No Joke: Lampoon Sues Lampoon

The Harvard Lampoon, a semi-secret Sorrento Square social organization that used to occasionally publish a so-called humor magazine, is suing the movie-making company National Lampoon over licensing fees.

In 1970, two Harvard Lampoon alumni and one current Lampoon writer produced the first issue of National Lampoon magazine. The humorous publication later loaned its name to hit films including National Lampoon’s Animal House and National Lampoon’s Vacation.

According to Courthouse News Service, the National Lampoon has paid licensing fees to the Harvard organization since 1969 for the use of its name. Now, claiming that the National Lampoon has not paid those dues in nearly four years, the Harvard Lampoon is demanding a payment of $145,000.

Shortly after the Harvard Lampoon filed its complaint, National Lampoon shareholders sued the company, complaining that it had made false statements about share prices.

This isn’t the first time the Harvard Lampoon has been defensive of its title. In 2004, the magazine threatened to sue the Georgetown Lampoon (a humor magazine at Georgetown University), for its choice of name. To avoid the suit, the Georgetown Lampoon became the Georgetown Heckler.

Whatever the outcome of this pending suit, nobody seems to be treating it as a laughing matter.

Photo by Flyby Blog/The Harvard Crimson