from the we’re-gonna-have-a-problem-here dept

And if that title didn’t actually confuse you all that a lot, then you definately’ve managed to get the purpose. Eminem hasn’t been shy about asserting his mental property rights up to now, although a lot of his efforts on that entrance have truly been to the benefit of artists from his fights with document labels. That doesn’t imply that Em’s staff isn’t able to some IP missteps, nevertheless.

And we seem to have an instance of such a misstep. See, Eminem’s authorized staff has filed an opposition to a trademark application for a podcast hosted by 2 actuality present members titled “Moderately Shady.”

Rapper Marshall “Eminem” Mathers is on a authorized mission to show he’s the actual Shady after “Actual Housewives of Potomac” stars Dixon and Bryant tried to trademark “Moderately Shady” – the title of their hit podcast – final 12 months.

A lawyer for Dixon and Bryant instructed The Occasions on Tuesday that the reality-TV duo intend “to defend their trademark software” regardless of the “Actual Slim Shady” artist’s movement to dam it.

Let’s not mince phrases: that is silly. Let’s even be clear and truthful to Eminem: the trademark software seeks approval not simply for the podcast, but in addition in your typical merch classes. These embody clothes, drink containers, equipment, make-up, and so on. And I don’t even have to go look to confirm that Eminem has every kind of logos for all his varied monikers for a lot of, if not all, of these classes.

However it’s nonetheless silly. The inclusion of the phrase “shady” doesn’t in and of itself imply that there’s actual or potential public confusion over the supply of any items. Slim doesn’t personal each iteration of the phrase “shady” in the case of logos in these classes. And “Moderately Shady” is a fairly good deviation from “Slim Shady” or “Shady” for quite a lot of causes. If nothing else, Em is utilizing the time period as a noun, as in his nom de guerre, whereas the stunning Housewives women are utilizing it as an adjective. Past that, the small print of the branding matter and I don’t seen something that may lead me to assume that most people is robotically going to imagine that Eminem is concerned just because the phrase “shady” seems.

In Tuesday’s submitting, Group Mathers factors out that Eminem has lengthy used the marks Shady, Slim Shady and Shady Restricted to hawk merchandise comparable to T-shirts and baseball caps.

“The marks SLIM SHADY, SHADY and SHADY LIMITED have turn into distinctive and are recognized by most people solely with [Mathers] and his items and providers,” the submitting states.

That certain will likely be information to all the opposite of us utilizing the phrase “shady” as registered logos in these classes. Simply to pick one instance, right here is the live trademark for “Shady Days Hats.” Why is that one much less offensive than “Moderately Shady”? Who the hell is aware of!

However what I do know is that that is all very foolish. Eminem is an immensely proficient artist and businessman. That’s the place his efforts needs to be targeted, reasonably than making an attempt to inform some “actual” housewives what they’ll placed on a espresso mug.

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