Derek Savage

**Derek Savage,** (Known as **Daddy Derek** in the movies) is a film producer and writer known best for his 'Cool Cat'-themed media including children's books, full-length movies and merchandising, as well as his Cannabis-themed Movie and Music awards show, *420 awards*. He is single and lives in Las Vegas.

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## Contents

* Early life
* Public Persona
* Cool Cat (Copyright Infringement vs. Fair Use) Controversy
* Cool Cat (Character) Controversy
* Works
	+ Novels/Screenplays
	+ Feature Films
	+ Video-Shorts
	+ Documentaries
	+ Awards Shows
	+ Children's Books
* Gallery

## Early life

Born on May 13, 1962 in Virginia, USA, not much is known about Savage's early life. He does not have a Wikipedia page, and his biopic entry on IMDbhttps://www.imdb.com/name/nm4733996/bio?ref\_=nm\_ov\_bio\_sm is very short - stating only that he was, at one point, a playgirl model.

In 1987 Savage appeared on the cover of *Singles Newspaper*, a publication built solely around personal ads that claimed to be "America's most respected publication for singles"http://www.420-awards.com/

In 2015 he owned an electric guitar signed by Van Halen, and is at least somewhat competent at playing the instrument.

## Public Persona

Savage is often seen as reluctant to accept criticism, and is known to target and harass public personas that voice a negative opinion of his works, mainly with regard to Cool Cat Saves the Kids (2015) leading some to harbor resentment towards him.

## Cool Cat (Copyright Infringement vs. Fair Use) Controversy

On 6 November 2015 Youtube User *I Hate Everything*https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRbOPaGDB\_xOQkVM8Rnn62Q (otherwise known as 'IHE' or 'Alex') uploaded a hyperbolic, negative reviewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoTZZYm2HZI of the *Cool Cat Saves the Kids (2015)* movie as part of his *The Search For The Worst*https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxOKy-G3phBomkGrPJuQwUawQmS\_1ysNN series, in which his comically exaggerated persona reviews the 100 lowest-rated movies on IMDb.

Ultimately, IHE concluded that "despite how utterly ridiculous and simplistic" the movie was, it was also "one of the funniest movies [he had] ever seen" and that it probably was "balancing perfectly on the so-bad-that-it's-good line". At the time of writing, this satirical review has over 5,000,000 YouTube views.

Sometime in the four days between the publishing of *Cool Cat Saves The Kids - The Search For The Worst - IHE* and 10 November 2015, Savage filed a copyright strike on the video which temporarily removed the video from public view while Youtube reviewed the claim, stopping any income IHE may have been earning from it.

In response to this strike, IHE uploaded a new video entitled *THANKS DADDY DEREK (For Ruining The Search For The Worst)*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0qoD3viXL0 in which he described his previous video as "a week's worth of work that's gone now". At the time, three copyright strikes on a single Youtube user would automatically have removed their channel from the site - while a single strike removed the user's ability to livestream or to upload videos over 15 minutes long. IHE therefore declared *The Search For The Worst* "delayed indefinitely". He also lamented that another Cool Cat reviewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAwyIN-6\_YY by Youtube User *Bobsheaux*https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0XPzwmDL\_qeZlR4JuX-VLQ had been removed as well, but conspicuously the reviewhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C67thOEtVNQ of YouTube user *YourMovieSucksDOTorg*https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSc16oMxxlcJSb9SXkjwMjA (also known as YMS) was still available to watch. IHE assumed that this was because YMS had spoken to Savage beforehand with regard to appearing in a "gun safety movie" Savage was working on. IHE finished the video by appealing for advice from his audience, stating "I really don't know what I should do here." and asking them, if they were to send any messages to Savage, to "please be civil - constructive."

After this, Savage unleashed a tirade on the official Cool Cat Twitterhttps://twitter.com/CoolCatlovesyou?ref\_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor, in which he called IHE a 'punk' and a 'troll' and threatened to "legally have [IHE's] entire channel deleted". This is documented in the second IHE upload on the controversy, entitled *DADDY DEREK SAID WHAT??*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyQjcFmc-Cs

Following this development Savage uploaded his own video titled *COOL CAT | Copyright Infringement vs Fair Use*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9bMStV00js in which he makes several false claims about copyright law including the following:

* *"Monetising - trying to make commercial profit off of someone else's work - is a major no-no."*

Savage here attempts to claim that monetising Youtube videos featuring copyrighted works is unlawful, calling people who use this practice "scumbags" for "ripping somebody off". While it is true that claiming a copyrighted work as your own is illegal, the law dictates that as long as the use is transformative, or provides commentary on the original, the use is fair and the user need not ask the permission of the copyright holder to use their work - parodies are protected in this way. The act of commercially profiting from the use of a copyrighted work is not a determining factor between what is and isn't considered Fair Use.

* *"Bottom line - even when it comes to water bottles; if you look in movies... I took the label off this, 'cause I don't want any problems. You can't - I mean, you can get busted for doing that right there; having, showing bottles - if you're trying to make a profit."*

Savage here rationalises that he is not permitted to feature the label of his bottle of water in his video for fear it will constitute a copyright infringement. This is incorrect. Once again, monetisation is not a determining factor in these cases; and while it is a standard precaution for movie studios to remove brandings and labels from their sets, this is in case the owner of the product sues for defamation. Once again, provided the use is transformative or provides commentary then it is protected by Fair Use laws. Generally speaking, accidental inclusions of products in YouTube videos are not likely to attract the attention of the product owners, and even if they did, companies cannot sue if the inclusion does not constitute defamation or is protected by Fair Use. Product reviews on YouTube, for example, are protected by Fair Use law.

An interesting point to note is that while Savage is saying these very words, the JVC logo on his video camera is clearly visible in the bottom left corner of the screen.

The situation seemed to boil to a head when IHE uploaded his third video in saga, entitled *With Apologies to Derek Savage*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXVkcWbvnN0 which, contrary to what the title of the video leads a viewer to believe, is a detailed documentation of the harassment IHE experienced from Derek Savage via email. In these emails Savage demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of how Youtube worked (detailing that he would ensure a fourth and fifth copyright strike would be applied to IHE's channel, when in reality it would have been removed after the third), as well as a lack of legal process knowledge (advising that his attorneys were Skyping Youtube's legal division) as well as a certain fondness for exerting dominance over people he disagrees with through pressure and childish insults. Savage also asked IHE to reveal his full name and address over email - which IHE declined to do on grounds of personal security. IHE also documents the plight of YouTube user *Josiah Clarke* https://www.youtube.com/user/blinkkandyoumissit/featured who also had his Cool Cat review removed from Youtube, as he tried to contact Derek regarding the copyright strike and what he could do to remedy the situation, albeit to no avail. Interestingly, Savage had publicly endorsed Clarke's video on YouTube a few months earlier. IHE remarks on the irony of the Cool Cat Saves The Kids movie commenting on how wrong cyber bullying is while its creator engages in the same activity.

For his part, YMS uploaded a video on 20 November 2015 titled *Cool Cat Learns Fair Use*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5ZmVheuxpo, in which he attempts to correct Savage's understanding of the Fair Use laws of the United States Copyright act of 1976.

On 28th November IHE uploaded his final video on the topic, *I Hate Everything vs Derek Savage - IT'S OVER* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzXSQ5f08sA in which he documents his receiving of a fake email from a Yahoo.com mail address, purporting to be from the non-existent lawyer of the producer of *Jurassic Shark* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurassic\_Shark - another movie in *The Search For The Worst* series - explaining that he had engaged in copyright infringement and should take down the video within 24 hours. It is widely assumed that Savage himself (also a Yahoo.com user) sent the emails, impersonating the law firm in an attempt to exert pressure over IHE. The real producer of the film confirmed to YMS and IHE that they did not ask their lawyers to take such action and that they did not know Derek Savage. Savage also published a fake video of IHE, along with the (fake) full name 'Alex Patterson' as the identity of the YouTube creator in order to cause a stir amongst his fans. The copyright strike was removed from IHE's channel, and the Cool Cat review remains available to watch on YouTube, much to Savage's dismay.

## Cool Cat (Character) Controversy

Further controversy exists around the character of Cool Cat himself: Cool Cat is also the name of an orange, feline character from *Warner Bros Looney Tunes*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cool\_Cat\_(Looney\_Tunes) who first appeared in a short simply titled *Cool Cat* in 1967. He was the final star of the original Warner Bros. theatrical cartoons and his design was based on that of a Bengal Tiger. Born in 1962, Savage claims to have invented the Cool Cat character when he was a kid, as an imaginary friend - however he admits to owning a mug with the Looney Tunes character.

## Works

### Novels/Screenplays

* *Cool Cat vs. the Wicked Witch* (screenplay - year unspecified)
* *I Have Cancer* - A Medical Marijuana Story (screenplay - year unspecified)
* *Final Conflict* (novel/screenplay - year unspecified)
* *God's Wrath* - the Second Coming (novel/screenplay - year unspecified)
* *Bad Boy* (novel/screenplay - year unspecified)

### Feature Films

* *Cool Cat Stops a School Shooting* (2021, Upcoming)
* *Cool Cat vs. The Wicked Witch* (Cancelled)
* *Cool Cat Kids Superhero* (2018)
* *Cool Cat Saves the Kids* (2015)
* Cool Cat Stranger Danger (Cancelled)

### Video-Shorts

* *Derek Savage - Cool Cat Loves to Rock (feat. Van Halen's Guitar)* (2015)
* *Cool Cat in the Hollywood Parade* (2012)
* *Cool Cat Stops Bullying* (2012)
* *Cool Cat Finds a Gun* (2013)
* The Savage Crime Show (2016)

### Documentaries

* *Gun Self-Defense for Women* (newer title: *Gun Self-defense for Ladies*, 2016)

### Awards Shows

* *420 Awards - 2nd Annual Event* (2020)
* *420 Awards - 1st Annual Event* (2019)

### Children's Books

* *Cool Cat Loves the Beach*
* *Cool Cat Loves Wrestling*
* *Cool Cat Loves Baseball*
* *Cool Cat Loves the Soldiers*
* *Cool Cat Stops Bullying*

* *Baby Cat Loves You*

* *Trolly Makes Friends*

* *Trolly Finds a Gun*
* *Trolly and the Necklace*
* *Best Buddies*
* *Bible Birdie*