celebrities

I'm writing to you from California. I've written a script that I plan to shoot in March.I'm a struggling actor and teacher. My characters, in the course of conversation, mention a number of famous people, both in flattering and not so flattering ways. Common guy conversation, some locker-room type stuff, much of it very funny I'm told. At any rate, I don't want legal trouble...late night tv has just as much of what I'm talking about-but I'm not such a big fish. What is the bottom line here? This is a celebrity culture, and people do speak of and refer to the famous...do you HAVE to get people's permission to use their names? I doubt seriously that I could even get TO any of these people to find out about a "clearance". Is this a gray area, or is there a definitive rule here?

I am a law school graduate. What I offer is mere informationm, not to be construed as forming an attorney client relationship.

They are public figures and expect to be in the press, movies, etc.

http://www.mobar.org/press/medhnbk2.htm

thank you

Dear Lawrat,
Thank you for helping! I really appreciate it.