A judge in New York on March 16 tossed out a lawsuit accusing the makers of “The Family Guy” of illegally twisting the classic “When You Wish Upon a Star” into an anti-Semitic ballad.
Fox and the Cartoon Network were within their rights to air the animated TV series episode in November 2003, a U.S. district judge ruled. The episode — titled “When You Wish Upon a Weinstein” and about hiring a Jewish person to care for family finances — has since been broadcast at least 35 more times.
Music publishing house Bourne Co. sued to try to stop distribution of the episode, but the judge said Bourne’s copyright does not protect it from parody. — ap