‘Plagiarism’ claims levelled at Australia’s Got Talent contestant
Did a comedian who has qualified for the Australia's Got Talent semi-finals lift gags from other performers?
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Australia’s Got Talent now has its first controversy for the year after suggestions that a comedian who has qualified for the semi-final lifted jokes from other performers.
On Tuesday night 22 year old Jordan Paris from the Gold Coast qualified for the next round after his gags about dating women and singer Robbie Williams:
Jordan Paris, Australia’s Got Talent, May 2011
”A few years ago I went and saw Robbie Williams … what I noticed is, Robbie only sings like half a song. (Sings) ‘Come on Australia you know this one,’ (points microphone to audience). I was like ‘Yeah we do Robbie, it was 150 bucks to get in mate, any chance you could sing it for us?’ That’s like me getting up here going ‘Oh gee, a funny thing happened to me on the way here tonight guys. Come on I think you know this one…’ (points microphone to audience).”
Jordan Paris, Australia’s Got Talent, May 2011
‘‘I’ve only got three requirements when it comes to girls. Number one, are you a girl? Number two, have you always been a girl? And number three, if not, can you keep a secret?”
With additional singing, Paris impressed the judges enough to proceed to the next stage of the competition.
But the Gold Coast Bulletin today said, “The only problem was, it has all been done before.”
It claimed Lee Mack made a similar gag in the UK in 2007.
Lee Mack, Live at the Apollo, December 2007
”Can someone tell Robbie Williams that this doesn’t constitute entertainment: ‘Come on Glastonbury you know this one,’ (points microphone to audience). ‘Yeah we know it Robbie, it was 150 quid to get in, any chance you could sing it for us?’ I couldn’t get away with that could I, I couldn’t come on here and go ‘Hey, a funny thing happened to me on the way here tonight, come on you know this one…’ (points microphone at audience).
Geoff Keith, posted on Comedy Central in 2007
”I only have three requirements when it comes to girls, ready: One, are you a girl? Have you always been a girl? And if not can you keep a secret?”
”Comedy’s a funny thing,” Paris told the newspaper. ”Obviously there are a lot of people doing a lot of things, but a joke’s a joke. If it’s making people laugh then I’m happy.”
Seven reportedly became aware of the issue yesterday afternoon, just hours before a pre-recorded episode aired showing Paris getting through to the semi-finals.
After viewing a You Tube clip of Lee Mack a Seven spokeswoman said Paris had ‘definitely been inspired by him’.
Channel Seven this morning would not comment on whether he would now be disqualified from the show.
Source: Brisbane Times
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38 Responses
First–amanda keller was Never funny never will be. 2nd its how u deliver it even carl barron, akmal and other famous comedians steal jokes so keith the comedian is a liar. If he is angry hes either a liar or nieve. Jordan delivered the joke much better than keith did. Hes just jealous an aussie made hisjoke better. What jordan said about “face like lunar park” was his and on the spot. Thats true talent of a comedian to use on the spot what you can. So all you haters learn more about comedy if you think comedians never steal jokes you need to grow up and stop been so nieve.
I say who cares?
I’ve seen Vince Sorrenti do jokes ripped straight from the pages of a joke book. He’s supposedly a comedian doing the circuits and he’s not even funny.
It is also not impossible that the same two ideas can be conceived independently. It happens all the time.
Allie says you can’t compare a comedian telling someone elses joke with a singer who sings someone elses song … why the hell not?????? It’s Exactly the same. To say it’s different is completely laughable.
You can try and quantify it any way you want but it is exactly the same.
Mr Paris never said they were his jokes. He never tried to portray it in that way at all – I defy Anyone to say differently.
Talk about a media beat up. This poor bloke has been victimised and it is a disgrace. Give the guy a break. Geez.
I’m not so sure…. when a singer sings a song we usually know who first performed it, or they generally make a point of saying it’s an original composition. The convention in comedy is that a stand-up act is performing their own material. That said, the comparison with a magician is a good one, we’ve usually seen all the tricks before but nobody minds if you put on a good execution. According to his own website Jordan has been in the biz a while, so he shouldn’t have been too surprised if people were shocked to find the material wasn’t his. I dare say the audition Release form also asks if the material is your own. That said, it’s not a hanging offence and he should be given a chance to rise above the incident. Clearly it’s divided some opinions.
And another thing – tv shows pay royalties to the music creators to do cover versions – so the creators get paid. I’ve heard that some performers want to do a particular song but are limited in what they’re allowed to perform because it’s not on the approved *paid for* list. In any case, cover versions are not free. Any music used on any broadcast has to be paid for. Even the ubiquitous Happy Birthday requires a copyright payment.
Using someone else’s material and not attributing it, is not only a plagiarism issue, it’s a copyright issue and the broadcasters would have to pay for the material.
I need a lie down, I’m starting to sound like a lawyer.
What a jerk
Don’t worry about magicians… they’re quick to flame each other should an act be “lifted”. Originality is the key, so if you’re doing another performers tricks, in the same way or style, they’ll burn you. Take those tricks and dress it up to create something of your own, you’re golden.
What this guy has done is see a couple of jokes on TV, stand there and virtually word for word recite them, adding nothing original.
Three thumbs down!
Maybe shouldn’t get disqualified for it, but certainly should not have made it through the first round.
I can’t believe that so many people think all comedians steal jokes. It’s not just rare, it’s outrageous to do so. The whole point of being a successful comedian is to be original with your own style.
Jokes have been retold since Adma first asked Eve to pull his finger but to take an entire routine is a little different !
I don’t think you can compare a comedian telling jokes to a talent show vocalist singing a cover of another performer’s song. With the vocalist, it is usually understood that they are performing a cover version and that they are not singing an original composition. With a comedian, there is an assumption that they have written the material they are performing. Jordan clearly plagiarised the material of other performers for his routine, some of it word-for-word. That is not acceptable. The producers of AGT have no choice but to disqualify him for this, because if they allow him to continue in the comp, they would be setting a precedent allowing comics to audition using unoriginal, unacknowledged material.
To the people asking what’s difference between what this guy’s doing and singers who cover old songs; well the original writer of the song will be credited somewhere in the new singer’s album sleeve, whereas this guy is taking the judges compliments like he wrote these jokes himself.
The real irony here is A Current Affair doing a story on plagiarism. Who would have thought!
While we wait for Seven Network to decide whether or not Jordan Paris should continue the AGT ‘Group Stage’, I should point out this. Lady Gaga’s already ripped off a Madonna song for her third album. If Gaga ripped off ‘Like A Virgin’ (Madonna’s first hit), should I email Madonna herself and ask her to have Lady Gaga sued?