Pearson v. Lightning Bolt Productions, Inc.

Pearson v. Lightning Bolt Productions, Inc. was a legal case involving the use of the phrase "Who’s on First?" from the famous comedy sketch by Abbott and Costello. The performer, Pearson, claimed that Lightning Bolt Productions’ use of the phrase in a commercial infringed on his copyright and violated his rights to his performance. The court examined whether the phrase was protectable as a creative work and if its use in the ad was unauthorized. Ultimately, the case explored issues of parody, fair use, and copyright protection for comedy routines.