Lady Gaga Ends Lady Goo Goo and Other Celeb Lawsuits
Lady Gaga did not see the humor in the online children's game that promoted a character by the name of Lady Goo Goo. The character was used in a popular children's web site called, "Moshi Monsters." The pop singer felt the name was too close to her own and would confuse people into thinking there was connection between her star persona and the game's character.
The site was receiving around one million views, and Lady Goo Goo, the blonde headed baby who wore star-sized sunglasses, became an Internet sensation after her hit, "The Moshi Dance," was released on YouTube in June. Lady Gaga won her injunction to stop the makers from using her likeness and promoting the character.
Mind Candy founder, Michael Acton Smith, said that he believed the action could "set a dangerous precedent in trademark law impacting tribute bands and parody songs." Smith felt the game was all done "in fun" and had hoped the singer/song-writer would have seen the humor behind the parody.
In November of 2009, Rapper 50 cent, took credit for shutting down WorldStarHipHop.com. He sued the popular website for using his image without his permission. The site used the rapper's photo on their home page, and the singer claimed that the use of it increased traffic to the site, as well as gave the impression that he was affiliated with it.
Just a little over a year later, in early 2011, WorldStarHipHop.com was no longer in existence, and though there was never an official explanation, it is likely that the 50-cent lawsuit was a major factor in its disappearance.
The film industry is not exempt either. Twilight.com was sued by Summit Entertainment. The lawsuit was brought against the site by the movie studio just last month and alleges that it misleads consumers into thinking that it is an authorized and official web site.
The lesson here, I believe, is that if you're making money from a star's personality or using their image online, you better be sure to get permission before hand.