Use real celebrities or invent them?

[Carole]

My son is writing and put some current celebrities - is that a mistake?

[Theodore]

Depends on how he is using them. A mention is one thing; putting words in their mouths is quite another.

[D.J.]

I would never do that. But that’s just me. I’d be too scared of someone having a problem with it and taking me to court or hiring a hitman or something. I am quite paranoid though!

[R.L.]

I think mentioning them is alright and maybe a small bit of dialogue is OK as long as it’s positive. If it’s something bad, I’d just makeup a celeb

[Margaret]

I've mentioned them occasionally, just references. As Theodore stated, I'd never put words in their mouths. And keep in mind referencing current celebs really dates your work so if you're trying to avoid pinning it down to a very specific time, I'd avoid even naming them.

[Carole]

Thanks, he has them participating in a show like "The Voice"- but his invention.

[Anna]

Some celebrities might have professional people guarding their image. I'd not use real celebrities. Your son could model his on real ones? You could all sleep soundly then.

[Dale]

I would probably not use real people without asking permission, and if they are famous people with lots of high-priced lawyers, I'd probably ask a lawyer myself first. It may not ever be a problem, but it could be risky.

[Theodore]

The above notwithstanding, I have several "conversations" with deceased celebrities (e.g., Sinatra, Elvis, Stallone, among other) in my books of flash fiction, talking about real but little-known events in their lives.

[Carole]

My question is- does it date a book. Make it hard for the next generation to follow if they don't know who someone like Jerry Seinfeld is?

[Theodore]

Carole wrote: "My question is- does it date a book. Make it hard for the next generation to follow if they don't know who someone like Jerry Seinfeld is?"

Who knows what people today know (or don't know)? I sometimes wonder what would happen if you took away people's phones and they couldn't google anything. The more I talk to people today, the less they appear to know...about everything. And I'm talking about major world events. Go on the street and ask people about current events of world interest, for example, and you'd be surprised at the number who couldn't even point to Syria on a map! And these are college kids!

[Theodore]

Carole wrote: "My question is- does it date a book. Make it hard for the next generation to follow if they don't know who someone like Jerry Seinfeld is?"

By the way, I recently wrote an article for a magazine in which I used the term "sponge-worthy." If the readers "get it," great. If not, their loss! (You can tell I don't care.)

[Carole]

I got it and laughed.

[Theodore]

Carole wrote: "I got it and laughed."

I knew you would! Susan and I (and our two girls) use stuff from that show all the time.

[Carole]

I think I have all the shows memorized. My brother did stand up with them and they named one of the characters in the early show after him.

[Alexis]

Theodore wrote: "Carole wrote: "My question is- does it date a book. Make it hard for the next generation to follow if they don't know who someone like Jerry Seinfeld is?"

By the way, I recently wrote an article f..."

Who wouldn’t get that! :D

Sighs. I love that show.

[Anna]

Oh no... I didn't get it!

[Carole]

Jerry Seinfeld- Elaine- says it- Did you watch the show?

[Anna]

No. I'm not even sure it shows here in the UK - or not when I watch TV from about 8-10 p.m.

The other Brits might know better!

[D.J.]

I think we had it. I've certainly heard of it, but never watched it.

[Theodore]

Carole wrote: "I think I have all the shows memorized. My brother did stand up with them and they named one of the characters in the early show after him."

That's unbelievable! LOL

[Dale]

My wife and I stopped watching TV regularly when MASH went off the air. I'm a pop culture moron, and I don't care. ;-)

Ted's point about people either getting it or not and so what is fine, I think. Using dead celebrities in certain ways is probably okay, too. Probably using live celebrities in certain ways is okay. The main thing is to avoid painting anyone who might sue you in a negative light or making them too big a part of a story without permission. I tend to be risk-averse where it comes to the potential for getting sued for my writing, so I always advise caution, but I'll admit I may be overly cautious sometimes.

[D.J.]

MASH, I LOVED MASH!

I think dead people are OK too. (Couldn't eat a whole one). Obviously having a character rave about a celebrity must be OK. I can't see how that would be an issue. I didn't even want to name characters that happened to have the same name as someone who appeared in The Apprentice (haven't seen it) just in case someone found out that's what I'd done in a book that no-one ever read.

[Anna]

Mash, the wonderful Mash, is still on in the UK, Freeview 61, I think.

[D.J.]

Yep. Something like that.

[Justin]

If their iconic celebrities that stand the test of time like Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Madonna, Michael Jackson, etc then I say it's fine. Using current celebrities is dating yourself because they may be famous now but in the future they may not be and people will be questioning who or why you put them in your book.

In a recent book I read the author referenced honey boo boo and her mom which is really just a 15 mins of fame thing, I don't think people will really remember them in a few years.

Using the right celebs and that famous ones makes more sense and even creating your own makes more sense because you can mold them to be like several celebs all in one without them actually being real.