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Actress wants to sue me over a phrase?

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tellafriend

Junior Member
California

Ok, so one morning I wake up and get this brilliant idea for a t-shirt slogan. A couple of weeks later I make up a couple hundred t-shirts and start selling them all over the place.

It's my own creation, sort of a play on an old phrase that people always say and I'm very happy with the sales my t-shirts are generating.

Until...

Evidentally someone in Hollywood see's one of my shirts and isn't very happy that I "stold the words right out of her mouth and am now making money from doing so".

Honestly, I can't keep track of who says what but I research the old phrase and find out that alot of people have already twisted the words around (I guess I wasn't as brilliant as I thought) and have claimed the new phrase as their own too including this actress and an author who used it as a title for her book.

Long story longer...

I'm getting threatened to pull the shirt or I'll lose my shirt in court.

Should I be worried?
Is this copyright infringement?
What words CAN'T I put on a shirt?
If someone famous says something don't I have the right to put it on a t-shirt the next day?

Thank you.
 


I AM ALWAYS LIABLE

Senior Member
My response:

Then "Alpha Beta" supermarket is going to sue you also for using their "Tell A Friend" slogan as your forum name. But, they can't because "Tell A Friend" is considered to be a "slogan." Slogans and titles of books, movies, etc. are specifically exempted from trademark and copyright ownership.

Look, unless it's a trademark or service mark of that "actress", and it's a "slogan", then she's got nothing. Ask to see her ownership papers.

IAAL
 
Last edited:
H

hexeliebe

Guest
I'm still waiting for someone famous

to say something WORTH putting on a t-shirt.
 

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