Enough Is Enough

Now that Steve Ward & VH1 have shown us their true colors, showing indifference to concerns of misogyny and perpetuating inaccurate information which could add to the danger of women and other victims of rape, we must take action.

Before I urged you to contact VH1 via their blog and Ward at his Match Makers website, and Marge has suggested emailing VH1 at vh1blog@vh1.com; but as we’re not making enough of an impact with those methods…

Flower Films and High Noon Entertainment are partners with VH1 to produce VH1 Tough Love. High Noon Entertainment is one of America’s largest creators of unscripted television, and Flower Films is a commercial film production company founded by Drew Barrymore & Nancy Juvonen.

Here’s how you contact them:

Flower Films
7360 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046
USA
Phone: 323-876-7400
Fax: 323-876-7401

High Noon Entertainment
12233 W. Olympic Blvd
Ste 328
Los Angeles, CA 90064
USA
Phone: 310-820-7500
www.highnoonentertainment.com
questions@highnoontv.com

Jeff Olde is the Executive Vice President in charge of Original Programming and Production at VH1.

VH1 Television
2600 Colorado Ave.
Santa Monica, CA 90404
USA
Phn: 310-752-8000

VH1 Television
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
USA
Phone: 212-846-6000

Also, Toughlove(R) America, LLC filed a lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles on March 4th for trademark infringement, trademark dilution and related claims against MTV Networks, Drew Barrymore’s Flower Films and High Noon Entertainment based on the defendants’ unauthorized use of the trademark “Tough Love,” of which Toughlove America is the exclusive licensee.

Igal J. Feibush, the company’s CEO said, “We believe that the actions of MTV/VH1 constitute a clear violation of our federal and state intellectual property rights. We have always vigilantly protected both our mark and the integrity of our proprietary program. With this lawsuit, we intend to stop VH1 from continuing to use our name and to collect damages for the harm being done to our brand by their use of it.” Toughlove America has stopped other media companies, including Sony Corporation and News Corporation, from using its trademark.

I’m sure they’d like to know that we think the show & it’s name are linked with misogyny and rape; that ought to raise damages.

Especially as Toughlove America has plans for its own show.

Matthew Lifschultz, Partner of Toughlove America, LLC
Phone:310-749-9702
MLifschultz@Toughlove.com

William J. Robinson and Miriam Claire Beezy, partners in the Los Angeles office of Foley & Lardner LLP, are representing Toughlove America, LLC in the action:

William J. Robinson
wrobinson@foley.com
213.972.4599

Miriam Claire Beezy
mbeezy@foley.com
213.972.4780

As you can see, I’m no longer messing around; I’m furious & I’m serious.

I am working on a list of VH1 advertisers too; any/all help is appreciated — as are all your letters, emails and calls of outrage.

PS Steve Ward is also, apparently, on Twitter: @stevenbward.

11 Comments

  1. Oh,dammit. Okay, I’ll write up a letter and mail copies to all those addresses. Thanks for the alert. I never watch VH1 anymore, so I didn’t know about this.

  2. I completely agree with what Steve said – he wasn’t telling Arian that she should get raped, he just told her to stop acting like a whore & putting herself in a position where she could be raped. Thank you for all the contact info, I have already sent in letters of support for the show as have many other fans of the show.

    P.S. Your blog sucks.

  3. Catherine, are you aware of what you just typed? You are clearly stating that it’s OK if sex workers (aka “whores”) or anyone who, by your definition, is “like a whore” gets raped.

    The only position Arian, “whores,” and those who “act like whores” are in is one of being blamed for whatever rape or abuse happens to them — which is being done by you, Catherine, and those like you who refuse to hold the rapists responsible for their actions.

    Until you face facts, you perpetuate myth-information, assist rapists, and further violate victims — and will, of course, remain
    steadfast in your ignorant opinions which led you to believe my blog sucks. Getting wise will help you to get hip.

  4. I agree with Steve. Arian is a wreck and obviously gets it from her mother. Nobody deserves to be raped – ever – period. I’m quite sure, however, that woman who have been raped after drinking and partying irresponsibly are no longer behaving in the same way. As a woman, unfortunately, I can’t predict if I will ever be a victim of a sexual assault or not – but I do have control over how I present myself in public, how much alcohol I consume with whom and where, the crowds I run with, etc. I can protect myself as much as humanly possible. It may not be a guarantee but I’m not going to invite it into my bed.

  5. Thanks, Nat. I agree with both you and Catherine. I feel that the statement isolated by itself can be taken out of context. There is no excuse for rape. But, the reality is that there are people of both sexes that take advantage of others in different ways that necessitate our need for caution. Steve’s intentions were in the right place.

    The feminist perspective is moved forward by reasonable, responsible role models and those who have fought hard for those that do not have a voice or equal standing in society.

    I see no point in attacking Steve or defending Arian or how blowing this situation out of proportion moves the feminist agenda forward. In fact, it is more important to challenge Arian to be a role model and an example of what is means to be a feminist and not excuse her for her inappropriate behavior. She has drawn disrespect from both genders, and in no way is moving the feminist agenda forward – if anything, she is hurting it.

  6. “In fact, it is more important to challenge Arian to be a role model and an example of what is means to be a feminist and not excuse her for her inappropriate behavior. She has drawn disrespect from both genders, and in no way is moving the feminist agenda forward – if anything, she is hurting it.”

    More important to who? If you mean people who are interested in perpetuating a culture where it’s acceptable to blame victims of sexual violence for that violence, then yes, I agree.

    So tokenizing a woman is the way to push forward a feminist agenda? It doesn’t fall onto the woman in questions shoulders to do anything, she doesn’t represent anyone but herself. If her actions are questionable it’s completely irrelevant to the discussion of rape and it’s prevalence in this society.

    This post sums up the flip side of the “she was asking for it” position, that rape is horrible, and the way it can be solved is by women learning to behave better. Which is an incredibly dangerous fiction at best.

  7. also, I can’t believe I failed to mention this before, 73% (www.rainn.org/statistics) of rape victims knew their attacker. Which completely blows the fucking lid off of the “some stranger in a bar is going to rape you” theory.

    The responsibility of preventing and stopping rape lies on the perpetrators, not the victims.

  8. Blah blah blah to Catherine Nat Tim…

    So many facts to educate them on. So is a person who lives in a hot climate of has medical problems who dresses to not be uncomfortale to blame? Nope, it’s the person who see’s her and has sexual thoughts. t Just like the people who see kids and know they have the “power” to take adavantago of the kids trust and innocense.

    If any of the “titled” above are survivors, related/friends of survivors, or educated in psychology then they can argue truthfully. If not, then I can say they are just ugly in the face and say so even thought I never met them of saw their picture…right?

    Take your head out of the sewer of programming and live reality for once. Please argue your case when this happens to your mama, sister, friend, or someone you love.

    Dawn

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