An article of mine from today’s Sunday Business Post (direct link):
The comedian behind Today FM’s Gift Grub sketches, Mario Rosenstock, has been threatened with legal action by one of the show’s main contributors following a dispute over copyright.
Oliver Callan, who has written and performed a host of Gift Grub sketches, sent legal letters to Rosenstock and record company EMI after he discovered his work on the new Gift Grub CD, Volume 7, which was launched last Friday.
Callan is claiming that the latest Gift Grub album was released without his permission, despite his work featuring on it. Callan has voiced numerous characters for the show, including RTE newscaster Bryan ‘Dobbo’ Dobson, Enda Kenny and Marian Finucane.
‘‘I didn’t know I was on this album until it came out,†said Callan who has also worked as a newsreader with Today FM.
‘‘I’m shocked that Mario used my material without asking.â€
Alan Cormack, who said he was Rosenstock’s barrister, confirmed to The Sunday Business Post that a letter had been received and said that it had been responded to immediately.
‘‘The allegations in that letter are totally scandalous and without any justification whatsoever, and we have replied to Mr Callan’s solicitors in that vein,†he said. ‘‘We will take any legal action that is necessary to resolutely defend Mario Rosenstock’s position.â€
No EMI representative was available for comment. Rosenstock was taking part in a signing event in HMV Grafton Street in Dublin to promote the newly-launched CD when he was handed the letter from Callan’s lawyer.Â