Court Rejects Santos Lawsuit Against Talk-Show Host Jimmy Kimmel

A reasonable viewer would understand that talk-show host Jimmy Kimmel showed videos of former U.S. Rep. George Santos to comment on the New York Republican's willingness to say absurd things for money, a federal judge said Monday, dismissing Santos' copyright infringement suit against Kimmel, ABC and parent Disney. Santos sued after Kimmel solicited Cameo videos from Santos under a false name and then aired them on his late-night show. Dismissing the suit, U.S. District Court for Southern New York Judge Denise Cote ruled Kimmel's airing of the videos was fair use. In her docket 1:24-cv-01210 order, Cote waved off Santos' argument that Kimmel's use devalued the market for Cameo videos including Santos', saying the complaint doesn't identify any harm to the potential or existing market for the videos the plaintiff created.