What happened to Tommy MacDonald?

[Bob Glenn]

I've caught a few episodes of Rough Cut on Create TV lately, and notice the last few times there is a new guy hosting. Wondering what happened to Tommy?

[Jim Koepke]

Like so many things in today's litigious world it is ending up in court:

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/04/27/wgbh-sued-woodworking-show-host-tommy-mac/N72LnhoElILTKPC9vxvMFO/story.html

jtk

[Bob Glenn]

Thanks, Jim, I did not know. Met Tommy a few years ago at Woodworking in America. He walked up, said hi, and was easy to talk with.

[Dave Zellers]

Wow I did not know he started a webcast called Rough Cut. Unless he signed away the name it sounds like he has a case.

[Derek Cohen]

I recall Tommy from his days before Rough Cut was picked up as a sponsored show. He was (and is) brash to some, but this was never an issue for me. He came across as a passionate and warm ... and skilled ... woodworker, with power or hand tools. His web channel closed down as it became pay-to-view. Rough Cut and Tommy MacDonald certainly went together in my mind. The new show is very enjoyable. Different personality, even perhaps a higher level of technical expertise, but that is not a criticism of Tommy. I hope he finds his thing.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Pat Barry]

Sounds like he is getting ripped off in his trademark name by FWW and the TV production company.

[Edwin Santos]

Sounds like he is getting ripped off in his trademark name by FWW and the TV production company.

That's certainly what his lawyer would have you believe.

[Mike Brady]

There are also issues involving PBS or at least their Boston affiliate. I live in the third or fourth largest television market and PBS has lost a station here recently and the surviving outlet is carrying no programming related to woodworking (FW or Roy).

[Jim Koepke]

Sounds like he is getting ripped off in his trademark name by FWW and the TV production company.

That is why one has to be careful about what rights one signs away when entering into an agreement with a corporation.

If Tommy MacDonald did not register the name before entering into the agreement, he may be out of luck. Even if he did, the agreement/contract may have transferred the rights to the name to the broadcaster.

jtk

[Simon MacGowen]

That's certainly what his lawyer would have you believe.

Recently, I was involved as a bystander in a litigation process, and the two sides have engaged their own attorneys almost with identical credentials in terms of reputation and experience. It was eye-opening to this "bystander" who has had no legal training that the same (seemingly ordinary) text can be interpreted legally so differently. Both sides can take the same sentence or agreement in almost totally opposite directions. It is like you see white while I see black! The case is 9 months old and both sides are still burning money, involving now forensic accountants ($300/hr or so).

So, I wouldn't be surprised Tommy and FW don't see eye to eye unless they hired the same attorney. As proven in many cases before this, you never know the outcome until the court makes a decision. Your attorney, of course, will paint the picture you want to see.

Simon

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I have met Tommy MacDonald and personally I really like him. I also really like how he interacted with people at shows.

My wife would watch the show with me, I am sure it had nothing to do with wood working, but I liked that she watched with me.

I learn more from the new guy, but my wife no longer watches the show.

[John C Cox]

This happens ALL THE TIME in Music, Radio, and TV production.

And it's the #1 lesson that 100% of band creators, radio show creators, and TV show creators will tell you if you ever ask them "What is the most important thing you learned?"

That #1 thing is OWN YOUR OWN NAME!!! Own the name of your show, your website, your band..... Hire your own lawyer to do all the trademark paperwork to make sure you own the name of your creation!!! If The Studio pays to do all the work - guess who their lawyers will name as owners of the name? Right - them... Not you!!

Because nobody ever gets fired from their own TV show because they didn't own the name - just ask Tommy.... Nobody ever gets fired from their own band because they didn't own the name - just ask John Fogarty...

And suing them later because you agreed to let them own your name NEVER works out in the end... Because this sort of thing has been going on for years and years....

[Kevin Hampshire]

Funny...my wife would watch RoughCut when Tommy and Eli were on.