Can A Fictional Character Defame A Real Human?

Alan Dershowitz has sued CBS for a”defamatory” comment on the TV show The Good Wife. If the plaintiff were to win his lawsuit, it would be a real problem for TV writers and novelists. CBS’s lawyer: “As one might explain to a small child, the Series, its characters and the things they say are all make-believe. People don’t watch the Series for factual information about Professor Dershowitz or anyone else.” – Washington Post