“Nut Job And Wacko” – Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That

According to a New York trial court, Jerry Seinfeld is not liable for referring to author Missy Chase Lapine in those terms. Lapine had sued Seinfeld for making those comments on an appearance on David Letterman. Actually, this suit was the second time Lapine had sued a Seinfeld. Previously, Lapine sued Jerry’s wife, Jessica for allegedly violating Lapine’s copyright. Lapine had written a book called “The Sneaky Chef: Simple Strategies for Hiding Healthy Foods in Kids’ Favorite Meals.” When Jessica Seinfeld published “Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food,” Lapine sued her. Jerry’s comments resulted from his opinion that Lapine’s copyright claims were frivolous. And the key word there is “opinion” — a true opinion cannot be the basis for a libel suit. Seinfeld certainly felt strongly about Lapine’s claims, but he never stated those feelings as verifiable facts. Oh, and it probably didn’t hurt Jerry’s case that a judge dismissed Lapine’s copyright claim too. Incase you’re keeping score, it’s Seinfelds 2 – Lapine 0.