A "Two 'Fer," On Martin Shkreli: From The Sublimely-Serious -- To The Tellingly-Trivial

In a particularly-telling example of just how little there is -- in the way of creative, vibrant NEW streaming content available -- in the time of COVID-19, we now read that Martin's acquisition of "Once Upon A Time. . ." will become a Netflix semi-fictionalized docu-drama-edy, with Brad Pitt's production/studio mark (called Plan B) involved.

Y A W N.

Hopefully -- if RZA has the input we expect he'd demand on such a project -- it will not paint a positively mythologized picture of Martin. No, we would expect to see just what RZA saw. . . a vain, small man -- and the much maligned actual terms of sale RZA, and the Wu-, now plainly regret.

Here's the bit, from EndGadget overnight:

. . . .According to Collider, Paul Downs Colaizzo (Brittany Runs a Marathon) will direct Once Upon a Time in Shaolin for Netflix. The film will tell the story of smug pharma bro Shkreli’s purchase of the sole copy of Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin album and what happened to that album after Shkreli was convicted of fraud and online harassment. . . .

Martin really should have agreed to let RZA buy it back. . . just on general karma. And, to be clear, the restrictions on title cited in the article may always be waived by the parties to the original (publicity stunt) contract. If the Wu- agreed, and Martin agreed, formally to end the restrictions -- they would have been ended.

As it were, federal court orders effectively ended the contract, anyway: that recording and the fancy metal box set. . . are US property, and any restrictions on title do not "run with the box" any longer.

That's how the federal criminal forfeiture laws work.

Now you know -- onward, thinking about positive ju ju for my dear people, in and around New Orleans, Louisiana. . . stay safe. Please. . . evacuate.

नमस्ते