ABSTRACT
If the celebrity semiotic sign is recognized to represent the values of a majoritarian public, then the debate and opposition to these encoded ideals may be expressed by using the same signs in a ‘recoded’ manner, and such counterpublic uses can therefore be categorized as ‘political speech’. Through an analysis of right of publicity claims, the author suggests that in order for political speech to be given adequate breathing space, it would be beneficial to understand how semiotic and cultural studies writings can contribute to the articulation of a robust First Amendment defence that adequately protects countercultural representations.
