous, and in order to avoid the charge, you have to make sure that at least one condition can't be met (by making it so the "ball" can't go in the "hole" or something).
This kind of makes sense, but my first thought upon hearing about the "libel pinball game" was of an actual pinball machine that displays insulting messages every so often. I'm going to borrow from/add to Jeff Goldstein's Pinball Post (one of the most brilliant things ever written) to give you an idea of what popped into my head (and almost made me laugh out loud in the middle of class):
*INSERT COIN, COCKSUCKER*
clink. clink.
sproing!
ding. dingdingdingdingdingding.
*BALL LOCK, BITCH*
ding.
dingding.
*MULTIBALL, MOTHERFUCKER*
dingdingthwap!
thwap!
*EXTRA BALL, ASSHOLE*
ding. dingdingdingdingding.
dingdingdingdingthwap!
*JACKPOT, JACKASS*
thwap!
thwap!
*TILT, DIPSHIT*
...Maybe it's only funny to me. Specifically, I almost burst into laughter the second "MULTIBALL, MOTHERFUCKER" came to me.
I think I need to sleep more.
(NOTE: I am aware that insults technically don't count as libel, but I'm just telling you what was in my head at the time)
Posted by CD on October 3, 2006 08:35 PM | TrackBackI'm laughing, too. I'm imagining a kid in an arcade playing that pinball game, then telling his parents what he did after school.
Posted by: Alex at October 12, 2006 01:56 AM