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Village People Threaten Chef Jamie Oliver For Dressing Up Like Cowboy, Indian, Cop, Construction Worker, Etc...

Overhype

from the YMCA dept

Mon, Dec 21st 2009 11:59am — Mike Masnick
Kaden writes in to let us know that celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is facing some legal threats from The Village People for dressing up like them in a promotion for Oliver's new TV show. Apparently a lawyer representing the band said that they've trademarked their costumes, and if you want to dress up like them for a commercial purpose, you need to pay up. However, Oliver's people are noting that they don't think he violated any trademark, and they doubt that the lawyer member of The Village People (the one in the suit) will actually go through with the lawsuit...
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Filed Under: jamie oliver, trademark, village people

40 Comments

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  • icon
    Pickle Monger (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 11:12am

    Slippery slope

    Next on the docket: a class action suit on behalf of Barney, Godzilla, Rex the Green Dinosaur, et al. against the American Museum of Natural History, The Smithsonian institution et al. for deriving a commercial benefit from showing dinosaurs in their exhibits. Can't wait!

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jon Bane, 21 Dec 2009 @ 11:19am

    Moron in a hurry

    I don't know, he may have a case. It could be pretty difficult to distinguish a celebrity chef from a 70s band.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      slander (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 1:04pm

      Re: Moron in a hurry

      Sure it is. When a 70s band says "Do ya wanna rock," the the crowd goes wild. The celebrity chef says "olive oil" to get the same effect. I'm looking at you, Emeril...

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      harbingerofdoom (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 1:16pm

      Re: Moron in a hurry

      ordinarily id be against you on this point.
      but in this case with this band, you could be very right.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    senshikaze (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 12:19pm

    DMCA (a parody of Village People’s YMCA)

    SEOs, there’s no need to feel down
    I said, SEOs, pick yourselves off the ground
    I said, SEOs, ’cause your site isn’t found
    There’s no need to be unhappy

    SEOs, there’s a place you can go
    I said, SEOs, when you’re content’s been stolen
    You can file there, and I’m sure you will find
    Your rankings will come back in good time

    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    They can defeat the content thieves
    They can beat the tricks up their sleeves
    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    You can restore your copyright, you can flex your muscles with might
    Your rankings will once again see the light.

    SEOs, are you listenin’ to me?
    I said, SEOs, how you want the SERPs to be?
    I said, SEOs, you can make real your dreams
    But you’ve got to know this one thing

    No one does it all by himself
    I said, SEOs, put your pride on the shelf
    And just file that little DMCA
    I’m sure it will help you today

    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    They can defeat the content thieves
    They can beat the tricks up their sleeves
    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    You can restore your copyright, you can flex your muscles with might
    Your rankings will once again see the light.

    SEOs, I was once in your shoes
    I said, I was down and out with the blues
    I saw my website had been duplicated
    I felt so very frustrated

    That’s when someone came up to me
    And said, “SEO, follow this link
    To find out how to file a DMCA
    It can start you back on your way”

    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    They can defeat the content thieves
    They can beat the tricks up their sleeves
    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    It’s fun to turn in a DMCA
    SEOs, SEOs, there’s no need to feel down
    SEOs, SEOs, just do the DMCA takedown.

    DMCA
    Just file a DMCA
    SEOs, SEOs, I was once in your shoes
    SEOs, SEOs, I was down with the blues
    DMCA

    (I know that has nothing to do with it, just found it funny. http://www.searchenginepeople.com/contest/dmca-a-parody-of-village-peoples-ymca.html)

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    slander (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 12:33pm

    Next on their agenda -- they're going to sue the gay Chinese pop group "Village Peoples Republic"...

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    slander (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 12:37pm

    ...and they doubt that the lawyer member of The Village People (the one in the suit) will actually go through with the lawsuit...
     Wait a minute--there was a lawyer-suited member of the group?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Cohen (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 12:59pm

    Hey! Hey! Hey!

    Jaime Oliver and Channel 4 know full well they are using someone else's trademark.

    And I wonder how quickly they would sue someone else for coming out with a bunch of recipes from "The Naked Chef"? Faster than the train from London to Liverpool!

    I agree that lawyers screw up things.

    But the Village People have had to work hard to maintain their trademark.

    And they deserve to protect it.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Richard (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 1:08pm

      Re:

      They're in a different business from Jamie Oliver - so trademark doesn't apply.

      Just like Lotus cars (which usually defends its trademark vigorously) never went after Lotus Software.

      Please understand that trademark is not copyright - it only applies if you are competing in the same business and there is a possibility of confusion between the two companies.

      Jamie Oliver is not promoting an album or concert tour so there is no trademark case to answer.

      If a band released an album called "The Naked Chef" then likewise channel four/Jamie Oliver would have no case.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        CastorTroy-Libertarian, 21 Dec 2009 @ 1:18pm

        Re: Re:

        Sorry Naked Chef and Village People in the same post... anyone else just find it freaking funny...

        Hell the Village people are just made because they invited him over to cook for them, and he had on clothes...

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 21 Dec 2009 @ 6:21pm

          Re: Re: Re:

          The Village people were parody and can be parodied. The Oliver ad is probably covered under that.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Typical Consumer, 21 Dec 2009 @ 1:19pm

    I'm so confused

    I'm in such a hurry these days, with the holidays right around the corner and all. I still have lots of gifts to get and wrap, dont know that i can it all done in time. One gift I need is a CD of the Village people, dont ask ... Anyways, I was watching channel four the other day and saw the village people cooking stuff and thought wow, what a good gift idea. Turns out it was some thieving pirate who can not sing or dance.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      senshikaze (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 1:30pm

      Re: I'm so confused

      ah, typical consumer. the reason wal-mart has more power in american retail than any thousand companies put together.

      Mr/Mdm. Typical Consumer, You're an idiot.
      Thank you.

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Everyone E, 21 Dec 2009 @ 1:39pm

        Re: Re: I'm so confused

        Dear Senshikaze,

        Please have your sarcasm meter recalibrated.

        Thank You,
        Everyone Else

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 21 Dec 2009 @ 2:38pm

          Re: Re: Re: I'm so confused

          Well, I tried to buy a sarcasm meter but all I could find was a CD by the Village People. I didn't buy it.

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    reboog711 (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 1:58pm

    I'm not sure what to think about this one. It sounds like the Village People may have a case to me. If the chef is using village people-esque costumes--which are pretty distinct--I can easily envision how it may imply that the Village People are associate with, or support, the chef.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Lucretious, 21 Dec 2009 @ 2:03pm

    Did the Village People ever pay the YMCA for using their moniker?

    Just curious.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 21 Dec 2009 @ 2:15pm

    Is Dark Helmet submitting story ideas again?

    Because this definitely seems like something he'd send in... Mike, have you no quality control?

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Dark Helmet (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 2:39pm

      Re: Is Dark Helmet submitting story ideas again?

      A. It wasn't me

      B. If you're going to spend your time here just going after me personally, could you at least name yourself after some homely pet of mine? FYI, I have two dogs....

      Now go get 'em slugger....

      [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 21 Dec 2009 @ 2:43pm

        Re: Re: Is Dark Helmet submitting story ideas again?

        Why does it matter how many dogs you have unless you're going to make Chinese food?

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Dark Helmet's Ugly Dog, 21 Dec 2009 @ 6:56pm

          Re: Re: Re: Is Dark Helmet submitting story ideas again?

          Why would the Village People care about some guy cooking stuff ?

          [ link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Clark W Griswold (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 7:45pm

        Re: Re: Is Dark Helmet submitting story ideas again?

        We'll see how long this account lasts.

        [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    NullOp, 21 Dec 2009 @ 2:48pm

    Help!

    Someone is going to patent stupidity one day and then thousands will be in violation. ALL politicians, for example.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    sexydiverguy (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 4:12pm

    Its a cool Commercial

    The spot is "cute" and Jamie wonders who the Village People are.:) The VP should run with the idea that this is FREE PROMOTION for them and from a chef that has far more money than they will ever see.

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 21 Dec 2009 @ 4:59pm

    Fuck the VP

    This just pisses me off.

    The village people raped and murdered a young boy in 1975

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Daemon_ZOGG (profile), 21 Dec 2009 @ 5:39pm

    village people??!!!

    Who the hell still listens to those Dorks anywayz!
    :P

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Bryan Au, 29 Dec 2009 @ 12:48am

    Chef Bryan Au dressed up like a Cop on Halloween!

    I actually dressed up like the RENO 911 Cop for Halloween, heck I have the legs for it! lol Photos of it are on some of my websites, Facebook, etc. Hope the Village People don't think I am trying to be the Cop! It is from Reno 911 TV SHOW!

    Raw Chef Bryan Au
    http://www.Rawinten.com

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Baubid.Com, 24 Jun 2013 @ 1:32pm

    Hmm, Paying for Tradmark

    It is interesting that we need to pay for dress up too!
    Home Renovations Toronto by Baubid

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    LogoToYou, 24 Jan 2014 @ 9:32am

    Cool!

    Really cool! I think , He need to pay some it's better than falling on legal problems.
    Logo mats at Logo to You

    [ link to this | view in chronology ]


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