Apparently, some people do not want this show to go on! Those behind a tribute act to Michael Jackson in Las Vegas claimed the late singer’s estate has been trying to cancel their show — so they’re taking them to court to battle it out now!
According to legal documents obtained by TMZ on Friday, the organizers of MJ Live at the Tropicana alleged the Michael Jackson estate recently started unjustly sending cease and desist letters, threatening to sue them over the show. The estate further accused them of using trademarks without permission. But here’s the thing — MJ Live have been performing the act for more than a decade! So why has the estate only been making legal threats recently? MJ Live suggested in the suit that the issues came out of nowhere… sort of.
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The documents stated that the act was heading out on tour soon, and the estate attempted to shut down the shows scheduled at venues in California, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Here’s the kicker. The tribute act noted that the estate is also beginning a tour of its new Broadway show, MJ: The Musical! Hmm. The timing of the legal threats and the tours are suspicious! Now MJ Live feels the only reason the estate has an issue with them all of a sudden is because they want to cash in with their own Michael Jackson show — and don’t want any competition.
Then the tribute show went on to make a bold accusation! They accused the estate of being the one to infringe on their own intellectual property with MJ: the Musical! Since MJ Live has been around for over a decade, per Billboard, their lawyers argued that the group has its own established brand and own trademark rights to the name. Therefore, the estate’s recent use of MJ: The Musical on Broadway infringed on those rights. The lawyers stated:
“Over the past eleven and one-half years … plaintiff has spent millions of dollars advertising and promoting its MJ Live show. Plaintiff estimates that over 2,500,000 audience members, clapping and singing in their seats, jumping to their feet, and dancing in the aisles, have experienced the joy, excitement, and thrill of MJ Live.”
Now the producers of MJ Live want a judge to declare the art used to promote the show doesn’t infringe on the estate’s trademarks. They also want permission to continue their concerts at the Tropicana and other venues around the country. Whoa! A rep for Michael Jackson’s estate fired back at the lawsuit in a statement to TMZ, saying:
“This lawsuit — including the claim that this impersonator show somehow owns a ‘trademark’ in ‘MJ,’ a trademark owned by Michael Jackson’s Estate and long associated with Michael and his Estate — is beyond frivolous. The Estate, as always, will vigorously defend all intellectual property rights of Michael Jackson.”
They seem prepared to fight back at the claims made by MJ Live! Oof! As for why the estate hasn’t attempted to shutdown MJ Live over the past ten years? Sources with direct knowledge explained to the outlet that Nevada has laws protecting impersonator shows. But now they are trying to bring the show to other states, the estate decided to take action since they feel the show is “low class.” Damn!
Thoughts on the lawsuit, Perezcious readers? Sound OFF in the comments below!
[Image via Chris Connor/WENN]
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