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Friday, January 20, 2006

Don’t Tread on Wiley

Posted by on January 20 at 14:42 PM

Recently, I wrote a review of Seattle Repertory Theatre’s Restoration Comedy, which was based on two plays of the Restoration period. I said:

Amy Freed’s Restoration Comedy isn’t a meta-commentary on the frivolous plays of the 17th century so much as a CliffsNotes version of two such playsColley Cibber’s Love’s Last Shift and John Vanbrugh’s snarky response The Relapsestripped of their verbal gymnastics and inconvenient subplots and crammed with physical comedy and modern clichés.

Turns out the publisher of CliffsNotesexcuse me, CLIFFSNOTES® study guideshas a troupe of Googling monkeys monitoring the web for trademark infringement, because yesterday we got this letter:

Re: Trademark Infringement of CLIFFSNOTES®

To Whom It May Concern:

Wiley Publishing, Inc. (“Wiley”), publisher of the well-known and well-regarded CLIFFSNOTES® series of study guides recently became aware of The Stranger’s use of the CLIFFSNOTES® trademark in The Stranger theater listings, posted on its web site at http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Listings?oid=25727.

As you may know, Wiley has over 20 trademark registrations in the United States and other countries for the CLIFFSNOTES® trademark, including CLIFFS®, CLIFFS NOTES®, CLIFFSAP®, and CLIFFSNOTES.COM®. The CLIFFSNOTES® series has been in existence since 1958 and has enjoyed tremendous success.

Due to the significant efforts undertaken by Wiley to promote and protect its trademarks, and because of the potential for confusion or dilution regarding the CLIFFSNOTES® mark in the manner The Stranger has used Wiley’s trademark…

We ask that you refer to CLIFFSNOTES® as “CliffsNotes study guides” in any future editorials or articles.

Wiley asks for it, Wiley gets it. Here is the new, improved review of Restoration Comedy, which has closed at the Rep but will enjoy a run at California Shakespeare Theater in July:

Amy Freed’s Restoration Comedy isn’t a meta-commentary on the frivolous plays of the 17th century so much as a CLIFFSNOTES® study guides version of two such playsColley Cibber’s Love’s Last Shift and John Vanbrugh’s snarky response The Relapsestripped of their verbal gymnastics and inconvenient subplots and crammed with physical comedy and modern clichés.

Much better.