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The End Of An Era

Filed under: TV News > Film Flickers

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Beloved film critic Roger Ebert may still be recuperating from his various ailments, but his presence is still strongly felt on At the Movies With Ebert & Roeper - and not just because his name is in the title.

Ebert - along with his late partner Gene Siskel - were smart enough to copyright their "Two Thumbs Up!" (and down) catchphrases, which were missing from the show this past week in the reviews by Richard Roeper and Robert Wilonsky (who's filling in while Ebert recovers from surgeries).

Why? Roger did not give them permission.

Seems like he's been unable to come to terms with the show's owner, Disney-ABC Domestic Television, on the use of the thumbs this season. And Hollywood's noticed. The "Thumbs Up" on a movie poster or film ad is a huge marketing tool!

Ebert is claiming that Disney had made him an "offensively low" offer to renew.

Cheap bastards!

    Posted: Aug 29, 2007 at 10:09 am / Email this  »
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    54 comments to “The End Of An Era”

    1. Eric Kane says – reply to this


      1

      his late partner was Gene Siskel, not sisker dumb ass

    2. JC Chavez says – reply to this


      2

      I JUST SAW CASTRO AT KOO-KOO-ROO!!!! OH THE HORROR!!!

    3. Rock on Roger says – reply to this


      3

      Get well soon.

    4. Diva says – reply to this


      4

      Um, it's Siskel. Gene Siskel.

    5. Michelle says – reply to this


      5

      Get Well Soon

    6. cpt obvious says – reply to this


      6

      um, it's not sisker, it's siskel

    7. tracy says – reply to this


      7

      thumps down on offer!!:)

    8. Victoria says – reply to this


      8

      Ditto………it was Siskel and Ebert
      How can you get that wrong?

    9. Oce says – reply to this


      9

      heyo. second.

    10. amy says – reply to this


      10

      it's Siskel not Sisker

    11. meaghan says – reply to this


      11

      first

    12. who? says – reply to this


      12

      ERRRRR WHO??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

    13. Dumbass says – reply to this


      13

      Perez you retard. Do a little bit of digging. Ebert denies that he ever forbade the show from using the thumbs. Go to his site. Disney is trying to fuuck him over.

    14. Two Sided says – reply to this


      14

      It's all about greed on both sides of the coin.

      Who really cares what these film critics think? I've seen some really good movies that they rejected and really bad movies that they loved.

      To each his own opinion.

    15. *** says – reply to this


      15

      WHY DOES MICKEY MOUSE HAVE ONLY 4 FINGERS?? SO HE CAN'T PICK UP HIS CHEQUE. THATS HOW CHEAP DISNEY IS.

    16. Emily says – reply to this


      16

      Gene SISKEL dude… SISKEL….

    17. Condalezzie Ricecake says – reply to this


      17

      Robert Wilonsky is fucking awesome and a hot piece of man meat.

      He is an excellent fill in….thump up or not.

      Ms. Ricecake

    18. sarah says – reply to this


      18

      hey jesse,

      ebert had cancer and had to have half his jaw removed, you asshole. i bet he is still better looking than you.

    19. Lady says – reply to this


      19

      Holy fuck he looks horrible. Get well, Ebert. Not much of a fan of the stupid thumbs up or down gimmick cuz critics are just twats who get paid for their opinion but I hope him a speedy recovery. His baldheaded fill it though is kinda hot. It's about time they got some kinda man candy on there.

    20. Olmez says – reply to this


      20

      Who cares, ebert, schebert….

    21. JP says – reply to this


      21

      LMAO his face is falling apart.

    22. Eric says – reply to this


      22

      You cant even get the basic info correct. The partner was Gene Siskel you fat fuck! What ever happened to Castro?

    23. RR says – reply to this


      23

      THIS STORY IS A WEEK OLD AND EBERT ALREADY RESPONDED SAYING DISNEY IS BS-ING AND HE DIDN'T SAY THEY COULDNT USE THUMBS UP/DOWN

    24. Gay Lover says – reply to this


      24

      Gene and Roger were rump rangers

    25. Jen says – reply to this


      25

      IT'S a TRADEMARK! Sigh. You can not copyright a gesture, not a short phrase or slogan. However you can trademark it. Trademarks are subject to different protection lengths and fall under a different government agency. Copyright is in a league of its own.

    26. BLONDIE IS SICK OF ILLITERATE'S!!!!! says – reply to this


      26

      I JUST GOT ON THE SITE SO THEY MUST HAVE FIXED THE MAJOR FUCK-UP WITH GENE SISKEL'S NAME. HOW STUPID COULD THESE "WRITER'S" POSSIBLY GET?
      THERE IS ALWAY'S SOMETHING EITHER MISSPELLED OR JUST PLAIN BAD GRAMMAR. YOU CAN TELL THAT SOMEBODY AROUND HERE IS NOT VERY BRIGHT AT ALL AND THAT THEY ARE NOT ANYTHING CLOSE TO BEING JOURNALIST'S.

    27. BLONDIE IS SICK OF ILLITERATE'S!!!!! says – reply to this


      27

      WE REALLY NEEDED THAT INFO JEN. YOU'RE SO SMART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    28. big city says – reply to this


      28

      roger ebert is a stand up guy

      fuck disney and abc

    29. kiki says – reply to this


      29

      I WISH YOU WELL ROGER EBERT! It's horrible how much you are suffering! Please stay strong! Don't let the cancer beat you!

    30. tunaman says – reply to this


      30

      Your done perez, hollywood tuna has you beat…

    31. The D says – reply to this


      31

      Blondie…if they were journalists, they wouldn't be writing for a gossip blog. If typos really bother you that much, read the newspaper.

      Jesse…the guy is pretty much on his deathbed with cancer. He'll be even uglier when he's dead. Was your comment necessary? I'm sure YOU'RE uglier and I hope you die first.

    32. Mainewoman says – reply to this


      32

      Ebert also died of thyroid cancer a couple months ago

    33. Rash Manly says – reply to this


      33

      Roger,
      about your career…
      THUMBS UP!!! :-)
      A FAN!

    34. SMART(ISH) says – reply to this


      34

      Perez - you have to PLEASE make reference to NICK DARLING and NATE from Six Feet Under being look alikes of the week/month/year! THey are spitting images of eachother. Had to post the comment - as i couldn't in the advertisement.

    35. SOMEWHAT SMART(ISH) says – reply to this


      35

      oops - i meant NICK GEORGE & NATE from SIX FEET UNDER !!

    36. Kristina says – reply to this


      36

      is he gonna die yet?

    37. Curious in Connecticut says – reply to this


      37

      I want to 'trademark' the middle finger! How much is that worth to everyone on the face of the earth?
      People have been 'giving the thumbs up' sign for years.
      This guy may be sick, but he definitely still got his Greedy on!
      It is no wonder Disney has low balled him on a contract.
      Who is going to tune in a watch a guy with no lower jaw or teeth.

      He now has a face made for radio…hard to see the 2 thumbs up there.

    38. Tim says – reply to this


      38

      I really hope we see a picture of Perez like this one day soon!!!! It's ironic that a man was stricken with cancer at the part of his body that made a career out of trashing people's work!! Can't wait to see PErez like this…SOON!!!!!!!

    39. Bob Freeman says – reply to this


      39

      They'd be fools not to renew his contract. Roger Ebert is the greatest film critic of all time.

    40. eddy says – reply to this


      40

      You go, Robert. Disney has used him and they need to pay. Thumbs down on the followup to Pereezzzers Castro story.

    41. eddy says – reply to this


      41

      You go, Robert. Disney has used him and they need to pay. Thumbs down on the followup to Pereezzzers Castro story.

    42. star jones says – reply to this


      42

      he loves the blackberry juice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    43. sqwilly says – reply to this


      43

      fat bastard shouldn't get paid for his opinion

    44. Neneh says – reply to this


      44

      Sometimes people die but forget to lay down!

    45. Absolutely Edie says – reply to this


      45

      Jesus, I do NOT wanna go out like that! Just shoot me.

    46. WAYKOOLER says – reply to this


      46

      ROGER IS A CLASS ACT, A COUPLE YEARS AGO OPRAH CREDIT HIM WITH TELLING HER TO SYNDICATE HER SHOW, AND HE NEVER TALKED ABOUT IT UNTEL SHE SAID SO, THE MAN IS SICK AND PROBABLY LOOKING OUT FOR HIS FAMILY, THERE IS NOTHING BAD TO SAY ABOUT HIM

    47. Sally says – reply to this


      47

      Ebert RULES. Every time I see a movie I scream out at the end "THUMBS UP!" or "THUMBS DOWN!" in honor of him! And most of the time we agree!

    48. Christine says – reply to this


      48

      I'm sorry, but this is just greedy. He is a critic…since when are they supposed to get paid for reviewing? That's his job. I lost respect for him through this incident.

    49. david-0-selznik says – reply to this


      49

      ROGER! I hope you get every penny you deserve out of Disney. You're a genius, a kind, warm-hearted man, brilliant brilliant brilliant man. (between you and me I don't know how you worked with that hack Siskel all those years, but hey, it was a job, a girl's got her visa bill to pay right?) YOU GO ROGER!!

    50. David S. says – reply to this


      50

      The stupid advertisements for that crappy TV show are showing up just like normal posts in my RSS reader. And you don't even allow comments on them. Buh-bye.

    51. droplet says – reply to this


      51

      Did his doctor give Ebert a thumbs up or a thumbs down?

    52. Helen says – reply to this


      52

      I LOVE EBERT!!!! get well sooooon :o )

    53. Cari says – reply to this


      53

      Hope he gets better but his act was tired for a long time. Roeper stinks and Ebert had the chance to go in a new direction and didn't. Also don't they think women can review films? I mean, how hard is it????

    54. stacey h says – reply to this


      54

      aww that pic makes me want to cry.. Get Well Soon