Actor Owen Wilson has denied those allegations made by Steely Dan men Walter Becker and Donald Fagen that the character Wilson plays in his latest film, 'You, Me And Dupree', is stolen from one depicted in their 2001 track 'Cousin Dupree'. As previously reported, Becker and Fagen wrote an open letter to Wilson's brother, fellow actor Luke Wilson, criticising the film for what they consider to be direct plagiarism. And no, I still haven't worked out why they addressed it to his brother and not him.
According to the Associated Press, Wilson has now released a facetious statement addressing the claim. Wilson says: "I have never heard the song 'Cousin Dupree' and I don't even know who this gentleman, Mr Steely Dan, is. I hope this helps to clear things up and I can get back to concentrating on my new movie, 'Hey 19'".
'Hey Nineteen' is, of course, the name of Steely Dan's hit track from 1980 album 'Gaucho'.