Articles

Conan jokes may have killed, but he stands accused of theft

What do Caitlyn Jenner, Tom Brady and the Washington Monument have in common? They’re all subjects of punchlines Conan O’Brien is accused of ripping off — and that’s no joke. O’Brien lost an effort to toss out a federal copyright infringement lawsuit in San Diego last week, potentially setting up a novel trial over comic creativity and the value of laughter.

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Ready to rock out at Zeppelin ‘Stairway’ trial? Try sheet music

Anyone with internet access can listen for themselves to whether Led Zeppelin’s opening “Stairway to Heaven” riff rips off a song recorded three years earlier. But the jury deciding the fate of the rock masterpiece — and its millions of dollars in royalties — won’t hear a simple mash-up with the obscure 1968 instrumental “Taurus” by the group Spirit.

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