(Y25) — Book Two
CAN I GET SUED? — LAWSUIT RISK: COMPLETE SUMMARY
Overall Verdict: You are extremely unlikely to be successfully sued. Your work is protected by artistic expression.
1. Defamation (Only Real Exposure)
Where it appears: Set List 23
Problematic statement: "A president who has been infiltrated by foreign agents is not serving the will of the citizens of the United States of America and needs to be removed IMMEDIATELY."
Why it could be a problem: If a reasonable reader understands this to refer to a specific living president (Biden or Trump), and you state it as fact rather than opinion, that person could theoretically sue for defamation.
Why risk is low:
(1.) You did not name a specific president.
(2.) Political hyperbole is heavily protected.
(3.) No specific crime is attributed to a specific living individual.
How to eliminate risk entirely:
(1.) Change to: "I believe a president who has been infiltrated…" or
(2.) Add "allegedly" or
(3.) Remove the line entirely.
2. True Threat / Incitement
Where it appears: Set List 7 ("Sniper's Song," "Quest for Immortality"), Set List 18 ("Wave My Hands")
Why it is NOT a lawsuit risk: Courts have consistently ruled that violent song lyrics are protected artistic expression unless directed at a specific person or group with intent to intimidate.
You are safe because:
(1.) No specific named targets.
(2.) Clear artistic/lyrical context.
(3.) Fictional narrators.
Warning: Never pair these lyrics with a real person's name, photo, or address. That would create true threat exposure.
3. Obscenity
Where it appears: Set List 24, Set List 17, Set List 21
Why it is NOT a lawsuit risk: Written obscenity is virtually never prosecuted in the U.S., especially with clear adult content warnings. Your trigger warnings provide additional protection.
No realistic risk.
4. Copyright Infringement
Where it appears: Set List 5 ("Fifty Ways," "She Don't Come Easy," "Cinnabon Girl"), Set List 21 ("Dom-Vio," "Fuzzy Math")
Why risk is low: Parody is protected as fair use for written lyrics. These are clearly transformative and comedic.
Caution for recording: If you record these songs with melodies substantially similar to the originals, you may need permission or licenses. The written lyrics alone are not infringement.
Final Bottom Line
| Risk Type | Can You Be Sued? | Likelihood |
|---|---|---|
| Defamation | Yes, theoretically | Very low |
| True threat | No | Zero |
| Obscenity | No | Zero |
| Copyright | Yes, theoretically | Very low (written lyrics only) |
You will not be arrested. You will not face police action. You are extremely unlikely to lose a lawsuit.
One actionable recommendation: Rephrase the Set List 23 "president… foreign agents" line as opinion. Then you have no exposure at all.
Possible Problematic Lyrics
Set List 23 includes direct accusations against "Zionist Jews" as controlling media and government. Statement: "All our leaders are bought and paid for by the state of Israel." Implication that specific leaders (presumably current or recent U.S. presidents) are compromised by foreign agents.
The author's note at the top of Set List 23 says: "A president who has been infiltrated by foreign agents is not serving the will of the citizens of the United States of America and needs to be removed IMMEDIATELY."
Set List 7, Song 6 ("Sniper's Song"): "I've got my rifle by my side / And it's hunting season."
Set List 7, Song 10 ("Quest for Immortality"): "I would drop the bomb without any hesitation."
Set List 18, Song 14 ("Wave My Hands"): "No hesitation marks on my first kill / I ripped that shit like Buffalo Bill / And now I'm off for number two-hundred."
Set List 24 includes explicit bisexual/sexual content, glory holes, incest references.
Set List 17 includes violent sexual language, "dumpster baby."
Set List 21 includes explicit sexual violence, HIV transmission narrative.
Set List 5: "Fifty Ways" (spoof of Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover"), "Dom-Vio" (spoof of Van Morrison's "Domino"), "Fuzzy Math" (parody of Feist's "1,2,3,4"), "She Don't Come Easy" (spoof of Ringo Starr's "It Don't Come Easy"), "Cinnabon Girl" (spoof of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl").
Short Answer
For the vast majority of what you've shared: no, you will not be sued or face police action. Artistic expression, including graphic, violent, sexual, and political content, is broadly protected.
However, there are specific elements that create non-zero legal risk. None are likely to result in police action, but a few could theoretically support a civil lawsuit (defamation) under the right circumstances.
What Is Protected (No Reasonable Risk)
(1.) Graphic violence (fictional): Set List 7, 18, 21 — First Amendment protects fictional violence, even extreme.
(2.) Explicit sexual content: Set List 24, Set List 5, 17 — Protected as adult artistic expression. Obscenity laws almost never apply to written lyrics.
(3.) Addiction, self-harm, suicide imagery: Set Lists 2, 4, 11, 12 — Protected; trigger warnings help show good faith.
(4.) Political critique, anti-government rhetoric: Set Lists 10, 13, 23 — Strongly protected as political speech.
(5.) Parody of public figures: Set List 21 ("Dom-Vio," "Fuzzy Math"), Set List 5 ("Fifty Ways") — Protected as fair use and satire.
(6.) Use of real names in fictional/parodic contexts: Diddy, Tom Cruise, Alex Jones, etc. — Protected if clearly parody/satire; higher risk if presented as factual accusation.
1. Defamation Risk (Set List 23)
Problematic content:
(1.) Direct accusations against "Zionist Jews" as controlling media and government.
(2.) Statement: "All our leaders are bought and paid for by the state of Israel."
(3.) Implication that specific leaders (presumably current or recent U.S. presidents) are compromised by foreign agents.
Why this matters: If a specific living person (e.g., a named politician) can identify themselves as being accused of a crime (bribery, foreign agent activity), and the accusation is provably false, they could sue for defamation.
Why risk is low:
(1.) You generally name categories ("Zionist Jews," "leaders") rather than specific individuals.
(2.) Political hyperbole is heavily protected.
(3.) No specific living individual is named as committing a specific crime.
But: If the Set List 23 author's note refers to a living, identifiable president (Biden or Trump), and you are stating as fact that they are infiltrated by foreign agents, that is potentially defamatory.
2. Incitement / True Threat Risk
Problematic content:
(1.) Set List 7, Song 6 ("Sniper's Song"): "I've got my rifle by my side / And it's hunting season."
(2.) Set List 7, Song 10 ("Quest for Immortality"): "I would drop the bomb without any hesitation."
(3.) Set List 18, Song 14 ("Wave My Hands"): "No hesitation marks on my first kill / I ripped that shit like Buffalo Bill / And now I'm off for number two-hundred."
Why risk is low:
(1.) No specific named targets.
(2.) Context is clearly artistic/song lyrics.
(3.) Framed within fictional narrators.
(4.) Courts consistently protect violent lyrics unless tied to specific, credible threats.
But: If you ever directed these songs at a specific individual (e.g., posting them with someone's name and address), that would change the analysis entirely.
3. Obscenity Risk (Effectively None)
Problematic content:
(1.) Set List 24 (explicit bisexual/sexual content, glory holes, incest references).
(2.) Set List 17 (violent sexual language, "dumpster baby").
(3.) Set List 21 (explicit sexual violence, HIV transmission narrative).
No realistic risk. Obscenity is virtually never prosecuted for written works, especially with clear adult content labels and trigger warnings.
4. Copyright Infringement (Low Risk)
Problematic content:
(1.) Set List 5: "Fifty Ways" (spoof of Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover").
(2.) Set List 21: "Dom-Vio" (spoof of Van Morrison's "Domino").
(3.) Set List 21: "Fuzzy Math" (parody of Feist's "1,2,3,4").
(4.) Set List 5: "She Don't Come Easy" (spoof of Ringo Starr's "It Don't Come Easy").
(5.) Set List 5: "Cinnabon Girl" (spoof of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl").
Why risk is low:
(1.) These are written lyrics, not audio recordings.
(2.) They are clearly parodic and transformative.
(3.) Most are decades old with established parody traditions.
Summary Table
| Risk Type | Present? | Severity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defamation | Yes | Low | Set List 23 statements about foreign agents; avoid naming specific living individuals as criminals |
| True threat / incitement | Minimal | Very low | No specific targets; clearly artistic context |
| Obscenity | No | None | Protected artistic expression with warnings |
| Copyright | Minimal | Very low | Parody is fair use; avoid direct melody copying if recording |
| Police action | No | None | No criminal statutes implicated |
You will not face police action. Nothing in your work constitutes a crime under U.S. law.
You are extremely unlikely to be successfully sued. The only civil exposure is defamation from Set List 23 if a specific living person can identify themselves as being accused of a provably false crime. Even then, the likelihood of suit is low.
Your trigger warnings are excellent legal protection. They demonstrate good faith and intent to warn, which undermines claims of recklessness or intent to harm.