In Stephen Colbert’s final episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, the host used Vince Guaraldi’s famous “Linus and Lucy” theme, saying he hoped it “doesn’t cost CBS any money.” It did, in fact, cost the network some money.
In a segment, the Late Show band performed the theme, which is owned by Lee Mendelson Film Prods., while Colbert explained that LMFP has been enforcing the copyrights on the Guaraldi song catalog with several recent lawsuits.
CBS has now signed a licensing agreement with Lee Mendelson Film Productions. The company says that proceeds of the agreement will be donated to Chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen. The decision was made following Colbert’s own donation of $2.5 million to the organization, which provides food relief in areas of need.
“LMFP found the music’s use on The Late Show funny and entertaining, and is proud to support World Central Kitchen’s mission,” said Jason Mendelson, Chairman of LMFP in a statement following the agreement. “A principal goal of our enforcement actions is to educate individuals, businesses, and government entities about the need to obtain written license agreements to use music in a commercial setting.”
Lee Mendelson Film Productions has been working to protect the copyrights by filing four federal copyright lawsuits against companies and a government agency for using the music without permission. The defendants have included Buckle‑Down, Inc., Heritage Auctions, GameMill Entertainment, and the U.S. Department of the Interior.
“Unauthorized use doesn’t just violate the law, it erodes the exclusivity and artistic integrity that make these compositions meaningful to generations of fans,” said Marc Jacobson, lead attorney for LMFP after those lawsuits were filed in May. “These legal actions convey that LMFP will no longer tolerate companies using their property without a license, especially in this era of instant digital sharing, and that the rights of creators and the protection of iconic cultural assets must be vigorously enforced.”
You can watch the clip from the Late Show episode below.
