Skip to content

Romney Faces Plagiarism Charge From ‘Friday Night Lights’ Creator

We noticed that Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign had taken to using a slogan from the “Friday Night Lights” TV and movie franchise.

Apparently, the writer-director of the franchise has as well, and he’s not pleased with it. Peter Berg is accusing the Romney campaign of plagiarism for ripping off the “Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can’t Lose” expression.

“I was not thrilled when I saw that you have plagiarized this expression to support your campaign by using it on posters, your Facebook page and as part of your stump speeches,” Berg wrote in a letter to Romney. “Your politics and campaign are clearly not aligned with the themes we portrayed in our series.”

Berg compared Romney to Buddy Garrity, a football booster in the show who sold foreign cars.

The “Friday Night Lights” TV show ran for five seasons, ending its run last season, documenting the life of a high school football team in a fictional Texas community. The TV show followed a 2004 movie of the same name. Both were based on a 1990 nonfiction book.

In the letter obtained by the Hollywood Reporter, Berg explains that the show’s creators and writers have nothing to do with the Romney campaign.

“We are grateful for your support of our beloved show, but we are not in any way affiliated with you or your campaign,” Berg wrote. “Please come up with your own campaign slogan.”

Recent Stories

Capitol Lens | O’s face

Mayorkas impeachment headed to Senate for April 11 trial

Muslim American appeals court nominee loses Democratic support

At the Races: Lieberman lookback

Court says South Carolina can use current congressional map

Joseph Lieberman: A Capitol life in photos