Hallmark Goes on the Attack

You know things are going to get ugly in Paris Hilton’s lawsuit against KC-based Hallmark Cards when one of the greeting card company’s recent court filings begins with this paragraph:

“Paris Whitney Hilton (‘Hilton’) is a privileged, jet-setting heiress to the Hilton family fortune, the center-of-attention ‘celebutante’ at the most lavish parties and exclusive events, and a consummate self-promoter who, by her own admission, considers working ‘manual, low-paying jobs’ and serving the public to be her ‘private nightmare.’”

Hilton’s suit is over a card that portrays her as a waitress giving a warning to a patron by pointing to his plate and saying her trademark line, “That’s hot.” Hilton claims in the lawsuit that it’s a trademark phrase. Hallmark claims in its recent court filing that it has a first amendment right to publish the card, which is, in the company’s own words, is in the “public interest.”

Click here to read the 32-page answer from Hallmark. — Eric Barton