Joke theft is an unfortunately pervasive part of the comedy community that sometimes makes performers hesitant to share their work with audiences. Concerns arise as more established comedians have been known to steal the material of up and coming artists, effectively stealing work and pay from newer performers.
The Responsibility of Venue Owners
If you are the owner of a comedy club or an entertainment venue that wants to host comedians, you might wonder what you can do to protect your artists from having their intellectual property stolen. As the owner of this sort of venue, you can inspire confidence by hiring the attorneys of Garcia-Zamor to set up a system for protecting your artists’ material. This can make talented new artists much more confident about booking a show at your venue, inspiring them to bring fresh, exciting material for their sets. This confidence can be a great asset to your advertising strategy when you are recruiting new talent. It can also help you gain support in your community, as you will be seen as a business owner that values their artists/performers.
Up and coming comedians will greatly appreciate your investment in their careers. Protecting your artists legally may also be less expensive than you imagine, especially when implementing a club-wide strategy to streamline the process.
The Security of Legal Assistance
If you have never studied intellectual property before, you might be asking yourself how this protection will be helpful to your clients. After all, if other comedians have already incorporated stolen material into their routines, what else is there to do? But this is what comedians who steal jokes from up and coming performers want you to believe. It also benefits them for you to assume that the costs will be too high to afford legal action. Legal services can help comedians prove that their material is their own creation so that they receive credit and recognition. They may also be able to receive financial compensation for the theft.
Joke theft can be costly for up and coming comedians, and it can be difficult for performers to prove that they have lost revenue due to the theft. Luckily, if you have provided legal assistance and artists have obtained federal copyright registration for their material, they will be able to recover damages. This can make your venue feel safer, as the artists will know they have your support. Anyone who may be tempted to steal will also be discouraged from the practice, knowing they will run into legal trouble if they prey on your performers.
If you are concerned about joke theft and are interested in what resources you can provide for your talent, contact Garcia-Zamor today. We can go over your options and the services we provide. You will see the benefits when talented comedians who entertain at your club confidently bring out their best material, knowing that their best work is safe at your venue.
