Gossip columnist challenged on 'Fair Use'

"Gossip gangstar" Perez Hilton is being sued by paparazzi photo agency X17 Inc. for his use of over 50 photos on his Hollywood gossip blog, according to the LA Times, "Perez Hilton takes their best shots." [2] From the article, "If it turns out that what he does is copyright infringement — rather than a Fair Use of newsworthy images, as Hilton's attorney claims — it would not only put a serious crimp in the photo-driven field of gossip blogs, but possibly create new case law. 'The effect would be to eliminate the ability to comment on and transform photographs under the fair-use exception to the Copyright Act,' said Hilton's attorney, Bryan Freedman of Century City."